Stickers, decals, and labels all may be similar, but there are different options. While the difference is slight, it affects the best purchasing option for each scenario.
We’re going to go over each of these, in order to give you the best options to choose from for packaging projects.
Defining Stickers, Labels, and Decals
You may wonder what the difference is and what’s best for you.
The basic definitions are a great place to start, as this will provide you with better options for your needs.
First, let’s talk about stickers. Stickers that are custom are smaller pieces of vinyl, paper, and also fabric with an adhesive to help with the back of this. they come in different colors, designs, shapes, and the like. They’re versatile for decoration and branding needs.
Decals are basically self-adhesive with a backing on there. they’re larger, far more permanent, and are used for branding and identification. They’re usually made from vinyl that’s cut into various shapes and will have a clear background that blends this directly into surfaces. You see these usually on store displays.
Finally, labels are basically a self-adhesive that’s made from paper, vinyl, polyester, but the usage of this is not decoration, nor identification. They usually are images with text on them, telling you about the product itself, the contents, and the usages of such.
From this alone, you see that they all stick directly to surfaces, so let’s drive a little bit deeper into the usages of each.
Decals, Stickers, and Labels—putting them Against each other
They’re all adhesives, but there are other aspects which make them differ too. While there are similarities, the materials that are used in it can differ, and there are other differences as well.
First, let’s talk about materials. This is a good place to start.
Stickers are usually made with paper, matte, fabric, and even vinyl. They’re versatile when you choose materials that have different durability, looks, and even costs. Paper stickers for instance tend to be a more affordable type of option, but are far less durable compared to vinyl’s.
Decals use vinyl, which means for the weather, they’re better. They’re also far more durable and customizable. This is very necessary because the decals tend to be larger, and usually can be exposed to more elements than the sticker might be able to handle.
Labels also use some similar stickers, and usually are thinner, which is why they’re used on a lot of products. There are also some that come in metallic and holographic forms, but these tend to be a lot rarer than the others.
The Designs and Applications of each
Regarding the design options, stickers, labels and the like are similar. There are different sizes, and have a lot of possibilities that suit the needs of people. These range from small, even roundish adhesives Ito larger rectangular ones. This also works for fully colored and printed designs. There are die cuts which fit the exact shape. There are also kiss cuts, which leaves the backings untrimmed.
There are similarities, but the differences happen in durability and the application. Stickers have to be applied manually. Labels can be applied with specialized machines in some instances. Stickers also tend to last far longer than labels, especially depending on the materials that are used. They also tend to be far thinner, since you’re using this to accommodate for mass applications of these stickers.
Knowing the difference is important, as it will help you with knowing exactly the types of items that you need to make, and the applications of such as well.
