Whether you want to increase your brand reach, promote your business, or make a personal statement, car stickers represent an attractive and affordable option. Even though stickers seem simple, there are quite a few varieties, and you will do well to know your options. Some insights:
Digitally Printed or Silkscreen Printed Stickers
Most of the stickers seen on vehicles nowadays are digitally printed on a vinyl substrate with adhesive on the back. Vinyl is ideally suited for stickers as it is flexible and can adhere well to the curves of the vehicle body without getting creased. The material is also waterproof and durable, which makes it ideally suited for use outdoors.
The adhesive can also be applied to the front of the decal, so that it can be stuck on the inside of a glass surface like windscreens or windows. The graphics are designed on a computer, and the stickers are printed on sophisticated machines that permit millions of colors to be reproduced with photographic accuracy and resolution. Digitally printed decals are ideal when you need the graphics, photos, logos, etc., printed in multiple colors and gradients.
On the other hand, if the design of the sticker is relatively simple consisting mainly of text, you can use the silkscreen method for printing that involves printing one color at a time. Typically, you will need to restrict your color palette to a maximum of four colors but the advantage is that you can use metallic and fluorescent inks to give the stickers an exclusive look. However, printing photos, complex and multi-color graphics, and logos cannot be done by this printing process. Regardless of the printing method, if you want additional protection from the elements, as well as resistance to fading due to UV rays in sunshine and scratches, you can have the custom car decals coated with a clear laminate for a nominal sum.
Die Cut Stickers or Kiss-Cut Stickers
If the shape of the sticker is anything but rectangular, such as circular, oval, or even irregular in the shape of your logo or as a design element, the stickers cannot be cut conventionally with industrial knives. Instead, a special die has to be made in the shape of the sticker design, which is used to punch put the sticker in the desired shape. Typically these stickers have a crack and peel backing paper without any liner is visible on the printed stickers. According to the Colvin-Friedman company, die-cutting results in an unmatched uniformity of shape.
A kiss-cut sticker, on the other hand, has a backing paper that is typically square and bigger than the sticker that may have a regular or a custom shape. The method of producing kiss-cut stickers involves the cutter kissing the printed sticker in such a way that only the vinyl is cut and not the backing paper.
Conclusion
The type of sticker you choose depends on how the design has been developed and the quantity of the print run. While die-cut stickers are preferred for their presentation, kiss-cut stickers are better for protecting the stickers due to the larger backing paper and are also easier to peel.