Often misunderstood to be the same thing, labels and stickers actually provide slightly different functions.
So, do you need stickers or labels? This blog will go into the differences between the two, and which should be used for certain purposes.
What makes a label?
The purpose of labels is to identify a product or an item. They are used on a variety of products, including warehouse shelves, shipping boxes, and envelopes.
Typically, labels are made of either paper or film. The materials are frequently thinner and made to peel off the backing quickly and easily.
There are mainly two formats for labels. Sheet labels must be manually applied, making them ideal for smaller jobs. Roll labels can be used by hand or machine and are excellent for projects requiring higher volumes.
Labels are there to provide often very vital information, such as ingredients, health risks, and instructions. This is why labelling is important.
Types of labels
When it comes to product marketing and packaging, there are two types of labels: prime labels and secondary labels. Customers are exposed to prime labels first. High-quality images and colours are frequently used on these labels to increase their appeal and draw in customers. Secondary labels often appear on the product's rear and provide crucial product information.
What makes a sticker?
Stickers are frequently professionally produced and used to support a cause or company, represent a group like a team or club, or just for fun. They often arrive in a stack as opposed to on a sheet or roll and are typically individually cut.
Custom stickers are intended to be distributed or sold with no thought given to where they will ultimately end up. What the end users do with the stickers is up to them. They may use them to plaster them on their laptop, water bottle, skateboard helmet, or vehicle window.
Stickers need to be more durable because they are frequently exposed to harsh situations. The majority of stickers are made of vinyl or film, which is laminated, or UV varnished to protect them from elements like water, sunshine, and accidental scratches and scuffs.
There are two main types of stickers, outlined below.
Die-cut stickers
Die cut stickers come in a specific shape. They are cut through vinyl and paper backing layers to the shapes of your design.
Kiss-cut stickers
Kiss cut stickers just cut through the vinyl layer. The paper backing is kept whole. This means that only a portion of the sticker can be peeled off of the backing. Kiss cut stickers will have additional backing all the way around the sticker.
How are stickers and labels similar?
- Both sticky
- Both frequently have a paper backing to shield the "sticky" glue and are composed of durable vinyl or film material
- They come with either permanent or removable adhesive
- Both are frequently printed with similar tools
Stickers and labels at Label Source
At Label Source we provide a wide range of shipping labels and tapes, all of which can be used to mark dispatches, shipments, and goods in transit.
