The Sticker Jargon?

Back Paper → The bit you peel your sticker off. Why not print something fun on it with our back paper print?

Bleed → A safety margin that gives a bit of leeway for the cutting machine, to ensure there are no unprinted edges.

CMYK → Stands for Cyan / Magenta / Yellow / Key (black), the colour mode used for printing. Be sure to switch the colour mode on your computer to CMYK when designing, to ensure accurate colour reproduction.

Contour → The outer edge of your design. When cut this way, it’s called a Contour Cut or Die Cut.

Crack Back → The back paper has a slit that makes it easier to peel off.

Cutline → The edge of your sticker – that’s where the cutting machine trims it. Want to learn more about cutlines?

Die-Cut → These individual stickers are cut through both the vinyl and the backing paper, and can be made in any shape or size for your custom sticker.

Digital proof → A preview of your design in the editor that gives you an idea of how the final product will look after production. We offer instant digital proofs for custom stickers in our editor, showing your artwork and the cutline. Let us know if you’ve got any special requests.

DPI (dots per inch) → A term that describes the resolution or sharpness of an image. Standard DPI for printed images is 300 dpi.

Full-colour print → A printing method that blends different levels of the four CMYK colours (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and black) to produce virtually any colour imaginable.

Hi-tack adhesive → A pressure-sensitive adhesive that forms a strong bond between the sticker and the applied surface. Ideal for skateboard stickers or industrial-strength applications.

Kiss-Cut → These stickers are cut through the vinyl but not the backing paper. The sticker comes with a larger backing, often square. Make your own kiss-cut stickers here – commonly used for our custom sticker sheets.

Layers → When designing your stickers, you’ll need to provide your file in layers. This is crucial if you're choosing a material other than white vinyl, so we know where to apply effects.

Low-tack adhesive → A pressure-sensitive adhesive that creates a light bond, making the sticker easy to remove. Great if you want a wall sticker. Fancy one? Head over to our Removable Stickers!

Low-resolution image → An image of lower quality with reduced sharpness due to fewer dots per inch. This will make your sticker look blurry in print. We recommend creating your file in 300 dpi for a crisp result.

Micron → Short for micrometre – used to indicate the thickness of the material.

Opacity → The level of transparency in a white layer, measured in percentage. It lets you tone down the special material effect so it doesn’t overpower your design.

PET-laminate → A tough film that protects your sticker from the elements.

Premium PP film → A 100% recyclable thermoplastic – the main material used in most of our stickers.

Proof → A complete digital mock-up that gives you an idea of the final product. It shows your artwork and the cutline, and highlights any areas that will feature effects if you’ve chosen a special material. The grey area represents a white layer covering parts of the design that will be printed as solid colours/white, while visible areas will show the effect.

RGB → Stands for Red / Green / Blue, the colour mode used for digital work. If you’re designing on a computer, you’re probably working in RGB. Be sure to switch to CMYK for accurate print colour reproduction.

Sticker Sheet → Exactly what it sounds like – multiple designs arranged on a single sheet. All sticker sheets are kiss-cut.

Vector → Shapes and lines defined by algorithms (points) instead of pixels. They retain their quality no matter how much you scale them up or down.

White layer → A printed layer underneath the colours to keep them solid and prevent the chosen effect material from showing through.