We have many customers that want to buy custom stickers for the very first time. What can start off as quite a simple task often becomes quite complicated. Do I choose between a paper sticker or a vinyl sticker? Is my sticker going to be waterproof? Will the inks fade over time? Do I need to laminate my stickers? These are the type of questions we are asked.

To answer these questions and more we have decided to dust down our keyboard and write a few words to assist you in your sticker purchase.

How long will the inks last before the stickers fade?

Unfortunately, the answer is not straightforward. The durability of your stickers depends on a number of factors, not least how much exposure the stickers will get to direct sunlight. Since it is the harmful UV rays that come from the sun that is responsible for the fading, much will depend upon where the sticker spends its life on this earth. The inks on a sticker stuck to a rock in the middle of the Sahara Desert will fade much quicker than if the sticker is stuck to a lamp-post in the heart of Scotland (no offence to the Scots, but there really is not much sun in Scotland). Since there has never been a paint or ink that is completely resistant to UV light, this rule applies to all stickers, no matter which technology was used to print the sticker.

Therefore, if someone guarantees you that the inks on a custom-made sticker will last for a minimum number of years then that person is either lying or does not understand the concept of fading or the effects of UV light.

That being said, the stickers produced by Edge Signs all are manufactured using inks that have the maximum possible UV stability. You can be confident when purchasing stickers with our company that you are getting the very best technology can provide. None of the inks (and resins) that we use are anything like the water based inks you would use at home. On the contrary, our inks can easily last for up to 3 years in every day outdoor conditions without showing signs of fading. Of course, this is an average. Actual time may be longer or shorter than this.

Do I need to laminate my custom stickers?

It is often thought that custom stickers need to be laminated in order to survive outdoors, or that by laminating stickers this then makes them waterproof. Both of these beliefs are incorrect.

All of the inks used in our sticker printing are UV stable and suitable for outdoor use. These inks are either mild solvent based, UV cured or resins, meaning they are not water based and will not wash away with rain. Since the vast majority of our bespoke stickers are printed on self-adhesive vinyl they are also waterproof. The only non-waterproof custom sticker that we manufacture is the Paper Sticker. Our economy sticker is a short-term outdoor use sticker, whereas our premium custom sticker has a outdoor lifespan of 7 years.

So, if my stickers are fully waterproof, and the inks UV stable then why would I laminate my stickers?

The answer is when your stickers are likely to be scratched.

Because most modern printing methods have only a superficial penetration of ink on the surface of the media, the stickers will always be susceptible to abrasion, scuffing and scratching. In addition, solvent-ink printed stickers also can have the inks wiped cleaned with a solvent cleaner. In these scenarios, the stickers should be laminated. To give specific examples, custom-made stickers should always be laminated if they are going on vehicles, bikes, skateboards, wake-boards, heavy industrial machinery, or any situation where the sticker might be cleaned with a solvent cleaning fluid.