- Paper-Based Materials: The Fundamental Choice for Low Cost and High Versatility
Paper materials are the most traditional and widely used category for custom sticker sheets. Thanks to their easy processing, excellent printing effects, and low cost, they dominate the basic application market.
Coated Paper
Coated paper is produced by applying a white coating to the surface of base paper and then calendering it for a smooth and delicate finish. It comes in matte, semi-gloss, and glossy types. Its core advantage is high color fidelity, capable of accurately rendering complex patterns and gradients, making it ideal for visually striking decorative uses such as gift packaging stickers and brand logos. However, it has significant limitations: it is neither waterproof nor oil-resistant and has poor tear resistance. Prolonged exposure to humidity can lead to mildew. Thus, coated paper stickers are mainly used indoors in dry environments and should avoid frequent handling, typically seen in stationery decorations and festive stickers.
Thermal Paper
Thermal paper does not require ink, as it develops color when heated by a thermal print head. It is widely used for instant labeling, such as supermarket weighing labels and temporary shipping labels. Its structure includes a base layer, a thermal coating, and a protective layer, the latter providing slight abrasion resistance. However, it is still not waterproof, and the color layer is sensitive to high temperatures and UV rays, easily fading above 60°C, with a typical lifespan of less than one year. Therefore, it is more suitable for short-term labeling rather than long-term decoration.
Kraft Paper
Made from natural plant fibers, kraft paper features high fiber density, granting it excellent toughness and wear resistance, along with a natural retro texture popular in cultural and creative industries. It comes in standard and reinforced variants—the latter treated for moisture resistance and suitable for sealing packaging cartons while offering reinforcement. Its eco-friendly properties give it an edge in food and organic product packaging, though its color expression is weak, suitable only for monochrome printing.
Masking Paper
Masking paper is an “industrial tool” characterized by pressure-sensitive adhesive with low tack and easy peelability, leaving no residue and not damaging surfaces. It is specially treated to withstand temperatures between -10°C and 80°C, commonly used as masking stickers in painting, plating, and other applications for precise boundary definition. Its flexibility also makes it useful in crafts for temporarily fixing designs on curved surfaces.
- Plastic Film Materials: Enhanced Durability and Environmental Adaptability
With the growing demand for durability and waterproof properties, plastic film materials have become the mainstream choice in the mid-to-high-end custom sticker market due to their superior physical performance.
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
PVC films are made flexible by adding plasticizers and are categorized into soft and rigid PVC. Soft PVC is highly stretchable, suitable for irregular surfaces like curved glass or plastic bottles, and offers excellent waterproof and oil-resistant properties, ideal for humid environments such as kitchens and bathrooms (e.g., cabinet stickers, glass decals). However, environmental concerns persist: plasticizers may release trace harmful substances, it deforms at temperatures above 60°C, and recycling is difficult. Rigid PVC, with higher hardness and stiffness, is commonly used for 3D stickers like fridge magnets and car interior decals.
PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)
PET film is the premium material for high-end stickers, boasting stable molecular structure, a wide temperature tolerance (-40°C to 120°C), and strong UV resistance, ensuring long-term color retention even outdoors. Its optical clarity exceeds 90% transparency, and with aluminum coating, it can achieve a metallic texture, commonly used on cosmetic bottles and electronic product nameplates. PET has 5-10 times the tear resistance of paper, is waterproof, and resistant to chemical corrosion, making it prevalent in industrial labeling such as medical device labels and chemical product warnings. Additionally, PET films can be combined with adhesives to create removable stickers, suitable for temporary decorations like trade show displays.
OPP (Oriented Polypropylene)
OPP film is produced via biaxial stretching to enhance strength. It is lightweight (20-50μm thick), highly transparent, and moisture-resistant. Its surface has low surface tension and must be corona-treated for ink adhesion. Post-printing, it is commonly used for sealing stickers on food packaging, like cookie box seals, ensuring both sealing and product information display. However, OPP has poor low-temperature resistance, becoming brittle below 0°C, thus unsuitable for outdoor cold environments. It is mostly used indoors in dry conditions, such as stationery packaging and gift box decorations.
- Special Functional Materials: Tailored Solutions for Specific Scenarios
Beyond the basic materials, certain specialized materials are used for extreme environments or special functionality:
Metal Foil Paper
Made with aluminum foil as the base, these stickers can be printed with patterns or text and combined with adhesive layers. Metal foil paper naturally has a metallic sheen and a luxurious feel, commonly used for high-end gift decorations like wine bottle labels and luxury packaging stickers. It has excellent physical properties—moisture-proof, oxidation-resistant, and high-temperature resistant (up to 200°C)—and is also used in baked goods labeling. However, metal foil paper lacks flexibility, cannot conform to curved surfaces, and is costly, limiting its use in mass applications.
