Difference between Matte Sticker vs Glossy Sticker
Rohan Roy
Aug 6, 2022
Design | General | Insights | Print Business
As a business, you are always looking for methods that can help you relay information to your customers easily and reduce more and more human-to-human interactions. Apparently, self-explanatory things are more attractive to human minds and people do not have to cross the difficult human-to-human communication barrier. It is intelligent to use various methods such as stickers, signage, posters, and other things to communicate more about your brand, service, or products.
Talking in detail about stickers, in our huge experience as a leading sticker printing software provider, we have found people making some huge mistakes when it comes to selecting the right type of sticker for their brand. Customization gives you an opportunity to cherry-pick services and products as per your needs but it is equally important to map your exact needs to the customization process to achieve product satisfaction.
To understand stickers and labels, you must understand not only the design, customer expectations, and usability but also the entire environment in which the sticker or the label would be placed. You would be required to make some huge decisions concerning shape, size, material, adhesives, colors, messages and so much more. As well as there are different types of finishes to choose from including coated, non-coated, brushed, mirror, or more popularly – matte or glossy.
As a layman, you might think there are only two available options. Choosing the right finish like you choose the other options as per the aesthetics of the place. The decision about choosing the right sticker or labels depends on a line of practical considerations relating to your sticker needs. In this blog, we would be running you through all the considerations and decisions to make the best choice.
Glossy stickers
One of the biggest advantages of going with glossy stickers as they provide good visibility as they are high gloss and shine. They are very good at dragging attention and they are known for catching the eye of the on-goers. If you are looking for some material that can help you in attracting more attention, you must definitely choose glossy stickers. Due to high gloss, they look very exciting, have cool elements, and due to the color pop they look very professional and sophisticated.
Taking aesthetics into consideration, they are good to go with a variety of products and can endure a range of environmental conditions. The glossy stickers have an extra layer of coating for the finish and this gives it a major advantage. We would be discussing the coating and material in depth in the lower section of the blog, so don’t forget to read that.
As we were saying – the extra coat on the sticker or the label allows them to be weather-resistant and stay durable. They are also very easy to clean as they are waterproof, and you can use a mild detergent with water to clean them. To be very clear, they are water-resistant and do not have waterproof quality.
The variety of products for which you can choose a glossy sticker includes:
Digital photo printing
Books, DVDs, PoS.
Cosmetic products, makeup bottles, hygiene products, and more.
Matte stickers
Matte stickers or matt stickers have a satin-soft finish, they are natural but they do not shine as they don’t have any gloss finish on them. They look rather minimal and subtle and good to go for the brand that is more into keeping things natural. If you are good at designing, you can really work wonders with matte stickers. Most people feel there isn’t much they can do about the matt stickers but they are wrong. The finished artwork with an intelligent design looks as attractive as a glossy sticker.
The less reflective surface of the matte sticker and label is very beneficial when the details of the design are required to be more readable. If it is glossy, the shine can be very distractive and the reflective nature makes it difficult to read in the light. Matte stickers are also the first choice for designs where there are too many colors and the design is rather detailed.
Most commonly matte stickers are used for the products such as:
Jars
Brocade labels
Jam bottles
Bottle of wine and beer
Before deciding about which sticker to use, here is what you must know about the sticker and label materials to choose the best printing material for your sticker.
7 Most popular types of sticker and label materials
Industrial Vinyl
This is a very suitable material for outdoor labels. It makes of good quality as the vinyl offers 9-11 years of resistance from UV radiation. Also, labels made from these materials are chemical and weather resistant. The material is very flexible which makes it easy to apply to curved surfaces and rivets. They are most commonly used for labeling pipelines, rental equipment, fleet decals, cable tray labels, etc.
Polyester
The polyester label comes in various types and shapes. It is a very popular option because it gives a metallic finish. You would love it for its chrome finish and mirror-like reflective qualities. It is very easy to confuse it with stainless steel. This material is also suitable for outdoor and indoor applications. It is ideal for labeling control panels. Mostly they can withstand the harsh environment and thus they are used in the places such as industrial areas because of their durability. They have a good long-lasting adhesive quality.
Polypropylene label
If you do not want to go for a vinyl label the next best choice is to go for a polypropylene label. They provide excellent solvent resistance and they are quite affordable. Plus the readability of the material is very good. They are mostly distinguished based on the coating, adhesiveness, and colors. These are very popular types of labels.
a. Chrome (Silver) BOPP Labels:
They give you a mirror-like finish, they are oil and water-resistant.
b. Clear BOPP Labels:
Looking for a window sticker, this is it. These clear BOPP polypropylene stickers are very much like the chrome silver labels, they are water-resistant and well suited for non-industrial applications.
c. Removable White BOPP labels:
This material has less adhesion and hence they are not usually preferred for industrial use but can be used for products that are usually for homes, or the indoors.
d. White BOPP Labels:
Looking for a matte solution, here it is. This ultimate polypropylene material can be used for labeling body and bath products and several foods and beverage products. It is water and oil resistant and a good way to design labels with reading material and intricate designs.
Recycled labels
Add one more star to your brand by going green. These 100% recycled material labels are ideal for a subtle earthy appearance. The paper material is popularly denoted as #55.
But as they are not laminated they are not water or oil-resistant. These are good for machine applications. As they can be removed fairly easily using hot water. The Vellum label and Kraft labels are two very popular choices for recycled paper in the industry today. Talk to your web to print service provider to know more about the material they use.
Satin Labels
They are satin acetate cloth labels. Beautiful and sophisticated they can set a class for your products. They are good for product package labeling and hence used for products that are usually B2C and a bit on the higher side of the cost.
Fluorescent Paper labels:
Fluorescent colors are good at dragging attention to themselves. It is a very good option to use these stickers and labels at the places where you want to give a warning. They also come in various colors such as red, pink, orange, green, etc. They also have good adhesive quality.
Foil Paper Labels
They are available in various shades – you can try dull, gold, silver, or any bright option. These labels are usually used to really happy vibes. Hence, the most commonly seen labels are for holiday seasons, food stickers, etc.
There are various choices that can impact how people are perceiving your stickers and hence this is a difficult decision. Design, text, aesthetics, products, and also usability of the stickers. Gone are the times when people restricted the use of stickers and labels for information. Today, they are used more creatively for making a strong brand statement. Here are certain types of formats you can use for glossy or matt stickers.
Formats
Pages:
The most popular category of the sticker; pages are adhesive vinyl sheets that are available in various page sizes. It is one of the most versatile types of sticker formats as you can use it in various ways. It is very easy to apply and you can choose any shape for that matter. It doesn’t always have to be a rectangle or a square. Furthermore, it is a very easy and affordable solution.
Moreover, they offer three types of material options, glossy removable vinyl, matte removable vinyl, and clear removable vinyl.
Kiss Cut Singles
Kiss-cut sticker singles are very much like the cute mini sticker pages. Since there is no definite size, you can custom size the entire sticker so it is a very liberating experience. They come in stacks and their design again would be die-cut so, they are very easy to apply too. They are an affordable option if you are looking forward to handout these stickers for an event or so. You can also add more branding to the sticker paper from which the design would be peeled off – hence a double advantage.
They come in glossy and matte materials too, the popular kiss-cut sticker singles come in white glossy removable vinyl, white matter removable vinyl, and clear removable vinyl.
Transfer Stickers
The transfer stickers are very much like kiss-cut stickers only they have rather individual elements of your design. They come with a paper backing and you can peel off the backing and apply your design, or the peel off the front transfer paper leaving you with a die-cut design. They are printed on a good quality vinyl material and they are very easy to remove. They don’t leave any residue.
Rolls
The roll labels are used in various ways. They are approximately 3” diameter roles. They are die-cut designs with backing paper rolls but have no extra material around the design. They are very easy to peel off and back apply. They can be costly, but you can use them very creatively in your packaging.
They come in three materials; white permanent glossy BOPP, White Permanent matte BOPP, and clear BOPP.
Die-cut Singles
Die-cut singles are very much like kiss-cut singles they are also vinyl stickers that are individually cut and delivered in stacks. But they don’t have extra backing around the sticker design and this is a great option if you want to imply luxury and sophistication. They have a very professional finish. They come in a semi-gloss finish, matte finish, and gloss finish.
Conclusion
Hope you have a deep understanding know about the types of stickers, materials, and formats. Whether to use gloss or matte, totally depends on various factors and while making the decision you have multiple questions to ask yourself. It all comes down to your requirements. Also, you can consult your service provider and discuss your needs in detail. Their expertise and knowledge would help you endlessly to decide on the right type of sticker.
