The Difference Between a Decal and a Sticker

It has come to our attention that there are many people out there who misunderstand, or don’t know the difference between a vinyl die cut decal, and a vinyl sticker.

We offer both at Vinyl Disorder, and they are both great in their own ways and uses.

Let’s start with Stickers.  Stickers are printed onto a special kind of vinyl which allows the ink to penetrate the vinyl without running or bleeding.  Using the correct printers like the ones at Vinyl Disorder, you can achieve photo quality in sticker form.  They come in a couple levels of gloss, depending on what the application is.  Stickers tend to deteriorate after a good amount of time in the sun, and are best for a temporary, or indoor application.

Here are a variety of stickers that we have printed at Vinyl Disorder

Now moving onto Die Cut Decals.  Die cut decals are are created on a machine that is designed to cut into vinyl, but not the paper backing that it rests on.  The vinyl that is used in the creation of these products is generally a single color.  The desired image is cut out, and any area that would be a blank back round on a sticker gets is removed.  This creates an awesome effect; especially on surfaces that are complimentary to the decal.  Our die cut decals last five years in direct sunlight, and will not crack or peel off of the surface that you apply it to; making them a great semi-permanent solution.

Here are some examples of what die cut decals look like. Notice the black back round.

As you can see both kinds of vinyl are used to accomplish awesome design effects; and we are always excited to see how new images and colors turn out on different surfaces!