Die Cut Decals Explained, What is a Die Cut sticker?

This is a common question we receive. The term "Custom Die Cut" refers to stickers that are cut around your design. Die-cut stickers can be customized to your artwork, unlike stickers that come in standard shapes like a rectangle, square, or circle. Any shape sticker you're imagining is possible as a die-cut. You can make die cuts with pointy corners or curves, as well as wavy edges. Sticker and backing are cut exactly to shape, so there is no extra material.

 

In the middle 1800s, the shoe industry was the first to use die-cutting. The process of die-cutting allowed shoemakers to create sole patterns that could easily be reproduced. Instead of manually punching holes in shoes, they were able to make them individually by using die-cutting. To create unique shapes for shoemakers, dies were made from leather. This allowed for mass production of soles, allowing shoemakers to create shoes more efficiently and consistently.

Today, die-cutting can be found in many industries including the sticker and stamp industries. Certain machines make a unique "die" for each design and then cut the material in a "cookie-cutter" fashion. Vinyl Status' machines use plotter technology to cut around every shape. This eliminates the need to create a new die for each sticker. Our machines are able to move quickly and efficiently because of this.

What types of stickers can you die-cut?

 

All materials! Our permanent adhesive vinyl can be used to create Die Cut stickers.

What's the difference between die-cut and transfer stickers?

 

Transfer stickers are cut right to the edges of the design, leaving no background. The spaces between shapes/letters/elements of the design will be completely cut out. If the word "space" were being cut, the space between the letters/elements would be completely cut. Due to the way they were cut, they have a backing sheet and transfer tape on the top. Because the sticker will contain many individual elements, you will need to apply it with transfer tape. Die Cut stickers, on the other side, are a single shape. The border would surround the entire word "space" and the sticker would then be cut to that size. This unique shape often has a border of white around it.

What are the advantages of Die Cut Stickers?

 

Because of their unique shapes, die-cut stickers can be considered unique. They are different from other squares and circles. This gives your design more focus and an original spin. This allows you to personalize your artwork in a way that is not possible with a standard square or circle. People like die-cut stickers as they complement the design better than standard shapes. Sometimes, there is too much white space when a logo or another design is placed within a circle or square. They are therefore one of the most requested stickers.

What will my die-cut sticker appear like?

 

You have the option of receiving digital proof of your order after you check out or not. We will email you a picture of your sticker along with the cut path before you print and cut it. Our custom design tool now has a Die-Cut Preview function that allows you to see how your design will look as a die-cut sticker. It's available when you order Die Cut stickers. For more information visit our website