What is Printable Vinyl?

What is Printable Vinyl?

Have you heard of Printable Vinyl? Did you know that you can make stickers and labels with Cricut? It’s easy to use the Print then Cut feature and printable vinyl! If you like stickers, don’t miss it, they are more durable than stickers!

Printable vinyl is a sticky material that you can print on. You can use your Cricut or other cutting machine to cut out the designs (or you can even use scissors if your designs are simple enough!)

One of the pros of using this type of vinyl is that you don’t need to weed your project! Just print, cut, and apply like a sticker. So Easy!

I  love it because it allows you to use as many colors as you want (the only limit is your printer!). With traditional adhesive vinyl, you’re limited to the colors of the vinyl, and if you want to create something with several colors, you’ll need to cut and layer each color of vinyl. With printable vinyl, you just need to print once, cut once, and apply once.

 



Recently, it has received more and more attention, and now there are many options on the market.

Some crafters may use Cricut's printable vinyl for die-cutting, but to their surprise, there is more to explore.

The printable vinyl is not only waterproof and tear resistant, but it can also be fully customized and compatible with Cricut, Silhouette Cameo and  every other cutting machine on the market.

 



Another surprising fact about printable vinyl is that it also has a variety of thicknesses, materials and finishes-matte printable vinyl and glossy printable vinyl.

 Not long ago, the only available option was the matte printable vinyl , but it has limitations and not everyone thought it was as visually appealing as the before mentioned vinyls.

Printable vinyl is not only just like sticker paper, it is more durable, more professional, and can even withstand intense dishwasher cycles without even signs of damage.

Each variation of printable vinyl has its advantages and disadvantages, which we will explore in the rest of the article.

 We will compare them, show their key features, and rate them to help you decide the best option that suits your craft. Let's start!

 



What are the different types of printable vinyl?


There are 2 main types of printable vinyl gloss paper and matte paper.

Each has its unique characteristics and advantages, but it can be said that they all have their achilles heals so to speak.

When choosing a printable vinyl brand, you have to be careful, because some offer different materials than others, and the thickness varies greatly brand to brand.

Generally, if the vinyl is too thick, it will cause paper jams in the printer, poor image quality and even damage to the printer head.


The glossy printable vinyl has a beautiful gloss and is printed at extremely high resolution, with a quality close to that of a photo.

Glossy printable vinyl sticker paper is best for indoor projects that  usually won’t take heavy abuse.

Some examples of using glossy printable vinyl are custom candle labels, tumblers, laptop stickers, mug stickers, and activity planners.

However, it has poor water resistance, and sometimes black ink will flow and smear when it comes in contact with water, because the composition of the ink type is often not locked into the vinyl surface.

If you plan to create a custom bumper sticker, the glossy printable vinyl may cause some problems.


Recently, one of our customers told us that he took off his glossy printable vinyl printed bumper sticker through a car wash, causing the decal to be damaged.

Using a transparent laminate sheet can easily counteract this, however you can place it directly on top of the decal.

This will protect your DIY stickers from harmful debris and ultraviolet rays, so it will not fade, crack or otherwise damage in daily use.

We have also conducted extensive tests on glossy printable vinyl to test its overall water resistance. We found that light mist and temporary water droplets are not a problem, but wet immersion conditions are not sustainable and the vinyl itself will take a toll.

After 3-6 months, if the vinyl is left outside during the rainy season, the vinyl may begin to corrode and deteriorate.

 



Adhesive backing is also an important factor-if you plan to place it on objects that you  would like to remain free of adhesive goo if you plan on removing it, you need to contact the supplier to make sure it is a water-based glue (as opposed to solvent-based) .

Water-based glue is permanent and very effective, if you choose to remove it, it will not leave any residue.

In most cases, there is no need to use solvent-based glue, and after removing the decal, a gooey residue may be left on the surface.

This can be easily fixed with goo-gone or warm water and soap.

You will need to use a plastic bristle brush to remove it easily.

The sponge will often have difficulty removing adhesive residue.

All in all, glossy printable vinyl has beautiful photo-like printing capabilities, and they are not suitable

share :

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published