Moving Into the Decal and Sticker Opportunity

Are your customers waiting for you to offer these applications?

It’s a tale as old as time — well, at least as old as print. Stickers and decals have been around as an application since the invention of substrates with sticky backs. Whether it’s labels on products to identify what a bottle contains, a children’s book full of colorful characters they can affix to any surface, or branded decals people can use to share their love of a product or company, the medium is full of possibilities.

They might seem like a throw-away, or something only packaging companies can truly make a profit on, but the reality is that stickers and decals may be a revenue center your shop isn’t currently taking full advantage of. That is increasingly true with the advances in both technologies and substrates in the past few years, making them an attractive and inexpensive add-on to nearly any print job.

“Historically, decals have been vinyl cut, but over the last 12-18 months there’s been an explosion of UV DTF decals now that the UV printers are more widely adopted,” notes Daniel Valade, Roland DGA Product Manager of Digital Print. “We’re also seeing more specialty types of media, such as printable chrome, holographic, reflective, and even specialty laminates, that are especially ideal for production shops looking to stand out from the competition by offering more finish options.”

Tom Christensen, the founder and president of StickerBros, has seen the same kind of explosion. He notes, “Over the past 12-18 months, the decal market has experienced extreme growth, driven by a few key innovations: sustainable materials, advanced printing technologies, [the growing popularity of] customization and personalization, and interactive features such as QR codes or NFC chips.”

Driving Decal Innovation

What is driving this explosion of growth? Beyond just the presses being more efficient, allowing many wide-format printers to add this application to their product mix without needing to invest in anything new, it is really on the ink and substrate side of things where it has gotten interesting. The latest and greatest innovations in these areas are allowing designers to create some truly spectacular pieces of artwork that just so happen to be small and able to stick to most surfaces.

Tom Christensen of StickerBros: "The decal market has experienced extreme growth."

“The thing is,” says Mark Geeves, co-founder and director of sales & marketing at Color-Logic, “people don't think about what they can do. And [decals are] very productive. You buy it on a roll, you cut it, you print it, you make it.”

One area that is helping bring decals, labels, and stickers to the forefront are metallic effects. Today, there is a wide range of ways a shop can achieve those effects, depending on the project. Everything from digitally-printable metallic substrates, to metallic inks that can run in some presses, to software that enables shops to get a metallic effect with their current ink sets — there are options for everyone.

Valade notes, “Digital printing has effectively incorporated metallic substrates, allowing for the addition of gold, silver, bronze, and pearlescent colors to decals. The development of new metallic- based media enhances the visual appeal and perceived value of the products.

And, Christensen says, it’s not just about offering neat new applications. The explosion in metallic options is allowing them to create these products in shorter time frames, and for larger profit margins. He notes, “The capabilities of digital printing allow us to take more and more away from our screen printing division. The UV technology, along with the proper materials, makes metallic decals or labels very easy and fast to produce compared to years ago. It also allows us to easily produce a sample part quickly for our clients that doesn't cost us a bunch of time or resources.”

But it’s not just about having a metallic substrate — you also need to know how to get the most out of it. Geeves says that “white is the new gold” when it comes to creating designs that really pop. More printers are realizing they can make the designs stand out on vinyl and sticky materials — even clear ones — by using white inks strategically. It is the difference between a standard sticker or decal, and one that makes people stop and take notice.

But, Geeves continues, the problem is that most people tend to think of metallics as an afterthought, or they print a sticker on a metallic substrate and call it a day, rather than really pushing their technologies to create something stunning.

“I think really relates back to most print service providers are producers — they truly don't have anybody in design. They're really just, ‘hey, I print what people give me,’ and I think you have to talk to them about going into agency,” Geeves says. He further explains that wide-format printers need to start taking products into customer and prospect meetings and showing them something beyond just a basic sticker — letting them see for themselves what is possible and getting their creative minds spinning.

Getting Stuck

Of course, as with any application, there are challenges to successfully embracing the space, along with strong opportunities for those willing to make the investment of time and money.

with the advances in both technologies and substrates in the past few years, making them an attractive and inexpensive add-on to nearly any print job.

On the challenge side, Valade points out that while the technologies, substrates, and inks have all come a long way, there is still a measure of expertise required to know which combinations work well together — and which don’t. “While achieving high-quality, durable prints can present some challenges, working with innovative, intuitive, and feature-packed devices and powerful, user-friendly software can help simplify the process, maximize efficiency, and shorten the learning curve. In addition to choosing quality equipment, it’s important for the user to select materials and inks that are appropriate for the application, and to understand the nuances of the printing process.”

Christensen notes that, in particular, it’s often not even the printing or substrate side of the process that can be difficult to navigate at first. “In our experience, the finishing stages of the decals can give the biggest trouble. Whether it is the cutting accuracy or correct style of blades, it can be aggravating when your finished product does not meet your expectations. We have learned using the right equipment from the right brands has helped eliminate those issues. There is always going to be an obstacle, but the positive is there will always be a solution — you just need to do your research and test away!”

“Print starts with design, so until somebody shows a designer, [nothing will happen,]” Geeves reiterates. One of the biggest challenges he sees in shops looking to build and grow in the label and decal space is that they’re not getting into the process early enough. If the people creating the jobs don’t know what’s possible, they aren’t going to buy the work, no matter how powerful or innovative the print processes are.

On the flipside, for those that do embrace educating clients early and investing in the right infrastructure to produce high-quality and eye-catching labels and decals, the opportunities are endless.

Christensen stresses, “The decal business is not slowing down. As of recent [reports], the decal business globally have an estimated value of $10 billion annually due to demand in automotive, home decor, and personalized decals. The market is expected to grow 4-6% annually, which is driven by trends like custom decals, small business branding, and DIY cultures growing.”

Getting Started

How do you start? Valade advises printers to start by educating themselves about what’s out there — and don’t stop learning. He says, “Stay informed about the latest printing technologies and market trends. Investing in continuous education and versatile equipment can provide a competitive edge in the decal market. In addition, when purchasing equipment, be sure to choose a device and software made to handle not only decal printing, but other applications as well. That way you’ll be able to expand your product offerings and increase your customer base.”

And don’t just focus on the equipment. Geeves adds, “Print service providers have got to think about the next person they hire — they should have a little design skill. Or go to a university, get a design student and have them start doing things for [your clients.] Tie yourself into the university schools or doing design — most of them are just doing web to print — give them some projects, or have a contest. Go show them what’s possible.”

Finally, the best place to start is just to start playing around and seeing what you can produce. Christensen notes, “Jump into it and see how quickly you can grow a business or brand. There is unlimited work out there for decal printers. Create a product that your clients will want to come back for; there are a lot of print shops out there, so make sure your product is worthy of people switching over to you.”