How to Make and Print Your Own Stickers

Whether you need a quick mockup for a product prototype or ran out of your supply, printing stickers at home is quick and easy. We’re all for embracing the DIY spirit. Especially with how far technology has progressed, most home printers can produce high-quality prints on the fly. But without access to Packola’s 3D Design Studio, how do you start? We’ve prepared a quick and easy guide just for you!

Exploring the Sticker Design Process

Making Your Design – This is the starting point for your DIY stickers. Envision what you want your sticker to look like and translate it on the page (or screen).

Look for inspiration. – If you’re drawing a blank, take a look at designs from your favorite brands or competitors for inspiration. Figure out the elements that you may want to incorporate into your own sticker artwork. Look for fonts you may like or colors that best represent your brand. Draw inspiration from these – but take care not to plagiarize.

Sketch the design on paper. – Put your ideas on paper (or on a tablet screen). By doing so, you’ll have a clearer view of what the design would look like and what can be improved – even if you’re just working with a doodle.

Digitize your design. – If you drew your design on paper, take a photo of it – or better yet, scan it in high resolution. If you drew it on a tablet, export the file to your image editing program of choice and clean it up. You’re all set to print!

Printing Your Design. – Now that your design is done, it’s time to print! But first, a few more guidelines.

Choose the right paper. – Are you going to use the stickers indoors or will it be exposed to the elements? Is there a chance it will be refrigerated? The answers to these questions will dictate what sticker paper you’ll need.

Choose the right printer. – What printer do you have at home? Is it inkjet or laser? Read your printer’s product manual to see its capabilities and limitations. Most home printers are ink-based, which print the ink directly on the sticker as opposed to laser which uses heat to melt toner powder onto the sheet.

Open, layout, and print. – Open your design using a word processor or image editing software and prepare the layout for printing. Create a blank sheet that’s the same size as your sticker paper, which is usually 8.5” x 11”. Ensure that your design is within the printing boundaries and print away.

Cut the stickers. – If you printed multiple stickers on a single sheet, you need to cut each piece. For standard shapes, you can use scissors. For custom, intricate shapes, we recommend using a sharp blade or a craft knife.

Easy-Peasy Sticker Printing With Packola

Printing stickers at home is fine if you’re in a pinch. But for a faster, easier, and more professional experience, we recommend printing your stickers with Packola. We use state-of-the-art, professional-quality printers coupled with an intuitive, drag-and-drop 3D Design Studio. You can create a custom design in minutes or upload your own file and print it immediately. It’s that easy.

Printing with Packola takes just five easy steps:

Choose the shape, size, and corner. – Customize your sticker with the exact dimensions you need. Let us know if you want sharp or rounded edges.

Select the sticker material. – Our sticker paper material is popular for general indoor use, while our film stickers handle exposure to the elements well.

Indicate the quantity you need. – Print as few as 25 stickers to as many as 20,000. Need it wholesale? Send us an email at info@packola.com and we’ll get you sorted out.

Design online or upload your design. – If you have a print-ready file, you can upload it immediately. If you want to start from scratch, you can use our 3D Design Studio.

Finalize your order. – Once you’re set, finish your order and you’ll have your stickers in no time!