Holographic is a rainbow shimmer that shifts as you move it. Glitter is sparkle in the material itself, catching the light from every angle. Chrome is a mirror finish: silver on its own, and metallic wherever color is printed over it. All three are films we print onto, so the effect shows through your design wherever white ink is left out.
At a glance
| Material | What it looks like | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Holographic | Rainbow color that changes with the viewing angle | Logos and lettering meant to catch the eye, merch, and giveaways |
| Glitter | Sparkle across the whole sticker | Packaging, invitations, party favors, and giveaways |
| Chrome | A true mirror; color printed over it looks metallic | Metallic logos and silver or gold-look lettering |
Try it
Switch between Holographic, Glitter, and Chrome below, and move your pointer over the sticker to catch the light. How to see what's inside a sticker explains every control.
Holographic
The film throws rainbow color that moves as the sticker tilts. Printed straight onto it, your colors shift with the rainbow. With white ink under them, they stay solid, and the shimmer shows in the open areas around them.
Gloss gives it full shine. Matte gives a lower-key shimmer that still reads as holographic.
Glitter
The sparkle is in the material, not printed on, and it sits under the laminate with the rest of the sticker, so there's no loose glitter to rub off.
Glitter is the busiest surface of the three. Text on it needs white ink under it, and more weight than you'd use on white vinyl, to stay legible.
Chrome
Chrome is a mirror-like metallic film. Left unprinted, it reads as silver. A color printed over it with no white underneath becomes a metallic version of that color, which is how we make a gold look; see can you print gold or metallic colors?
Gloss gives the most reflection. Matte softens the shine without losing the metallic look.
What all three share
- Where the white goes decides the look. White under a color makes it solid, and no white lets the effect through. Where should white ink go? walks through the choices.
- Bold artwork works best. Fine lines and small script compete with the effect and lose; setting up artwork for holographic, glitter, and chrome has the details.
- Your proof shows a simulation. On the proof page, move your mouse over the proof (or tap around it on a phone) to see the material catch the light, and use "Show White Ink" to see where the white goes. The page notes that the actual product may not exactly match. To judge the real effect, order a small run before a big one. The minimum is 25 of a design.
Where each one is available
- Stickers: Holographic Stickers, Glitter Stickers, and Chrome Stickers.
- Sheet labels: Holographic Sheet Labels and Chrome Sheet Labels.
- Roll labels come in White Plastic BOPP and White Satin Paper only.