Choose the width by how much space you want around your design. Thin (0.065") keeps the sticker close to the artwork, Standard (0.09") suits most designs, and Thick (0.125") gives a bold outline and the most room for the cut. The border color then decides whether that band is white, matched to your design, or left off.
What the border is
On a die-cut sticker, we draw the cut line a set distance outside your artwork. The band between the two is the border. On White vinyl, a white border is the vinyl itself, left unprinted.
The border counts toward the size you order. Size is measured at the cut line, so a wider border leaves a little less room for the artwork. On a 3" sticker, a Thin border leaves about 2.87" for the design and a Thick one about 2.75".
Which width to choose
| Border | Width | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Thin | 0.065" | Detailed designs where a wide band would look like a frame, and fitting the most artwork into the size |
| Standard | 0.09" | Most designs |
| Thick | 0.125" | Bold shapes, a chunky outline, and spiky designs you'd like smoothed into one simple shape |
| Extra Thick | Up to 0.15" | On the "Border" slider in the "Live Sticker Proof", for an even bolder outline |
Two things change as the border gets wider:
- A small shift in the cut shows less. Print and cut are separate steps, and the cut can land a hair off. On a thin border, that shift shows as one side looking slightly narrower. Why a border can look uneven explains it.
- The shape gets simpler. The cut follows the outside of the border, so gaps between letters and points on spiky artwork get bridged into one smooth outline. A thin border follows the design more closely, with more corners and narrow points.
Border color
- White Border: the band is white. On White vinyl, that's the vinyl itself.
- Color Matched: the band takes the color at the edge of your artwork. On a die-cut sticker the border around your design prints in that color; on a circle, square, or other shape, a badge's colored ring grows outward instead of being framed in white. Your proof shows exactly how it will print.
- No Border: there's no band, and the cut follows the edge of your artwork. No Border is at our discretion. On a die-cut sticker the artwork needs an outside stroke at least 0.065" thick and one main shape with no sharp corners. If it doesn't qualify, your proof shows a border, with a note explaining why. Stickers with no white border has the details.
Clear, Holographic, Glitter, and Chrome vinyl aren't white, so on those materials a White Border is printed in white ink. Check how the border looks on your proof.
On circles, squares, and other shapes
On a shaped sticker the cut is the shape itself, so the border is the space between your artwork and the edge of the shape. The "Border" slider goes further for shapes: "None" brings the artwork right to the edge, and "Crop" lets the shape cut into the artwork. Rounded Square and Rounded Rectangle corners have a 0.1" radius. Choosing a sticker shape compares the shapes.
Try it on your own artwork
On sticker pages with White or High-Tack vinyl, you can try each width on your own design before you order. It's optional. Upload one design, then press "Draw It Now" in the "See Instant Sticker Proof" box under the upload. In the "Live Sticker Proof", the "Border" slider under "Adjust Your Sticker" shows each width, with the gap in inches. "Show Finished Sticker" shows the sticker without the dashed cut line. How to use the Live Sticker Proof walks through it.