The finish decides it, not the brand. Hydro Flask, Stanley, Yeti, Owala, and most other insulated bottles and tumblers come in several finishes, and each takes a sticker differently. Run a finger over yours and match it below.
Check the finish
| Finish | How it feels | What holds |
|---|---|---|
| Bare stainless steel | Smooth metal, shiny or brushed | Standard vinyl |
| Powder-coated | Colored, slightly gritty or textured | High-Tack Stickers |
| Glossy painted finish | Colored, but smooth as glass | Try standard vinyl on one first |
| Soft-touch coating | Matte, rubbery, and grippy | Test first; adhesive often struggles |
| Plastic | Check the number in the recycling triangle | 5 (PP) and 2 or 4 (PE) are hard for any adhesive; see stickers on plastic |
| Glass | Smooth and hard | Standard vinyl |
| Silicone sleeve or boot | Soft and bendy | Nothing; stick it to the bottle itself |
Powder coat is the one that catches people out. Its texture means a sticker touches only the tops of the bumps, so standard adhesive has very little to hold. High-Tack is the same print with a much stronger adhesive, made for this. It's also harder to remove and can leave residue, so it's for a bottle you're keeping. More in powder-coated and textured surfaces.
Putting it on
- Wipe the spot with isopropyl alcohol and let it dry. Bottles carry hand oil and soap film, and adhesive bonds to that instead of the bottle.
- Apply at room temperature, never to a bottle full of ice. A cold bottle fogs over with condensation.
- Touch the center down first, then smooth outward around the curve, pressing firmly, edges especially.
- Leave it 48 hours before its first wash.
Size and placement
Most bottles and tumblers take a 2" to 4" sticker. A bottle curves side to side but not top to bottom, so a sticker that's taller than it is wide sits better than a wide one. Tumblers that taper toward the base are fussier still: keep stickers narrow there, or the corners will wrinkle. Rounded corners lift less than sharp ones. More in putting a sticker on a curved surface.
Keep stickers off the spot your hand grips, and keep them below the lid and the rim. To order, see Water Bottle Stickers.
Washing
Our stickers are dishwasher safe. Let a new one set for 48 hours before its first wash, and check the bottle maker's care instructions, because some bottles aren't made for a dishwasher. If you'd rather hand wash, warm, soapy water and a soft sponge, wiped across the sticker rather than into its edges, are all it needs. See are stickers dishwasher safe?
Testing one first
Put one sticker on the bottle and use it normally for a week before you order a big run. For standard vinyl, the 15 Custom Sticker Sample puts your own design on your own bottle. For High-Tack, order a small run first; the minimum is 25.