The laminate is a thin clear film over the printed ink. It helps the print resist sun, water, and scratches, and it's what makes a sticker gloss or matte. Every sticker and sheet label we print is laminated; roll labels and trade templates can be ordered without it.
What it protects against
- Sun. UV light is what fades print, and outdoors is what the laminate is for. Our laminated vinyl lasts 3 to 5 years outdoors before the print starts to fade, and considerably longer indoors. See how long stickers last outdoors.
- Water. With the laminate sealed over it, rain, spills, and washing reach the film instead of the ink.
- Scratches. The laminate takes the rubbing from keys in a bag, a laptop sliding into a backpack, or hands on a bottle.
Its limits
- It protects the face, not the edge. A pressure washer aimed at an edge will lift any sticker.
- It doesn't change the adhesive. Whether a sticker stays on depends on the surface and how it was put on; see how to apply a sticker so it stays on.
- It adds a little stiffness. On very small tubes and tight curves, a stiffer sticker or label is more likely to lift at the edges; see labels for tins, tubes, and tight curves.
Gloss or matte
The laminate's surface is the finish you choose. Gloss lifts color and contrast, and matte cuts glare. On stickers and vinyl sheet labels, both take a permanent marker, and matte takes a ballpoint too. On roll labels, write on matte only. Gloss or matte helps you pick, and writing on stickers and labels has the detail.
Can I skip it?
Not on stickers or sheet labels: they're always laminated, in Gloss or Matte. Roll labels and trade templates can be Unlaminated. That matters most on paper, which then takes pen and tears easily but has no protection from water. See laminated or unlaminated labels?