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Glossary of useful terms used for custom sticker and label printing

Whilst we try to explain everything in clear English you may come across a phrase on this website that you are unfamiliar with. Hopefully this glossary will help to explain it. If, after reading the explanation you are still unsure then please don't hesitate to give us a call.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Adhesive: A substance that helps bond two materials together. In the case of stickers and labels adhesives may be classed as either permanent or removable. Permanent adhesives allow a stronger adhesion and the sticker or label will be destroyed if removed. A removable adhesive allows the sticker or label to be easily removed and reused.

Aging: The changes which occur to a material with the passage of time. This may include the degradation of the adhesive or the change in the colour of the printed matter due to exposure to extreme weather and UV sunlight

Application: The placement of a sticker, label or cut vinyl lettering on a substrate.
Application tape: The tape used to transfer cut vinyl lettering to a substrate

Applicator: A small implement that is used to assist the application of graphics to a substrate. Applicators can be made from either a hard plastic or hard felt.

Artwork: A digital file containing the image to be reproduced. Artwork can be produced as vector artwork or raster artwork.

Avery: A manufacturer of self adhesive vinyl

Banner: Generally used for short term advertising purposes, banners are made from a soft flexible material which is very strong with weather resistant properties. Banners can be printed in full colour for extra impact and generally feature eyelets in each corner to facilitate easy hanging.

Conformability: The ability of a sticker or graphic to yield to the contours of a curved or textured surface.

Consecutive Numbering: A process whereby numbers are printed to stickers or labels in order. Each sticker or label would be printed with the next number in a sequence. Generally used for serial number labels. Words can be substituted for numbers so allowing name badges to be easily produced.

Cut Vinyl Lettering: Individual numbers or letters are computer cut from sheets of self adhesive vinyl. The excess material is then weeded away leaving just the letters or numbers on the liner. Application tape is then applied over the top of the letters or numbers. When the application tape is peeled away from the liner it takes the self adhesive vinyl lettering with it and it is then placed on the substrate. Because the cut vinyl lettering has a greater adhesion than the application tape, the application tape can be easily removed so leaving the lettering in place.

Destructible Label: or Ultradestructible label. A sticker or label with a weak surface coating. When removal is attempted the surface of the sticker disintegrates making it very difficult to completely removed.

Die Cut: The final shape of a sticker or label made by the cutting edge of a die. This term is also commonly used for a more up to date process of computer cutting using a plotter.

Die Cut Label: Stickers or labels on a release liner where the excess material, or waste between the labels, has been removed.

Digital Printing: The process of transferring an image stored on a computer to a printable material. Wide-format inkjet printing is most commonly known as digital printing.

d.p.i.: Dots per inch; a measure referring to dot resolution in images created by dot matrix, laser, and thermal printers and imprinters.

Dye Sublimation: the process of transferring a coloured dye to a polymer by heat and pressure. As the dye is heated it turns from a solid to a gas and then bonds with the polymer so transferring the colour with it.

Electroluminescence: an electrical phenomenon in which a very thin flexible material emits light in response to an electric current passed through it. Electroluminescent panels offer a very low voltage lighting system for advertising at night. Signs can be kept very thin due to the thin nature of the electroluminescent panel.

Foil: A roll of coloured wax used for thermal printing

Four Color Process Printing: Printing and reproduction of full colour images using the four process printing colours – cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK) -- to create an image with an infinite number of colours.

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Heat-Press: A device used to transfer a heat sensitive material or dye sublimation print to textiles.

ImagePerfect: A manufacturer of materials used in the manufacture of stickers, labels and cut vinyl lettering and other advertising products.

Ink Jet Printing: A non-impact printing process whereby fluid ink is projected from a nozzle directly onto a material to form the desired image. Specialist solvent, or eco-solvent inks are used in the production of stickers and labels to give a very stable print that is weather resistant for up to 3 years (conditions apply)

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Lamination: see overlaminate

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Opacity: the measure of the amount of light that can pass through a material. A totally opaque material will block out all light whereas a transparent material will allow light to pass through.

Overlaminate/Overlaminating/Overlamination: The application of a clear film to a printed sticker, label or graphic for the purpose of protection or to enhance visual quality.

Polyester: A strong film that is resistant to moisture, solvents, oils, and chemicals. It is usually transparent, but is available with a metallized finish.

Pop-Up Display: A device used for temporary graphical presentations. Pop-up displays are very portable with the graphic rolled up in the base or stand. The graphic is extended, in a similar way to a roller-blind and held in a vertical position by a long pole.

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Raster image: a file that is totally composed of tiny dots, or pixels. It is useful for photos or complex imagery that would be difficult to create as vector art. Some common formats you may be familiar with include: TIFF, GIF & JPEG

Registration: The exact, corresponding placement of successively printed images and/or successively die cut pressure sensitive labels.

Release Liner: (Backing) The component of the self adhesive vinyl material which functions as a carrier for the sticker or label. Usually silicone coated, it readily separates from the label when the label is removed for application.

Static Cling: A printable material that adheres to a substrate, usually glass, by static electricity -- no adhesive is necessary. A common example would be the tax disc holder in a car window.

Substrate: The surface to which stickers, labels or cut vinyl lettering is applied.

Thermal Printing: An printing method that uses heat and pressure to melt a coloured wax foil onto self adhesive vinyl.

Transparency: That property of a material which transmits light rays so that objects can be clearly seen through the material.

Transparent Label: A pressure sensitive label of which the face material, adhesive, and protective coatings transmit light so that objects can be seen through it.

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Vector artwork: A Vector image is a graphic that has been created in a drawing program (such as Adobe Illustrator, Macromedia Freehand or CorelDraw!). It uses paths to create polygons or lines and stores information mathematically. Vector art is Resolution Independent, which means that whether you enlarge or shrink the image, the output quality will be as high as you need it to be.

Wide Format Printing: A specialist ink-jet printer with the capacity to print up to 2m wide and up to 50m long. Wide format printers generally use solvent or eco-solvent inks to provide a very durable and weather resistant image.

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