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A Guide to Understand Types of Flag Stickers
Stickers / Labels
Guide
Lea Alber
September 20, 2025
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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In 1935, an inventor from the United States named R. Stanton Avery invented a self-adhesive label that had a removable backing. This was the prototype for stickers.
I. What are stickers?
The first commercial stickers made from printed paper were created in the 19th century and used for stamps or labels. Decades later, stickers set off a collecting craze in the 1980s, and they were collectible items that children swapped and exchanged at school. Stickers are widely used today.
Custom stickers are now an essential part of day-to-day life and business. They are increasingly more than just a decoration - they have wider identification, promotional, and practical functions which allow them to be used in many situations. For that reason, their characteristics can be summarized as follows:
● Decorative Use: People decorate their computers, phone cases, cups, notebooks, and even cars, applying stickers as decorative items to personalize and decorate. Stickers could also be used in decorations at festivals and parties or exhibitions, making the opportunities endless.
● Identification Use: Stickers identifying function is all about identification and recognition. In a manufacturing and warehousing or office environment, stickers are often used to categorize things and indicate information, and manage the area. Stickers could also be attached to items for identification purposes, identifying a child using a sticker label, or using warning stickers to ensure safety or visibility.
● Promotional Use: In the world of commerce, stickers are most relevant as promotional and marketing tools. Many companies make stickers with their company logo as promotional giveaways advertising their business, and often these stickers are used in external areas to promote a team or sponsor, or for advertising purposes.
To add to that, transparent protective stickers that are scratch-proof and also waterproof; Night-reflective stickers which improve safety in outdoor activities and transport; Sticky note stickers that make it easier to record and replace information.
II. What are American flag stickers?
American flag stickers are simply stickers that feature the United States flag. They are used exclusively in relation to things like patriotic decorating, an international symbol, National Holidays like Independence Day and Memorial Day, supporting the military, or adding an aspect of pride that is limited to us as a nation.
American flag stickers can be classified according to shape, material, and production process.
● Shapes
Rectangular: the most common shape, mimicking the regular American flag.
Custom shapes: Flags cut as unique outlines, such as stars, hearts, or any other imaginative edge.
Wavy shapes: the designs provide a sense of flags blowing in the wind.
Creative shapes: To combine flag imagery, text, or unique symbols.
● Materials
Reflective stickers: High visibility, all night long. Usually seen on vehicles or other outdoor gear.
Vinyl stickers: Durable, waterproof, and UV-resistant for the best extended outdoor application.
Metallic stickers: Designed for a parky modern application, often fashion-related.
Paper stickers: Light, stickers, and good for temporary application or indoors.
● Production technique
Die-cut stickers: Truly custom, die-cut stickers are cut directly to the shape of the design, giving a clean and professional finish. Great for bold looks and impactful branding.
Kiss cut stickers: Kiss cut stickers are only cut through the sticker layer and not the backing paper, making them very easy to peel. Good for handing out in sheets or packs with multiple designs.
III. Where can I use the stickers?
Stickers serve a wide variety of purposes, practical uses, and fun uses. Here are a number of more common purposes for stickers:
1. Personalization
● Electronics: Laptops, phones, tablets, video gaming systems. People use stickers for their electronics to express their interests or their personality.
● Water bottles and glasses: Stickers can improve the look of a water bottle and glasses while helping identify a person's water bottle and glasses.
● Notebooks, planners, and scrapbooking: Stickers are commonly used by students, as well as hobbyists and organizers.
● Home Decor: Stickers can be applied to walls, furniture, mirrors, and even light switches for a fun or themed look.
● Tattoo: Stickers can be used by applying stickers with different symbols on different parts of a person's body, to represent their preferences.
2. Organization and labeling
● Office supplies: Labeling folders, files, and drawers will make organization more convenient.
● Storage: Label jars, boxes, and containers to make finding them easy.
3. Marketing and branding
● Promotional stickers: Businesses provide stickers as giveaways or use them as a form of marketing and branding.
● Event: Consider stickers used at conventions, festivals, or product launches.
● Stores: Stickers to place in the store window to feature information about store sales or events.
4. Professional and outdoor use
● Automotive: Car decals can be for personal expression or for branding.
● Safety stickers: Placed on vehicles, bicycles, or equipment, stickers can be reflective or warning stickers.
● Sports equipment: You may see stickers on helmets, skateboards, and bicycles as stylistic choices or team logos.
IV. How to choose the right stickers?
1. Think about the application
The first step in the process is considering the purpose of your sticker.
● Decorative: If you want a sticker for decoration, then the design is the most important thing to consider, as you can be creative with the thickness of the sticker as well as the material.
● Promotional: For a promotional sticker, a vinyl finish is a good choice or a metallic finish. Either of these options will give you an attractive surface on which to apply your event information.
● For stickers that are informational or labels, you can use a durable material for the sticker that can withstand the weather to some extent, such as a weatherproof material printed with text or an applied logo.
● Know the difference between outdoor and indoor. You will have much better success with waterproof materials for outdoor stickers, while you can keep it simple with indoor stickers.
2. Determine the size
● Small: Easy to stack or group.
● Medium: Can be used for a water bottle and notebook sticker as well as for sticker packaging.
● Large: Great for stickers that apply to vehicles, windows, or walls that have room and that need to be seen from a distance.
3. Decide on the material
Some common material options include.
● Vinyl: Often waterproof, durable, and made especially for outdoor applications.
● Paper: Less expensive potential, but should only be used mostly indoors, not for outdoor use, because it is not weatherproof.
● Metal: Highly visible stamp gets great attention, looks attractive, and is useful for branding or decorative purposes.
● Transparent: Creates a floating effect against the display surface. Great for unique or creative designs.
V. Where can I buy stickers?
You have the option of stickers with or without custom designs, and they can be purchased online or offline. Offline retailers typically sell purely non-custom stickers and allow you to buy them right there in-store. To build your own stickers, or stickers of something specific, an online retailer of stickers offers custom ones through their websites. These retailers include:
1. E-commerce sites like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy have custom sticker options.
2. Custom websites:
Sticker Mule: provides custom die-cut, kiss-cut, and clear stickers.
Vistaprint: Custom business or promotional sticker site.
GS-JJ: Offers high-quality stickers that are waterproof and UV-resistant, all with online design tools.
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Stickers are a personal and affordable way to customize something. They can add personality to almost anything. They’re not just for decoration—they can also help with branding and promoting products, making them useful in a bunch of different ways.
Looking for the best sticker company? There are countless sticker companies on the market, but finding a top-tier one is no easy task. You need to consider many factors and research and evaluate each company to find the one that's right for you.
We've selected eight top sticker companies and analyzed them. We hope this guide will help you customize your sticker products to perfection.
Ethan Carter
September 20, 2025
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