Kiss cut vs die cut: which sticker cut to sell

Kiss cut vs die cut stickers: the difference

Every sticker has two layers: the printed vinyl or paper with adhesive on the back, and a liner (the backing) that the adhesive sits on until it is peeled. The cut type describes how deep the blade goes.

A kiss cut goes through the sticker layer and stops at the liner. The sticker sits on a square, rectangle or rounded backing with a border of liner around it, and the buyer lifts it off that border. A die cut goes through both layers, so the finished piece is the shape of the design, liner and all. The buyer has to find the edge of the liner and split the two layers to peel it.

Sheet cuts are kiss cuts grouped on one larger liner: several designs on a single page, each one cut to its outline, with the liner left whole. Sellers often call these sticker sheets.

Neither cut changes how well the sticker sticks or how long it lasts. That depends on the material, the ink and whether it is laminated.

How to make kiss cut and die cut stickers on a desktop cutter

Most small sticker shops print on a home inkjet and cut on a desktop cutter. The cutter maker's software calls this print then cut (Cricut) or print and cut (Silhouette, Graphtec): it adds registration marks to the print, and the machine's sensor reads them to line the blade up with the printed design. On Graphtec cutters, the software that tells the vinyl cutter where to expect to find registration marks.

1. Set up the design with a cut line

   Place each design in the cutter software and add an offset, a cut line a little outside the artwork. Silhouette notes that a white border makes slight cutting variation less noticeable. Leave space between designs so the blade has room.

2. Print with registration marks

   Silhouette's guide says to turn on registration marks before arranging your stickers. On Cricut, part of each page is reserved for Print Then Cut sensor markings. On Explore and Maker machines, the largest Print Then Cut design on Letter paper is 9.94 in by 7.44 in, and on Tabloid it is 15.94 in by 9.94 in. Do not resize the page in the printer dialog, or the marks will no longer match.

3. Kiss cut at sticker depth

   A kiss cut means the blade cuts through the sticker layer but leaves the backing sheet intact. Choose the material setting for your sticker paper and do a test cut on a small shape first. Silhouette's guide gives the fix for a sticker that does not come free: If the sticker will not lift, increase force slightly or add a pass. If the liner is scored through, lower the force or blade depth.

4. Turn a kiss cut into a die cut

   For die cuts, either run a second, deeper pass on the same line or set a second offset slightly larger than the first and cut it through the liner. At small volumes, you can also kiss cut the sticker and trim around it by hand, which gives a die cut look.

5. Laminate before cutting if you want a finish

   Apply a matte or glossy laminate sheet over the printed page before it goes into the cutter, then cut through both layers with a heavier setting. Silhouette advises that you avoid adding glare or thickness over the registration marks, and Graphtec warns that with glossy media or finish, the cutter might display error messages when reading marks. Laminate added after cutting will not line up with the shapes.

How a print shop makes each cut

Print shops that make custom stickers print on large rolls or sheets of vinyl and cut them on a wide-format digital cutter, or for large runs of one shape, with a steel-rule die pressed into the material. The same two depths apply: a kiss cut stops at the liner, a die cut goes through.

Shops name their products by cut, so check each shop's own definitions before you order. Some call every custom-shaped sticker die cut, even when it ships on a kiss-cut backing. Ask for a proof that shows the cut line and the backing outline, and ask whether the backing will be printed or plain.

• Ask for a price on both cuts at the same size and quantity. A die cut goes through two layers and each piece comes off as a separate item, so the two quotes can differ.
• Kiss cut stickers can carry a printed backing: your logo, care instructions or a thank-you line on the liner border.
• If a shop prices sticker sheets by the sheet, the cost per sticker falls as you fit more designs on a page.

Matte vs glossy stickers

The finish is a clear layer over the print, either a laminate film or the surface of the vinyl itself. It changes how the sticker looks and how it handles light and handling, not the cut.

Glossy stickers have shiny, saturated colors and dark blacks. They show reflections under lights and in product photos, and they show fingerprints. Matte stickers have a flat, soft look, little glare and a surface you can write on with some pens. Colors look a little less saturated. Holographic, glitter and clear finishes are separate materials that some shops and sellers also offer.

Water resistance comes from the material and the laminate, not from whether the finish is matte or glossy. The guide to waterproof stickers covers lamination for that.

How to describe each cut on a listing

Buyers can search for the cut and the finish by name, and a size or backing that differs from what they pictured leads to disappointed buyers. Put the cut, the finish and the size in the title or the first lines of the description, and show the backing in a photo.

• Kiss cut: say the sticker comes on a backing and give the backing size, for example "kiss cut sticker on a 3 x 3 inch backing". Show the sticker on its backing in the first photo.
• Die cut: say the sticker is cut to its shape with no extra border, and give the size of the longest side, since custom shapes do not fit a square size.
• Sticker sheet: give the sheet size and the number of stickers on it, and say whether the stickers are kiss cut on the sheet.
• Finish: say matte or glossy, and whether it is laminated. If it is not laminated, say so, so buyers do not expect water resistance.
• Material: say vinyl or paper. Paper stickers suit planners and journals; vinyl suits laptops, bottles and outdoor use.

Where Nation fits

Questions about kiss cut and die cut stickers