Transfer Stickers

Unfortunately, we no longer offer Multi-Color Transfer stickers on glitter or reflective vinyl.

Transfer tape, also known as application tape, makes applying a transfer sticker easy. It transfers your cut vinyl graphics from the backing to the sticker's final location. Carstickers.com uses a transfer tape made from transparent plastic film, which makes installation easier because the installer can see exactly where the decal will be placed before application.

To help you understand how transfer tape works, here is our step-by-step process for producing transfer stickers:

Step 1

After our customers choose one of our premium graphics, upload their own, or create something new using our custom sticker maker, they select the color and size for the transfer sticker.

Step 2

Our Graphic Design team then takes the design and prepares it for processing, ensuring that the design will look great for our customers.

Step 3

Our talented processing team then takes a premium sheet of the selected vinyl color and runs it through a plotter. The plotter is a machine that cuts vinyl to a specified shape or design.

Step 4

Once we�ve cut out the graphic, our team pulls the excess vinyl away from the sticker (called topping) and carefully weeds the excess vinyl with a specialized tool. Weeding spaces in between letters such as �A� and �O� are called picks. Too many picks are very time-consuming and may require an extra charge. See our Counting Picks on a Transfer Stage page for more information.

Step 5

When the graphic is topped and weeded, we roll our high-quality clear plastic transfer tape over the graphic. The sticker is then cut to our customers' specified dimensions, leaving the sticker sandwiched between the vinyl backing and our transfer tape.

Transfer Stickers

Transfer stickers are named for the way they are applied�by transferring the sticker from its backing onto transfer tape, and then from the transfer tape onto the intended surface. These stickers are ideal for simple designs, such as basic text or silhouetted artwork. The process of creating a transfer sticker involves the following steps:

1. Loading a roll of solid-color vinyl onto a plotter.
2. Cutting a path in the shape of the artwork into the vinyl.
3. Removing all the vinyl that is not part of the artwork.
4. Covering the remaining vinyl and its backing material with transfer tape.

Here�s an example of a standard transfer sticker: the trunk and leaves of the tree have been cut out of a sheet of green vinyl, leaving just the design, which is covered with transfer tape. The white backer remains attached until the transfer tape is fully removed.

Multi-Color Transfer Stickers

Multi-color transfer stickers are similar to standard transfer stickers in terms of application and production. However, instead of being cut from a roll of solid-colored vinyl, they are cut from a roll of standard white vinyl that has a printed design on it. These stickers are great for designs that are as simple as transfer stickers but require more than one color. A typical example could be a multi-color logo where the letters or shapes are not connected to each other.

Here�s an example of a multi-color transfer sticker: it�s similar to the previous design but now uses two colors, requiring the design to be printed. As with the previous example, the backing material is still present, as the transfer tape has not been fully removed.

Printed Stickers

Printed stickers allow for more complex designs compared to transfer or multi-color transfer stickers. The key difference is that the cut path goes around the outside of the sticker as a whole, rather than around individual shapes or inside letters. If a multi-color transfer sticker is too complex to produce, a printed sticker on clear or white material might be a better option. Our printers can achieve a high level of detail, and if printed on clear material, the surface behind the sticker will still be visible�an advantage typically reserved for transfer stickers.

Here�s an example of a printed sticker: the tree design now has leaves with unique strokes around the outside instead of being filled in. Creating a multi-colo

To measure a transfer sticker, use the outermost points of the design. Measure both the width and the height, then multiply these two numbers to calculate the total square inches of your sticker.

The smallest text letter size we can cut for a transfer sticker is a quarter of an inch (0.25"). Text smaller than this may not cut or weed properly and might lack enough adhesive to stick effectively. If your design includes elements smaller than 0.25", we will contact you to help adjust the design for optimal results.

It is not uncommon for the transfer tape to separate slightly from the sticker backing in a few places during shipping. This is normal and easy to fix. Simply pull the transfer tape away from the backing about halfway across the sticker. Then replace it slowly, smoothing the area with the flat part of your hand from the middle of the sticker out to the edge. Then repeat this process on the remaining side. For a demonstration, please watch the video below.

Transfer stickers require manual removal of material from enclosed spaces, such as in letters like "O" and "P". While the cutting machine precisely cuts the material, it does not remove these sections. A Car Stickers employee will then use specialized tweezers to carefully pick out and remove the material by hand.

To ensure we create the best possible transfer sticker for you, please follow these guidelines:

• Each line of text must be at least 0.25 inches tall.
• Transfer stickers should be measured by the overall width multiplied by the overall height. Learn more about measuring transfer stickers.
• Strokes, line weights, and art elements should be at least 0.0625 inches thick.
• An additional charge may apply if your uploaded artwork has more than 20 picks. Learn more about counting picks.
• If you would like a proof before your sticker goes into production, you may request one in the special instructions box.

We also offer printable application instructions for transfer stickers.

The majority of the stickers we make have 20 or fewer picks. If your custom sticker has more picks, an additional charge will apply based on the number of picks. Below is our pricing guide for transfer sticker picks:

A transfer sticker is created by cutting sticker material to a shape, graphic, or text, and then removing the background. Transfer stickers are not printed on but instead are cut from a colored sheet of vinyl. If you would like a sticker with multiple colors but no background, you should order a Multi-Color Transfer Sticker.

All of our Transfer Stickers come with three elements. The first is the backing of the vinyl sheet, which is the paper layer that the vinyl is originally cut from. The second layer is the sticker itself, cut by our plotters to your exact design. Finally, we add a top layer of transfer tape to allow you to place the sticker exactly where you want on your material.

Applying a Transfer Sticker

When you get your transfer sticker in the mail, just lift the sticker and peel the white paper backing off of the adhesive. Then, while holding the clear transfer tape, line your transfer sticker with the material underneath and place it on the surface. If you have any air bubbles in the sticker, gently rub from the middle to the edges until the sticker lies flat. For more, see the Application Instructions Page or watch the video below:

Transfer tape, also known as application tape, is a clear plastic film used to make applying stickers easier. It allows the installer to see exactly where they are placing the sticker on the substrate, which is the material or surface the sticker is being applied to, such as a window, car door, or plastic sign.

At Carstickers.com, we use high-quality clear plastic transfer tape for our transfer stickers. This clear tape is perfect for cut-out stickers with multiple parts, as it maintains the positions of all the letters and artwork in your design, ensuring precise placement.

Our clear transfer tape is made from non-porous plastic, which is why it's important to apply the stickers on a clean and dry surface. The transparency of the tape allows for easy placement, as the surface beneath, such as a car windshield or laptop, remains visible during application.

Here's a step-by-step process of how we produce transfer stickers:

Step 1

After selecting one of our premium graphics, uploading your own design, or creating something new using our custom sticker maker, you'll choose the color and size of your transfer sticker.

Step 2

Our Graphic Design team then prepares the design for processing, ensuring it will look great when printed and cut.

Step 3

Our skilled processing team runs a sheet of your selected vinyl color through a plotter, a machine that cuts the vinyl to match your design's shape.

Step 4

Once the graphic is cut, our team carefully weeds the excess vinyl using specialized tools. Weeding involves removing the small pieces of vinyl from the spaces between letters or intricate designs, called picks. For more information on picks, visit our Counting Picks on a Transfer Stage page.

Step 5

After weeding, we apply our high-quality clear plastic transfer tape over the graphic, sandwiching the sticker between the vinyl backing and the transfer tape. The sticker is then cut to the specified dimensions and is ready for application.