Talk about vinyl and old-timers are likely to recall vinyl LP records. Vinyl is the common term for polyvinyl chloride, a thermoplastic material made with ethylene and chlorine. Several additives go into the maxing of vinyl to determine its final qualities. It can be manufactured to be hard or it can be made to be flexible. Do you see the sofa coverings? PVC or vinyl is at the heart. You see stickers everywhere? It is likely that the colorful print has a vinyl backing. This is how ubiquitous vinyl is. Vinyl varies. It can be reprocessed and it can be a virgin. The solvents and additives also influence the quality of vinyl material and its durability. When you choose vinyl stickers you do get vinyl but you may not know about the quality of vinyl.
Quality of vinyl matters
The vinyl used for vinyl stickers is flexible and pliable. Manufacturers add certain solvents to endow the material with flexible properties. The number of such additives may determine if a vinyl sheet is rigid, semi-rigid, flexible or just loose and floppy. Expose vinyl to air for an extended period and you will notice that some vinyl types tend to dry out and become brittle. If you plan to use vinyl stickers for any length of time the quality of the substrate is important. Get the stickers from a trusted source and you will find that the material does not degrade over time due to exposure to air or sunlight.
Sunlight degrades vinyl
Sunlight is another culprit. It contains UV rays. These rays can rapidly degrade vinyl and cause it to become yellowed as well as brittle. Custom Sticker design used for exterior applications such as bumper stickers must-have vinyl that has additives that used give it protection against UV light degradation. Another way to protect vinyl is to laminate it.
Thickness also matters
If you create a small design then it does not matter if the base vinyl layer on which the sticker is printed is thinner than usual. Still, thin materials are difficult to handle and strip off the backing and then stick flat to the surface. This becomes even more evident when you have large vinyl stickers that are used for promotions and for signboards. It becomes a challenge if the vinyl sheet is thin. It can wrinkle and it will not stay flat. There will be plenty of air bubbles and creases when you try to apply the sticker. If the vinyl sticker maker in Australia uses thick grade vinyl such as Orarjet 3164XG then such problems do not arise.
Further, the better quality of vinyl used for stickers has a glossy, high bright and pure white surface, unlike cheaper vinyls that can look slightly grey or yellow. The pure white brings out the colors printed on the vinyl surface whereas dull, grey or yellow vinyls can lessen the impact of the printed colors. Then again, there are minor imperfections on substandard vinyl that may leave behind spots or blank spaces when you print on it. Get vinyl stickers from Stickers n Things and you will not have to worry about the quality of vinyl – it is the best.
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