10 cool ways to use custom lapel pins

Some people I know swear [custom lapel pins](https://www.stickermule.com/products/custom-pins) are a perfect, if unconventional, marketing tool — a nifty way to showcase events, increase recognition, and just get your brand out and about with a refreshing mix of elegance and good old shameless marketing.

![customizable lapel pins](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/ee999a16-a0f4-43e4-8f0f-8f873472952d)

And seeing as pins — or, as boomers may prefer, brooches — are [making a comeback](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/24/style/lady-gaga-brooch-brooches-pins-gucci-schiaparelli.html), we thought we'd go over a few uses for them. So, without further ado, here are 10 of the best use cases for custom lapel pins.

### Brand promotion

Pins are great for your marketing packs, as package inserts, and simply as a little extra tool for your publicity repertoire. You can create custom lapel pins with your logo or mascot to build loyalty and reward employees or customers, who will in turn serve as vectors for raising your brand awareness. A nice win-win.

And remember: make them neat enough and you'll have people literally pin-ing for them!

### Fundraising

It's not unheard of for nonprofits and charitable organizations to sell custom lapel pins as a way to raise funds and awareness. And even for-profit companies have used pins as the instrument for charity campaigns, as was the case with many [shops selling Ukraine pins](https://wearandresist.com/products/i-stand-with-ukraine-pin-or-badge) and donating the proceeds to UA-based charities.

### Corporate events

Custom lapel pins are sometimes given away at conferences, trade shows, or networking events. This helps keep your brand in people's minds and can be the pretext for some pretty neat creations. Just check out this [gauntlet pin from the 2018 San Diego Comic Con](https://www.sideshow.com/blog/heres-how-to-get-the-exclusive-pins-from-sideshow-and-court-of-the-dead-at-comic-con-2018/). If that ain't cool, what is?

### Commemorative purposes

Big milestone for your business? Whether for your company's anniversary, a key product launch, or the retirement of a beloved team member, custom lapel pins can be a special way to honor special moments, fostering pride, unity, and identity within your company.

### Awards and recognition

Use custom lapel pins to reward employees for their hard work, dedication, and achievements — in fact, you could do worse than integrate this type of reward into [your company culture](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/how-to-make-company-culture-stick). 

For non-profits, too, lapel pins are a thoughtful way to show how much you appreciate the time and effort of volunteers and donors. And yes, not even the humble pin escapes becoming an [object of controversy](https://www.postguam.com/forum/editorial/private-sector-nonprofit-front-liners-took-risks-deserve-more-than-a-pin) as to whether or not it's a proper way to say thank you. That's the 21st century for you.

### Sports teams

Proud of your team? Puff your chest out and flaunt that pin! Pins can be designed to represent team logos, mascots, or special events. They're a nice way to celebrate the team spirit and camaraderie that bond players, coaches, and fans around a single entity.

![custom lapel pins for clubs](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/938aa89f-4400-48c3-b433-ce3f0a13fc7e)

### Clubs and associations

You don't need to be a freemason with an All-Seeing Eye medallion to want a better way of displaying your affiliations. Custom label pins (or, again, brooches!) have been a traditional way for members of clubs, societies, and professional organizations to identify each other and showcase their membership.

### Collectibles

Of course! Ultimately, custom lapel pins are simply cool little objects to have, and many people love collecting and trading them. For some, they're a hobby in itself, for others they're [part of a larger (and expensive-r) addiction](https://www.shopdisney.eu/disney-store-star-wars-pin-set-466043761351.html), and for other people they're simply a nice little touristy souvenir to take home from trips around the world.

### Social and political causes

This is no doubt a classic use for custom lapel pins: expressing support for your pet social or political causes. But while wearing candidate buttons on your lapel was already done way back in the day, it was not until the rise of online shopping and the increase in the popularity of memorabilia shops that [buttons went into high demand](https://www.ohiohistory.org/collection-of-political-buttons-from-president-barack-obamas-2008-campaign/). 

Nowadays, nothing's easier than creating your own custom button for just about any cause close to your heart. You can do it yourself online — check out our [custom buttons](https://www.stickermule.com/custom-buttons) page as a nice place to start.

### Personalized gifts

I don't know about you, but for me getting a personalized lapel pin as a small gift from a friend is particularly heartwarming. (And it's only happened the one time, so please remember me with your next batch.) 

If you're planning on giving custom lapel pins as a gift, well… there's no lack of design ideas out there. Incorporate a person's name (or face), initials, a special message, a symbol, or even a classic movie scene for a unique and certainly memorable birthday, anniversary, or graduation gift.

### And there you have it

Pins are so much fun that some people literally go to [health-damaging lengths](https://thehardtimes.net/culture/local-mans-excessive-enamel-pin-collection-leading-cause-knee-pain-coolness/) to wear and flaunt them. And while we definitely don't recommend adding 80 pounds' worth of pins to your daily garments, the humble pin can be an exquisite — and highly effective — extra touch to your marketing game.

So there you have it, Sticker Mule's top ten custom lapel pin use cases. And those are just off the top of our collective Mule head — we're sure they'll be just the beginning of your pin-tastic acrylic adventures!

<ButtonCta text="Start making your own custom lapel pins today!" href="https://www.stickermule.com/products/custom-pins" />

Custom lapel pins are a great way to make a statement to anyone you come across. Find out some cool unique ways to use custom lapel pins in this post!

How to design mailers

[Poly mailers](https://www.stickermule.com/products/poly-mailers "Custom poly mailers") and [bubble mailers](https://www.stickermule.com/products/bubble-mailers) are great options for shipping physical goods. They're lightweight, weather-proof and great for showing off the personality of your brand.

But your packaging is only as good as your design. Here are some tips for designing custom mailers.

![full bleed custom mailers](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/898974f2-df46-4d4c-86a2-c99a9b913d24)

In this tutorial, we’ll be using Adobe Illustrator as well as online design tools like [Studio](https://www.stickermule.com/studio) – to help make our custom mailers as reality!

##Design the mailers for free online with Studio
![design full bleed bubble or poly mailers in studio for free](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/750aca0d-ef1c-4aee-9272-bb47a3ea9492)
Sticker Mule's [Studio](https://www.stickermule.com/studio) is an innovative and user-friendly platform that brings your creative vision to life! With this cutting-edge design solution, you can effortlessly craft custom full-bleed mailers to elevate your brand's identity and captivate your target audience. Whether you're promoting an event, launching a product, or simply looking to make a bold statement, Studio provides the perfect canvas for your masterpiece. Dive into a world of limitless possibilities as you explore an array of stunning templates, vibrant color palettes, and seamless design capabilities that make creating eye-catching mailers a breeze.

To get started using Studio to design custom mailers;

1. Head on over to Studio's [poly mailer category](https://www.stickermule.com/studio/templates/packaging/poly-mailers "free online templates for poly mailer bags") of free online templates

2. Decide on a template to use

3. Press "start designing"

4. Customize the mailer online for free

5. Press "Order print" on the top right corner to get your custom mailers printed and delivered to you!

That's all it takes! Try it today to see how simple it is to design your own custom mailers with Studio.

## Design mailers in Illustrator
<YouTubeVideo videoId="_setqIszzCc?rel=0" />

### Download a mailer template

First, we need to download the appropriate template. This will ensure that our artwork not only is set up to the correct size, but that nothing gets cropped off by the poly mailer's white border.

[Click here for poly mailer templates.](https://www.stickermule.com/template/poly-mailers)

[Click here for bubble mailer templates.](https://www.stickermule.com/template/bubble-mailers)

[Bubble mailers](https://www.stickermule.com/products/bubble-mailers) offer more insulation and protection than standard [poly mailers](https://www.stickermule.com/products/poly-mailers), but the design process for each is the same.

### Designing your mailers

In this tutorial, I'll be using the smallest sized mailers. Once our template is downloaded, we can open up Adobe Illustrator. In this demonstration, we will be creating a horizontal design. Because of this, our first step will be to rotate the template. Start by going to the artboard tool, making sure your art board is selected and then changing the layout to horizontal.

Next, we need to rotate the actual template. So unlock the instructions layer, select everything. And then while holding shift, rotate the template. Be sure to relock the instructions layer afterwards so that you don't place your artwork in the wrong place. If you're also working with a horizontal design, be sure to make note of which side you want the opening of the mailer to be on. In our case, it'll be on the right. Now with everything set up, we can begin laying out our design.

![how-to-design-mailers-01](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/1dbf623a374d73274695e69f4a537379ba6336c8)

Ours will feature a character, a logo, some text, and a pattern. So to begin, we're going to bring in a few brand elements and put them on the artwork layer. Something you may notice right away is that designs get cropped if they fall outside of the gray box. This represents the printable area. Since poly mailers are printed with a white border, use this as a guide to make sure that nothing important gets cut off. It's also worth noting that the gray box itself won't be printed. So keep it in mind as you're designing that everything behind your artwork will be white.

First, we're going to create a blue rectangle-like shape along the bottom of the mailer. This will hold our logo and our pattern, and it's going to follow the white border that the poly mailer gives us. An easy way to do this is to create a rectangle, then use the direct selection tool to move just one of the anchor points lower. This is what we're after. Let's give it a light blue fill using one of our brand colors.

![how-to-design-mailers-02](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/c476ede9420235e9dd69075a26e824fef04d950f)

Next we'll place our robot character so that it looks like he's standing on this shape. By right clicking and going to a range, we can bring him to the front. He may be a bit too large, so we'll just bring him down a touch as well. And we'll just nudge him over to the side of it and get him right where we want him. Notice how the left side of this character is being lined up right along the border of the printable area, but not going past it. This is to make sure that the character lines up with our wedge shape at the bottom, but isn't cropped off by the white border.

![how-to-design-mailers-03](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/cad8c0525c58ad43a665b74f46e626b10a4ea07d)

Now let's place the logo. So we'll again, arrange it and bring it to the front. And we're going to give it a white film. Now, we want to position it in the bottom right corner, but first we're going to shrink it a bit and line it up with the bottom of our character's feet. We may want to add some more space around the logo later on, but for now, this works. Next, we're going to include some text. This is a great opportunity to inject some personality into the design. Ask yourself, "What would be a fun message for your customers to read?" For the CourierBot brand, we're going to play around with this idea of robots delivering packages to people. Now for CourierBot, we already have a font selected and that's Proxima Soft, extra bold. And since this is clearly too small, we're going to bump it up to 50. Now we'll add in some line breaks and set the letting to something a bit smaller. Perfect.

![how-to-design-mailers-04](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/fe96e0c75ff29cc48bc8801a427c7a3b831c88c4)

Once we have the text arranged how we'd like it, we're going to add some brand colors to it. So for the majority of the text, we'll be using the brown, but we're going to select a couple of keywords and add additional colors. It only seems suited to have cold robot hands as blue and warm human heart as red. Just like that.

![how-to-design-mailers-05](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/0d3d7b2a8cb2c769b2127f91b6a9e4b329e81bf0)

We're also very carefully going to place the block of text right in the corner of the printable area. That way it should line up with our rectangle shape at the bottom. We're not finished yet, but this is a good place to double check that we're happy with the placement of all of our elements. One way to do this is to create a rectangle that's the size of the entire printable area, and then give it a white fill. Now, if we place this rectangle behind the rest of our artwork, we're going to get an idea of what the final printed mailer is going to look like. In the case of our design here, we're just going to make a couple slight adjustments to give some more breathing room to some of the elements and to make sure they're lined up exactly as we'd like.

![how-to-design-mailers-06](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/9242b8449779c42ad81c5eaa8214caeaef4335b4)

Now that we're happy, we can remove that rectangle. It's important that any texts be outlined before sending off to print. Since we're happy with the current layout of ours, it's a good time to do that. Just right click the text and select create outlines. The final step we're going to take in this design is adding a pattern to our light blue shape. This will take some finessing, so we're going to speed through most of it.

![how-to-design-mailers-07](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/7517dcf5e03ec847f5d546104c3e4fd1c0625293)

Once our design is complete, all we need to do is rotate everything back to the original orientation. So grab the art board tool, unlock the instructions layer, switch the orientation back to portrait and then rotate all of our artwork once again. Now let's save our hard work and we're ready to send our design off to print.

### Feeling stuck for ideas?

Here are some other layouts that were great as mailers. Hopefully, they can help inspire your own.

![how-to-design-mailers-08](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/09d4e0e49e68d61dd70503a1aa0f4d9a67e2f155)

If you don't want to have an obvious white border on your mailer, consider placing it on a white background like we've done here.

![how-to-design-mailers-09](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/c11759eb1eff2a60b53e376c2448115b78e0bf94)

Or if you don't want it to matter which angle your package is viewed from, consider a pattern approach, like this.

When in doubt, you can always submit your design as is to Sticker Mule and receive a proof of what it's going to look like. If something doesn't seem right, just request a change and we'll be happy to make it for you.

### Order your own custom mailers

<ButtonCta text="Try custom mailers for $9" size="large" variant="secondary"  align="center" href="https://www.stickermule.com/products/poly-mailer-samples" />

Here are some tips for designing custom mailers and making your packaging stand out.

How to make stickers that sell well online

## Why make stickers?

![why make custom stickers](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/6376b910-e223-441a-9cf1-fce0301b8db5)

I think we can all agree on one thing: [custom stickers](https://www.stickermule.com/custom-stickers "custom printed stickers") are fun. Fun to collect as children, fun to use on our cars and accessories as adults, and fun to give away. And to receive. 

But besides the collectibles, the face stickers, the pet stickers, the football club stickers we plaster around in our homes and belongings — how do we get real-life use and value from stickers?


By selling them, obviously. We know that's why you're here.
 

Whether setting up a [sticker shop on Etsy](https://www.etsy.com/market/sticker_shop), selling office supplies, or simply using stickers as a brand-booster of sorts, you'll find the humble-looking sticker to be a popular item with the potential for some truly stellar ROI.

### Other uses for stickers

It's useful to remember, too, that stickers are a five-star marketing device. Handed out to potential customers, [delivered with product packages](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/how-to-create-package-inserts-that-work), distributed in giveaways, or used as an extra touch to your wrapping game, stickers can be the thing that sets you apart from the pack.


In fact, play your cards right and your clients will be literally sticking your brand to their cars, laptops, water flasks, and whatnot. Just ask Apple.

## How to make stickers

Now, making stickers ain't hard, but you should know what you're doing and yeah, definitely pay attention to a few pesky details.

### Step 1 - Blueprint your sticker

First up — design. If you want to print a sticker, you probably have a good idea of what you want it to look like. You may even have your art or company logo readily available in image format. But can you convert that into a proper printable design?

  

For that, you've basically got two options:

  

- __Design from scratch__: Use Adobe Illustrator to put together your design. Better yet, use Studio — our online, download-free, and money-free design tool. 
- __Use a template__: Inspiration not abundant? We blame the weather. Regardless, Studio has a vast array of design templates for you to use and abuse at will. 
  

And well, yes, there is that third option — hire a fancy graphic designer to put together your nifty, shiny design. Or a non-fancy, underpaid, overworked, doomed-to-poverty designer. 

  

Sorry, that got a little existential.

#### Bonus tip: Design with the times

Here's a little extra idea for selling stickers: Tap into recent events, upcoming holidays, or even pop culture moments for some guaranteed best-sellers. 

  

Even if you only plan to use your custom stickers for brand recognition, adding holiday themes for a little variety in that stickery mix is always something your customers will appreciate.

### Step 2 - Decide on printing — home or online?

Ah, yes, the old question.

### Printing at home

Depending on what kind of printer you have at home or in your office or shop, you may want to consider printing and preparing your stickers yourself.

  

__Pros__: It's cheaper for small quantities and you get your stickers right away.

__Cons__: Your stickers won't last as long, quality will be inferior, and you [risk depleting](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_depletion) your every-dwindling patience supplies in case your printer acts up.

  

And trust us, your printer will act up.

### Printing online
![print stickers online at stickermule](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/49695e32-b3a2-436e-af00-bd6c305fd7b7)

For most cases, and especially if you're looking to print quality stickers in large quantities to sell, you may find [printing online](https://www.stickermule.com/ "print stickers") is the best option.

  

__Pros__: You save time, save money on larger orders, and — of course — get great quality and versatility (hey, that's what we do for a living!).

__Cons__: We may not be fully impartial here, but we can't really think of any cons to online printing. Unless you spent a ton of money on a deluxe printer that you won't get to use. Sorry.

### Step 3 - Pricing your stickers

Whether sold online, at events, or in your physical store, stickers usually cost something around $2-6. The material (vinyl quality), sticker type (static clings, anyone?), and size are all factors to account for. Plus, of course, how much you paid to get them made in the first place

  

A good best practice when selling stickers is to create progressive discounts — larger purchases get lower per-sticker prices.

### Step 4 - Where will you sell your stickers?

Your shiny new stickers are ready to be passed on to happy purchasers everywhere! Time to choose the venue for your sticky commercial activities. 

#### Etsy

Etsy is a favorite for individual designers who are just dipping their toes in the world of e-commerce, but it's also a great marketplace in its own right. Check out our [guide on how to get started with Etsy](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/how-to-sell-on-etsy-a-guide-for-designers) — it might be just the thing for you.

#### eBay

Look for stickers on eBay and you get [over 2 million results](https://www.ebay.com/b/stickers/bn_7024805278). And while that could seem discouraging at first glance, it shouldn't be. Find a good niche for your stickers, provide top-notch customer support and delivery times, and you just may find yourself in eBay's[ TopRated Seller Program](https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/protections/top-rated-program) — a recipe for success.

#### Amazon

As vast a territory as the rainforest itself, it can be just as hard to find your bit of sunlight on Amazon. Getting ahead of the competition will mean a lot of work with SEO, listings, and ad campaigns, but make it to the top and you'll find the world's biggest online marketplace brings the rewards of a true El Dorado.

  

Amazon can be a fantastic choice if you need another company to take care of fulfillment for you, or if you intend to sell with print-on-demand.

#### Your own website

You might already be doing this if you already have your own online shop; if not, it's always an option to consider as your custom sticker business begins to gain steam. 

  

Besides advantages such as fewer fees (or none), selling on your own website is also seen by many as a mark of success in business and will set you apart as a confirmed merchant of sticker happiness.

  

Finally, keep in mind none of the above options are mutually exclusive. You can get started with just one and end up selling on as many platforms as you can profitably manage.

### Step 5 - Keep making them stickers!

The final step is… keep at it. Create new designs on a regular basis to give previous customers something new to look forward to, as well as to expand your reach and tap into other sticker niches.

  

Finally, don't let initial inconveniences or setbacks discourage you. Keep what works, ditch what doesn't. Be patient, work hard on your designs, allow time to bring you the desired results — and then, be sure, the results will come.

<ButtonCta text="Start making custom stickers today!" href="https://www.stickermule.com/custom-stickers" />

Selling stickers online is a great way to make some extra money. Here are a few tips on how to make stickers that sell really well online!

Packaging your Etsy products: Tips, tricks, and ideas to stand out

What happens after you spend hours perfecting your products, setting up your store, and marketing your products on Etsy?

The coveted sale!

Whether you’re just starting out as an [Etsy](https://www.etsy.com/ "etsy marketplace") seller or you’re a pro with thousands of customers, branding and packaging your products can take your store to the next level, increase customer love and loyalty, and bring in new business through referrals.

For example, if you’ve ever opened an Apple product, you can tell the company puts a lot of thought into their brand and packaging. The design of the boxes carefully contour the products and everything fits perfectly. It’s clean, neat and simple yet feels techy and fancy.

How a product is packaged often leaves a satisfied thought in the buyer's mind that [affects how they see that company](http://marketingzeus.com/article/increase-your-perceived-value-increase-your-sales) in the future, how they talk about it with others and their possible future orders.

> When you make your customers smile even after the sale they are more likely to spend money with you in the future.”

## Impressing your customers

Etsy is the most creative community of homemade sellers online. Your buyers appreciate creativity and talk about the products they find. Few online communities and stores rely so much on word-of-mouth as Etsy does, so it makes sense to take extra measures to delight customers in that way. 

How you brand and package your product is a simple way to ensure future orders and get satisfactory feedback on your sales. Remember, your reviews are key to showing others how great your product is and give others confidence that they’ll have an equally rewarding experience when buying from you. 

This can be done without a huge investment and goes a long way in impressing customers. 

Impressing customers with a great buying experience does not need a huge investment and can be done with a few simple tricks and hacks to your packaging and “unboxing”.

Below we’ll look at how to create or update your branding and packaging to delight your customers and get more sales.

## What is branding & how can you do it well?

![Branded packaging tape example](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/7b1c61ad234fb13e557fe4f7c33adcd9ea7f7ed4)

**What company offers Free 2 Day Shipping to their premium customers?** 

**Amazon**- of course. They’ve gone out of their way to make sure the world knows that if you sign up as a Prime customer, you’ll always get 2 day shipping. 

They’ve branded themselves well (with a little help of their iconic [custom packaging tape](https://www.stickermule.com/products/packaging-tape "custom shipping tape")) as the go to place for online shopping that doesn’t take forever to get in hand. Whenever their customers go online to look for a product, they know to check Amazon because they already get awesome shipping. 

You can do something similar with your store. [Custom packaging](https://www.stickermule.com/custom-packaging "custom packaging") helps people think of for a certain product or service when a particular problem comes to mind. 

Every time your business interacts with the buyer, or gets in front of them (with one of your purchases) you have the opportunity to help them remember you for next time. 

So you want to make sure they are: 

1. Enjoying the emails, packaging and buying process with your business.
2. Making a connection with you and your store that they’ll remember later.

## 6 simple ways to improve packaging for Etsy sales 

![Branded salt scrub packaging](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/dfe751a707a8bc3d560c6b56689bf2c05c8de5e4)

1. **Wrap or bag your products before placing them in a shipping container.** When you take extra care to double package like this, your buyers will see that you take pride in your work. 
2. **Dress it up.** Decorate with [stickers](https://www.stickermule.com/custom-stickers "custom stickers"), stamps, ribbons, ties, drawings, tags, or other small embellishments that show you’ve taken extra time to care about their orders. 
3. **Use eco friendly products.** Buyers are becoming more aware of their carbon footprints, and especially appreciate sellers that understand this. Use paper instead of plastic and reusables (like cloth bags) when you can. 
4. **Keep it safe.** While remembering to be eco friendly, take extra care when you are packaging fragile items. 
5. **Keep it secure.** While some products aren’t fragile, they might still be damaged in shipping- ripped paper, untied bows, wrinkled, etc. Always go beyond what you need to, to make sure you ensure a quality experience for your customer. 
6. **Surprise them.** People love to get surprises. You can include little gifts as a thank you, without breaking the bank. A popular way to do this is to include something related to your brand, so that it works for multiple purposes.

## 6 tips for branding your Etsy products

![Packaging box with branded stickers](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/3f995e8da431bcc157e29ee0cf172dbb3e2a523a)

1. **Have a professional logo and official business name.** People need something to recognize. Choose a name and logo that accurately depicts your business. You can get creative too with a logo shape that represents what you’re selling.
2. **Use your company name and logo in all of your communications.** Consistency is key! Your customers will appreciate the simplicity and predictability when you use your company name and logo in your emails, on invoices, in shipping and on receipts. 
3. **Place your logo or brand name on all items.** Use your logo in strategic ways by branding your box as it travels across the country, attach close your tissue paper inside, or to fix instructions to your products such as packaging, item tags, price tags and directions. 
4. **Give the gift with branding.** A simple way to delight your buyers is to include a small gift. This could be [stickers](https://www.stickermule.com/custom-stickers "custom stickers"), bags, stationery, or a promotional item.

Here is a tweet of a consumer talking about how she loves getting stickers in her orders:

!["Getting stickers with my order makes me your customer forever"](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/4afde1dd320c0104306be6fb35004d7b367ee701)

And, in this article by Shopify, they discuss how [using small gifts and packaging inserts help your brand to meet or exceed expectations](https://www.shopify.com/blog/18989252-5-ways-to-use-packaging-inserts-to-increase-customer-loyalty-and-revenue) with your customers.

5. **Stay on theme.** Keep your colors, graphics, and style on theme. A simple style will present a professional brand that consumers are more likely to trust and will make it easier for them to identify and recall your store when you send promotional emails or ask for a review.
6. **Decorate the outside.** especially in bigger cities, this is really common for companies to put their logos and brand names on the outside of the box, make sure it’s easy to understand what your company offers from the logo/name, so it works as an advertisement for you.

Here’s a great article by Everything Etsy where they share some [creative packaging ideas](http://www.everythingetsy.com/2014/02/16-packaging-ideas-etsy-sellers/) or popular Etsy shops. 

## Getting started With stickers & labels for branding & packaging

![Branded beard oil packaging](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/4569c5e62eeca92471a4193c9d4a1c8f6c9b1aa1)

**Decide what you need, by asking yourself:**

* Where can I use labels for my products? This is a good question if you sell products that come in bottles or jars. 
* Do I want stickers for my packaging? This is an especially good option if you are shipping to large cities. 
* Would my customers enjoy stickers of my logo or brand? 
* Do I want to include stickers for every order or just orders over a certain amount? 
* How many labels or stickers will I need for a few months of orders?

**Get your design**- If you don’t already have a logo or design for your Etsy business, there are a lot of design tools you can use. Check out our free design tool, [Studio](https://www.stickermule.com/studio). 

**Place your order**- When you have your design ready and you know how many labels and stickers you want to order, you can choose the type of [label](https://www.stickermule.com/custom-labels "custom labels") or [sticker](https://www.stickermule.com/custom-stickers "stickers online") you want and upload your design. 

## Conclusion
By branding your Etsy products and shop, your buyers will see you as a professional and legitimate store that appreciates their customers and strives to impress them. Go ahead and use some of the tips we’ve shared above, like decorating, or being creative with your packaging and shipping. 

<ButtonCta text="Start making custom packaging for Etsy" href="https://www.stickermule.com/custom-packaging" />

Learn how to improve packaging your etsy products to increase future sales with these neat ideas.

Custom promotional t-shirt printing for effective advertising

[Custom t-shirts](https://www.stickermule.com/products/custom-t-shirts "custom shirts") may not be the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of advertising, but they can be a potent and surprisingly effective way to market your brand. A good t-shirt offers real value to the client and can stick around for a long time, featuring your brand out and about for years to come.

![free branded shirt promotions](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/5814ac08-f150-4f04-a436-6f1285d1017e)

The catch, though, is quality — fabric as well as print quality. 

Think about it. There is a world of difference between a nice, crisp tee with a well-delineated logo that you'll wear with pride time and again, and the cheap, junky piece of garment that loses shape and fades after a single wash, meeting an untimely end as a car drying rag.

To get your promotional t-shirt campaign going, you need a solution that'll get you first-rate tees at an affordable price, with high-quality printing and fast and free delivery. 

And that's where Sticker Mule comes in.

## The problem with traditional promotional t-shirt printing
You'd think a basic thing like getting a decent, custom-printed t-shirt to give away at company events would be a piece of cake. But you'd think wrong. 

A number of issues have plagued custom t-shirt printing for years. We're talking about things like:

- poor print quality for anything other than a solid color design
- designs that crack fast or discolor after a little contact with water/sun
- slow, cumbersome ordering, turnaround, and shipping
- exorbitant prices and inability to bulk-order

Quality is a given — you don't want your clients throwing away a crappy free t-shirt and thinking everything else you offer is just as much junk. You definitely don't want your logo to end up scrubbing away dirty shoes.

But, if you are to have a successful advertising scheme with t-shirts, you need a model that scales, that's seamless, and that pays for itself. So every one of the issues above is a pretty clear no-no for a company looking to advertise through t-shirts.  

## How Sticker Mule custom t-shirt printing solves your problem

From design to print, to getting your product on your doorstep, Sticker Mule makes ordering custom t-shirts a breeze. 

1. Upload your logo or design. (Or create one using [our free Studio tool](https://www.stickermule.com/studio/templates/t-shirts "custom t shirts templates")!)
2. Provide any printing instructions (such as frayed edges on the design or sending a sample of what you have in mind)
3. Check out and wait a few hours before you…
4. Get a free proof showing how your design will be printed. Now all you have to do is ask for changes or send to print!

Unlike traditional t-shirt printers, Sticker Mule uses DTG (direct-to-garment) printing, which means a pretty much infinite color palette that'll accurately reproduce even the most intricate and colorful designs. 

To address your scaling needs, Sticker Mule allows bulk ordering up to 500 t-shirts, allowing you to save more than 40% on large orders. And, one of the best parts, the turnaround takes 4 days or less and shipping is free worldwide.

Here are just a selection of some reviews from satisfied customers;

> The T-Shirt exceeded my expectations! It looks fabulous and the material is soft. I'm really happy with the way it came out! You guys Rock! - Frank C.

We bring the same type of satisfaction no matter what we print for you. Case in point:

> I ordered this shirt as a sample for my non-profit's 15th anniversary. I was more than pleasantly surprised by the quality of both the shirt and the printing. We already order our stickers and buttons from Sticker Mule and we may start ordering shirts from them as well. - Jennifer R.

We strive to do all the little things correctly, which leads to great results!

> Design was easy and intuitive, shipping time was short, and the quality of the print and shirt is excellent! - Josh C.


## Best practices for designing effective promotional t-shirts

Designing can seem like a daunting process. But stick to a few tried-and-true principles and your design will come out looking just as it should — elegant, effective, and perfect for your brand.

Here are three elements to help steer you through the ocean of design possibilities:

- __Simplicity:__ Using your print space well doesn't mean adding everything you can think of to it. Be economic, and focus on a few design elements that'll drive home your logo, slogan, or other information without making too much of themselves.

- __Clarity:__ Make sure your design is easy to grasp — and remember to take into account the t-shirt color that'll serve as background. If you have written content, you want it to be easily perceptible and readable. Go with simple fonts and don't overdo your color scheme.

- __Relevance:__ Your promotional t-shirt design should be consonant with your overall branding. This means understanding the main visual elements of your company's style and not drifting too far from them in terms of color, graphics, and tone.

## Examples of some successful promotional t-shirt campaigns

Companies and organizations have been using t-shirt promotions with great success for a very long time. 

### 1) Coca-Cola t-shirt vending machine promo
[Coca-Cola](https://us.coca-cola.com/ "coke soft drink") once installed branded t-shirt dispensing machines at trio of train stations throughout London, prompting individuals to tweet with the hashtag #ChooseHappiness. In return, they would receive a complimentary t-shirt and coke. This innovative approach not only boosted interaction on their digital channels, but also increased brand endorsement as individuals donned the company's t-shirts.

### 2) I ❤️ New York t-shirts

![i love new york t-shirts](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/d6b48411-c5a7-4292-ba04-f3b43c2de3a2)

Among the most prominent t-shirt promotional strategies, the I Love New York t-shirts were conceived by the New York State Department of Economic Development to stimulate increased tourism in both the city and state. The initiative proved so triumphant that one can hardly visit a souvenir store in any leading global city without encountering locally-inspired adaptations of the initial concept.

### 3) Mailchimp's 1000 shirt giveaway
To promote their latest offerings, [MailChimp](https://mailchimp.com/ "mailchimp email newsletter software") opted to distribute 1000 complimentary branded t-shirts among their social media fans. The t-shirts were released in increments, as followers were motivated to stay tuned to MailChimp for announcements on the availability of new sets. This approach successfully piqued interest and curiosity surrounding their new plans while transforming dedicated followers into brand representatives. Astonishingly, they managed to dispense 100 t-shirts in just a few short minutes!

## Conclusion

It's easy to see promotional t-shirts, used right, can be a dynamic and compelling addition to your marketing game. Durable and with a longer promotional life than many other promotional devices, tees are a great way to fire up giveaways, please your clients, and get your brand out with a great ROI.

For businesses looking to create high-quality, effective promotional t-shirts, Sticker Mule offers first-rate color DTG printing on 100% cotton t-shirts, bulk discounts, free proofing, fast turnaround and free shipping worldwide. It doesn't get better than that!

Think it's time to step up your marketing game? Try our [custom t-shirts](https://www.stickermule.com/products/custom-t-shirts "custom t shirts") now!

<ButtonCta text="Create your own custom t-shirts" href="https://www.stickermule.com/products/custom-t-shirts" />




Custom promo t-shirts can be super effective for your marketing campaigns. Find some tips & tricks on how to create the best t-shirts for advertising!

Removable window stickers: decorative static clings

We're excited to provide [static clings](https://www.stickermule.com/products/static-clings) here at Sticker Mule. Our custom static clings are designed to firmly hold to any glass surface without using adhesive. This makes static clings a great option for temporary or seasonal designs, yet still practical for more permanent uses.

## What are decorative static clings?
Static clings are made from a premium vinyl, and intended for use both indoors or outdoors. They make great [window displays](https://www.stickermule.com/uses/window-decals "Window decals"), and because every static cling is reversible, you can cling your designs to the outside or inside of any window.

### What are they used for?
Use [custom static clings](https://www.stickermule.com/products/static-clings "custom static clings") to display temporary promotions, holiday opening hours, or in vehicles for parking permits and membership badges.

It is a type of removable window sticker that holds onto glass without using any adhesive. This way, you can easily remove the cling to reposition it, or reuse it again and again.

![Static clings | Sticker Mule](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/7040eee831b4ff76385f311966468c8c2f9e2a45 "Custom static cling applied to window")

You can use static clings for:

- __Advertising:__ Promote business, brand or products.
- __Promotions:__ Promote special offers or seasonal deals.
- __Event promotion:__ Promote parties, concerts, festivals or sales.
- __Branding:__ Reinforce brand identity with logo or tagline.
- __Privacy:__ Add privacy without blocking natural light.
- __Seasonal decor:__ Decorate for different seasons or holidays.
- __Security:__ Provide security information or even obscure the view to enhance security.
- __Educational purposes:__ Display diagrams, maps or infographics.
- __Support a cause:__ Promote awareness or fundraising.
- __Personalization:__ Customize with personal designs or images.
- __Safety:__ Use warning symbols to alert people to potential dangers.
- __Informational displays:__ Display information with data visualizations.

### What are the qualities of static clings?

Here are just some of the reasons why static clings make great decors:

- __Both front and back sides are sticky.__ This way, you can stick them from inside the window and never lose them. 
- __They are reusable.__ Say you’re using static clings as decor for an event like Halloween. You can simply stick them on, take them off, keep it until next year, then stick them on again!
- __They are easy to stick!__ No need for glue or any other type of adhesive. You simply stick them on to the glass surface and that’s it!
- __They are easy to remove and don’t leave residue behind.__ The problem with window stickers is that they can leave some of the adhesive residue behind. Static clings, on  the other hand, leaves no trace at all. Since they don’t require tapes or any other sticky material, you just need to peel them off. 

<Video videoKey="static_clings" />

## Static clings vs. window stickers 
One of the most common questions is what makes static clings better or different than a regular window sticker. Before we answer that, let’s first explore the different types of window or glass decals.

### What are the different types of window decals?
We can classify glass window decals or decorations based on how it sticks on the surface and the type of material used for the design. 

- __Transfer stickers:__ Custom transfer stickers make it easy to apply the most intricate designs. They are durable and ideal for indoor or outdoor use.
- __Front adhesive stickers:__ These window decals are sticky on the front of your design for use on the inside of a window. Ideal for shop fronts, businesses and membership or tourism logos.
- __Die cut stickers:__ Thick, durable vinyl protects your stickers from scratches, water & sunlight. 
- __Clear stickers:__ Custom clear stickers are printed with white ink behind your design to preserve opacity. Perfect for windows, bottles, as product labels or just to give your stickers a unique look.
- __Static cling window film:__ As a window decal that doesn’t need adhesive, static cling window films are larger than static cling signages. Window films can cover the whole windows and are perfect for floor to ceiling glasses. 

### What is better? Static clings or window stickers?

Static cling window films or signages are better for promotions or seasonal designs because they can be easily removed and reused again. On the other hand, for a more durable and more permanent solution, window stickers that use adhesive are a better option. This applies to your store or office’s name and other permanent decors. 

## How to get rid of stickers off glass?

To get rid of stickers off glass, you first need to identify what type of window decal you have used.

![Static clings | Sticker Mule](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/5fad2f1d357c1634eed74bab88d62b5355ea4991 "Custom static cling applied to glass window")

### Is window film removable?

If your window film doesn’t use or doesn’t contain adhesive (that sticky, glue-like substance) then you can easily peel them off without leaving any residue. 

However, if your window film uses adhesive, making them extra clingy, you need more muscle to remove them. It is possible to remove them by force but it can leave residue behind which you can peel off with a window cleaner or alcohol. 

### How long do window films last?

This depends on what substance is used to make the window film stick. If it uses an adhesive, which can be more permanent compared to static clings, it can stick on your glass window for up to 20 years. 

Of course, there are several factors that affect the stickiness of window films, such as the temperature and humidity where it’s exposed, etc. 

### How long do static clings stick?

Typically, static clings can hold onto a glass surface for up to six months. Because they do not use adhesive to stick, they naturally do not last longer compared to other window or glass decals. 

In six months, static clings tend to pick up dirt and grease, which makes them lose their suction and ability to stick on the surface to which they are attached. 

### How to get rid of window sticker residue?

To [get rid of that icky window sticker residue](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/how-to-get-sticker-residue-off-shirts-laptops-and-even-cars "remove sticker residue off laptops and clothes"), you can use these several substances that can help you wipe them off the surface:

- Window cleaner 
- Rubbing alcohol 
- Nail polish remover or acetone
- Cooking oil
- Vinegar 

Just be sure to clean the glass afterwards with warm dishwashing soap and water! You don’t want it smelling like a kitchen top now, would you?

Similarly, you can also use ice that you can hold over the sticker, before using a razor blade to peel off the residue. Be mindful not to scratch the glass. 

An alternative is masking tape. Just use the sticky side to lift off the residue adhesive from the glass surface and *voila*! Those pesky clingy bits are gone! 

## How do you customize static clings for windows?

It only takes a couple of minutes to order custom static clings, especially here at Sticker Mule. 

Step 1: Create your design. The recommended dimensions of the designs should be: 

-  2" x 2"
-  3" x 3"
-  4" x 4"
-  5" x 5"

Step 2: Complete your order. And don’t forget to select how many pieces you want to order! You can order a minimum of 10 pieces for your static clings!

Step 3: Receive your free proof so you can see what they'll look like in real life.

Step 4: Feel free to coordinate with us if you want to amend your design or quantity of order. 

![Static clings | Sticker Mule](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/809b6c63deb557c3c4181b6b3571061eaf46e1ae "Custom static cling for the National Park Service")

## Where do you order customized static clings?

You can order decorative static clings at department stores that usually have them for sale during special occasions. Hardware stores can even carry industrial-sized static clings. However, these are pre-made static clings and you cannot dictate the design. 

If you have a business or an office you want to decorate with branded static clings, it’s only proper that you use personalized ones. You don’t want to be seen using the same design as your competitor, right? (That would confuse customers too!) 

To order customized static clings, select the size and quantity on our page and upload your design. You can get a proof or sample within hours and if you’re happy with it, we'll get your static clings to you fast, with free worldwide shipping.

Are you ready to get your first static cling? 

<ButtonCta text="Get static clings today!" size="large" variant="secondary"  align="center" href="https://www.stickermule.com/products/static-clings?ref=blog" />


Removable window stickers help share messages in highly viewable areas without a sticky mess. Get your decorative & removable window clings today!

Removable window stickers: Get decorative static clings today!

Mule madness = Unbeatable deals on online printing all week long!

Hey there, fellow online printing enthusiasts 👋 We at Sticker Mule are excited to announce our latest promotion called Mule Madness! As one of the leading [custom sticker](https://www.stickermule.com/custom-stickers "custom stickers printing") and label printing companies, we are committed to providing our valued customers with exceptional quality and unbeatable prices. Each weekday during this promotion, we'll be unveiling a new and irresistible deal, so be sure to visit [StickerMule.com/deals](https://www.stickermule.com/deals "online printing deals") daily to see what surprises await you.

![mule madness cheap custom sticker deals](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/186178a2-14b5-4c00-9947-c9bb1ac15623)

## Why Mule Madness?

We believe in showing our appreciation to you, our loyal customers, by offering incredible savings on our top-notch products. Mule Madness is our way of saying thank you for your continued support and making it easy for you to stock up on all your favorite stickers and labels. Plus, it's a great opportunity to try out new designs or materials you've been curious about!

## How it works

Mule Madness is an exciting week-long event during which we'll be offering a unique, limited-time deal each weekday. Simply head over to [StickerMule.com/deals](https://www.stickermule.com/deals "online printing deals") every day to discover the day's special offer. But don't wait too long, as these deals are available for limited times only!

![mule madness schedule of custom stickers deals](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/3f620c58-41c9-40a6-bf6e-8e689bd6384b)

## What to expect

We're not revealing all our secrets just yet, but here's a sneak peek at some of the deals you can expect during Mule Madness:

__Custom sticker discounts:__ We know how much you love our custom stickers, so we'll be offering amazing discounts on various types and sizes. This is the perfect time to reorder your best-sellers or experiment with a new design.

__Bulk order savings:__ For those looking to make larger orders, keep an eye out for our bulk order specials. The more you buy, the more you save!

__Exclusive deals on new products:__ We're always working on expanding our product line, and during Mule Madness, you'll have the chance to try out some of our newest offerings at unbeatable prices.

__Free shipping:__ We understand that shipping costs can add up, so — as always — we'll be offering free shipping on our Mule Madness deals.

__Flash sales:__ In addition to our daily deals, we may throw in a few surprise flash sales throughout the week. Make sure to stay tuned to our social media channels and check our website often to catch these limited-time offers.

## Tips for making the most of Mule Madness

To get the most out of Mule Madness, follow these simple tips:

- Bookmark [StickerMule.com/deals](https://www.stickermule.com/deals "online printing deals") and visit daily to stay up-to-date on our latest offers.

- __Act quickly__! Each of our deals are available only for a very limited time, so don't hesitate when you see something you love.

- Follow us on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/stickermule/ "sticker mule instagram") or [Stimulus](https://www.stimulus.com/stickermule "the friendly social network") to stay informed about any surprise flash sales or updates.

- Share the news with friends, family, and colleagues who might also be interested in our incredible deals.

We can't wait for you to join us during Mule Madness and take advantage of the unbeatable deals we have in store. Happy shopping, and don't forget to check [StickerMule.com/deals](https://www.stickermule.com/deals "online printing deals") daily for the latest offers!

<ButtonCta text="See the current Mule Madness deal!" href="https://www.stickermule.com/deals" />

It's Mule Madness week here at Sticker Mule ⛹️🏀 Find out how to get huge savings each day on some of our most popular items!

How to print clear labels for return addresses, products, and more!

To print and make your own clear labels, your best bet is to go to a website like Sticker Mule to upload your design. Our customized clear labels feature a brand new, premium material. It’s crystal clear with a finish that resists food, oil, water, and refrigeration.

Using a print technology that’s exclusive to Sticker Mule, we're able to provide a level of clarity that's unmatched when printing clear labels. When applied to glass, the final result is a printed with a "no label" appearance.

Similar to die cut roll labels, our custom clear labels can be cut to any shape and size, and come on a roll for easy peeling and application.

## What are clear labels?

Clear labels are transparent stickers that can be used for return addresses, food, product packaging, or labeling. Design can be printed on the label and the product or background can be seen through the unprinted parts of the clear label.

### What is a clear BOPP label? 

BOPP is a material used for stickers and labels. It is durable and versatile and the material is available in white, opaque, or clear. The best thing about it is that it is non-toxic and safe for food packaging. 

The acronym BOPP stands for biaxially-oriented polypropylene. A variant of polypropylene, its material is ideal to be printed on. While this name sounds very toxic, BOPP is actually more environment-friendly compared to other materials used for stickers or labels because it is recyclable. 

### Where can you use clear labels?

You can stick your customized labels on practically any surface! Here are some of the examples:

- Glass bottles and jars
- Lip gloss tubes
- Candy jars
- Spice jars
- Candles 
- Return addresses
- Envelopes
- Wedding invitation 
- Brand or company logos 

### How do you use clear labels?

Clear labels can be used in a variety of ways for both personal and entrepreneurial purposes. 

- __Packaging__: If you’re packaging your own products, especially food and beverages, using clear labels will cost-effectively grow your sales. 
- __Labeling__: If you have a pantry full of ingredients that you want to organize, using clear labels on jars and bottles will get them sorted. 
- __Decor__: Liven up and organize your house or office with clear labels. You can print branded logos or characters on them to spruce up your old exteriors.
- __Organization__: Clear labels can help you sort and identify which items belong to whom. This is handy if for classrooms and if you have a big family. 
- __Mailing or shipping__: Clear labels can also be used when you are mailing or shipping items. This can be especially helpful if you have an e-commerce store. 


![Custom clear labels on juice bottle](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/895b79a41edfc8862d319574f5e6dbab71183913) 


## How do you properly stick on clear labels?

Many people are wondering: Is there any way to perfectly apply those clear labels without creating bubbles? Just follow these simple steps:

1. __Clean the surface__: Make sure you remove dust, oil, and other particles. It's best to clean the surface with warm water and soap before wiping it off with a soft, clean cloth. Usually, small particles get in the way of sticking clear labels and they get permanently stuck there, like an unnatural blemish.
2. __Wear gloves__: This is to prevent your fingerprint making a mark on the sticky side and making your label look like a CSI lab. If you do not have gloves, just be very careful and handle the labels only at the edges. 
3. __ Use a wrapping motion__: When you're sticking labels onto a curved surface like bottles, work in a wrapping motion. Start with an edge then wrap the label around your product to align with the natural curve of the surface. 
4. __Smooth out the label__: Push out any small bubbles or particles that were stuck. 

## How do you remove clear labels?

Clear labels often have very sticky adhesive and when it’s time to remove them, it can be a bit tricky. Luckily, there are ways to peel them off easily using products we can find at home:

- __Hairdryer__: Point the hairdryer at the label you want to remove for 30 seconds. The heat should melt away the adhesive and you can peel off the label easily. 
- __Pencil eraser__: When you remove the label but there are sticky bits still on, use a pencil eraser. The rubber will drag away the adhesive and you can scrape it away without any problems.
- __Alcohol-based liquid__: Rubbing alcohol, nail polish remover, and even vodka can dissolve the adhesive of clear labels You can soak a paper towel in this alcohol-based liquid and wrap this paper towel around the label. Wait for an hour before peeling off the clear label.
- __White vinegar__: Like alcohol, vinegar dissolves the sticky adhesive. Soak a paper towel in white vinegar and cover your label with this. Let the label soak the vinegar for about an hour before peeling it off.
- __Baking soda and coconut oil__: Mix equal parts of these two ingredients together. Cover the label with the paste created from the mixture. Let it sit for an hour or so then scrub the label away with a sponge.

## How do you print on clear labels? 

If you’re asking where you can get clear labels printed, the answer is simple: Right from the comfort of your own home! With Sticker Mule, you don’t need any kind of machinery to print clear labels. Just go to our clear label product page and upload your customized design. 

You can also order clear labels for as low as 50 pieces. It only takes a minute to order. Upload your design and we’ll prepare a proof within a few hours of checkout. You can request unlimited changes and we even [fix low quality artwork](https://www.stickermule.com/upscale) for free.

[Custom clear labels](https://www.stickermule.com/products/clear-roll-labels) ship in 4 days or less with free worldwide shipping. So, what are you waiting for? 

![Clear labels applied to packaging](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/7206ac0f0d0c3f9a3835c42ea17dfcb921b634a8)



<ButtonCta text="Print your own clear labels" href="https://www.stickermule.com/products/clear-roll-labels?ref=blog" />

You can print custom clear roll labels that are crystal clear with a finish that resists food, oil, water and refrigeration right here at Sticker Mule!

What is custom washi tape and how it is printed? We got you!

As soon as a customer orders, their anticipation and excitement grows as they await the mailman. However, many times, items are shipped in bland, brown boxes which do not excite the customer. 

At Sticker Mule, we are changing how items are packaged and helping companies get their customers excited about receiving their shipments. With our [custom decorative packaging tapes](https://www.stickermule.com/products/packaging-tape) you can promote your brand and engage your customers. (Perfect for those unboxing videos that are all the rage these days 🙂) 

The best part is we don't charge extra for different colors and instead promote awesome designs that use as many colors as possible.

Before we show you some kick-ass examples created by our clients, let’s learn more about how we can make decorative tapes. 

## What is a decorative tape called?

Decorative tapes are now synonymous to washi tapes but the latter is just a variant of customized tapes. The material used for personalized tapes may also vary, depending on the use. 

For example, washi tapes are purely decorative due to the rice paper material used in making this tape. Though they may hold materials together and can be used to wrap gifts, it is not advisable to use them for packaging, especially for boxes meant to travel long distances. 

So what type of decorative tape can be used on packaging and boxes for shipping? We’ll get to that in a while, but first, let’s take a look at washi tapes. 

## What is washi tape? 

Washi tape is a customized tape made from rice paper. It is available in a variety of widths, textures, and designs. They’re mainly used for decorating boxes, planners or journals, rooms, phones, and other devices.

They are called washi tapes because they literally translate to “Japanese tape.” Washi tapes originated from a company called Kamoi Kakoshi Co. Ltd. that collaborated with Japanese women who came up with colorful designs. Their reason? Because they’re bored with the usual, plain masking tape that so many of us are familiar with! (And honestly, we can’t blame them.) 

### How long does washi tape last? 

To know how long washi tapes last, it is important to know the material used to make them. They are usually made from paper but recently, there are also washi tapes made from fabric and tissue. 

### Is washi tape as strong as masking tape? Or duct tape? 

For people asking if washi tape is as strong as masking tape, the answer is yes and no. Washi tape is similar to masking tape and can last for a year or more. However, if you are using washi tape made from tissue, then it won’t be as durable as the one made from other materials. 

## How do you make custom packaging tape? 

If you wanted to create your own washi tape or your own [custom packaging tape](https://www.stickermule.com/products/packaging-tape "custom packaging tape printing"), you’ve come to the right place! At Sticker Mule, we have created a video tutorial on creating a personalized packaging tape that even beginners can follow! 

### Step 1:  Open your design software and make sure your dimensions are correct 

Before you start designing your sticker, make sure your design will fit on the surface where the packaging tape will be printed. 

For example, here at Sticker Mule, we print on 3 inches (width) by 12 inches (length) tape. So if you want to print your packaging tapes with us, make sure the length of your design is 12 inches long or any variants (two six inches, three four inches, six two inches). 

![Custom Packaging Tape Sizes](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/defa5cc61a1d47a63a6be2046132472b660f8038)

### Step 2: Incorporate your brand logo and other distinguishing designs 

![Designing Custom Packaging Tape](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/db769fd79fb0390771a5cff43a17a7747757b634)

Start designing using your preferred software. It's okay to overlap the images for a seamless look. Make sure the design looks balanced. 

### Step 3: Transfer the design onto Sticker Mule’s template 

Click on the [packaging tape template](https://www.stickermule.com/template/packaging-tape "Packaging Tape Template") on Sticker Mule’s template tab. Follow instructions on how to transfer your packing tape design. 

Make sure all edges are aligned before you submit your design to be printed! 

![Custom Packaging Tape Template](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/368ae6e8b52f1195cbfade1cbdf5faa21335513a)

Alternatively, if you have a logo, artwork or design in mind that you want us to [convert into a packaging tape](https://www.stickermule.com/support/file-formats "Convert Into Packaging Tape"), you can easily send that over and we’ll take care of it!   

That’s not even the best bit. At Sticker Mule, we use BOPP tape which is stronger than the material used for washi tape so it’s ideal for shipping packages. An added bonus is that all our packing tape is [eco-friendly and recyclable](https://www.stickermule.com/support/packaging-tape-eco-friendly "Eco-Friendly Packing Tape")! 

## Custom decorative tapes examples 

Over the past couple of months, we saw thousands of amazing designs and thought it’d be cool to share 7 designs that really stand out. Below are 7 designs that can serve as an inspiration for your own tape.

1) Thanks to the Sticker Mule team, I’m absolutely happy with the Custom Packaging Tape. The texture, colors - are perfect. Also, it's very useful for me that this tape is water-activated and pretty wide. Usually I use it to package (what a surprise :D) goods with my design (such as charms, stickers, art prints) to send them by mail. __- Olga Davydova__

![Custom packaging tape design by Olga Davydova](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/5f6c1f7ffb4f384c56fe36b9e88677eed8eb7c0e)
![Custom packaging tape design by Olga Davydova](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/713eae455f9f71d7e30cceaf171d0eea2d59bccb)


2) This roll of packaging tape is pretty fantastic. Not only do we grace the surfaces of our shipping boxes with it, but we also love to include it in product shots, use as decor in booth setups or maybe even clip a square off and toss it in a customer order. Thanks Sticker Mule, for offering cool products to help make our brand look better. __- Kristin Schleihs__

![Packaging tape design by Kristin Schleihs](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/d471a480093da2baecaccedcacb95bba609c80bd)
![Packaging tape design by Kristin Schleihs](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/9ee3289edd9ec484599ce532945b06e48172641e)


3) I think we all mentally wait at the mailbox when we're expecting an order. When a customer peeps in their mailbox I want them to be able to tell they've got an order from us straight off the bat! We designed this awesome tape with illustrated versions of each of our jewelry products to amp up the excitement as our customers rip open their boxes. The packing tape is a small investment that makes a big (colorful, in our case) impact! Buying anything, especially jewelry, is an emotional purchase and a beautiful, well packed box helps our customers enjoy their new goods from the moment they lay their hands on it. __- Jamie__

![Custom packaging tape design by Jamie](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/021b98150885e655eea30d0cb303bb9ad6539fd1)
![Custom packaging tape design by Jamie](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/20aeddf7adb751ad6041461101f5ef8173358e83)

4) Attached is a few pictures of our packaging tape. We love to use it primarily on our shipping boxes. But recently we have been experimenting with using it on padded envelopes and even some product packaging such as mailer boxes. Thanks for offering such an incredible product. Let me know if these pictures work for y’all. I can definitely take additional photos if needed. __- John Marquez__

![Sawdust & Embers custom packaging tape design](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/146d014e7d70c5ac86ae9de2dcdf178ce4dcd508)
![Sawdust & Embers custom packaging tape design](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/ec9d8e4b9c7d4d62a6d6e8af66425fa80c321e05)

5) At Pennyknot, we use Sticker Mule packaging tape to add a color and pattern pop to plain shipping boxes. It helps people know that something fun is (securely sealed!) inside. __- Jenelle__

![Pennyknot custom packaging tape design](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/fc56f4a1969935ad186f6c8df5509f58f72be46b)
![Pennyknot custom packaging tape design](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/98258600f56ed85f3a151e355ff6ceb5875e0d9b)

6) Maybe just a couple of words why I'm a fan ... From the moment I got the tape, I really liked it. It is strong, I received way more than I expected and the quality and color of the print is really good, especially because my logo has a lot of small parts. A friend interested in the tape asked if applying water to the back of the tape to make it sticky is really time consuming and my answer was that it does not take me any more time than pulling the back of the sticker off. Before Sticker Mule tape I had to first tape the package with regular tape and then add stickers with my logo to the package. Now I only tape the package and branding is taken care of. So I'm definitely a fan! __- Ženja__

![Custom packaging tape design by Ženja](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/e5a18ca59287d013d777d0071f61aa30295f7c1a)
![Custom packaging tape design by Ženja](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/ad52088f5a9f59d58b125aa317b57801d85324ae)

7) As a professional brand marketer for the largest credit union in my region, I know the importance of maintaining a consistent brand identity throughout all marketing pieces. This is why I strive to stay consistent in everything I do for my personal cooking blog. 

In an effort to grow my brand, I like to do giveaways from time-to-time to attract new fans. When shipping the prizes to the winners, the packing tape will pique the interest of those who haven’t yet of my brand and hopefully turn them into fans. I also plan on making branded mugs & t-shirts for sale soon, so the poly mailers I already have from Sticker Mule should also hopefully help in converting new fans. __- Jess__ 

![Custom packaging tape design by Jess](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/6fb42cd4178418ba1ba5f2b17788cba53b6feeec)
![Custom packaging tape design by Jess](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/992f3b9f34cb60c2367b7e73381a4e0df7a97886)

There are countless ways to delight _your_ customers and grow your brand using full color packaging tape and other custom printed products. And you can get started with your own tape design for just $4!

<ButtonCta text="Try custom tape for $4" href="https://www.stickermule.com/products/packaging-tape-sample?ref=blog" />

Learn how to design and print custom washi tape in three easy steps and be inspired by these packaging tape designs!

7 effective marketing materials for small business

Marketing materials for small businesses are essential for growth and success. They can help increase brand awareness, attract new customers, and improve sales. Let's take a quick look at seven effective marketing materials for small businesses and how you can use them to power up your brand. 

From elevating your [podcast marketing strategy](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/boost-your-podcast-marketing-strategy-with-branded-giveaways "improve podcast marketing campaigns") to creating an entire brand aesthetic, these materials can help promote your brand profile online and offline.

![custom buttons for effective marketing campaigns](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/0243248c-5f5c-4535-b4a7-77ebfa110259)

###Custom buttons
Round, colorful, friendly. A [custom button](https://www.stickermule.com/custom-buttons "fast custom buttons printing") can be all that — and so much more. Most importantly, it can pin your brand to a customer's shirt, jacket, or backpack. 

Add a neat, quality-looking button to a product shipment, hand out buttons at an event or party, or give them as a memento to customers visiting your physical store. However you use them, custom buttons are a quiet, but stylish way to promote your brand. 

###Custom t-shirts
Really, who doesn't love an extra tee? We wear [custom t-shirts](https://www.stickermule.com/products/custom-t-shirts "custom shirts printing online") often, and not just for doing some yard work on a hot Saturday afternoon. If you design your custom t-shirt well, your customers will happily flaunt it out and about.

Custom t-shirts are the perfect swag for say, expressing your thanks to event participants. But you can also sell them as branded merchandise and add them to special offers and promos. Trust us: nobody ever says no to a nice, comfy tee.

###Custom stickers
You can't expect us not to bring up [custom stickers](https://www.stickermule.com/custom-stickers "custom sticker printing"), but we have the best of reasons: they're a proven, time-tested marketing strategy. Use branded stickers to create a [marketing pack](https://www.stickermule.com/en-in/blog/your-guide-to-creating-the-ultimate-marketing-pack "custom marketing pack for businesses"), in giveaways, or to decorate your shipping boxes. Or any other way you can think of — we don't hold a monopoly on sticker usage ideas!

Whatever you do, we're sure your customers will love those crispy, smooth and oh-so-sleek custom stickers.

![custom wall graphics printing for small business](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/dc1b3d7f-8832-4018-b422-b69978f0ebcf)

###Custom wall graphics
[Custom graphics](https://www.stickermule.com/products/wall-graphics "custom wall graphics for small business") are the sticker's big brother, and a little bit too conscious of their importance, too. That's why they tend to make fewer appearances — but when they do, it's to impress.

Also known as wall decals, our custom wall graphics can be used as an out-of-the-box way to add style to homes, businesses, schools, or pretty much any environment you can think of.

###Custom flyers
When you think 'handing out' you think 'flyers'. Of course: these bad boys are just about the easiest, most cost-effective way to put your brand out there. [Custom flyers](https://www.stickermule.com/products/custom-flyers "custom flyer printing") are great for giving out at events, on the street, or in your office, they can be a perfect mix between sharing useful information and bringing attention to the services and products your company has to offer.

###Custom magnets
I honestly think the childhood magic of playing with magnets never fully goes away. And perhaps, just perhaps, that's why [custom magnets](https://www.stickermule.com/products/custom-magnets "custom magnets for small business marketing") work so well as part marketing packs or [branded giveaways](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/boost-your-podcast-marketing-strategy-with-branded-giveaways "podcast marketing branded giveaways") — people just like them, like I know we both do.

So when you think of marketing materials to promote your brand, remember a custom magnet can go a long way. And it's the only thing that'll get your brand right into the center of anyone's house: the fridge.

![custom package stickers for small business marketing](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/ff7aeb6e-eab6-4399-b1e4-329774b84fc9)

###Custom packaging
Yes, packaging is one of those practical things we wish we could avoid. But it doesn't have to be practical in the way of dull or boring — [custom packaging](https://www.stickermule.com/custom-packaging "custom packaging for small businesses") can also be practical in the way of promoting your brand with very little effort or cost.

Don't believe us? Then check out these [5 ways to make your packaging stand out](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/5-inexpensive-ways-to-make-your-packages-stand-out "5 ways to make packaging stand out"). From inserts to custom tape, there's a solution for every budget and taste.

###Capping off
The above marketing materials ideas are just some of the many ways you can leverage your small business marketing strategy. The best thing about them: they're a cost-effective way to draw new customers to your brand, improve your sales, and push brand awareness to a whole new level.

And well, I'm sure you'll have noticed Sticker Mule gives you access to a range of high-quality printing services for marketing materials. T-shirts, stickers, wall graphics, flyers, magnets, buttons, packaging — all that and a good deal more. So, if you've read this far, it's your move: try out these materials and start shaping a memorable customer experience to boost your brand's success.

<ButtonCta text="Start printing online today!" href="https://stickermule.com" />


There are a lot of marketing materials out there for small businesses, but which ones are the most effective? Here are 7 tried and tested marketing materials that can power your marketing campaigns.

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