Monomeric, Polymeric, Cast: Understanding Self-Adhesive Vinyl for Sticker Printing

When it comes to sticker printing, vinyl is a popular material known for its durability; humidity- and moisture-resistance; and ability to produce colorful, bright images. Vinyl stickers are commonly used in a variety of applications, ranging from product identity to business promotion, warning labels on industrial equipment, and more. Based on the chemical composition of the PVC, self-adhesive vinyl can be divided into three types: monomeric, polymeric, and cast. In this blog, we discuss these types and their advantages in large sticker printing.

Monomeric
As compared to other variants, monomeric self-adhesive vinyl is the most cost-effective and works perfectly for eco-solvent or UV inks. Though this vinyl is primarily meant to create stickers for indoor use where there’s generally no exposure to UV light or extreme heat, it’s also great for short-term outdoor graphics — with lamination. Monomeric vinyl can be used on a wide variety of applications as long as the surface is flat. It’s a commonly used material for logo sticker printing in San Diego.

Polymeric
The next type is the polymeric vinyl, which is more suited for outdoor applications that require more durability and where the stickers are expected to be used for longer than 18 months. Lamination can significantly increase the life of stickers made with polymeric vinyl (up to 3 years). If we talk about price, polymeric vinyl is relatively more expensive than monomeric but offers long-lasting results. One important thing to note is that the lower thickness of the film can create a problem during the application, so there is a need to be extra careful.

Cast Vinyl
Cast Vinyl is high-end vinyl which is also the most expensive of the lot. Made in very small batches, cast vinyl has the strongest chemical bond in the PVC, so it can be really stretched for long term fleet graphics. When the best durability is required, this is the vinyl sticker printers go for. You can easily expect about 4 to 5 years of seamless performance with stickers made with this material.

Get the Best Printing Solutions from Advanced Printing
If you are searching for top-notch printing services in San Diego, look no further than Advanced Printing! We have the team, skills, and tools to provide you with high-quality results in a budget-friendly and time-effective fashion. From catalogs to packaging to textiles and more, we can print a wide range of products to suit different requirements. Want to know what would work best for your upcoming project? Give us a call today!