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A closer look at holographic stickers and how they're made
Let's just say holographic stickers are hard to walk past. Tilt one just a tiny bit and watch the rainbow shift with every movement. Before you know it, you've been staring at it for way longer than you'd like to admit.
Holographic is also one of our best-selling materials, so it deserves a proper introduction. Here's what it actually is, how it's made, and how you can make your own.
TL;DR:
What are holographic stickers?
Stickers printed on a holographic material that reflects light as a rainbow, with colors that shift when you tilt them. The material is premium metalized PET with a permanent adhesive, and it's PVC-free.
How are holographic stickers made?
We print your design in full color straight onto the holographic material and add a white layer behind the parts that should look solid. Then we laminate and cut the stickers.
Can you choose where the holographic effect shows?
Absolutely. It can cover the whole sticker or just parts of it. In the editor, just click a color and choose No effect, Color effect or Full effect.
What's the difference between holographic, prismatic and mirror stickers?
Holographic has a smooth rainbow, oil-slick look. Prismatic breaks the light into small reflective rectangles for a retro feel, and mirror has one metallic, chrome-like shade.
How long do holographic stickers last outdoors?
Up to 2 to 4 years with glossy laminate, which is UV protected.
So, what are holographic stickers?
Short version: they're stickers printed on a holographic base material. When light hits the surface, it breaks into a whole spectrum of colors that shift with every angle. Hello, rainbow oil-slick look!
Our holographic material is premium metalized PET with a permanent adhesive, it's PVC-free, and it lasts up to 2 to 4 years outdoors with glossy laminate. You can get it on all our sticker products, from die-cut stickers to sticker sheets.
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How are holographic stickers made?
Here's the fun part. We print your design in full color straight onto the holographic material, and the material takes care of the rainbow. The print decides how much of it you see.
Unprinted areas and light colors let the shine come through, while a white layer behind the artwork blocks it and keeps the colors solid. Then we laminate and cut your stickers, which leaves you with three ways to play:
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Full effect: all rainbow
No ink, just pure holographic material. On this black sheet, a white layer keeps the black solid, while the designs are left unprinted and shine like a rainbow. For when you want all the rainbow, all the time.
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Color effect: tinted shine
The color goes straight on the material, so you get color and rainbow at once. On this heart, the shine peeks through the light pink, and a matte laminate softens it. Subtle, but still very much holo.
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No effect: solid colors
A white layer behind the colors blocks the effect, so they print solid. This Wonka bar saves the shine for the wrapper and the golden ticket (fitting, if you ask me). Proof that one detail can steal the show.
The shiny bunch
Holographic has a few shiny siblings, and to be fair, they can look a little alike at first:
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Holographic: the smooth rainbow, oil-slick shine that shifts with every angle.
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Prismatic: the light breaks into small reflective rectangles. Very retro, very '80s.
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Mirror: one metallic shade, more chrome than rainbow. A little disco ball, if you ask me.
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Glitter: lots of small, overlapping dots that sparkle.
One sticker, one material, so no mixing holographic and glitter. But you can add a cracked ice laminate on top for an extra shattered-glass shimmer. The rest of the shiny bunch gets its own article on mirror, prismatic and glitter.
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How to make your own holographic stickers
Good news: it's easier than it sounds. Here's how I'd do it:
Pick your product, like die-cut stickers or a sticker sheet, and choose holographic.
Upload your artwork.
Click a color in your design and choose No effect, Color effect or Full effect.
Choose glossy, matte or cracked ice laminate. Glossy is UV protected, while matte softens the shine.
Double-check everything and hit order.
You can also upload your own effect layer, or just leave a comment on your order, like "full effect on the red hearts", and our team sets it up for you, free of charge.
Designs that love the rainbow
Fair warning: the rainbow has favorites. It shows best on lighter shades and on areas without ink, while darker colors show less of it. So if you're after lots of shine, give your design some light or unprinted spots to play in.
Mixing parts with and without holo helps guide the eye, and text on a white base stays easy to read. For more ideas, luckily we've got a whole article on designing holographic stickers.
Time to catch some rainbows
So there you have it: a material that turns light into a shifting rainbow, and a white layer that decides where it shows. Go all in, or keep the shine to a few tiny details. Both are very much allowed.
If you'd like to see (and feel) it in real life first, a sample pack lets you compare it with our other materials. Otherwise, all that's left is deciding where your rainbow goes.
Some holographic sticker inspo
A few favorites from artists who've printed their designs on our holographic material, so you can see the rainbow in action.
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Holographic die-cut sticker by @lizharrydesign
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Holographic sticker sheet by @bambi_bakbi
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Holographic die-cut sticker by @coolman_coffeedan
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Holographic die-cut sticker by @knusperlaf
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