Important information about the properties of Clear Vinyl

If you are considering getting clear vinyl stickers printed, please note that most ink colors like red, green, blue, etc. are not opaque enough for clear vinyl.

This means that most ink colors print transparent on clear vinyl and most likely will either need an additional white ink base printed underneath, or we may have to 'double hit' the ink on the vinyl for the color(s) to be opaque enough if you do not want the ink color to be transparent.

For example, if you have a clear vinyl sticker printed with red ink but without a white base or double hit of ink and hold up the sticker (after removing the backing) to a light source, the sticker will act like a lens - red light will filter through.

While this may not sound like a big deal, the real problem occurs when you apply this sticker to a colored surface. If you were to apply this same clear vinyl sticker with red ink only to a blue surface (like a wall), the sticker color will appear purple!

Printing a white ink base underneath counts as an additional printed ink color towards the cost of the job, while double hitting the ink on the clear vinyl does not cost as much as doing a white ink base (generally 25% to 75% of the cost of printing an additional ink color, depending on the size of the sticker and quantity). Please note that double hitting the ink on clear vinyl generally is sufficient for the ink to be opaque enough, but some ink transparency might still be evident. Printing a white ink base takes care of any transparency issues, however double hitting the ink may be the only option for a particular design (i.e., small text or fine detail in the design where printing a white ink base is not possible). Printing a white ink base also generally makes the image easier to read/see if the white base outlines the image.

White ink and black ink are opaque enough for clear vinyl. Virtually every other ink color is not, so an additional white ink base or double hit of ink would be needed on most every job if you do not want the ink to be transparent. All clear vinyl sticker orders are examined on a case by case basis to determine the need for a white ink base or a double hit of ink, and we would inform you of our recommendations / suggestions for producing the best possible print for your job. You can choose to forgo a white ink base or double of hit ink if ink transparency is not a concern for you.