What is a design proof (2021 update)

A design proof is a digital representation of your sticker or label.

In other words, it shows you how your stickers or labels will look once printed and you have them in your hands.

Here are some examples comparing the digital proof to the final printed sticker:

You will see a number of coloured lines on your design proof. These show where your sticker will be cut. The coloured lines won’t show on your sticker once printed!

Here is what each line means:

  1. A pink line shows the thru-cut. This is the edge of your sticker.
  2. A green line shows the kiss-cut. This is where only the vinyl or paper layer will be cut through and not the backing paper, meaning the border will extend to the magenta line.
  3. A Gray background is used for clear stickers to represent the transparent part.

What’s so important about design proofs?

You may have seen us refer to design proofs but you might not know what this means and how you benefit from it.

The design proof stage is an important step in your custom sticker ordering process.

It allows you to confirm that everything looks perfect before printing. It’s much easier to make changes before printing.

It’s important to check your proof thoroughly!

We will print the image we’ve shown you, exactly. If there is a spelling mistake or another error in the proof, expect it to show in the final printed sticker.

How long will it take to get my design proof?

We won’t keep you waiting; our designers work quickly and accurately so you can get your stickers as soon as possible. Within 12 working hours (Monday to Friday) to be exact.

We are working on an instant proofing tool – stay tuned for updates.

What do I do with my proof?

Now you know what a design proof is, you may still be unsure what you need to do once you get one. This is your chance to ensure that you’re totally happy with the product that you’re going to receive.

Things to check for include:

  • Layout – is everything in the right place?
  • Spelling – are there any typos or spelling errors?
  • Cut lines – are they placed where you want them to be?
  • Colours – do the colours match what you expect?
  • Size – are the dimensions correct?

An important point about colour

The colour on your phone or computer screen will not be 100% identical to the printed, final sticker or label.

This is because your sticker is made from ink using CMYK (cyan, yellow, magenta & black) whereas your screen uses light to make colour in RGB (red, green & blue).

99% of the time this is no problem because both methods can create a range of colours that are the same.

It is mainly a problem with fluorescent colours. We will, however, highlight the issue to you when sending a design proof if we feel the digital, on-screen colour isn’t a good match. So no need to worry.

If you need a very exact colour, you can send us a sample (or Pantone code) and our designers will match it as close as possible.

Can I request changes to my design proof?

You can ask us to change any detail about your sticker. We want you to be 100% happy with the product you’re going to receive.

If you want the borders to be wider, or to adjust the size, tweak the colours or even switch sticker type, we will do our best to make all the changes you need or want.

Simply request changes against your design proof. Our team will quickly adjust your proof, ready to be sent back to you for approval.