Help me choose
Help me choose
All you need to know about neon stickers & why to use them
Before we start, it’s worth saying that neon stickers can also be referred to as neon or day-glow stickers. If you see these terms around, do not worry, they can be used interchangeably. Some industries, such as the motorsport industry use neon to their advantage.
Have you ever seen Valentino Rossi?
Easy to spot isn't he.
Why is this?
What makes neon colors so bright?
Normal colors reflect a maximum of 90% of the available light as their color. However, neon colors can reflect up to 300% of their color, making them appear so much brighter.
How do they do that?
Neon ink contains pigments that 'fluoresce'. Essentially, they convert some invisible UV light into visible light.
The fluorescent pigments absorb the UV-light, that cannot be seen by the human eye, and re-emit at a wavelength we can see. It's converted to the wavelength that matches the neon pigment color.
Here are some technical details
Skip this if you don’t really care why neon colors are so much brighter.
If you do care, this will be interesting to you…
Humans can see a very narrow range in the middle of the electromagnetic spectrum, known as the visible light spectrum.
This image helps to show how little the human eye can see in the whole spectrum:
Normal colors absorb and re-emit a portion (up to 90%) of this visible spectrum that matches its primary wavelength (i.e. It’s color), whilst the remaining light is absorbed and dissipated as heat.
Nein colors contain fluorophore molecules that fluoresce when excited by light.
These colors use a larger amount of both the visible light spectrum and the lower light wavelengths compared to conventional colors (up to 300% more). They re-emit this wider band of light as visible light to the human eye.
Because of this, the human eye views neon colors as far brighter, as if they’re glowing!
Why do neon colors fade?
Fading is a change in color with time. All colors fade over time to varying degrees.
The technical term for color fading is 'photodegradation'.
The UV part of sunlight has a chemical reaction with the pigments in ink, causing the colors to fade in a process called bleaching.
As fluorescent colors include pigments that convert parts of the invisible UV light into visible light, they are more susceptible to bleaching when exposed to UV-light; this is called photobleaching.
Can you print neon colors?
No. Instead of printing neon colors, we print onto fluorescent materials and have the color of the material coming through your design in specific places to make it appear fluorescent. The effect can look amazing.
You can find out more about how to use white ink on stickers and labels right here.
The image below shows a more detailed view of how neon stickers and labels are made:
The layers are:
The gloss laminate is applied over the printed layer and protects it from scratching, water, chemicals and from fading in sunlight.
We print using the latest digital inkjet technology with super detail & vibrant colors. We also print white to give great, opaque colors, even on neon-colored materials.
You can choose from a range of neon materials to create your desired end-result.
A permanent, medium-strength, pressure-sensitive acrylic adhesive makes neon stickers perfect for 1000’s of applications.
A thick, premium paper-backing makes these stickers rapid to peel & gives a quality feel.
When to use neon stickers?
As you know these stickers are brighter & stand out way more than others.
They’re also quite unique as most brands don’t use these awesome shades of color to their advantage.
We recommend using neon stickers in some of these applications, particularly where you need to stand out, such as on a shelf when surrounded by competitors products:
Drinks beverage stickers
Food packaging labels
Warning stickers
Premium logo and branding stickers for event handouts
Health & Safety stickers
Phone and laptop branding
Machine labelling
Special promotion stickers
Here are some good examples to get your creative juices flowing:
When not to use neon stickers?
Neon materials are designed to be used for up to 6 months outdoors and 2 years indoors.
This reduced outdoor life is due to fading (technically called photobleaching) that can occur.
The fluorescent pigments that give the color its insane brightness also will become ineffective over time when exposed to direct sunlight. If you are looking for a different option, browse our custom stickers here.
Therefore we recommend using neon stickers for mostly indoor use. For example food & drinks packaging, or for short-term outdoor use. For example; special promotion labels or construction site warning stickers.
What shades of neon are available?
neon stickers are generally only available in the following shades:
Red
Orange
Yellow
Pink
Green
More can be created however to do this the fluorescent pigment needs to be mixed with conventional colors.
This causes there to be less fluorescent pigment in the final color, so it will appear less bright.
This is why we recommend sticking with these shades. By combining them with other colors you can create a massive variety of different effects & designs.
Get some neon stickers
If you want to see how neon stickers look in real life, we can send you a sample pack for only £1. Just click the link below to receive your sample pack.
If you have any questions or want to tell us about how you use neon stickers, please get in contact with us here.