Glass stickers vs glass printing: which is best for branding?
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Are you looking to put your business branding on glass? Explore the pros and cons of glass stickers and glass printing.
One of the best things about glass is its versatility. This is, after all, a material used for everything from champagne flutes to elevators.
But did you know it can also be a great material for branding? Logos, patterns and text can be applied to windows, partitions and signs. The glass itself can be coloured to match your brand palette or frosted for extra privacy.
This kind of glass-based branding adds an undeniable touch of class – even futurism – to your business premises, whether that's an office, a store or a warehouse.
So, how do you do it? Well, there are two main ways to get your brand on glass: stickers and glass printing.
Glass stickers, known in the States as "decals", are adhesive-backed films that you stick directly onto glass. Glass printing, by contrast, involves printing onto glass using special inks. In our case, that means ceramic inks that fuse directly into the glass.
This brief description alone tells you the big difference between the two methods. One is cheap, cheerful and temporary. The other is premium and permanent.
The method you choose will depend on your business goals, budget and aesthetic. Are you looking for a budget option? Is it for a temporary application? Glass stickers can do the job just fine. If, however, you want a design that lasts as long as the glass itself, glass printing is the way to go.
Glass printing is a slightly more complex topic than glass stickers because it comes in two forms. Glass can be digitally printed or screen printed. Work with the right processor, and both can be excellent choices – but you will need to decide between the two.
What are glass stickers?
Sometimes, the names of glass products take a bit of deciphering: "toughened glass", say, or "smart glass". Glass stickers, however, do just what they say on the tin.
Backed with an adhesive, these stickers can be applied directly to the glass surface, be it a window, partition or other design feature.
Advantages of glass stickers
Glass stickers are a budget-friendly option. This makes them ideal for short-term promotions, seasonal campaigns and small-batch productions. If you're hoping to promote something else in six months, there's no real point in getting your branding digitally printed or screen printed onto your building.
Glass stickers are easy to install – and, crucially, easy to remove. Glass printing is like a permanent tattoo. You need to be sure you'll still love the design in a decade's time. Glass stickers, by contrast, can be switched up with ease.
In terms of designs, glass stickers can be as complicated as you like – just take a look at any lamppost in a city centre. They can be multi-coloured, photorealistic, intricately designed, even holographic.
Disadvantages of glass stickers
There are three main disadvantages to glass stickers. The first is that they're vulnerable to peeling, bubbling and fading over time. This is especially true in high-traffic areas, such as offices, or in an external setting where they're exposed to the elements.
Left for too long, glass stickers can also end up looking a bit worse for wear, with dirt accumulating around the edges like dust bunnies. This can create work for your cleaners that glass printing precludes.
In our view, however, the main disadvantage of glass stickers is simply that they look less good, both aesthetically and in terms of brand reputation. Printed glass tells customers you mean business – and the design is long-lasting as well as beautiful.
What is glass printing?
Glass printing means, quite simply, printing onto glass. This is more complicated than it sounds. For many centuries, the glass industry tried and tried – and failed and failed – to make inks adhere to glass.
At ToughGlaze, we harness the latest glass printing technology. This involves fusing special ceramic inks into the glass itself. That means the design is in the glass – not simply stuck on top of it.
There are two main types of glass printing: screen printing and digital printing.
Glass screen printing uses a mesh stencil to press ceramic inks into the glass.
Digital glass printingapplies them using inkjet technology.
Advantages of glass printing
Both glass printing methods deliver a high-end, seamless look. This, in turn, makes staff, customers and third parties all feel that your brand has credibility – not to mention a workspace that's pretty as well as productive.
Printed glass is scratch-resistant, fade-resistant, peel-resistant and wrinkle-resistant. This is true even if it's installed in an area with high human traffic or, in the case of movable partitions, gets handled daily.
Glass printing is a long-term solution – and like so many long-term solutions, it's better for the environment. Glass stickers are short-term, disposable products that get chucked when your campaign is over. Printed glass, by contrast, is a more sustainable investment.
Disadvantages of glass printing
Of course, glass printing isn't for everyone. If you want a budget-friendly option, glass stickers are preferable. And perhaps more importantly, glass printing can't be updated. If you merge with another company, change your logo or change your slogan, you'll have to remove and replace the whole unit.
Perhaps these concerns apply to your business. If not, we highly recommend printed glass – especially if the glass itself is of an equally high quality.
Conclusion
Branding on glass is like a tattoo. Are you looking for something permanent or temporary? This is the key consideration when choosing between glass stickers and glass printing.
Budget plays its part, of course – and many companies that opt for glass stickers do so for financial reasons.
But if budget isn't a pressing concern, your main consideration should be how long you want the branding to last. Do you want a window, partition or other glass design feature that serves as a piece of physical branding? Or do you want a temporary solution to push a short-term campaign?
Whichever you choose, you need the glass itself to be up to the job – and here at ToughGlaze, we provide glass products that are durable, compliant and versatile.
So, if you're looking for affordable and versatile glass printing services, get in touch with us today for a quick, competitive quote.
