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Home » Sticker Blog » How are Day glo and reflective stickers made and what are they used for?

How are Day glo and reflective stickers made and what are they used for?

21/09/2023

What is the difference between day glo and reflective stickers?

There are two main differences between a reflective sticker and a day glo sticker.

The first is the way they are made. Reflective stickers are printed on to a reflective class 1 or class 2 material and the area with no ink coverage reflects, whilst the day glo sticker is the opposite, the day glo ink is printed onto white, transparent or even reflective vinyl.

The second main difference is how they work. The reflective stickers reflect the light i.e. from headlights, whilst the day glo stickers are printed using ink that absorbs light making colours which are very bright and noticeable.

 

Are day glo stickers the same as fluorescent stickers?

Yes we can print using day glo fluorescent colour inks to create bright standout stickers. The colours available are orange, pink, green, orange and yellow.

 

Are day glo (fluorescent) stickers and signs reflective?

No the fluorescent stickers would not be reflective unless they are printed on class 1 or class 2 reflective vinyl. It is the material that is reflective.

It is possible to print the day glo inks onto the reflective vinyl creating a sticker which is both reflective and day glo. It would be advisable to use the white reflective material for these rather than the yellow option.

 

Is fluorescent ink reflective?

No the fluorescent ink absorbs the light, creating colours in shades that are highly visible.

 

Do reflective stickers glow in the dark?

The reflective stickers do not glow in the dark, the vinyl reflects the light shone on it back. If there is no light shining on the reflective stickers, then the stickers would not be visible, unlike glow in the dark stickers.

 

What is a reflective sticker and how is it made?

A reflective sticker is produced by printing ink on to the surface of class 1 or class 2 vinyl. The unprinted area is the area that reflects the light. The stickers are then cut to size and shape as required.

 

What is a day glo / fluorescent sticker and how is it made?

Our day glo stickers are produced by screenprinting the fluorescent inks onto a white or transparent vinyl. The stickers can be any shape and size and are available in large format.

 

Should I choose day glo or reflective stickers to use on my 24 hour warning & security signs?

The reflective stickers would be visible throughout the whole 24 hour period, if lights were shone on them during the night or hours of darkness the signs. The security signs / stickers would be fully visible during the day but unlike the day glo sign may not be quite so eye-catching! However, the day glo sign would become less visible at night.

 

Can reflective and day glo stickers be used outdoors?

Absolutely! Both these sticker types are printed on vinyl and therefore offer a waterproof option suitable for outdoor use.

 

Where are reflective stickers used?

Reflective stickers are used in a whole host of places from be safe be seen safety campaigns for kids, to wheelie bins and most commonly on road signs where the message needs to be visible to drivers at night.

 

Where are day glo stickers used?

Day glo stickers are often used for notices of forthcoming events, to produce directional signs for events. The day glo stickers are great for indoor point of sale campaigns and as part of promotional advertising especially during retail sales or to highlight discounted prices.

 

Can you have a reflective sticker printed in day glo ink?

Yes reflective stickers can be printed with day glo colours.

 

Can you print reflective and day glo window stickers?

We can print day glo or fluorescent window stickers as the colours are reverse printed onto transparent vinyl. Unfortunately, we can’t print reflective window stickers as the reflective is the material and the adhesive is on the back of the reflective side, so they can only be surface stickers.

 

What is the difference between RA1 and RA2 reflective vinyl? And which is used most frequently for reflective stickers?

Class RA2 is the highest specification of reflective vinyl and is recognisable by its honeycomb appearance. It is this product that is used on road signs etc… Stickers for general use are more commonly printed on class RA1.

 

If you want to talk about options for your event or marketing campaign, please email sally@screenprintanddisplay.com or call 01347 823230 and we’ll help you get the right materials for you.