How to create your own stickers: DIY at home or professional suppliers?

We love stickers! They decorate a computer, a diary, or even a water bottle, and add a fun and unique touch to our daily lives. For my part, I create my 100% homemade stickers, especially with my little characters Pew 🐥 and Pewie 💕.

But when you want to start creating stickers, a real question arises: should you make them yourself (DIY) or go through a specialized supplier?

I share my experience and advice with you to help you choose the solution that best suits you!

Create your own homemade stickers

You can choose this option if you want to offer 100% handmade products and thus control the production and quantities of your stickers... But also if you like the manual part of creativity! Because in reality, it's super relaxing to put your brain down and indulge in manual tasks like cutting or applying holographic paper.

But then... how do you create your own stickers?

It's very simple: you print your board on specialized sticker paper (you can find matte paper, or transparent paper... there are several variants). Little tip: check your colors carefully and make some adjustments and tests. And don't forget to print in glossy mode, and check the "high print quality" option!

Once your board is configured and printed, we add a finish! This isn't mandatory; but I highly recommend it to get that wow factor. You can add, for example, shiny holographic paper, which sticks like a huge sticker on your board. It will take patience and precision to avoid creating air bubbles!

Finally, you'll need to cut out your stickers. Here, you have two options:

1. You're lucky enough to have a cutting machine like Cricut or Silhouette...
2. You don't have one, and in that case, you'll have fun cutting everything by hand 😂

✅ The advantages of DIY

• Total freedom : you choose the formats, the finishes, the illustrations... and you can try out lots of things!
• Quality control : every step is in your hands, from the paper chosen to the final cutting.
• A unique and artisanal touch : your customers know they have a special piece, made with care.
• There's also the advantage of controlling your inventory and costs. If you're just starting out and you're not sure how and how much to invest, it can be interesting to make small quantities on demand and adapt according to what's most popular/if you have planned markets... So for scaling, it can be a good strategy!

⚠️ The disadvantages

• This requires equipment : printer, waterproof or glossy protective film, cutting machine such as Cricut/Silhouette... And therefore a certain investment.
• It takes time : printing, laminating, cutting, packaging... Especially if you cut it yourself. Then it will take a lot of time.
• Not always profitable if you want to produce in very large quantities.

Go through a specialist supplier

This is the option chosen by many designers who want to produce in volume or who do not want to invest in equipment.

✅ The advantages

• Save time : everything is taken care of.
• Professional quality : durable vinyl, holographic, waterproof, etc.
• Profitable on a large scale : the more you order, the lower the unit price.

⚠️ The disadvantages

• A minimum order quantity (called MOQ) is often required.
• Less control: the final result may sometimes differ from your expectations.
• Production and delivery times to be taken into account.

So, which solution should you choose?

👉 If you're just starting out , want to test your illustrations and keep a crafty side: DIY is perfect.
👉 If you are aiming for large volumes (shop, conventions, resale), the supplier will be more suitable.

In short...

Creating your own stickers is a great creative adventure, and it's always a pleasure to see our creations and designs come to life and accompany us in our everyday objects 💕. Whether you're a home stickers team or a professional supplier team , the important thing is to share your world and your characters.

And if you're looking for inspiration, I invite you to discover my handmade sticker packs in my shop — featuring my Pew & Pewie characters 🐥🌸, ready to become part of your daily life.