What's the difference between permanent, hi-tack and low-tack adhesive?

The adhesive is the glue layer that makes your sticker stick. How strong it should be depends on the surface and how long the sticker needs to stay on.

Permanent adhesive

The industry standard and the adhesive on most of our sticker materials. It gives a strong, long-lasting bond on most smooth, clean surfaces.

• Good for: everyday stickers, products, packaging and long-term use, indoors and outdoors

• Once applied, it takes some effort to remove and may leave residue

• All our specialty materials, such as holographic, glitter, prismatic, mirror and brushed aluminum, use permanent adhesive

Hi-tack adhesive

A high-strength adhesive with a strong initial grab and a durable long-term bond. Use it where a permanent adhesive might not hold well enough.

• Good for: low-energy plastics, slightly textured or uneven surfaces, curved surfaces and industrial environments

• Available on white vinyl, and used on our Heavy Duty stickers together with a thick protective laminate

Low-tack adhesive

A gentle adhesive that holds securely during normal use and peels away without leaving residue or damaging most surfaces. Low-tack is sometimes called removable.

• Good for: temporary signage, event branding, notebooks, laptops, smooth walls and windows

• Used on our Removable stickers

Surface

• Smooth surfaces (glass, metal, plastic): permanent or low-tack both work.

• Textured, uneven or difficult surfaces (rough plastic, coated materials, curved surfaces): hi-tack holds better.

How long it should stay on

• Long-term → permanent

• Tough environments or difficult surfaces → hi-tack

• Temporary or repositionable → low-tack

Conditions

Heat, moisture, cleaning agents and sunlight affect how well an adhesive holds. Permanent and hi-tack handle demanding conditions better than low-tack.

Not sure?

Order a small batch and test it on the actual surface before a large order. You'll find more about adhesives in Adhesives and in the Dictionary.