Merchandise Basics - Stick N Press

Quick reference

Merchandise basics at a glance

Each merch type asks for a different setup. Stickers depend on paper finish and lamination, prints depend on size and stock, and button pins depend on machine size and shape. Use these notes as a baseline before moving on to the more specific tutorials.

A. Stickers

Layered, laminated, and finish-dependent

Stickers usually start as printed artwork on adhesive paper or vinyl, then get sealed with laminate so the design stays crisp and protected during handling. The most common beginner options are photo paper stickers, matte stickers, and vinyl-based finishes.

Choose your base first: glossy photo paper, matte stock, or vinyl all behave differently.
Lamination helps prevent scratches, fading, and weak paper edges.
Cutting method matters: hand-cut sheets and machine-cut kiss cuts need different margins.

A selection of sticker merchandise samples on a red checkered background — General sticker samples

Glittered sticker designs displayed on a tabletop — Glitter finish

Matte sticker sheets and individual cuts displayed together — Matte finish

B. Prints

Paper goods built around size and stock

Print merch covers flat products like photocards, business cards, art prints, and posters. Unlike stickers, these usually do not need adhesive backing, but they do need clean sizing, safe margins, and a paper type that supports the intended finish.

Always build your canvas to the final physical size before exporting.
Glossy stock feels punchier for saturated art, while matte stock reduces glare.
Cards and posters need bleed and trim allowance if they will be cut professionally.

Printed photocards on display — Photocards

Printed business card samples — Business cards

Poster print sample with artwork — Poster prints

C. Buttons / Pins

Button Pins / Badges

Buttons or pins are usually circular, though heart, square, and other custom forms also exist. They are made by pressing printed artwork around a shell using a pin maker or by ordering from a manufacturer that already supports the shape and backing you want.

Button templates are exact: artwork, cut line, and wrap allowance all need to match the machine size.
Common backings include metal safety pin backs, plastic pin backs, and keychain-style conversions.
Unusual shapes are possible, but they often require specialized tools or outside production.

Round button pin samples arranged on a table — Round pins

Different pin designs arranged together on a pink checkered cloth — Mixed pin styles

Heart-shaped button pin sample — Shaped buttons

D. Keychains

Hanging merch built around print method and hardware

These are usually manufactured externally but could be made at home as one-off gifts such as shrink plastic, photos insert of keychain lockets /photo inserts. Those manufactured externally are usually identified by type. The most common type is acrylic and epoxy, but as of recent there has been a rise in wooden charms.

Material choice changes the look completely: acrylic feels clean and glossy, while wood gives a warmer handmade finish.
Always leave safe space around the punch hole so important parts of the artwork do not get cut off.
Hardware matters too, since jump rings, lobster clasps, and phone straps each change how the final product is used.

Different keychain samples displayed on a pink checkered cloth — General keychain samples

Acrylic keychain sample displayed on a table — Acrylic keychains

Wooden keychain sample displayed on a pink checkered cloth — Wooden keychains

What to do next

Once you know which merch type you want to make, move into the dedicated tutorials for file setup, materials, and production workflow. The basics page is meant to help you compare formats quickly before committing to one process.