Choose matte, always
This is the single most valuable line on the page. Gloss laminate reflects the light source straight into the camera, and under a shop light, a workshop lamp or direct sun, the reflection covers exactly the part of the code the decoder needs.
Matte laminate costs the same and solves it entirely. The physics behind it, along with the reason a scan works at one angle and fails at another, is explained in the lamination and gloss guide.
Match the material to the life it will have
- Paper with permanent adhesive. Indoors, short life. Shelf edges, event props, temporary signage.
- White vinyl with matte laminate. The default for anything outdoors or handled. Survives a few years of weather.
- Polyester and polypropylene. Chemical and abrasion resistance. Equipment, workshops, laboratories.
- Freezer-grade adhesive. Normal adhesive fails below zero and the label falls off in the cold chain.
- Tamper-evident. For asset tags, seals and anything that must not be moved between items.
- Removable adhesive. Windows, rented equipment and anything a customer takes home.
- Metal or engraved plates. For a code that has to last a decade on machinery outdoors.
Sizing and the quiet zone
- 25 mm is the safe general-purpose size for a sticker scanned at arm's length
- 40 mm and up for anything scanned from more than a metre, such as a warehouse rack label
- 15 mm is the floor, only on premium material at close range
- The white border is part of the code. Die-cut stickers that trim to the pattern edge fail. Keep four modules of white inside the cut line
The surface underneath
A sticker inherits the geometry of what it is stuck to.
- On a cylinder the curvature rule applies: keep the code inside about 30 degrees of arc
- On a textured or powder-coated surface, apply firmly and expect edge lift, which distorts the pattern
- Over rivets, seams and screw heads, do not. A bump under a module breaks it
- On a dark background, print a white sticker rather than an inverted code
What sticker codes are best at
- Asset and equipment tags that open the service history, manual and fault-reporting form for that specific unit
- Service stickers on a boiler, a meter or a van, opening a rebooking form for the trade that fitted it
- Shelf and bin labels in a warehouse, opening the stock record, as covered in the warehouse labelling guide
- Window and door stickers with opening hours, ordering and reviews
- Freebie stickers for merchandising, which travel further than any other print item a brand hands out
Every one of those benefits from a dynamic code, because the sticker will still be there long after the destination has changed.
Print a QR code sticker that keeps working in 4 steps
Specify matte laminate
Gloss reflects the light source into the lens at exactly the wrong angle. Matte costs the same and removes the problem.
Match material to environment
Vinyl outdoors, polyester on equipment, freezer adhesive in the cold chain, tamper-evident for asset tags.
Keep the quiet zone inside the cut line
The white border is part of the code. Die-cutting to the pattern edge is a guaranteed failure.
Use a dynamic destination
The sticker will outlive whatever it points at, especially on equipment and shelving.
Frequently asked
Should QR code stickers be matte or gloss?
Matte, every time. Gloss laminate mirrors the light source into the camera and blanks out part of the pattern. It is the most common avoidable sticker failure.
What size should a QR code sticker be?
25 mm for arm's-length scanning, 40 mm or more for anything read from over a metre, and 15 mm only on premium material at close range.
Which sticker material survives outdoors?
White vinyl with matte laminate for general outdoor use, and polyester or polypropylene where chemicals and abrasion are involved. Plain paper fails within weeks.
Why do my die-cut QR stickers fail to scan?
The cut is trimming into the quiet zone. A QR code needs four modules of clear space around it, and that white border has to sit inside the cut line.
Can QR code stickers go in a freezer?
Only with freezer-grade adhesive applied at the right temperature. Standard adhesive loses grip below zero and the label lifts, which distorts the code before it falls off.
Read next
Need a different QR type? Browse all 48 QR types on the home page.