Die-Cut Stickers — Custom Shapes, Dies and MOQ in One Read

Die-cutting is the universal process for PVC foam, flat, and adhesive stickers — cutting any shape via custom dies. This guide covers die-cutting principles, die types, MOQ, color/material combinations, and four pitfalls in custom die-cut orders.

What die-cut stickers are

Die-cut stickers use a steel die to cut arbitrary 2D shapes (animal silhouettes, logos, letter combinations) on sticker surfaces — cleaner edges than standard shapes. Works on PVC foam, flat PVC, adhesive labels, EVA soft foam, etc. The core of die-cutting is die design and fabrication.

Die types and selection

Engraved die (CNC): precision 0.1mm — for complex silhouettes / small sizes (<50mm)
Etched die (chemical): precision 0.2mm — for medium complexity (50-100mm)
Laser die: precision 0.05mm — for ultra-fine / small batches (higher unit cost)
Embossing die: adds emboss/deboss on top of cutting — tactile layering (+ ¥300-500/design)
Multi-layer die: for 5D emboss — main + depth + emboss knives (+ ¥1,000-3,000/design)

Die-cut material and color combos

PVC foam (1.0/1.5/2.0mm): main 3D die-cut material — printable/foil-capable
EVA soft foam (1.0/1.5mm): softer, cheaper — kids/dress-up stickers
Flat PVC (0.3-0.5mm): flat die-cut — cheaper, high print accuracy
Adhesive label stock: paper/plastic base — flat die-cut labels
Print colors: 4/6-color / Pantone spot — metallic/fluorescent spot needs separate plate

Die-cut custom MOQ and flow

Die-cut custom flow: ① vector (AI/CDR/PDF) confirm — raster needs 300dpi; ② die design — factory draws die-line free; ③ die fabrication — 3-7 days, ¥500-2,000/design; ④ sample — 2-3 days, ¥300-800/design with delivery; ⑤ production — 2,000 pcs/design MOQ, 5-15 day lead time. Total: ¥0.5-1.5/pc (2,000-run) + die fee. Die belongs to customer (Yikang policy); transferable to other factories.

Four pitfalls in die-cut stickers

Too small detail (<2mm): die knives can't make it / break — limit is 2mm wide lines
Over-sharp corners (<30°): wear/break — R0.5mm is industry minimum
Multi-layer stacking: 5D emboss die alignment drifts — >0.2mm misregistration rejects batch
Die custody: customer-designed dies lost — contract should specify "die belongs to customer; factory is custodian with liability during retention"

Yikang's die-cut edge

Yikang (Gongming St., Guangming; 1,200m², 3 lines, 50+ staff): ① die-cut shop — CNC engraving + laser + chemical etching (all 3 die processes); ② print+dic-cut integrated — 4-color printing + die-cutting inline for efficiency; ④ design support — factory draws die-lines from customer artwork free (CAD/CAM conversion); ⑤ die policy — die belongs to customer, transferable to any factory; ⑥ production capacity — 2,000 pcs in 5-7 days; 5,000 pcs in 7-10 days. Customer base includes gift brands, Amazon cross-border sellers, and corporate gifting companies.