Which Stamp for Which Surface
This is the one thing worth getting right before you order, because the wrong stamp on the wrong surface will smudge — and you will not know until you have already stamped fifty boxes.
Find your surface in the left column. That tells you which stamp to buy.
| What you are stamping | Stamp you need | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Paper, cards, kraft tags, envelopes | Rubber stamp or matte pre-inked stamp | Porous surfaces absorb water-based ink, so it dries fast and clean. |
| Cardboard cartons and shipping boxes | Large rubber stamp, 5–7 inch | A small stamp looks lost on a big box. Match roughly 60–75% of the panel width. |
| Plastic, poly mailers, glossy and laminated boxes, foil lids, metal | Permanent pre-inked stamp | Non-porous surfaces reject water-based ink — it beads up and never dries. Permanent ink bonds instead. |
| Handmade soap | Acrylic stamp (sabun mohar) | Presses the design in rather than printing it. No ink touches the bar. |
| Clay and pottery | Acrylic stamp, or brass deboss stamp for deeper marks | Both press in. Brass gives a deeper, crisper impression on firmer clay. |
| Fondant, icing and cookies | Acrylic cookie stamp and fondant embosser | Nothing is transferred to the food. The design is pressed in, so no edible ink is needed. |
| Chocolate, bonbons and truffles | Brass chocolate stamp | Brass holds cold. Chill the head, press, lift, and it releases clean instead of sticking. |
| Sealing wax on invitations and letters | Brass wax seal | Wax picks up fine detail beautifully and holds it permanently. |
| Leather and luxury packaging | Brass debossing stamp | Debossing marks the material itself, so there is nothing to rub off. |
| Fabric and wood | Rubber stamp with the right ink | Rubber flexes into the grain and weave. Fabric needs a fabric ink to survive washing. |
| Cup sleeves, napkin bands, bill folders | Long thin pre-inked stamp | A long, narrow stamp matches the shape of the thing you are banding. |
Choosing a size for paper bags
The rule that works: your stamp should be 60–75% of the bag's width.
- Large shopping bag (8 x 10.25") → 6" stamp
- Medium shopping bag (8 x 9") → 5" stamp
- Large flat bag (9.5 x 13") → 6" to 7" stamp
- Small bakery bag (4.5 x 8.5") → 3" stamp
On brown kraft, dark ink reads best — black, navy, forest green or dark brown. Stamps 5" and larger need an oversized ink pad.
Do I need a separate ink pad?
Not for pre-inked stamps. The ink sits inside the body, so they arrive ready to use and give thousands of impressions before needing a re-ink.
Rubber stamps do need a separate ink pad. That is not a drawback — it lets you change ink colours and use different inks for different surfaces.
A note on food safety
Our inks are made for packaging, not for food. Stamp the bag, the box, the sleeve, the label and the tag — not the food itself. For marking food directly, use a brass chocolate stamp or an acrylic embosser, which press the design in rather than printing it.
Still not sure?
Message us on WhatsApp at +91 84204 32640 with a photo of what you are stamping, and we will tell you which one you need before you order. Every custom stamp comes with a design proof for your approval before we make it.
