Scratch and sniff stickers are not as popular as they used to be. However, many people still use them for several purposes including marketing and promotion campaigns. Most of your older family members should remember playing with these stickers as kids.

Ever wondered how custom scented stickers worked or how they even came about? Would you like to make yours? We will tell you a bit about this technology and how to create scented stickers.

A Brief History of the “Scratch and Sniff” Technology

How did scratch and sniff come about? This technology is the result of trying to make copies before the arrival of printers, copiers, and word processors. Then, you had to place carbon paper between two sheets of paper to create copies.

A scientist, Gale Matson, in the 1960s devised a means to create ink copies without using carbon paper. He called the process “microencapsulation.” This process required two papers, one as the original document, and the other as the copy.

The original copy was at the top and covered in microcapsules of some colorless ink. As you type or write on it, the capsules release their ink as they break. The ink mixes with a chemical applied on the second sheet. By so doing, a copy appears on the second sheet.

After much research, “scratch and sniff” was born in 1965. Since then, it has taken several forms and performed several functions including stickers, perfume sample strips, etc.

How to Make Custom Scratch and Sniff Stickers

Are you looking for how to make custom scratch and sniff stickers? Here’s some good news. You can make them by yourself. The process is pretty easy. We can bet that your kids will love these stickers as well.

Here are the supplies you need to make your stickers:

  • Labels (you can make use of labels from Zigpac)
  • Printable file for your stickers
  • Printer and ink
  • Essential oils

Now, take the steps below to create your custom scented stickers:

Step 1: Source for labels. As we stated above, you can check Zigpac or any other online repertoire for labels to suit your purposes. Download these labels to your computer. When choosing your labels, ensure that you download the ones that suit your printer. Usually, you can know from the listing. The labels could work with laser printers or inkjet printers or be compatible with both.

Step 2: Arrange the labels using any design software of your choice. You can create a pattern or just leave them scattered if you need the stickers to come out separately.

Step 3: Print your stickers. Simply send the labels to your printer by following the “Print” process on the software that you used. If you don’t have a printer, you can visit a store that has one.

Step 4: When you are done printing, it is time to apply your essential oils. Select the right oil for each label then place a drop on it.

Step 5: Rub in the oil gently so that it covers the surface of the label. Be careful when doing this so that you don’t make the ink bleed. We should let you know that the oils could discolor the white parts of your labels slightly.

Step 6: Leave the stickers to dry.

Step 7: Once the stickers are dry, you can apply them to any surface of your choice. Watch your kids scratch and sniff these stickers. You should try scratching a few as well to be part of the fun.

Uses of Scented Stickers

Great job! You now know how to make custom scented stickers. The next question is, “what can you use these stickers for?” We have put together a few uses for you in this section.

Product packaging

If you run a business where people need sample scents of the content, using these stickers comes in handy. A typical example of such products is perfumes and sprays. Using these stickers means that people don’t have to open the package before they know the scent of its contents.

Simply create these stickers and place them on the package of your products. All your customers and prospects need to do is scratch the sticker and sniff to find out its scent.

Marketing campaigns

If you have a new product that you want to publicize, you can run marketing campaigns using scented stickers. How do you do this?

Create custom stickers with images of the new product. Add a scent that relates to the product and hand these stickers out to your customers as gifts. First of all, they enjoy the fun of scratching these stickers. Then comes the thrill of the scent that triggers a desire to purchase the product you are marketing.

Recipe books and restaurant menus

Recipe books, restaurant menus, and other literature are not the most likely places to find scratch and sniff stickers. However, using them in these materials helps to drive home your point with a lot more ease.

Let’s take a recipe book as an example. You can bring your descriptions to life by adding a sticker that bears the smell of what you are describing. It just makes your description make more sense. The reader can scratch it to get a sniff of what you want them to add to the mix.

The same goes for a restaurant menu. With these stickers, the reader on needs to scratch a little to discover the scent of the food or wine. By so doing, they don’t need so much explanation before placing their orders.

Home décor

This is one of the most popular uses of custom scratch and sniff stickers. You can create small stickers or whole wallpapers with your favorite scent. Scratch them and place them in different parts of your home. They will not just add to the ambiance, they will also give your home an amazing scent.

Can’t go Through the Hassle?

Would you like some custom scratch and sniff stickers but can’t go through the process of making them? Zigpac’s got you. Visit our website and pick out any design. We will print them out and you can use them for your purposes.