What is Vinyl Cut, Kiss Cut, & Die Cut?

What the heck do all these terms mean Vinyl Cut (Transfer Cut), Kiss Cut (Contour Cut) and Die Cut (Perforated Cut)? Names upon names and these all sound the like the same thing.

Vinyl Cut (Transfer Cut) Decals are decals that are typically cut on one specific vinyl material. A design in cut on the vinyl and the unwanted areas are weeded (or picked) away.

Then a transfer tape is place on top to keep all the intact vinyl in place until you are ready to install on your desired surface. Once the backing paper is removed and the decal is place on the desired surface, the transfer tape is removed leaving just the lettering and/or graphic.

Kiss Cut and Die Cut are for printed decals. Printed decals are specialized ink on vinyl and require a specialized vinyl printer.

Kiss Cut means the vinyl is only cut through the vinyl and not the backing paper. At Wolf Decal we usually cut our printed decals this way, you will receive the decal in a rectangular form.

Die Cut (Perforated Cut) means the vinyl is cut through the backing paper, usually to the shape of the overall shape of the design.

Many sign shops use these terms interchangeably, it always good to ask a sign shop what those terms mean to them. Signs shops that have been around before the late 80s will have a different definition of die cut than modern startups. Back in the early years die cut were individual letters/numbers that were "cut" on dies shaped to the letter or number.