Check Out Our Interactive Tape Customizer

If you're struggling to find the ideal tape for your project or package, check out Tape Jungle's interactive tape customizer. This tool allows you to design and create a custom tape. The best news is that your order will be ready to print in mere minutes, and you'll be able to tape up your boxes in no time.

How Does the Interactive Tape Customizer Work?

The Tape Jungle interactive tape customizer is for anyone who wants control over their packing tape purchase. Customizing your rolls of adhesive is done in a few simple steps.

Step One: Pick Your Tape and Size

Choose the type of tape you want: standard, premium, or paper.

Standard (PolyPro)

The most popular pick for custom-printed tape is standard polypropylene (PolyPro). It's not hard to understand why, as PolyPro tape has a crisp print resolution and can meet most users' needs. Plus, it is easy to use, cost-effective, and versatile. Depending on the grades or thickness of these rolls, they can accommodate packages of all sizes, from small to large.

This is a self-adhering hot melt tape, which means it has three layers: a layer of film similar to that of acrylic tape, a release coat that lets the product come off the roll easily, and a strong adhesive layer. Most people reach for a handheld dispenser to apply this tape, but you can also do it by hand.

A roll of Standard PolyPro has a glossy finish and is semitransparent and nonrecyclable. You've probably seen this kind of tape, often coated in an acrylic or rubber adhesive, at places like the post office or hardware store. But those rolls of tape — likely run-of-the-mill packing tape — aren't the only PolyPro tapes available through the tape customizer. There are four grades of PolyPro tape to choose from:

• General Purpose (1.9 mil.): The most popular choice includes the clear or brown packing tape you're probably familiar with. It has a recommended weight of up to 30 pounds, a 15% transparency level, and is excellent for most everyday uses.
• Heavy Duty (2.5 mil.): Heavy Duty is thicker and stronger than General Purpose PolyPro, so you can use it for packages weighing up to 50 pounds. It has a 10% transparency level.
• Industrial (3.0 mil.): Like its Heavy Duty counterpart, Industrial PolyPro tape has a 10% transparency level. The Industrial option pairs well with packages ranging from 60 to 90 pounds. Given that it's 20% thicker than Heavy Duty PolyPro, this tape's tensile strength is no surprise.
• Hi-Tak Cold Temp: Last but not least is Tape Jungle's Hi-Tak Cold Temp PolyPro tape. This custom packing tape's goal is to provide medium to heavy adhesion in low-temperature environments — meat processing plants, for instance. Hi-Tak Cold Temp tape can stick to a variety of surfaces.

The glossy-finished Standard tape is available in two-inch and three-inch widths.

Premium (PVC)

Polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, is another option for custom tape buyers. It makes an excellent packing tape for cold climates and irregular surfaces.

Like PolyPro packing tape, PVC tape is self-adhering. However, it doesn't fall into the hot melt category. It's a natural rubber tape, which makes it ideal for a wide range of surfaces. Coated or uncoated, new or recycled, hot or cold — it doesn't matter. Natural rubber PVC tape can adhere to it.

Premium tape's semi-opacity and flat finish appeal to upmarket brands and has a softer texture than PolyPro tape. This tape must be applied by hand, not with a machine. Like Standard PolyPro tape, Premium PVC is nonrecyclable.

You'll find this custom tape offered in two grades, General Purpose and Industrial:

• General Purpose (2.2 mil.): Since it works well for plenty of uses and on packages weighing up to 50 pounds, General Purpose is the more popular of Tape Jungle's PVC tape offerings. It's only 5% transparent, making it darker than any of the PolyPro products.
• Industrial (3.2 mil.): Industrial PVC tape is thicker and darker than General Purpose (3% transparent) and has a more aggressive adhesive, making it suitable for heavier packages no larger than 90 pounds.

Both General Purpose and Industrial Premium tape come in two-inch and three-inch rolls, so you can make your selection based on what best fits into your tape dispenser, how often you want to reprint your custom roll, and how large your packages are. The two-inch tape is a better choice for small or medium boxes, while a roll of three-inch tape is ideal for large, heavy packages.

Paper (Water-activated)

While PolyPro and PVC tapes are self-adhering, paper is not. It's a water-activated gummed tape, which means it will only adhere to surfaces if you apply water to the adhesive. That also means you can't put this kind of tape on a box by hand; you'll need a water-activated tape dispenser. Water-activated paper tape can bond to nearly all cardboard materials once you apply water to the adhesive.

Water-activated tape is opaque with a matte finish and can handle both small and large volumes. It's also recyclable and creates a professionally branded, tamper-evident seal when applied.

There are three grades of water-activated paper tape available through Tape Jungle's interactive tape customizer:

• General Purpose 240: General Purpose 240 is the most popular water-activated paper offering. It's fully opaque and best suited for boxes weighing 30 pounds or less.
• Heavy Duty 260: Like General Purpose 240, Heavy Duty 260 is fully opaque. However, it's tighter and thicker thanks to a fiberglass reinforcement pattern and can handle up to 60 pounds.
• Industrial 280: Industrial 280 is the densest paper tape for the heaviest loads, provided they weigh no more than 90 pounds. Like the other two grades, Industrial 280 is not transparent at all.

A significant draw of this product is that it's an eco-friendly tape. The paper is manufactured sustainably and fully recyclable. While many of Tape Jungle's other products come in two sizes, the gummed tape is available only in the three-inch width.

Digital Full-Color (Water-activated)

Last but certainly not least on the roster is digital full-color water-activated paper tape. This is gummed tape, so when the adhesive contacts water, it creates a tamper-evident seal. It can include any color, image, or design.

This type of tape is ideal for anyone who needs their order to have a quick turnaround time. Since there are reduced proofing demands and no need for printing plates, digital printing occurs much faster than traditional printing. A custom full-color order can ship within five business days of proofing.

There are a few things you should keep in mind before submitting your digital full-color paper tape order:

• Make sure you choose your background color wisely. For example, if you want a particularly colorful design or logo printed on your roll, you'll probably want to go with a neutral background.
• A solid-colored design is usually the way to go, especially when trying to build brand recognition.

Step Two: Choose a Design

The next step in placing a custom tape order is deciding what the roll will look like. Pick background and print colors, then upload the design, logo, or slogan you want to be printed on the tape. You can add any notes or special instructions you might have for our design team.

While there are plenty of hues to personalize your order, the most cost-effective move is to pick neutral colors and stick with one print color. But should you opt to splurge, Pantone backgrounds and up to three print colors are available for an extra cost.

Step Three: Select a Quantity

Finally, decide how much tape you want to receive in your order. The more printed, the lower the cost per roll, so Tape Jungle recommends ordering at least a six-month supply of custom packing tape.

If you're unsure how much to order, take advantage of the customizer's built-in usage estimator tool. After inputting how many small (6x6x6), medium (12x12x12), large (18x18x18), or extra-large (24x24x24) boxes you use per day, the estimator predicts the monthly total and how many rolls of tape you'll need based on that amount. You can even input custom box sizes for a more exact estimate.

Step Four: Review Your Order

Before clicking the bright green "Add to Cart" button, you'll need to take one last look at your order details to be sure everything is correct.

You'll confirm the tape's material, grade, size, design, and quantity during this step. Plus, you'll see a list of lead times: Tape Jungle will tell you when to expect a proof and when it will be approved and provide an estimated ship date. The order review page also includes an itemized pricing summary, so you know exactly what you're paying for.

If everything here appears correct, it's time to place your order.

Why Use Custom-printed Tape?

There are several reasons you should consider making custom-printed tape part of your business.

Inexpensive Advertising/Brand Exposure

Some companies show off their names and/or logos by printing them on the box. That's a wise choice, as it ensures their branding is visible from the time it leaves the shipping site until it reaches the customer, and the more eyes that see your name, the better. However, printing those details on packing tape accomplishes the same goal — brand exposure — at a lower price point.

Professionalism

First impressions are everything, and the packaging is the first thing a customer will see when they receive a box from you. It might not seem like much, but putting effort into small details like tape goes a long way in impressing your customers. It shows them you care about how your company appears and is perceived, building their confidence in your services or products.

Security

If someone was to tamper with a package sealed with plain tape, all they would need to do to cover their tracks is replace the tape. However, since no one outside your business has access to your branded tape, it's a lot more difficult to hide tampering evidence on branded tape. Anyone receiving your package would immediately know if it was opened before delivery.

You can even use your custom packing tape to share relevant information about how the package should be handled. Including phrases like "Fragile," "Handle With Care," or "This Way Up" helps your customers' products be transported carefully and arrive in good condition. It also lets the recipient know you care about their purchase enough to keep their product safe in transit.

Identification

Branded tape also helps your packages stand out from the rest. This isn't just great for marketing; it's also practical. If your box went missing in transit, custom tape could make it easier to recover, especially if you print a product batch number on it.

Don't Forget the Necessary Tools!

Depending on the type of tape, you might not be able to apply it by hand. You'll need a tape dispenser to do the job.

Fortunately, Tape Jungle's product inventory includes a wide variety of tape dispensers. Some are simple handheld products, while others are larger and electric. Regardless of your preferences and the type of tape you purchased, you'll be able to find a dispenser that goes with it.

Create Your Custom Tape Today

For your convenience, the Tape Jungle interactive custom tape creator is available 24/7, so you can begin creating custom-printed tape whenever you're ready. If you have questions about personalized packing tape or encounter any issues with your custom order, contact Tape Jungle's friendly customer service team through the website. You can also call (877) 240-2511, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time.