Printable sticker paper is the paper supply I would add to a small shop first, because one pack turns a home printer into a sticker, label, and tag maker. My Amazon Business Supplies list also holds cardstock, printable business cards, self-laminating sheets, and replacement trimmer blades. This post goes through each one: what the listing says and what to check before you buy. Paper is also where my own shop began, since Marie Gems started with bullet journals before it grew into a DTF transfer shop.
Disclosure: some links in this post are affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
What should you look for in printable sticker paper?
Check three things: the finish, the sheet size, and the printer types the listing names. The Joyberg printable sticker paper on my list is a 40-sheet pack of matte, letter-size (8.5 by 11 inch) full sheet labels, and its listing says it works with laser and inkjet printers. It was about $6 as I write this. Full sheet means each page is one big label, so you cut your own shapes after printing. Glossy paper is a different product with its own listing, so choose by the finish you want. Use the printer type the listing names, because the wrong paper in the wrong printer is how sheets jam or smear.
How do you protect printed stickers from water and smudges?
A self-adhesive laminating sheet goes over the finished print. The RowinsyDD self-laminating sheets on my list come as an 80-sheet pack of 8.5 by 11 inch sheets, and the listing describes them as cold laminating, with no machine and no heat. That matters if you are still testing an idea, since a heated laminator is another purchase and another thing to store. Let the printed sheet dry completely before you cover it, and try one sheet before you commit the whole pack, because how ink and laminate behave together depends on your printer and your ink. The pack was about $13 as I write this.
What cardstock weight do tags and cards need?
The Joyberg white cardstock on my list is a 200-sheet pack of 8.5 by 11 inch sheets, and the listing gives its weight as 230 gsm, which it also labels 85 lb cover. That is noticeably stiffer than standard printer paper, which is the point for hang tags, thank-you cards, price cards, and anything that has to stand up or be handled. Before you buy any heavy stock, look up the maximum paper weight in your printer's specifications, since some home printers struggle with thick sheets and it is cheaper to find that out before the box arrives. The pack was about $35 as I write this.
Are printable business cards worth it for a small shop?
They are worth it while your card design still changes or you only need a few hundred at a time. The Avery Clean Edge printable business cards are a 200-count pack of white blank cards, 2 by 3.5 inches, made for inkjet printers, and about $15 as I write this. The product number in the listing is 08871, so check that number against the card template you plan to use in your design software. Once a design is final and you need a large quantity, a print shop order makes more sense than printing your own.
How do you keep a paper trimmer cutting cleanly?
Replace the blade before the edges start to tear. The Firbon replacement blades on my list are a 2-piece set for A4 and A5 paper trimmers, and the listing describes a spring-loaded safety design. They cost about $7 as I write this. They are refills, not a trimmer, so confirm that your trimmer's model is compatible before you order. Heavy cardstock and sticker sheets are harder on a blade than copy paper, which is a good reason to keep a spare set on hand. If you also need a trimmer, my Sublimation Must Haves list on Benable has a sublimation paper cutter, and my note on it says it makes trimming printed sheets down to size so much faster than scissors. Its entry does not say which blades it takes, so check that before you count on these refills fitting it.
In what order should you buy paper supplies?
Buy for the product you are actually making. Sticker paper comes first if stickers are the product, and cardstock comes first if the product is tags or cards. Laminating sheets can wait until a sticker has to survive water, and blades can wait until your trimmer starts tearing edges. None of this is part of how Marie Gems makes DTF transfers, which are printed on film rather than paper, so this is the paper side of a shop and not the transfer side. If you want the transfer side, how DTF transfers are made walks through it, and how Marie Gems changed over three years covers the bullet journal days.
The bottom line on printable sticker paper
Start with one pack of printable sticker paper and one test sheet. If the test works and the product sells, add cardstock and laminating sheets as the product needs them. You can open the full Business Supplies list to see everything else on it, and my Brands page shows what I have built alongside all of this.