41 Cool Things You Can Do With Pad Printing

What Is Pad Printing Used For?

Did you know that many of the colorful and interesting icons and graphics that make up our daily experience are created with pad printing equipment? With pad printing, it is easy to add fun graphics and colorful art to almost any object.

See for yourself – you might start the day off by putting on your new T-shirt and notice that the tickly-scratchy neck label has been replaced by a neat and unnoticeable printed one. While brushing your teeth, you may glance at your dentist’s name on the handle – chances are, you owe this friendly reminder to pad printing.

How about getting into your car? Changing the radio station or making a left-hand turn? Take a good look at the text and graphics on the inside of your vehicle – these are all pad printed. The logo on golf balls you hit into the woods, the graduations on a syringe that take your blood, and the souvenirs you buy at a baseball game are all pad printed. Many of the fascinating images you see around you were created by pad printing machines.

Today’s printing machines make mass customization a breeze. Whether you want your beloved pet or perhaps Taylor Swift to beautify your coaster, pad printers make it happen. Tough call though…
The same story applies to the buttons and keys on your treasured cell phone, your cherished laptop and many other items that make the life of a contemporary human easy and fun. A great deal of those crisp little markings, without which you would absolutely not be able to use your belongings, are pad printed.

If you are curious to know more, here is a visual of how pad printing works:

Pad Printing Diagram

And here are more Extremely Essential Things that are nice and usable because of pad printing:

1. Pad Printing on Christmas Ornaments
The beautiful scenes on Christmas ornaments are all made with a special printing machine. Without pad printers, there would be no Santa, Rudolph or Angels.

Inkcups Pad Printed Christmas Ornament – 2-color

2. Pad Printing on Skateboard Wheels
What is more essential than the opportunity to express yourself? The cool logo on the wheel or that massive skull decal underneath the board will definitely make an impression on your friends – and your mother.

Pad Printing Applications: Skateboard Wheels

3. Pad Printing on Baseballs
Thank heavens that the Curse of the Bambino has ended after 92 years! We can now proudly print the Boston Red Sox logo on any baseballs that come our way.

Pad Printing Applications: Baseballs

4. Pad Printing on Colonoscopy Tubes
The graduations on the tubes (as well as those on syringes) are pad printed and – if you ask anyone who’s been acquainted with these objects – absolutely crucial!!

Pad Printing Applications: Colonoscopy Tubes

5. Pad Printing on Golf Balls
FORE! Watch out for custom designed golf balls! No more boring golf balls with the manufacturer logo on them. By using a pad printer to add different designs/logos to the golf balls, you’ll be sure to wow all of your golf buddies. It’s the next best thing to a hole in one!

Pad Printing Application: Golf Balls

6. Pad Printing on Coasters
Sick and tired of your guests placing their perspiring beverages on your furniture? Are your coasters too plain? Liven up those boring coasters with a new printed design that surely will attract your guest’s attention!

Pad Printing Applications: Coasters

7. Pad Printing on Fishing Lures
Printing on fishing lures are a great way to gain attention from all kinds of fish. Pad printing makes sure these colors will come out bright and shiny, making all the “real” fish totally jealous.

Pad Printing Applications: Fishing Lures

8. Pad Printing on Wrist Watches
What time is it? With pad printing technology, you can customize the numbered design that the minute and hour hand point to. Never be late again!

Pad Printing Applications: Wrist Watch

9. Pad Printing on Beach Balls
Add some style and color to a fun beach toy. Pad printers can print any picture on a beach ball. Sorry, sand is not included.

Pad Printing Applications: Beach Balls

10. Pad Printing on Guitar Picks
Nothing is too small to be printed on. Rock stars want to express themselves somehow too you know.

Pad Printing Applications: Guitar Picks

11. Pad Printing on Crocs
Go ahead, step all over them! The popular footwear just got even more popular! Pad printing on a croc is easy, not to mention it adds a touch of personality.

Pad Printing Applications: Crocs

12. Pad Printing on Cowbells/Sheep Bells
Make some noise! Pad printing on cowbells is a snap, just place your favorite team logo on it, and bring it to the game to stand out in the crowd. You need more cowbell!

Pad Printing Applications: Cow Bells

13. Pad Printing on Jewelry
By using a pad printer, basic jewelry is transformed into elegant, beautiful and bold pieces that anyone would love to wear!

Pad Printing Applications: Jewelry

14. Pad Printing on Play Balls
Can play balls be even more fun than they already are? The answer is yes, with pad printing! Colored play balls with designs on them are far more appealing for most consumers than plain colored balls.

Pad Printing Apps: Play Balls

15. Pad Printing on Colorized coins
Ever wonder what George Washington looked like in color!? Thanks to pad printing, we now know. Take those plain silver coins and add life to them.

Pad Printing Applications: Colorized Coins

16. Pad Printing on Smoke Detector Housings

Don’t be alarmed! How would we know what the flashing light on the smoke detector meant? Pad printing gives meaning to those lights to alert us of important information.

Pad Printing Applications: Smoke Detector Housings

17. Pad Printing on Windshield Wiper and Automotive Switches
Before cars are assembled, they need all those small prints on the dashboard in order for us to tell the windshield wipers apart from the trunk release. Auto manufacturers will pad print identifiers on these parts for both compliance purposes as well as the ease of car owners.

Pad Printing Applications: Windshield Wiper Switch

18. Pad Printing on Zippo Lighters
How else would all those designs and logos appear on the world’s greatest lighter? Pad printing of course! Just be careful, these items are HOT!!!

Pad Printing Applications: Zippo Lighters

19. Pad Printing on Pens
The logo on your pen, or the colored design on the side of it was likely done by pad printing. How else would you know where you took that pen from?

Pad Printing Applications: Pens

20. Pad Printing on Ping Pong Balls
A white ball getting hit back and forth can get boring. Why not liven it up a bit by adding a logo or design to the ball to draw more attention!

Pad Printing Applications: Ping Pong Balls

21. Pad Printing on Press-on Fingernails
Print them out and press them on! Pad printing on nails is a snap, any design or picture you want – just don’t break them!

Pad Printing Applications: Press-on Finger Nails

22. Pad Printing on Baseball Bats
How else would baseball players know what type of bat they were using? Pad printing gives players the details about their bats such as length, weight and shape. Pad printing is a home run!

Pad Printing Applications: Baseball Bats

23. Pad Printing on Hard Hats
Hard hats not only save lives, they also represent the company a person works for. Pad printing technology allows us to label these safety instruments. Pad printing is here for your protection!

Pad Printing Applications: Hard Hats

24. Pad Printing on Satellite Dishes
Pad printing works its magic everywhere, even up on the rooftop. How would you ever know who your tv provider is unless you get up there and see for yourself?

Pad Printing Applications: Satellite Dish

25. Pad Printing on Boiler Expansion Tanks
Know what model you’re dealing with! Pad printing allows us to contact the manufacturer in case of any problems.

Pad Printing Applications: Boiler Expansion Tanks

26. Pad Printing on Remote Controls
If there were no numbers on a remote, how would we know what buttons to press? Pad printing lets a couch potato stay a couch potato.

Pad Printing Applications: Remote Control

27. Pad Printing on Circuit Breakers
When you blow a fuse and you’re stuck in the dark don’t panic, just find the circuit breaker that’s labeled correctly. Yes, pad printers keep you out of the dark.

Pad Printing Applications: Circuit Breaker

28. Pad Printing on Sun Glasses
We all know how important it is to let people know that we are spending a fortune on those famous Ray-Bans and Oakley’s. Otherwise, what is the point of spending all that money? Pad printing helps people know what is hot and what is not.

Pad Printing Applications: Sunglasses

29. Pad Printing on Electrical Cable
What type of cable is it? What is the cable length? What should I use it for? All of these questions can be answered by the information pad printed on the cables themselves! Shocking!

Pad Printing Apps: Electric Cables

30. Pad Printing on Printed Tags
Printed tags are a thing of the past with the new tagless printing! Be more comfortable and have no more pesky tags popping out of your shirt. Pad printing is the wave of the future!

Pad Printing Applications: Printed Tags

31. Pad Printing on Stir Sticks
Liven up those plain wooden stirrers with something colorful and fun. Pad printing will help create any design stirrer to blend with any style of yours. Even James Bond would rather have it stirred instead of shaken if he had a pad printed stirrer.

Pad Printing Applications: Stir Sticks

32. Pad Printing on Reciprocating Saw Blades
You can cut through anything if you have the correct saw blade. How do you find the correct saw blade? Through pad printing, that’s how! The size, type, and brand name are all printed directly on the saw blades.

Pad Printing Applications: Saw Blades

33. Pad Printing on Napkins/Coffee Sleeves
Whatever the occasion, it is of the essence to have matching napkins and coffee sleeves. An interesting motif will be something fun to talk about in order to avoid that awkward silence while the guests are getting to know each other. Pad printing brings people together.

Pad Printing Applications: Napkins

34. Pad Printing on Golf Tees

That tiny platform holding up your golf ball is prime real estate for branding. Add a sharp little logo to the top of the tee and suddenly your swing has more personality than your entire foursome combined. Small space, big impact.

Pad Printing Applications: Golf Tees

35. Pad Printing on Shot Glasses

Shots shots shots shots shots. Everybody wins when the barware looks as good as the party feels. With pad printing and glass ink that grips like a champ, logos stay crisp even after a few rounds. Drink responsibly but brand boldly.

36. Pad Print on Mugs

Whether the mug is paper, plastic or ceramic, pad printing turns every sip into a statement. Jazz up that morning brew with a logo, message or design that makes even Mondays feel manageable.

Pad Printer Applications: Mugs

37. Pad Printing on Rulers

Measure twice and admire the print every time. Rulers are classic giveaway items, and pad printing keeps the numbers sharp, the branding bold and the user feeling like a true master of precision.

38. Pad Printing on Lens Cleaner Cloths

See the world in crystal clarity and style. Pad printing on microfiber cloths lets brands make their mark on the one thing people grab every time their glasses get smudged. Clean lenses, clean graphics.

39. Pad Printing on Keychains

Keys go everywhere with you which means keychains are basically tiny traveling billboards. Pad print logos, characters or symbols that bring more charm than your car’s welcome chime.

40. Pad Printing on Industrial Casing

Heavy duty parts need heavy duty identification. Pad printing delivers clear, tough markings on casings that face heat, vibration and the occasional frustrated technician. Built to last and built to be seen.

Pad Printing Applications: Industrial Casing

41. Pad Printing on Injection Modeled Items

Those sleek plastic parts everywhere in your life did not print themselves. Pad printing brings detail, branding and instructions to even the most complex shapes fresh out of the mold. Perfect fit for a perfect finish.

Pad Printing Applications: Injection Model Item: Recycling Bin

Want to Learn More about pad printing? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Pad Printing Machines