Custom rubber stamps have been doing quiet, efficient work in South African offices, schools, and homes for decades. They're fast, consistent, and far more professional than handwriting the same thing over and over again. And with modern self-inking technology, they're cleaner and easier to use than ever before.
But with so many types of stamps available — business stamps, teacher stamps, medical stamps, legal stamps, clothing stamps — it's not always obvious which one you need, or what to look for when ordering.
This guide covers the full picture. Whether you're a teacher looking for a homework stamp, a doctor needing a practice stamp, a commissioner of oaths, a school parent wanting to label clothing, or a business owner who needs a branded stamp — you'll find exactly what you need here.
Self-Inking vs Traditional Rubber Stamps: What's the Difference?
Before we get into stamp types, it's worth understanding the difference between the two main stamp mechanisms, because it affects which product you should buy.
Self-Inking Stamps
Self-inking stamps are the modern standard. The ink pad is built into the stamp mechanism itself — every time you press the stamp down, it automatically re-inks the plate before the next impression. No separate ink pad required, no mess, consistent results every time.
• Pros: Clean, fast, consistent impression every time. No separate ink pad to manage. Re-inkable when the pad eventually runs dry.
• Cons: Slightly bulkier than traditional stamps. Ink colour is determined by the built-in pad.
• Best for: High-volume, everyday use — offices, teachers, medical practices, legal professionals
• Lulu Labels uses: Colop self-inking mechanisms — a leading European brand known for clean impressions and long pad life
Traditional (Pre-Inked) Stamps
Traditional stamps require a separate ink pad. The stamp plate is pressed onto the pad and then onto paper. They're simpler mechanically, and the ink colour can be changed easily by swapping the pad.
• Pros: Interchangeable ink colours. Simpler mechanism, easy to clean.
• Cons: Requires a separate ink pad. Impression can be less consistent if the pad isn't evenly inked.
• Best for: Lower-volume use, or when you need to stamp in multiple colours
Our recommendation: For most business, professional, and school use in South Africa, self-inking stamps are the practical choice. They're what Lulu Labels specialises in — fast, clean, and built to last.
The 6 Types of Custom Stamps at Lulu Labels
1. Custom Business Stamps
Custom business stamps are designed for general office and business use — anything you need to stamp consistently on documents, invoices, envelopes, or packaging. They're available in rectangle, round, and square formats, and can include your logo, business name, address, contact details, or any custom text.
These are the workhorses of the stamp world. If you're stamping 'Received', 'Paid', 'Approved', 'Confidential', or your business address on documents every day, a custom self-inking business stamp will save you significant time and look far more professional than a handwritten note.
• Rectangle stamps: The most common shape for business use — great for multi-line text, addresses, and logos alongside text
• Round stamps: Ideal for logos, seals, and single-line text in a circular format — reads as more formal and official
• Square stamps: Good for compact designs that are symmetrical
• Dater stamps: Include an adjustable date mechanism alongside your custom text — perfect for 'Received on:' or 'Valid until:' applications
👉 Shop custom rectangle stamps, round stamps, square stamps, and dater stamps at Lulu Labels — from R270.
2. Teacher Stamps
Teacher stamps are one of the most popular categories at Lulu Labels, and it's easy to see why. A teacher marks dozens — sometimes hundreds — of books a week. Stamps replace repetitive handwriting with a fast, consistent, and encouraging impression that students actually enjoy seeing.
The right teacher stamp saves meaningful time every marking session, and over a school year, that adds up significantly.
• Homework stamp: A clear, consistent reminder that is faster and less confrontational than writing it by hand
• Marked By stamp: Shop the Marked By stamp — a simple, professional way to confirm the work has been reviewed
• Please Sign stamp: Shop the Please Sign stamp — for parent communication on books or correspondence
• Work Incomplete stamp: Shop Work Incomplete — a consistent, neutral indicator without having to write a note
• Completed with Support stamp: Shop Completed with Support — valuable for differentiated learning contexts
• Homework stamp: Shop the Homework stamp
Teacher tip: A signature dater stamp — your name with an adjustable date — is one of the single most useful stamps a South African teacher can own. It eliminates the need to write your name and the date on every marked page.
👉 Browse all teacher stamps at Lulu Labels.
3. Medical Stamps
Medical professionals in South Africa deal with high volumes of paperwork — patient files, referral letters, prescriptions, and more. A well-designed medical stamp eliminates repetitive writing and ensures consistent, legible information on every document.
Lulu Labels offers a range of pre-designed medical stamps as well as fully custom options for doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and healthcare facilities.
• Doctor's Practice stamp: Shop Doctor's Practice stamp — includes practice name, address, and contact details
• Medical Personnel stamp: Shop Medical Personnel stamp — for individual practitioners
• Doctor's Copy stamp: Shop Doctor's Copy stamp
• No Known Allergies stamp: Shop No Known Allergies
• No Referral Needed stamp: Shop No Referral Needed
• For Medical Use Only stamp: Shop For Medical Use Only
• Allergy stamp: Shop Allergy stamp — for flagging patient allergies on files
👉 Browse all medical stamps at Lulu Labels — from R280.
4. Legal Stamps (Commissioner of Oaths & More)
Legal stamps in South Africa serve a formal, regulated purpose — they indicate that a document has been certified, sworn, or processed by an authorised person. Getting the wording and format right is important, which is why Lulu Labels offers purpose-built legal stamp templates that comply with South African requirements.
• Oath stamp: Shop Oath stamp — for commissioners of oaths administering sworn affidavits
• Certification stamp: Shop Certification stamp — for certifying copies of documents as true and correct
• Designation stamp: Shop Designation stamp — for professionals who need to indicate their designation and CIPC registration details on documents
Important: Commissioner of oaths stamps must include the name, designation, and area of jurisdiction of the commissioner. Our Oath stamp template is pre-formatted for SA requirements — just supply your personal details when ordering.
👉 Browse all legal stamps at Lulu Labels — from R440.
5. Clothing Stamps
Clothing stamps are a category of their own — and one that Lulu Labels is particularly well known for. Instead of using labels that can peel off or iron-on transfers that require heat, a clothing stamp uses wash-resistant fabric ink to stamp your child's name directly onto clothing, socks, school jerseys, and sports kit.
It's one of the most practical and cost-effective labelling solutions for school parents. One stamp lasts for years, works on all fabric types, and survives 30–50 washes when used with the correct ink.
• Clothing and Back-to-School stamp: Shop the Marky clothing stamp — the most popular option, personalised with your child's name
• DIY Clothing stamp: Shop the DIY clothing stamp — a blank stamp you can write or draw on yourself
• Replacement ink pads: Shop replacement fabric ink pads — when the original pad runs dry, replace it rather than buying a new stamp
School parent tip: Stamp the inside of collars, waistbands, and sock heels. These are the spots that survive the washing machine and stay visible. Avoid stamping on the outside of garments — it fades faster in direct sunlight.
👉 Browse all clothing stamps at Lulu Labels — from R200.
6. Stamp Accessories
Stamps don't last forever — but they last a very long time if looked after. When your ink pad eventually runs dry, you don't need to replace the entire stamp. Lulu Labels stocks replacement ink pads and accessories to keep your stamps performing at their best.
👉 Browse stamp accessories at Lulu Labels.
How to Order a Custom Stamp Online
Ordering a custom stamp from Lulu Labels is straightforward:
1. Choose your stamp type — use the guide above or browse the full stamp range to find the right product
2. Select your size — most stamps come in a range of sizes; choose based on how much text or detail you need to include
3. Enter your custom text — your name, practice name, designation, or any custom wording. For logos, upload your artwork file at checkout
4. Place your order — production takes 1–3 working days (express) or 4–6 working days (standard)
5. Receive your stamp — delivered by courier nationwide across South Africa, or collect from our Douglasdale, Johannesburg location
File tip: If you're including a logo in your stamp, upload it as a high-resolution PNG with a transparent background, or a vector file (AI, SVG, PDF). A black-and-white version of your logo works best for stamp reproduction.
Which Stamp Do I Need? Quick Reference
Not sure where to start? Here's the quick version:
• Stamping business documents, invoices, or envelopes → Custom rectangle or round stamp
• Marking student books as a teacher → Teacher stamps
• Medical practice or patient file admin → Medical stamps
• Commissioner of oaths or document certification → Legal stamps
• Labelling school clothing and uniforms → Clothing stamps
• Stamping documents with today's date included → Dater stamp
• Not sure — start here → Browse all stamps
Order Your Custom Stamp Today
Lulu Labels is South Africa's trusted source for custom self-inking rubber stamps — for teachers, medical professionals, legal practitioners, business owners, and school parents. All stamps are made to order and delivered nationwide.
👉 Browse the full stamp range at Lulu Labels — from R270, with express production available.
Need help choosing? WhatsApp Lauren and the team on +27 61 549 3922 or email [email protected].