Back-to-school printing in Dubai breaks into three buckets, and they have very different economics. Branded notebooks run from AED 23 for an A5 hard-cover spiral up to AED 53.50 for a leatherette organiser. Name labels and stickers work out at AED 0.37 per label at 1,000 pieces but AED 2.30 each at 100. Student ID cards are AED 0.63 and printed lanyards start at AED 1.05. This guide gives real 2026 prices for each category, the per-unit maths that decides your order quantity, a realistic ordering timeline for an August start, and four costed bundles — for schools, nurseries, training centres and stationery retailers in Dubai and across the UAE.
Who buys back-to-school print, and what they each need
Getting the order right starts with being honest about which of these you are.
Schools and nurseries buy in volume against a fixed term calendar: student ID cards and lanyards, name labels for uniforms and lunchboxes, branded notebooks for staff and senior years, certificates for awards day, and open-day marketing. The binding constraint is the calendar, not the budget — an ID card that arrives in week three of term is a card that half the school has already worked around.
Training centres and academies buy smaller quantities but more often, and they buy for perceived value: a decent notebook in a delegate's hand is doing marketing work for the price of a coffee.
Retailers and corporate sponsors buy branded stationery to sell or to give. Here the unit cost is everything, because it either sits against a retail margin or against a sponsorship budget with a fixed headcount.
The full seasonal range sits on our back to school printing page.
Branded notebooks: what to pay and what to specify
Notebook pricing tracks three things — cover material, binding, and whatever is bolted onto it. Here is the real spread from the notebook range:
| Notebook | Format | Best for | Price each (AED, VAT incl.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recta Desktop natural paper notepad | Desk notepad | Volume giveaways, delegate desks | 2.00 |
| Milky Note | A5 hard cover, spiral | Students, bulk school orders | 23.00 |
| RPET Note | A5, recycled | Sustainability-led schools | 38.00 |
| Simple Note | A5 linen, pen holder, pockets | Teachers and staff packs | 38.00 |
| Sophi Note | A5, elastic closure | Senior students, prefects | 44.00 |
| Pocket Notebook | A5 multi-pocket | Admin and coordinators | 44.00 |
| A5 Croconote | A5 leatherette organiser | Leadership, board, speakers | 53.50 |
Three practical notes. First, A5 is the default for a reason — it fits a school bag, a lap and a desk, and it is the size every cover supplier stocks. Second, spiral binding lies flat, which matters for anyone writing in it daily; sewn or glued spines look smarter but fight the user. Third, the branding method changes the look more than the notebook does. Screen printing is the low-cost route on paper and PU covers; debossing on a linen or leatherette cover reads as premium and costs nothing extra in materials. Our guide to custom PU notebooks compares the finishes in detail.
For a 400-student order, the Milky Note at AED 23 is the realistic choice — AED 9,200 for the year group. For a 45-person staff pack, the Simple Note at AED 38 is AED 1,710 and lands very differently in a teacher's hands.
Name labels and stickers: the per-label maths
This is where back-to-school orders go wrong most often, because the headline price hides the unit cost. From the sticker and label range:
- 1,000 economy custom stickers, glossy laminated 80 GSM — AED 370. That is AED 0.37 per label. This is the correct product for uniform tags, lunchbox labels, book labels and class name sets.
- 100 paper stickers, 7 × 7 cm, glossy or matt laminated — AED 230. That is AED 2.30 per sticker — more than six times the unit cost. Right for a small, specific job; wrong for a year group.
- 1,000 transparent 5 × 5 cm PVC stickers, glossy lamination — AED 410. PVC rather than paper, so it survives water bottles, lunchboxes and the dishwasher. AED 0.41 each.
- 1,000 die-cut gold foil stickers — AED 510. For reward stickers, merit seals and certificate seals.
The rule: if you need more than about 160 labels, the 1,000-piece run is cheaper in absolute terms, not just per unit. Laminate anything that will meet water — an unlaminated paper label on a lunchbox lasts about a week. For odd shapes, see our die-cut sticker guide.
Back to school price list — 2026
Live store prices in AED, including 5% VAT.
| Item | Spec | Quantity | Price (AED) | Per unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student ID cards | Ultra ID card | each | 0.63 | 0.63 |
| Lanyards | Printed logo, epoxy doming | each | 1.05 | 1.05 |
| Lanyards | Double hook cord | each | 1.05 | 1.05 |
| Lanyards | Hook, safety lock and buckle, 20 mm | each | 2.45 | 2.45 |
| Lanyards | Retractable reel badge + safety lock | each | 3.50 | 3.50 |
| Name labels | Economy custom, glossy laminated | 1,000 pcs | 370 | 0.37 |
| Waterproof labels | Transparent PVC 5 × 5 cm, glossy | 1,000 pcs | 410 | 0.41 |
| Reward stickers | Die-cut gold foil | 1,000 pcs | 510 | 0.51 |
| Stickers | 7 × 7 cm paper, laminated | 100 pcs | 230 | 2.30 |
| Notebook | Milky Note A5 hard cover spiral | each | 23.00 | 23.00 |
| Notebook | Simple Note A5 linen | each | 38.00 | 38.00 |
| Notepad | Recta Desktop natural paper | each | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Folder | Eco A4 folder with notepad, sticky notes, pen | each | 9.50 | 9.50 |
| Tote bag | Foldy RPET foldable tote | each | 19.00 | 19.00 |
| Tote bag | Recycled cotton shopping bag | 50 pcs | 220 | 4.40 |
| Pencil case | Kiddie Case PU pouch, jumbo zipper | each | 28.50 | 28.50 |
| Certificates A5 | 300 GSM bristol, 1 side | 500 pcs | 420 | 0.84 |
| Certificates A4 | 300 GSM bristol, 1 side | 500 pcs | 585 | 1.17 |
| Open-day flyers A5 | 170 GSM glossy, 2 sides | 1,000 pcs | 270 | 0.27 |
| Posters A4 | Single-side printing | 15 pcs | 140 | 9.33 |
Four costed bundles
Student ID rollout, 300 students. 300 Ultra ID cards (AED 189) + 300 printed lanyards with epoxy doming (AED 315) = AED 504, or AED 1.68 per student. Upgrade to retractable reel-badge lanyards for staff and gate security — 40 units at AED 3.50 adds AED 140. Browse the lanyard and ID card range.
Name-label programme, one year group. 1,000 economy laminated labels (AED 370) covers 40 students at 25 labels each, at AED 9.25 per child. Swap to transparent PVC at AED 410 per 1,000 if they are going on water bottles and lunchboxes.
Staff welcome pack, 45 teachers. Simple Note A5 linen notebook (AED 38) + recycled cotton tote (AED 4.40) = AED 42.40 each, AED 1,908 for the department. Add an eco A4 folder with notepad and pen at AED 9.50 for INSET days and training sessions.
Awards evening. 500 A4 certificates on 300 GSM bristol (AED 585) + 1,000 die-cut gold foil seals (AED 510) + 15 A4 posters for wayfinding (AED 140) = AED 1,235. The foil seal is what makes a printed certificate look issued rather than printed — it is the cheapest upgrade on this page. For the wider school print programme see our schools and nurseries printing guide.
When to order for an August start
UAE school terms start in the last week of August, and every school in the country is ordering in the same fortnight. Working backwards:
- May — confirm headcount and artwork. ID card design, lanyard colours, notebook cover. Nothing can be ordered until the design is signed off, and design sign-off is what slips.
- June — place notebook and lanyard orders. Branded gift items involve sourcing, branding set-up and a production run; these are the long-lead items, not the paper.
- Early July — place ID card and label orders, once enrolment is close to final.
- Mid-August — printed paper items. Flyers, posters, certificates and forms are fast and can wait; order them last so the information is current.
- Reorders during term: keep 10% spare on ID cards and labels. New enrolments and lost cards are certainties, and a 20-piece reorder costs far more per unit than including them up front.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to get name labels for a whole class?
1,000 economy custom stickers at AED 370, split across the class. At AED 0.37 per label that is roughly AED 9 per child for 25 labels — cheaper than buying small packs per family, and every label matches. Print the class and school name centrally and leave a white panel for the child's name, or supply the name list and have them printed individually.
Will printed labels survive the dishwasher and water bottles?
Laminated paper labels handle a school bag and a book cover but not repeated washing. For lunchboxes, water bottles and anything that gets cleaned, use the transparent PVC stickers with glossy lamination at AED 410 per 1,000 — the PVC face and the laminate together are what keep the ink on.
Can you print the student's name and photo on each ID card?
Yes — variable data printing handles individual names, photos, class codes and barcode or QR numbering from a single spreadsheet. Send one CSV with a consistent column per field and image files named to match the ID column. Clean data is the whole job; inconsistent name formats are the usual cause of delay.
What is the minimum order for branded notebooks?
Branded gift items carry a supplier minimum that varies by model and branding method, and it is usually higher than for printed paper. Send the model and the quantity you have in mind on WhatsApp and you will get the exact MOQ and price before committing. For very small runs, a printed sticker or a printed belly band on a plain notebook is often the more sensible route.
Are these prices VAT inclusive, and do you deliver outside Dubai?
All prices include 5% VAT, and a tax invoice comes with the order. Delivery covers the whole UAE — Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Al Ain — by courier from Dubai, normally adding one working day. Confirm the charge for your school's address before ordering.
We missed the August window. Is it too late to order?
No, and the second half of September is actually a good time to buy. The seasonal rush has passed, lead times are back to normal, and you will have accurate enrolment numbers instead of projections — which is exactly what you need for ID cards and name labels. Notebooks and certificates can be ordered any time in the term.
Ordering your back-to-school print
Start with the two items that carry the longest lead time — notebooks and lanyards — and leave paper until last. Browse the notebook range, the sticker and label range and the certificate range, or send your headcount and item list to WhatsApp +971 52 210 0909 (or call 052 210 0909) and you will get a costed quote per student, with MOQs confirmed, before you commit to anything.
