How to Order Custom Poly Tabs Online (Step by Step)
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Poly index tabs are the heavy-duty option: durable .015″ polyethylene that shrugs off tears, moisture, and years of daily page-turning. Ordering them custom-printed is just as easy as paper — you design the whole set online and approve a proof before anything prints.
This guide covers poly specifically. For custom index tabs in general — paper and poly, every cut from 1/2 to 1/15 — start at Tabzoola's tab range page instead; paper has its own step-by-step guide. Here's the full poly process, including the choices unique to it: the 11-color palette and black or white ink. If you are shopping rather than learning the steps, the plastic tab dividers page covers the product itself, with pricing.
Step 1 — Set your cut and tabs per set
Open the poly tab designer and choose your tab cut — how many tab positions sit across the page edge (1/5 cut is the most popular) — and how many tabs are in each set. Need more tabs than one row holds? They automatically step down into additional staggered rows called banks.
Step 2 — Type your tab text
Enter the label for each tab, up to two lines. The live preview is shown to scale, so you see exactly how your text fits on the tab at your chosen font and size — Arial, Arial Narrow, or Times New Roman, with bold, italic, and underline styles.
A tip from our shop: on poly tabs, larger and bolder text reads best — the screen-printed ink stands out most at generous sizes.
Step 3 — Choose your poly colors
Poly tabs come in 11 stock colors — from 99 White and 00 Natural through Black, Blue, Emerald, Bright Yellow, Azure, Bright Orange, Ivory, Gray, and Red. Use one color for the whole set, or give each tab its own color to color-code sections at a glance.
Step 4 — Pick black or white ink
This choice is unique to poly: your tab text can print in standard black ink, or in white ink that stands out sharply on dark poly colors like Black, Blue, and Emerald. Choose white ink in the designer and the preview instantly shows your text in white, exactly as it will print.
- Black ink — the standard look on white and light poly colors
- White ink — high contrast on dark poly colors; great for safety and shop-floor binders
Step 5 — Finishing options
Round out the set with the finishing menus: 1- or 2-sided printing (two-sided reads correctly from either direction), 3-hole punching for ring binders, collation so sets arrive assembled and ready to use, and optional one-color body printing on the divider sheet itself.
How poly tabs are printed — and recycled
Poly tabs are screen printed with UV inks — an environmentally friendly process that cures the ink onto the polyethylene for a tough, scratch-resistant finish that won't rub off with daily handling.
And when a set has finally done its job, poly tabs are 100% recyclable — the .015″ polyethylene goes right back into the recycling stream.
Step 6 — Live pricing, checkout, and your proof
The price updates as you build — no waiting for a quote. Choose your quantity (25-set minimum with volume pricing), add to cart, and check out securely. After you order we email a free PDF proof, and nothing prints until you approve it. Poly production runs about 15 business days from proof approval.
Ready for tabs that outlast the binder? Design your poly tabs online with live pricing whenever you are.
New since this video was recorded
Two upgrades since filming: (1) the designer now auto-fills tab text — sequential numbers, A–Z letters, months, or Roman numerals across all tabs in one click; and (2) if you choose 1-Color Body Printing, you can now upload your body-copy artwork (PDF, AI, EPS, PNG…) right in the designer — no need to email it separately.
Frequently asked questions
How do I order custom poly tabs?
Set your cut and tabs per set, type your tab text, choose your poly colors and ink, pick finishing options, then check out with live pricing. A free PDF proof follows before anything prints.
Can poly tabs be printed with white ink?
Yes. White ink is the right choice on dark poly like black or blue, where black ink would disappear into the stock.
How long does poly production take?
About 15 business days from the moment you approve your proof. Poly is screen printed rather than digitally printed, which is what accounts for the longer schedule.
Related pages & free resources
See your exact price as you build — 25 sets of 5 tabs is $5.45 a set, $1.08 at volume, no account needed.
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