<p>The development of sustainable pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) from bio-based feed- stocks cannot only reduce the overuse of petrochemical resources, but also promote the improvement of environment and climate. In this study, a series of core–shell acrylate latex PSAs modified with bio-based monomers lauryl acrylate (LA) and lauryl methacrylate (LMA) were successfully synthesized using the hybrid emulsifiers SR-10 and NOVELUTION-390 through a semi-continuous seed emulsion polymerization process. The effects of incorporating LA and LMA on the properties of the resulting latex copolymers and PSA films were comprehensively investigated. Both FTIR and ¹H NMR analyses confirmed the successful incorporation of LA and LMA into the latex copolymer through emulsion polymerization. TEM images revealed that the morphology of latex particles exhibit a distinct core–shell structure. Besides, it was found that the introduction of LA and LMA further improved latex storage stability, with the absolute values of zeta potential of the corresponding latexes as high as 77.6 and 76.3&#xa0;mV, respectively. The results also showed that the thermal stability and water resistance of the PSA films were simultaneously improved after the addition of LA and LMA. Besides, the effects of LA and LMA on the adhesive properties (i.e., loop tack, peel strength and shear strength) of the bio-based latex PSA were evaluated. This study provides a novel approach that synergizes long-chain bio-based LA/LMA and hybrid emulsifiers for designing high bio-based content acrylate PSAs with a core–shell structure.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>