Whitlam Group has the means to print your product on a wide variety of label materials and films.

The following is a list of some of the most popular label stocks. If you don’t see an option that meets your labeling needs, give us a call and we will find the right material for you.

White Polyester

This material is available in a gloss or matte finish. This is an excellent material for outdoor use due to its dimensional stability and its ability to withstand harsh weather conditions and exposure to chemicals. This material can be used on thermal transfer & laser printers. It comes with a permanent pressure-sensitive adhesive in standard and heavy coat weight for your more difficult surfaces. It is also available with a removable adhesive for temporary identifications.


Clear Polyester

This material is available in a gloss or matte finish. This is an excellent clear label paper material for outdoor use due to its dimensional stability and its ability to withstand harsh weather conditions and exposure to chemicals. It comes with a permanent pressure-sensitive adhesive in standard and heavy coat weight for your more difficult surfaces. It is also available with a high temperature resistant removable adhesive for paint masking applications.

Metalized Polyester

These polyester labels are available in either chrome, mirror-like finish, or a brushed finish that resembles stainless steel. This is an excellent material for outdoor use due to its dimensional stability and its ability to withstand harsh weather conditions. Useful for fleet markings, heating & air-conditioning units, or anything else that spends a lot of time outdoors. It comes standard with a permanent adhesive.


White Polypropylene

This material is available in a gloss or matte finish and can be printed on via thermal transfer printers. This is an excellent material for decorative packaging applications due to its flexibility and is a more cost-effective alternative to polyester. It comes with both permanent and removable adhesives, depending on the application.


Clear Polypropylene

This material is available in a gloss or matte finish. This is an excellent material for decorative packaging applications due to its flexibility and a high degree of clarity. It comes with both permanent and removable adhesives, depending on the application.


White Vinyl

This is the standard material used in bumper stickers and is useful when you need a low-cost label that can be used outdoors. It comes standard with permanent and removable adhesives.

Clear Vinyl

A frosty, clear vinyl sticker paper is useful when you want to create window decals. By printing your decal as a mirror image, it can be placed on the inside of a window so that it’s legible from the outside.


Clear Static Cling Vinyl

This is a clear vinyl sticker material that does not use an adhesive but sticks via static electricity. Often used for “Oil Change/Next Service Due” decals, this stock makes a great movable sign at the point of purchase displays. It is best when applied to glass, metal, and other smooth surfaces.


Fluorescent Paper

This is a brightly colored uncoated stock that is available in red, green, pink, and orange. It’s useful when you need a paper label that stands out. It comes standard with a permanent adhesive.


Foil Paper

Available in either silver or gold, bright or dull foil, it is often used as a decorative label popular with florists, artists, and those seeking to give their labeling applications a “classy” look. It comes standard with a permanent adhesive.

High-Gloss Paper

This is a very glossy coated white paper stock that comes with two different permanent adhesives. One permanent adhesive is a rubber base system for general purpose labeling applications that need a quick stick feature, and the other is an acrylic cold temperature adhesive that is FDA approved for indirect food contact applications. This can be used on prime label applications. It’s also available with a removable adhesive for temporary identifications.


Litho Paper

This is an uncoated, white, matte paper stock that is suitable when you want a material that won’t smear if you were to write or type on it. Typical applications include sheet feed laser printers, and computer pin fed shipping labels. It comes with permanent or removable adhesive.


Semi-Gloss Paper

This is a coated semi-gloss in appearance, the white stock that comes with two different permanent adhesives. One permanent adhesive is a rubber base system for general purpose labeling applications that need a quick stick feature, and the other is an acrylic cold temperature adhesive that is FDA approved for indirect food contact applications. This can be used on the packaging of seafood, poultry, and other meat products. Also useful when barcoding is needed. A removable adhesive for temporary identification is available.


Tag Paper

This is a white 8 or 10 pt. tag stock, coated on both sides and does not have an adhesive. This can be used for our scratch-off cards and also ID/Membership cards. Both sides of this stock can be imprinted.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are labels made of?
Labels are typically made of three layers: a face stock (the visible material that carries print or graphics), an adhesive (which bonds the label to a surface), and a liner (which protects the adhesive before application). Common face stock materials include polyester, polypropylene, vinyl, and paper.

What are the different types of labels and their applications?
Labels can be categorized by material, use case, or print method. Polyester labels are used for durable, long-lasting applications like asset tracking and safety labeling. Vinyl labels offer flexibility and chemical resistance, making them ideal for curved surfaces or outdoor use. Polypropylene is suited for packaging and consumer goods due to its moisture resistance and clarity. Paper labels are cost-effective for indoor and short-term use. Specialty labels include tamper-evident, high-temperature, and UL-certified labels.

What properties of label materials affect performance?
Label material properties such as tensile strength, temperature resistance, chemical resistance, flexibility, and printability determine how a label performs. For example, polyester offers high heat and chemical resistance, while vinyl provides excellent conformability. UV resistance, opacity, and tear resistance are also important for specific environments.

Where are labels typically used?
Labels are used across a wide range of industries including automotive, chemical manufacturing, food and beverage, retail, healthcare, and logistics. Applications range from product identification and compliance marking to shipping, safety, and branding.

What makes a label stick?
A label’s adhesive plays a critical role in its performance. Adhesives are formulated to bond with specific surface types and environmental conditions. Permanent adhesives provide long-term bonding and resist moisture, heat, and chemicals. Removable adhesives allow the label to be peeled off cleanly. Specialty adhesives include high-tack, freezer-grade, and repositionable options, each designed for a specific set of conditions.