Different Label Characteristics

Protective Layers

In some cases, it’s necessary to protect labels from different environmental conditions. Natural and synthetic resins are used to protect or embellish your printed piece.

  • Varnish: A coating applied to a surface to give it a protective gloss.
  • Laminate: A protective film that is fused to the labels. Lamination can provide a high gloss finish that facilitates resistance to handling abrasions and chemicals.

Materials / Facestock

We are capable of printing on a variety of materials and films. Let us help you find the right label material to meet your product’s requirements and application needs.

  • Paper: A natural product made from wood or pulp.
  • Film: A synthetic or plastic type of material.
  • Foil: A thin layer of aluminum or alloys.
  • Tags: Paper stock that is typically 70mils (or .007 inches) thick.
  • Tape: Facestock of paper or film with adhesive, but no liner (self-wound).
  • Static Cling: Vinyl face stock, no pressure, sensitive adhesive, with a liner.
  • Magnets: Has paper or film on the top layer, with a flexible magnet as the bottom layer.
  • Holograms: Micro embossed metalized film.
  • FDA Approved: Paper or film, direct or indirect food contact.
  • UL / CSA Approved: Various material constructions to meet certain UL / CSA Standards.
  • Metalized Film: A plastic or resinous film that has been coated on one side with a very thin layer of metal. This is usually a vacuum metalized processed film.

Inks

We have dedicated technology experts that will find a solution to your specific application needs. We are committed to maintaining high production standards from our ink to our color management systems. We can custom mix our inks to match your specific colors.

UV Inks

  • Excellent abrasion durability, chemical & fade resistant
  • It does have an odor
  • It can be used on paper or film, needs to be top coated for U.V.
  • High costs, 100% solid, an excellent choice for CMYK printing

Water-based Inks

  • Low odor
  • More cost-effective
  • More environmentally friendly
  • An excellent choice for FDA approved & CMYK application
  • Can be used for Scratch ‘N Sniff or scented varnish
  • Metallic, fluorescent, mainly used on paper

Solvents

  • An excellent choice for durable application on films
  • Not as environmentally friendly as other inks
  • Can be used on non-top-coated films

Specialty Inks

  • Low odor
  • FDA Approved
  • Scratch ‘N Sniff
  • Metallic
  • Fluorescent
  • Scratch-off
  • Thermo-chromatic
  • Scented
  • Water-based
  • Taggants
  • And Many More

Adhesives

  • Permanent: Labels that have strong adhesion to a surface. Usually, these labels cannot be removed without damage to the label or to the surface itself.
  • Removable: Labels that typically can be removed from the substrate without pieces of residue remaining on the surface.
    Note: After a period of time or extreme environmental exposure, a removable label may become permanent.

The following is a list of additional important properties that we need to know in the initial design and development stage:

  • Color
  • Clarity
  • Shelf life
  • Residual monomers
  • Residual solvents
  • Plasticity
  • Shrink resistance
  • Water resistance
  • Humidity resistance
  • Solvent resistance
  • Temperature resistance
  • Removability
  • Repositionability
  • Application Temperature
  • Cost

Liners

Liners support the product through manufacturing and protect the adhesive until it is applied to the end user surface.

Liner Functionality

  • The base for adhesive coating
  • Transfers adhesive to face stock
  • Protects adhesive
  • Transports substrate through converting
  • Acts as a die-cutting base (anvil)
  • Provides proper dispensing (automatic or mechanical)

Types of Liners

  • Paper
  • Film
  • Recycled content (30% post-consumer waste)

Important Liner Properties

  • Strength (tensile / tear)
  • Smoothness (front/back)
  • Caliper consistency
  • Density/hardness
  • Dimensional stability / lay flat
  • Release level