In order to select the right adhesive to use for you labels, you need to answer a few questions:
- How will the labels be used?
- What kind of environment will the label be exposed to?
- What kind of printing is needed on the label?
- Do your labels have any special requirements?
How will the labels be used?
When you are deciding on the best materials and adhesives for your application, the surface your label is being applied to is a very important consideration. Surfaces can vary widely from something as simple as a shipping box to more challenging substrates like a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle, so this factor should be examined closely. The material selected should match the characteristics of the item to be labeled. For example, a label used on a plastic squeeze tube needs to have a higher degree of flexibility than the label applied to the carton containing the tube.
What kind of environment will the label be exposed to?
When considering label applications, environmental conditions such as extreme high and low temperatures, exposure to chemicals, or contact with moisture present unique and specific requirements that must be considered in selecting the right materials and processes.
What kind of printing is needed on the label?
If secondary printing will be required on your labels, you will have to make sure that the materials and adhesives used are compatible with your printing system since not all label materials can be used with all printing technologies. Your choice of label material will depend on what type of printing you require. When printing information that will be scanned, such as barcodes, it is critical to select materials and inks that will resist smudges and fading. Saving money by using lower quality supplies can become an extremely expensive mistake if a customer ends up sending back skids of product labelled with an unreadable barcode. Certain inks and material selections will be more sensitive to elements like moisture and UV light, which could compromise the legibility and visibility of the printing on your labels.
Do your labels have any special requirements?
Depending on your application, we can create various types of labels for special purposes including labels designed to be removed using removable adhesive, or even tamper evident labels where materials are destructible, making it easy to identify attempted removal. For information about more types of special purpose labels, you can contact us.