16 Free Quality Facts About Adhesive Labels

1. What Are Adhesive Labels, And How Are They Constructed?

Adhesive labels also called self-adhesive labels are information signs on or attached to the packaging of a product or to the product itself. In physical production and operations, labels help clarify categorization and simplify the identification of materials and products. Labels are available in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors, and are used for a number of purposes, such as shipping and labeling. Generally, adhesive labels consist of three layers. The top layer is the material that is printed on. An adhesive layer is the middle layer with which the label will be attached later. The bottom layer is the backing tape to which the label sticks and peels off.

2. Why Do Adhesive Labels Exist And What Functions Do They Perform?

Adhesive Labels convey information about ingredients, expiration dates, prices, transport and hazard information, as well as information about the product and its manufacturer. These are used to mark and finish branded articles, convey information about product contents, and provide helpful tips including textile care symbols. Labeling in the warehouse simplifies the handling, helps to organize, speeds up work processes, and enables saving a great deal of time and money.

3. What Kind Of Labels Are Available?

According to the application, paper labels, cardboard labels, and plastic labels, also known as foil labels, are distinguished. Therefore, where the strain and durability of a paper label are too high, plastic labels or foil labels are used.

Plastic Labels Are Created From The Following Materials:

• Polyethylene (PE)
• Polyester (PET)
• Polypropylene (PP)
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

The Majority Of Labels Are Classified According To The Following Categories:

• Adhesive labels most commonly contain self-adhesive glue
• Mostly wet glue labels are composed of paper and stick only after moistening
• Labels on rolls facilitate peeling and sticking and are necessary for dispensing in labeling machines
• Labels on sheets are used, for example, when you intend to imprint something later with the printer
• Stickers are available in a variety of sizes, and are already available from one piece

4. What To Consider For Labels?

A label represents your product and has a positive impact on whether or not it is ultimately purchased. Ensure that the packaging of the product matches the label and complements your product. Consider the following advice regarding your label design:

Make Sure That You Choose The Right Material

Your labels should be carefully selected, according to the area where you intend to use them and the requirements that your product must meet. Based on the application area, paper labels, cardboard labels, and plastic labels may be distinguished. Plastic labels are more durable and defy moisture without any problems, and are scratch and smudge resistant.

Make Sure The Text Is Easy To Read

Please ensure that you select a font that is not too large or too small. An attractively designed logo and a consistent font are important elements of the design. Make sure you select sharp images and do not forget that a significant part of the label is meant to be lettered. However, your customer wants to know, at the end of the day, what exactly they are purchasing.

Orient Your Label Design To Your Target Audience

Identify your target audience and make sure the label is appropriate to your product and brand. Do your best to discover what is important to your target audience and what appeals to them. Also, you should avoid misleading your customers with misinformation on your label. This will only cause inconvenience to your customers. In contrast, emphasize your USP in the design, as you want to sell your product and create a positive association with your brand.

5. What Printing Techniques Are There For Adhesive Labels?

Direct Thermal Printing

Thermal labels are constructed from thermal material that is heat-sensitive. Due to heat, the color of the labels changes. Heating elements on the print head produce partial heat, which is necessary to blacken the thermo-sensitive surface of the label. Print speeds are high and printing costs are extremely low due to this printing variant. On the downside, the print does not last very long, so they are used for labels that have a short shelf-life. In traditional applications, receipts, shipping labels, etc. are used.

Thermal Transfer Printing

Similarly, thermal transfer labels are also composed of thermal material that is heat sensitive. Direct thermal printing is different from thermal transfer printing as thermal transfer printing uses an ink ribbon. In this manner, the ink from the ribbon is applied to the label using heat. Various application requirements can be met by making use of ribbons that have wax, resin, or wax/resin coating. Depending on its properties, this ribbon has a wide range of durability, UV light, and resistance to cleaning agents. With this printing variant, you can print extremely durable and sharp contour prints with a very good resistance and a long life. The disadvantage, however, is the use of single-color, screened printing and the need to utilize two separate consumables, the paper and the ribbon.

6. For Which Requirement Is Which Ribbon Suitable?

Wax Ribbons

Suitable for high printing speeds and contour-sharp barcodes, texts and graphics with acceptable scratch and smudge resistance due to low printing heat. A wax ribbon is not commonly used for printing on plastic labels.

Resin Ribbons

Absolute smudge resistance and scratch resistance with heat resistance up to approximately 250 °C and high contour sharpness for long readability with barcode scanners. Perfect for printing film labels made of polyethylene (PE), polyester (PET), polypropylene (PP) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and offer high resistance to aggressive liquids.

Wax-Resin Ribbons

For very sharp and detailed printing results on smooth paper or cardboard surfaces. Very good smudge and scratch resistance, water resistance, conditional temperature resistance, and dirt-repellent surface.

7. What Are RFID Labels?

RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification where the data carrier for RFID labels is not a barcode. The data exchange works contactless between a microchip (passive RFID transponder) and an RFID reader/writer via electromagnetic waves.

8. What Are Hang Tags?

Hang tags are tags that are usually made from a stronger material, such as paper, cardboard, or plastic (polyester - PET). They are not glued on, but hung on the product and each has a split pinhole on the top edge. They serve as purely information carriers or as marketing tools, e.g. attached to garments with plastic stitching threads or textile threads using strings. To enhance the look of hang tags, a wide range of printed or unprinted materials such as fabric, cardboard, metal, or wood are possible.

9. What Is The Best Way To Get Labels Or Stubborn Adhesive Residues Off Plastic?

Among other things, isopropyl alcohol is used for cleaning, and is known for dissolving a variety of adhesives without damaging the plastic. The propyl alcohol is water-soluble, evaporates quickly, and it leaves no residue. Apply isopropyl alcohol to a towel and gently rub it with circular motions to remove adhesive residue.

10. How To Stick Labels On Bottles?

Bottle labeling generally does not have any universal recommendations, it should always be decided from application to application which adhesive to use. In the beverage industry, most adhesives are casein adhesives due to their excellent performance on both cold and wet surfaces. Polymer-based adhesives offer longer shelf life, better temperature stability in storage, and resistance to ice water than casein adhesives. Hybrid adhesives, which are mixtures of natural and synthetic adhesives that are chemically modified, are also more durable and set quickly.

11. Which Program For Printing Labels?

In essence, you must distinguish between a professional solution and a solution for personal use.

Professional Usage

Loftware NiceLabel and Teklynx CODESOFT are both world leaders in the design of professional labels for barcode and RFID label printers. Their applications are suitable for short runs and complex enterprise solutions in stationary or mobile working environments for industrial, logistics and retail applications.

Personal Usage

As well as creating and printing labels for personal use, you can also use Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, or Canva. In Microsoft Excel, you are deprived of some personalization options, Microsoft Word offers you more customization freedom. Canva gives you access to hundreds of free templates and allows you to customize them to your needs.

12. How Can I Create Labels And Print Them Myself?

Microsoft Excel

Distribute the data to be printed on several columns to adapt the file to the label sheet to be created. For example, if you print on an A4 sheet with 24 labels measuring 70 × 36 mm, divide the data into three columns. Go to Tab 'Page Layout' and click on 'Margins'> 'Custom Margins'. Set the margins to zero and check the box 'Center on page horizontally and vertically'. You are now ready to print with Microsoft Excel.

Microsoft Word

Please type 'labels' in the search bar at the top or click 'Shipments' > 'Labels'. Click on 'Options' to select a label manufacturer as well as a product and then click on 'OK'. Select 'New Label' and configure a custom label if your label number is not specified. Enter an address and additional information in the 'Address' field. If you wish to access addresses from your contact list, select 'Insert address'. Click the text to change the formatting, and right click to make the changes under 'Font' or 'Paragraph'. Then click 'OK' and select 'Whole page of the same label'. Now you are ready to begin printing your labels with Microsoft Word.

Canva

Canva is free in its basic version and offers hundreds of label templates which you can customize to suit your needs. In the search bar at the top of the page, type 'labels' and select a template. You can now drag and drop images, edit text, and add filters to design individual elements. It is necessary to upgrade to the premium version of Canva if you want to change the mass of the labels. You may now download the file to your computer and print your label from there.

13. Can I Print On Labels With A Normal Printer?

Labels are available in a variety of materials for specific applications. Therefore, it can not be said that every label can be printed with every printer. Particularly foil labels, which are designed for laser printers, are not compatible with inkjet printers and vice versa. For laser printers, make sure that the printer driver is set to labels. Is this setting unavailable to you? For this purpose, select 160g cardboard (medium cardboard) in the settings. Otherwise, it is quite possible that the printing ink will peel off the labels if you do not observe this setting.

14. Where To Print Shipping Labels?

Swiss Post offers a convenient way to print postal compliant shipping labels with barcodes and shipping labels as business reply (GAS) for parcels domestically.

15. Where Can I Get Labels Printed On A Roll?

Preprinted labels are available in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and materials. For instance, pre-print labels are preprinted with your company logo. In addition, functional information and variable data such as expiration date, product description, numbering, weight information, ingredients, etc. are printed later on. WILUX will select the appropriate printing process such as flexo, screen, offset, letterpress, digital, or hybrid printing and then implement your specifications.

16. Where To Buy Labels? Who Supplies Labels?

Whether printed or unprinted, WILUX PRINT offers the highest quality and fairest prices for industries, trade, and logistics. Labels can include content, price, expiration date, address, transport, and hazard information, as well as instructions for use, such as textile care symbols.

More Than Just A Label Manufacturer

WILUX PRINT offers custom labels, in-depth knowledge, and affordable 100% recycled paper options. Contact our team today to have your adhesive labels produced to high-quality standards at a fair price.

Have a question? Let us know by emailing us at media@wilux.ch or calling our direct line at +41 55 253 24 24.

Our sales and customer service team can help you select the right surface stock material, label adhesive, inks, and coatings for your label application.

Get in touch with us!