Stocks For Your Printed Labels

_{Ian Renton  | 12/02/2017 | Label Material Types}

When it comes to printed labels, we are asked many questions but by far the most common relates to assisting our customers in choosing the right label material type.

Whether you are holding an event, providing samples for potentially new customers or selling your products commercially, it is important that you get value for money for your printed labels. That does not mean choosing the cheapest labels. There have been many times when we have had to reprint labels for a customer because their previous label printing supplier had chosen the cheapest option instead of choosing the right label material type for the particular purpose required for the labels. Getting value for money is what label printing is all about.

There are several options when it comes to printed labels.

The simplest label is a permanent white gloss label. This is appropriate for short term use and for applying a label to paper. It is an inexpensive option. A more expensive option is a vinyl label. Vinyl labels are waterproof and the vinyl material protects the labels for several years against rain, sun, wind and other elements. Vinyl labels are typically used for bumper stickers. Problems arise when a permanent white gloss label is used for the wrong purpose and this could result in the label peeling off or the printing becoming illegible.

The second problem occurs when a business pays unnecessarily for a vinyl label when less expensive options will achieve the required purpose. Below are three examples covering situations that call for options other than a simple permanent white gloss label or a vinyl label.  

The Merits of WLK202, Datapol and Synthetic Stocks For Your Printed Labels

The WLK202 stock is a paper label stock designed specifically for the wine industry. It can also be used for other products such as candles and soaps. This stock can be exposed to sitting in the fridge for short periods of time only. These labels are ideal if you are creating personalised wine labels for a wedding and other one-off important events. We would not recommend this stock for commercial or long term use for refrigerated products.

The Datapol stock is a synthetic stock that we also supply on A4 sheets. It is a stronger stock than WLK202 and can withstand liquids other than water. For example, this stock is suitable for samples of cosmetics and essential oils, beer and other beverage labels and some food product labels. As the Datapol and WLK202 stocks are provided on A4 stocks, there is no opportunity to add a laminate coating to seal in the printing. This is why we frequently use a synthetic or polyester stock on rolls for labels that need to last over the medium term. Such products include olive oil, beer, skincare products and other cosmetics.

The advantage of this polyester stock is that the adhesive is very strong and hence, the glue will remain intact even if oils and other chemicals are placed in contact with the label. Since our company provides these synthetic labels on rolls, there is an opportunity to use laminate on top of the labels.

Why bother with lamination in label printing?  

Lamination is a clear film or protective layer that goes over the top of your printed labels. This transparent film actually makes the labels more rigid and increases the life of your labels. The great advantage of lamination is that the printing is protected so when these labels are exposed to oils and cosmetics and water in the shower then the printing on the labels remains undisturbed and just as visible as before the liquids come in contact with these labels. Today, we find we print a lot of labels on a synthetic stock with laminate.

It is an effective and reasonably economical way of labelling your products which you intend to sell for commercial use.