CUSTOM LABEL MATERIALS
Choosing label materials is where most label problems are decided, and most of them are not printing problems. They are the wrong facestock on the wrong surface, or an adhesive that was never going to hold. A pressure-sensitive label is three materials, not one — the facestock you see, the adhesive that decides whether it is still there in six months, and the liner that carries it through your applicator. Most people choose the first and inherit the other two, which is why labels lift, curl and gray in ways that look like print faults and are not.
CHOOSE LABEL MATERIALS BY WHERE THE LABEL LIVES
Choose for the environment first and the look second. Everything below follows from this one table.
| Environment | Facestock | Adhesive |
|---|---|---|
| Dry and ambient | White matte uncoated or coated paper | Standard |
| Chilled, condensation | Plastic film | Standard |
| Freezer and cold chain | Plastic film with freezer adhesive | Freezer-grade |
| Wet or immersed | Plastic film | Standard, water resistant |
| Oily or greasy | Plastic film | High tack |
| Outdoor, UV exposed | Plastic film | Standard, UV-stable inks |
| Returnable glass | Paper | Removable (ask us — see note) |
FACESTOCK — THE LABEL MATERIAL YOU SEE AND FEEL
PAPER — WARM, MATTE AND CHEAPER TO PRINT WELL
Uncoated white is flat and tactile, takes a pen, and reads as artisanal. It absorbs ink, so photographic images soften — best on dry goods. Semi-gloss is the default: sharper images at the same price, and it takes a laminate well. Kraft is brown and fibrous and unmistakably natural, but ink sits differently on it — whites do not print, so any white in your artwork will show as brown.
See custom paper labels and custom kraft labels.
FILM — WHEN THE LABEL HAS TO SURVIVE SOMETHING
White plastic film is the workhorse: waterproof, oil resistant, dimensionally stable, and it will not wick condensation the way paper does. Clear PVC gives the no-label look, which works when the container and the product behind it are worth showing — remember that white does not print on clear unless you specify a white underlayer. Silver PET and silver metalized paper give a metallic face straight off the roll — a cost-effective alternative to foil stamping when you want the whole label metallic.
See plastic film labels, clear labels and waterproof labels.
SPECIALTY — TEXTURED AND DECORATIVE STOCKS
Laid carries a visible ribbed texture that photographs badly and feels expensive in the hand — a deliberate trade. Pearlescent film, holographic and holographic glitter shift color under light and are the cheapest way to make a small label look considered.
Two things we do not print, so you are not left guessing: heavy caliper board for tags and hang cards, and cloth-backed or book-cloth substrates. If your project needs either, a specialty converter is the right call and we will say so rather than take the order.
ADHESIVE — THE PART THAT ACTUALLY FAILS
The configurator offers three: Standard, High Tack and Removable. Freezer adhesive comes as part of a stock rather than as a separate choice. Anything beyond these we can quote, but you will need to ask.
- Standard — the default permanent adhesive. Keys over the first day or two, and removing it later will tear the facestock
- Removable — promotional, seasonal and over-labeling. Comes away clean for months, then behaves like a permanent. Not for anything expected to last a year
- Freezer adhesive — supplied as plastic film with freezer adhesive. Standard adhesive goes brittle in the cold and releases at a corner; this does not
- High tack — for textured, oily or low-energy plastics. Grabs recycled board, HDPE and anything with a fat content that migrates
- Wash-off — for returnable and refillable containers. Not offered through the online configurator; ask us and we will quote it separately
LINERS AND WHY THEY MATTER TO YOUR APPLICATOR
GLASSINE, PET AND WHAT YOUR MACHINE WILL TOLERATE
The liner is the silicone-coated carrier your labels arrive on, and it is invisible right up until it jams a machine. Glassine is the standard — paper, economical, and fine for hand application and most tabletop applicators. PET liner is thinner and far stronger, which is what high-speed applicators need: it will not snap on a sharp turn, and it lets more labels fit on a roll.
If you are running an automatic applicator, tell us the model. Liner caliper, core size and roll diameter all have to match it — and getting the label right while getting the roll wrong still stops your line.
WIND DIRECTION IS NOT A DETAIL
Which way the label faces as it unwinds has to match your applicator, and there are eight possible answers. Getting it wrong means a full reprint, not an adjustment. We wrote a guide: why wind direction for roll labels is important.
Running an applicator is the single most common reason to order roll rather than sheet — the liner, core and unwind all have to suit the machine, and we spec them with you.
LAMINATES — PROTECTION AND FINISH IN ONE PASS
- Gloss laminate — maximum color depth and scratch resistance, and the easiest to wipe clean
- Matte laminate — kills glare and reads as premium, but shows fingerprints on dark artwork
- No laminate — cheapest, and the only option if the label must be writeable with a ballpoint
If the label will be handled wet, refrigerated or scuffed against other units in transit, laminate it — the cost is small against a reprint. If it sits on a dry shelf and gets picked up twice, you can skip it. On film stocks the waterproofing comes from the facestock, so the laminate is doing finish rather than protection.
MATERIAL MISTAKES THAT LOOK LIKE PRINT FAULTS
THE LABEL IS GREYING FROM BEHIND, NOT FADING IN FRONT
Oil migrating under an under-specified adhesive discolors paper from the reverse. It looks like ink failure and is not. Move to film with a high-tack adhesive and it stops.
WHITE ARTWORK ON CLEAR OR KRAFT WILL DISAPPEAR
Presses do not print white as a fourth color by default. On clear film or kraft, anything white in your file renders as the substrate showing through. If you need white, specify a white underlayer and we will build it — but it has to be asked for.
IT IS LIFTING AT TWO CORNERS ONLY
That is curvature, not adhesive. A flat label on a tightly curved container lifts at the leading and trailing edge first. Below about 55mm diameter, reduce the label height or move to a conformable film.
IT PEELED IN THE FRIDGE BUT WAS FINE ON THE BENCH
Almost always application temperature. Most adhesives need a dry container at room temperature and 24 hours to key fully; chilling before that traps condensation under the edge. If your process cannot wait, specify a wet-apply adhesive.
HOW THICK IS THE LABEL, ACTUALLY?
Facestock is measured in mil, and it matters for applicators and for how the label sits on a seam. We explain the unit here: what does mil stand for in thickness.
ARTWORK REQUIREMENTS
- File format — PDF, AI or EPS with fonts outlined
- Resolution — raster images at least 350 DPI at final size, no upscaling
- Color — CMYK; supply Pantone references for brand colors
- Bleed — 3mm on all sides
- Safe area — keep type 3mm inside the die line
- White ink — a named spot layer, required on clear and kraft
- Die line — a separate spot layer named DIE, not part of the artwork
More detail: file setup, what PPI to use, and vector versus raster.
Not sure whether your file suits the material you picked? Send it anyway. Free prepress means a person checks the artwork against the material and the die before we print, and tells you if the two are fighting each other. Revisions are free.
GO STRAIGHT TO A MATERIAL
- Custom paper labels — warm, matte, writeable
- Plastic film labels — waterproof and durable
- Clear labels — the no-label look
- Kraft labels — natural and fibrous
- Waterproof labels — wet and immersed
- Holographic labels — color-shift film
- Roll labels — for applicators
- Sheet labels — for hand application
Know the material you need? Roll labels are the usual format for anything applied by machine or in volume; sheets suit hand application and short runs.