Choosing a label stock directly affects your packaging look and feel, but also has a cost and must perform in the required environment your product will experience. By considering the label base materials you are taking control of the material it is being printed on and how your product will look.
Below you will find the label materials most commonly used in the industry as well as a few unique options that can provide some amazing product characteristics. As a business owner, learning what the label material is and its best uses can help to eliminate cost and give your product label the vision and performance it needs.
Material Choices (Label Stock) For Your Product's Label
Many printing companies recommend a paper material label, like gloss paper, because of its low cost. This is a ploy to make business owners like you more willing to buy from that company. However, what these companies do not tell you is that there is an exceptionally large choice of materials, each with their pros and cons.
Label materials can be broken down into three components: the face stock (the part that is printed on), the adhesive (the part that sticks to the package), and the liner (the part the label peels off of).
Face stocks are typically made of paper, BOPP, metalized BOPP, or clear BOPP. BOPP stands for Biaxially-Orientated (BO) PolyPropylene (PP) and is a durable, plastic label material that is widely used.
Specialty stocks can include polyester, cloth, or wood. When choosing a face stock you are making a choice between cost, clarity, and durability.
Adhesives have a wide range, but are typically broken down into permanent and removable. Permanent adhesives are exactly that, permanent. They are not meant to be removed and will aggressively stick to the package where removal can damage either the package or the label.
Removable adhesive labels may be the same adhesive as permanent, but then also contain a thin layer of silicone deadening agent that allows the label to be peeled and reapplied as needed. The amount of silicone determines how easy it is to take off.
You can get specific adhesives with any material and we have a full guide on the different performance characteristics of various adhesives.
The liner is typically either paper or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic. Paper liners are very common, economical, and are easy to print with on all types of equipment and easy to apply with standard label sensors on label applicators. PET liners are also very common, but are more difficult to print on and require specific label sensors on application equipment.
The main benefit of PET liners is that since it is significantly thinner than paper you can fit more labels on a roll with a constrained outside diameter. This results in up to 20% fewer roll changes and a significant time savings when used on application equipment.
Paper Labels
Paper labels are generally used for products that remain indoors and are in hyper competitive cost markets like medicine, gift and product tags, foods, and other home care products.
The durability of a paper label will depend on if the product has come into contact with water, chemicals, abrasion, and heat. If so, then the label may deteriorate or fade causing the product’s visual quality to decrease.
Paper labels usually will cost less than BOPP or other materials.
White BOPP Labels
White BOPP Labels is one of the most commonly used labels. Its label is a laminated white gloss plastic material which makes it resistant to moisture and oil.
White BOPP has a permanent adhesive that sticks well to multiple product surfaces, such as metal or plastic.
Industries that sell beauty, health, food, beverage, and body care products benefit from using white BOPP.
Clear BOPP Labels
Clear BOPP Labels are a popular runner up to white BOPP labels due to its transparent look. It has a clear gloss laminated plastic material that makes it appear invisible when applied to products.
The benefit of a no label look also provides more attention to the product it is attached to rather than the label itself. Even if this label is attached to dark colored backgrounds it will still be apparent on the product. A common example of this label can be seen on Fiji or Topochico water bottles.
Many markets can benefit from this label material, but the most commonly used ones are industries that sell wine, beauty, food, and beverages. Clear BOPP is suited for industries that want their product to stick out more than the label.
Metalized Or Silver BOPP Labels
Metalized BOPP provides the same water and oil resistance qualities as other BOPP labels, but gives you a decorative, shiny metal appearance like chrome.
Silver BOPP can be used to create a range of metallic colors from silver to even gold. Products such as health, beauty, candles, bottles, and vitamins benefit well from using this label material.
Metalized or Silver BOPP labels are a great way to gain a consumer attention to your product due to its shiny appearance.
Polyester Labels
Polyester labels are reserved for the most rigorous label environments. Think industrial drums, underwater products, and aircraft.
Their durability comes at a price though as it is the most expensive label material available. Unless your R&D team has specced in polyester it is not typically used.
Which Material Should You Use For Your Labels?
So to recap, when choosing a label material you want to consider the following; cost, durability, shelf presence, and adhesive performance before you decide.
See the chart below for a quick reference guide to label stocks.
