Manufacturing adhesive labels: materials and processes
Manufacturing adhesive labels starts with a substrate (coated paper, polypropylene, polyester, vinyl or aluminium) to which a permanent, removable or ultra-destructible adhesive is applied on one side, protected by a peelable silicone liner. Printing is performed by flexography, screen-printing, offset or digital printing, depending on the run, resolution and type of support.
Adhesive label manufacturers work with master reels that are converted into individual labels by rotary or flat die-cutting. The result is adhesive labels on reel, sheet or as single units, ready for manual or automatic application on packaging lines.
Printing adhesive labels: techniques and quality
Printing adhesive labels ranges from digital printing (short runs, variable data, piece-by-piece personalisation) to flexography (long runs with decreasing unit costs). Printed adhesive labels can incorporate special inks (metallic, fluorescent, thermochromic), selective varnishes, protective laminates and finishes such as hot stamping or dry embossing.
Digital printing of adhesive labels has revolutionised the sector by eliminating film and plate costs, allowing orders from a few units with the same quality as an industrial run.
Industrial adhesive labels: technical requirements
Industrial adhesive labels are designed to withstand demanding conditions: temperatures from –40°C to +150°C, contact with oils, solvents and chemicals, UV exposure and aggressive cleaning cycles. Common materials are polyester (PET), polypropylene (PP), vinyl (PVC) and aluminium, with high-performance acrylic adhesives.
Adhesive label design and orders
Adhesive label design includes selecting the material, size, shape (rectangular, circular, oval, die-cut), colour combination and arrangement of texts and images. Online adhesive labels are requested by submitting the design file in PDF, AI or EPS format.
The price of adhesive labels varies by material, dimensions, number of colours, finish and quantity. Cheap paper adhesive labels for large runs offer very low unit costs; technical labels in special materials are priced accordingly for their performance.
Alumigraf is an adhesive label manufacturer capable of producing from prototypes to large series. Contact us specifying material, dimensions, quantity and finish.
