Materials Guide

A self-adhesive label is a sandwich of face stock, adhesive and liner, then printed, finished and die-cut. Choosing the right combination is what keeps a label stuck, colourfast and wrinkle-free in real conditions. Here are the materials and processes we use most, and where each one belongs.

By Material & Finish

Browse by face stock, finish and function: paper, waterproof synthetics, clear, metallic silver, holographic, hot foil, security, variable data and more.

Colour Note

A 5–10% colour variance between stocks and print methods is normal; Pantone matching and digital proofs are available.

AI, PDF, PSD, CDR, TIFF or JPG; 2 mm bleed, outlined fonts, CMYK or Pantone references; include the die line.

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Paper Face Stocks

Coated paper (gloss / matte): The most common label paper: bright, prints beautifully and is economical; not waterproof, so laminate it or keep it dry.
Cast-coated paper: High-gloss surface with extra colour punch for food and promotions.
Uncoated writing paper: Accepts pen and pencil — for date labels, bin labels and hand-written notes.
Kraft paper: Natural brown with an eco, handmade feel for tea, bakery and soap.
Cotton / laid / pearl art papers: First choice for wine and premium gifts; exceptional texture, best paired with foil and embossing.
Thermal / thermal transfer paper: For on-site variable printing with barcode printers; top-coated thermal resists water, oil and scratches.
FSC-certified paper: Paper from responsibly managed forests; we hold FSC Chain of Custody certification.

Film Face Stocks

PP synthetic paper (white / clear / matte silver): Waterproof, oil-proof, tear-resistant and conformable — the workhorse for beverage, bath and household labels.
PET (white / clear / bright silver / matte silver): Rigid, heat- and solvent-resistant — first choice for rating plates and chemical labels; clear PET for the no-label look.
BOPP: Clear or pearl, economical, common for beverage wraps.
PE: The most flexible stock — flexes with squeeze bottles without lifting.
PVC / vinyl: Weather- and scratch-resistant for outdoor and automotive decals; static-cling versions need no adhesive.
Holographic film: Shifts colour with the angle for decoration and anti-copy security.
Destructible paper / VOID film: Shreds on removal or leaves a message — for tamper seals and warranty labels.

Adhesives

General permanent: For most cartons, plastics and glass at room temperature.
High-tack: Corrugated board, rough surfaces and low-energy plastics such as PE/PP.
Cold / freezer: For chilled and frozen chains; a dedicated freezer grade for application below −20 °C.
Removable: Peels cleanly — for price tags, fruit stickers and temporary marking.
Food-contact: Compliant for direct food contact or the inside of packaging.
High-temperature: Electronics, automotive and baking environments above 150 °C.
Low-migration medical: Meets pharmaceutical packaging requirements; used on cleanroom-produced drug labels.
Resealable: Top layer of multi-layer labels that open and close repeatedly.

Liners

Glassine liner (white / yellow / blue): The standard roll liner — flat and easy to strip.
PET liner: Thin and strong for high-speed automatic application and clear labels.

Printing Methods

HP Indigo WS6800 digital: Electro-ink with up to 7 colours including white and fluorescents, no plates, from 100 pieces — the choice for multi-SKU and variable data.
UV inkjet digital: 330 mm width, solvent-free, ideal for film stocks.
Flexo: Multi-colour presses such as the OMET KFLEX 430 with inline cold foil, lamination and die-cutting — best unit cost at volume.
Satellite rotary: 8+1 colour high-speed rotary with tight register for very large runs.
Intermittent offset: Offset-quality halftones and fine type for wine and sheet labels.
Variable data: J-550S inline printing of unique QR codes, barcodes and serials.

Finishing

Gloss / matte / soft-touch lamination: Protects ink and adds water and scuff resistance; matte cuts glare, soft-touch feels velvety.
Varnish / matte varnish / UV coating: A thinner, more economical protective layer than film.
Spot UV / raised 3D UV: Builds glossy, tactile highlights on selected areas.
Hot foil / silver / holographic / cold foil: Metallic foil transfer, stackable with embossing; digital foil needs no die.
Embossing / debossing: Raised or recessed relief for wine and premium packaging.
Screen printing: Thick ink deposits, sandy textures and opaque whites with strong tactility.
White ink underprint: Keeps colours opaque and saturated on clear, metallic or dark stocks.

Die-Cutting & Converting

Rotary / flatbed / digital die-cutting: Rotary for speed, flatbed for embossing and sheets, digital with no die for short-run shapes.
Kiss-cut / through-cut: Kiss-cut keeps the liner for easy peeling; through-cut makes individual pieces.
Slitting & rewinding: Rewound to your core, diameter, count and unwind direction.
100% digital inspection: AIMI cameras inspect every label, verify codes and reject defects.
Automatic packing: Shrink-wrapped, roll-labelled and cartoned.

By Material & Finish

Roll Labels

Sheet Labels

Die-Cut Stickers

Paper Labels

Waterproof Synthetic Labels

Clear Labels

Metallic Silver Labels

Holographic Labels

Hot Foil Stamped Labels

Laminated & Embellished Labels

Tamper-Evident Labels

Anti-Counterfeit Labels

Variable Data & Barcode Labels

Thermal & Blank Labels

Multi-Layer & Peel-Off Labels