Your label is a direct image of your brand, and it should be in your best interest to really take your time to come up with a high-quality, unique label. A label will not only help your customers differentiate your product from the other ones, but it’ll also help you establish your brand presence and have people associate a specific product with your brand.
We do understand that coming up with a striking, eye-catching label might be easier said and done, but regardless, we know the steps you need to take if you want to come as close to perfection as possible. We’re not going to take you through all of them today. However, what we will do, is focus on one of the most critical aspects of the whole process, which is choosing the right material.
Here are a few invaluable tips for choosing the right label material for your product.
1. Consider The Differences Between The Materials
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In general, there are two main options to choose from – paper and film. To make an informed decision on which route you should take, you first need to understand what each of these brings to the table. To help you achieve that, we’ve prepared a little guide for you, but we’ll get to that a little bit later on. For now, just remember that you will have to know a thing or two about both of them if you want to make the right choice, so – learn the differences.
2. Consider The Design Of The Label
Even though many believe that the design of the label isn’t really connected to the material – that’s not entirely true. To be fair, that’s not true at all. Some label designs simply work better with other materials, and there’s just no way around it. Let’s say, for instance, you’re a winemaker, and you need a label for your newest series of wines. Would you get a transparent label for the wine bottle? No, of course, you wouldn’t. You’d get a solid, paper label to create that authentic, vintage, elegant look that’s associated with wine.
3. Consider The Color Of The Label
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Most of the materials from which the labels are made can be dyed in any colour, but some of them will simply be better at it. Some label materials are simply better and easier to print on. They can hold the colour better, they are more suitable for intricate design and precise colouring, as well as the lettering, they’re more durable and long-lasting etc.
Also, keep in mind the colour of your product, or at least the packaging of the product. For example, you wouldn’t really want a white label on a white product as that would pretty much defeat the purpose of the label, right?
4. Consider The Shape Of The Product
As you’re about to find out, not every label material can easily conform to any shape. Some materials are just not flexible enough to wrap around or adapt to any shape, so it is vital that you choose the right material if you have a product that’s uniquely shaped. Another thing to keep in mind is that shape of the product, or the package can put a strain on the label, so it is vital that you choose the material that can withstand that strain and not break underneath it.
5. Consider The Conditions The Label Will Be Under
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According to labels123, one of the most common mistakes people make when selecting the label material is not thinking about the conditions their product is going to be in. The label and product go hand in hand, so it is absolutely crucial to consider these conditions. For example, if you’re packing and selling frozen vegetables, under no circumstance should you go for a standard paper label. Why? Well, that product is going to spend most of its life in a moist and cold environment, which is not really an ideal environment for paper, right?
6. Consider The Method Of Application
In the end, one last piece of advice we have for you is to consider how the labels are going to be applied to the product or the packaging. Essentially, there are two ways a label can be applied – by hand or by machine. Some materials can be easily applied both ways, while some of them are much better suited for machine application rather than a hands-on approach. For example, a delicate, transparent label must be perfectly applied, with no visible air bubbles, and that’s not something that can be achieved by hand. Also, those kinds of labels can’t be made from paper, so there’s that, too.
About Paper And Film Labels
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As we’ve said in the beginning, we’re going to outline some of the main characteristics of both these materials, as well as introduce you to the main differences between them. For starters, let’s check out the film labels.
- Film labels are made from synthetic materials, which in general, makes them a lot more durable, resistant and flexible compared to paper labels. These are the ones often used when we want to achieve that modern, transparent “no label” look, as well as create a label that can withstand a lot of wear and tear and suffer through some harsh conditions. Furthermore, since they’re quite flexible, they are the ones you’d use on uncommonly shaped products, as these ones will fit essentially any surface.
Now, they’re not the cheapest. In fact, they’re quite expensive, but then again, if you’re all about durability and long-lasting products – these ones pay off.
- Paper labels are just as the name suggests – labels made of paper. They can differ in coatings, thickness, colour – but the base is always the same. They’re ideal when you want to achieve a vintage look or simply print out a label with a barcode and some essential information. However, paper labels aren’t necessarily simplistic. Quite the opposite, they can be quite customizable. In fact, they’re the ones that are recommended if you have an intricately designed label in mind.
On the other hand, paper labels aren’t durable or long-lasting. You could improve the durability with varnish or lamination, but you still wouldn’t end up with something to withstand the test of time.
Conclusion
There you go. Those were the tips we’ve prepared for you, alongside a few words on the main kinds of label materials. Hopefully, you’ve found these tips useful and helpful.
