Label

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For other uses, see Label (disambiguation).

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A label is any kind of tag attached with adhesive to something so as to identify the object or its contents. Labels come in many forms and can be differentiated by the type of base material, called stock, that they are printed on, and by the adhesive type that they use. The most common type is made with a paper stock and a colloquial term for it is a sticker. Labels have many uses, from product identification to name tags.

1 Stock types
2 Adhesive types
3 Color
4 Miscellaneous
5 Uses
6 External links

[edit] Stock types

Litho - one of the most common base stocks
Latex - a litho stock with some added latex allows the label to be much more flexible and form around certain curved objects more easily than standard litho.
Various plastics such as acetate, vinyl, and PET film allow a variety of features, such as greater strength, flexibility, transparency, resistance to tearing, etc. They typically require special equipment and printing methods (ultra-violet curing is common) as they do not normally print well with conventional ink. A bumper sticker is usually a vinyl label with a very strong, durable adhesive and Lightfast Inks.
Foil - has the shiny properties of a metal foil.
Thermal - direct thermal label stock will change color (usually black) when heated. A heating element in the shape of letters or images can be used to create an image on the label. Custom labels can be easily be made on location in this way. A disadvantage is durability, because another heat source can ruin or obscure the image, or it may fade completely over time

The stock type will affect the types of ink that will print well on them.

Corona treating or "zapping" makes a substrate more receptive to inks.

[edit] Adhesive types

Permanent - Typically not designed to be removed without tearing the stock or using solvents. The adhesion strength and speed can also be varied. For example, full adhesion can be nearly instant, or the label can be almost removable for a short period with full adhesion developing in minutes or hours. This is considered the most popular and cheapest option by many self-adhesive paper manufacturers. Permanent labels may also be referred to as "pressure-sensitive", as a slight amount of pressure will cause a label to immediately bond to almost any surface.

Removable - Adhesion is fairly strong and will not fall off in normal circumstances, but the label can be removed relatively easily without tearing the base stock or leaving adhesive behind on the old surface. The adhesive is usually strong enough to be applied again elsewhere.

Semi-permanent - aka repositionable - Adhesion strengthens fully after application (approx 48-72 hours), allowing the label to be removed easily if placed incorrectly and still be a permanent label.

Freezer permanent- special type of removable adhesive that remains fully permanent under certain temperatures. This is useful for labeling objects that are to be stored in a freezer for any length of time.

Tamper evident- special types of label-stocks that comes in different guises; example 1 is a weak material, that breaks into tiny pieces (Frangible) or example 2 could be a material that uses a two-stage adhesive that will reveal any attempt of removal or replacement.

[edit] Color

Ink and base stock color choices commonly conform to the Pantone Matching System (PMS) colors. The Pantone system is very dominant in the label printing industry. Additionally specialty inks such as metallic, UV ink, magnetic ink, and more are available. Ink is usually transparent however it can be made opaque. It has been known for certain companies to patent "their own" color. [1]

[edit] Miscellaneous

Special labels:

Piggyback labels are made from combining two layers of adhesive substrate. The bottom layer forms the backing for the top. The label can be applied to any object as normal, the top layer can be a removable label that can be applied elsewhere, which may change the message or marking on the remaining label underneath. Often used on Express mail envelopes.
Asset Labels / Tags are used for marking fixed and non-fixed assets. They are usually tamper-evident, permanent or frangible and usually contain a barcode for electronic identification using readers.
Blockout labels are not see-through at all, concealing what lies underneath with a strong adhesive.
Holographic stickers are used for authentication and protection against counterfeit. They can be used on ID cards, credit cards, products such as CD/DVD's, etc.
Radioactive labels The use of radioactive isotopes of chemical elements, such as carbon-14, to allow the in vivo tracking of chemical compounds.
Laser Labels are generally die cut on 8.5" x 11" sheets, and come in many different shapes, sizes, and materials. Laser label material is a nonporous stock made to withstand the intense heat of laser printers and copiers.
Inkjet Labels are generally die cut on 8.5" x 11" sheets, and come in many different shapes, sizes, and materials. Inkjet label material is a porous stock made to accept ink and dye from your inkjet printer. One of the more modern inkjet label material stocks is waterproof printable inkjet material commonly used for soap or shower gel containers.

[edit] Uses

Stickers are very widely used when an object requires identification with a word or idea. Brand stickers may be attached to products to identify those products as coming from a certain company. They may also be used to describe characteristics of the products that would not be obvious from simple examination. A Label dispenser is often used as a convenient way to separate the sticky label from its liner or backing tape.

They are frequently distributed as part of promotional, advertising, and political campaigns; for example, in many voting districts in the U.S., stickers indicating an individual has voted are given to each voter as they leave the polling place, largely as a reminder to others to vote. Other methods of underground forms of voting for your favorite graffiti artists' current productions are by an open form of appreciation such as clapping while passing such a sticker (a smile and a kind reminder to a fellow appreciator throughout the day is commonplace as well).

An eco-label is used on consumer products (including foods) to identify products that may be less damaging to the environment and/or to humankind than other related products.

Stickers placed on automobiles, called bumper stickers, are often used by individuals as a way of demonstrating support for political or ideological causes. Identification of vehicle registration and last service details are two examples of stickers on the inside of most car windscreens. The term "window sticker" is generally used for vinyl labels which are stuck to the inside of a vehicle's window, as opposed to water-resistant stickers that are stuck to the outside of a vehicle but can be affixed to anything.

Barcodes are frequently used on many products as a convenient way of identification.

If one wants to remove a bumper sticker, and this sticker is not one of the easy-to-remove variety, then a penetrating oil can be used.

Another common use for stickers is embellishing scrapbooking pages. With the advent of this very popular craft, every type of sticker imaginable can now be found: cardstock, flocked, acrylic, 3D, sparkly, paper, epoxy, fabric, vellum and so much more. While in the earlier days of scrapbooking stickers were sold mostly on 2"x6" sheets, now 6"x12" and even 12"x12" size sheets are very common.