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Labels 101: What you need to know to make your labeling project a success

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medical label labelingOne of the keys to a successful labeling project is to ask the right questions at the beginning of the project. This is the perfect time to surface potential problems and decide what trade-offs you need to make to achieve the results you want.

Here are essential questions you need to ask:

What type of surface will your label be applied to?

Some containers may have curved or rough surfaces. Flexible containers can cause peeling and label separation. If you’re buying low-cost containers, they may have seams or uneven surfaces that can affect label application. Also consider the conditions at the time of label application. Some containers are filled with hot or cold ingredients; ambient humidity and condensation can also cause label adhesion problems.

What environmental factors will the label be exposed to? What conditions will the container encounter throughout its life cycle?

  • Will the container spend most of its useful life in refrigerated conditions (frozen foods, for example)?
  • Will it be exposed to water and high humidity (shampoo and conditioner, for example)?
  • Will it be used in a harsh or corrosive environment (industrial applications and safety labels, for example)?

Should your labeling be paper or film?

Paper labels are inexpensive, which makes them ideal for low-cost, high-volume products. But they can be easily damaged. Film offers superior durability, thermal stability, the tear resistance, chemical resistance and strength, but tends to be a bit more expensive than paper. Another big advantage of film is that you can print on it using a variety of inks and application methods, and can topcoat it to further enhance its characteristics.

Will there be printing on it?

Digital and flexographic printing technologies give you a lot of flexibility to do variable data, art and image printing on labels. Applications include personalization, inventory control, private labeling and brand protection.

What’s more important? Cost or performance?

Label application usually involves making trade-offs between speed, print quality and cost. Make sure you understand the options available to you and the pros and cons of each.

When you’re discussing label printing solutions with your converter, keep in mind that low cost is usually not the best option. It usually involves a significant compromise in label quality, durability, color consistency and other unacceptable trade-offs. That, in turn, can damage customer perceptions of your brand.

To help you make your next labeling project a success, download our new eGuide, How to Create the Perfect Label: The 5 Most Important Questions to Ask.

Label cost: The least important factor in a label purchasing decision

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label cost decision

In the world of marketing and label cost you get what you pay for. It may be tempting to select the lowest-cost option for the design and production of your labels. But if you do so, chances are you will regret it. Ordering labels from a low-cost converter could result in labels that peel or tear. Low cost labels could contain faded or inconsistent brand colors or information that smears and becomes illegible when the container is exposed to environmental extremes.

Your label represents your brand to your customers. If you want to project a quality image to your customers, cheap labels are a big, ill-considered step in the wrong direction.

Label cost factors

There are many factors that influence label costs, including:

  • The cost of label materials
  • Printing and production costs
  • Appearance
  • The number of colors and complexity of the design of your labels
  • Coating and other special processing required
  • Durability
  • The volume of labels required
  • The number of variations within the print order (for multiple sizes and configurations of the same product line)
  • Performance needs (the environment the labels will be exposed to)
  • Security issues (such as tamper evident and anti-theft labels)

How a converter can help you manage costs

A top-notch label converter can help you work through trade-offs in label design, materials, ink and finishing to provide you with high-quality, durable label at an affordable price point. Consider some of these ways a converter can work with you to help you decrease your costs – without compromising label quality:

  • Label material is often an area where you can economize without taking a big hit on quality. Will your labels be opaque or clear? What type of adhesive is required, considering the environment the container will face over its lifetime? Do you really need a metalized label for this application?
  • Reduce the number of colors in your label designs, and minimize your use of spot color, which increases printing costs.
  • Standardize label sizes across your product line, so your converter can produce them for multiple containers within the same print run. Selecting the same label dimensions for your front and back product labels can further help you reduce production costs.
  • Select a printing method that makes sense given the size of your order and its performance requirements (flexographic vs. digital printing).
  • Group label orders into fewer but larger production runs.

As you can see, label cost is not a black-and-white issue. That’s why it should be the least important factor in your label purchasing decision. More important factors include:

  • The design and production capabilities of your label converter
  • The extent to which they can provide you with advice on label design and production trade-offs
  • A proven track record of success in producing similar labels for other clients

To help you make your next labeling project a success, download our new eGuide, How to Create the Perfect Label: The 5 Most Important Questions to Ask.