It’s a known fact that the finish you apply to a custom label can help it to maintain its quality much longer than without one. Laminates and varnishes can not only improve your label’s durability, but they can also be used to enhance the look. Choosing a finish is important to protect labels from conditions with extreme temperatures, moisture, and humidity, as well as for providing the label with durability. To help find the best option that will work for you, we will further discuss how to choose the right finish for your labels.
Think About What Your Label Is Used For
A big part of the finish you choose for your label will be based on what your label is for. Is it a retail product? Is it a shipping Label? If you are looking to have a label that will draw the customer’s eye to your product, you should consider a gloss finish. This will protect any inks from smearing or getting scuffed. If the label is for a product that is meant to be on the high end of quality, consider going with a matte finish, which creates a softer look and feel. A matte finish is available as a protective laminate that protects against UV light. There is also the option of Spot UB coating, which can be laid over certain sections of a label. A digital label finisher can generally produce any finish. If you want to protect the aesthetic effects like colors, foils, or textures, this is a great option. For shipping labels, you could go with a gloss or even an outdoor laminate to ensure that the package is legible and makes it to the right destination.
Consider the Environment
This is a very important part of choosing the right finish for your labels. The conditions that the item you’re labeling will be in will have a significant impact on your finish choice. Some products will be sold and stored in outdoor environments that typically require outdoor lamination. This lamination is made of polyester, which will prevent the label from cracking, yellowing, and peeling. There are also environments like freezers to consider. Labels being printed for a frozen food product are technically indoors, but they need an outdoor laminate to remain readable.
The Lifespan Needed for Your Label
The lifespan of a label is another important detail to consider for choosing your finish. The more durable the label, the longer it will last. Labels that are going to be in extreme environments are going to need the most durable finishes. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider a strong finish for labels that will be indoors. Remember, ink can get worn or scuffed easily on indoor items as well. You could go with a full gloss finish or a spot coating. If you want your label to last for more than six months on a product, you will want a full coating finish.
