What is the Finish - What does finish mean??

The surface properties of a paper or film as determined by its appearance and texture in particular the level of gloss and smoothness of a surface The appearance of a surface can range from a high gloss to a dull matt depending on how efficiently the surface reflects light a gloss finish has a bright and shiny appearance because it reflects light in a more concentrated pattern while a matt finish has a dull and non-shiny appearance because it diffuses scatters light The gloss of a surface can be controlled by adding additives such as flatting agents to the material during manufacturing converting the web in a particular way such as calendaring or by adding a coating to the surface of a material The smoothness of a surface can also be altered by converting the web in a particular way or by adding a coating The finish of a surface can influence its absorbency ink receptivity and printability which are all important factors in the production of label products

Glossary

Readability - What is readability?

Definition of READABILITY:

The readability of text is determined by the quality of its content and its visual appearance. In other words, for text to be considered “readable” it must be composed in a way that is easy to read and understand AND created visually in a manner that is easy to read, whether the text has been handwritten or printed.

In terms of printing and labelling, it is the latter definition that is relevant, as the face materials, coatings, and inks and toners used when printing can all influence the readability of printed text. Readability is determined by both the properties of the printed text and the background onto which the text is printed, which means readability can be influenced by the printing materials used (inks or toners) and by the finish of the face material (and any coatings that have been applied). For example, if similar colours are used for the text and the background, then the text will be harder to read than if a dark colour had been used for the text and a light colour had been used for the background. Similarly, if the background has a high gloss finish, it may be difficult to read text that has been printed in a light colour. Printing inks are available in both opaque and translucent forms, with opaque inks standing out much more clearly from their background than translucent inks.

It should be noted that readability is different to legibility, which refers to the ease with which individual characters can be read and distinguished from one another. Legibility is primarily influenced by the typeface used, although the face material, coatings, and printing materials can also contribute towards the legibility of printed text as they do towards its readability.

Raised letters of different colours on a blue-grey background; the readability of the letters is affected by their colour - lighter colours are harder to read (like the light blue M and the pale pink D and Es).

Here is the Harvard-style citation to use if you would like to reference this definition of the word readability:
Label Planet (2020) What is readability? | Readability Definition. Available at: https://www.labelplanet.co.uk/glossary/readability/ (Accessed: January 1, 2024).

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