Label Planet
This week, we've rounded up all of your FAQs about the different types of labels that we do (and don't) supply.
Here at Label Planet we have chosen to specialise in labels on A4 sheets for use with standard desktop laser and inkjet printers (or for handwriting!). While this means that we are able to supply all kinds of labels in all kinds of colours, materials, and adhesives, it also means that there are a whole heap of other types of labels that we don’t do.
However, we know that it can be difficult and frustrating to find labels that are exactly what you need, so here’s an FAQ special about some of the label requests that we receive (and the advice we give for each).
Bespoke Label Shapes & Sizes
All of the label shapes and sizes we supply are listed on our website. If the size you want isn’t listed then you have two options:
- Find the closest alternative that will work for you. Most of our customers have some leeway in the measurements that they are searching for and it may be that one of our standard sizes will do the job just as well.
- Have bespoke labels made for you. There are many different companies producing labels to bespoke requirements so you should do a search for “Label Converters” or “Label Manufacturers” in your area to find someone locally who should be able to help. Remember that you will usually have to pay extra to have bespoke labels made for you (to cover the setup and manufacturing costs involved) and you may be required to order a large minimum quantity.
Printed Labels
All of our labels are supplied blank for customers to print themselves. If you are in need of printed or pre-printed labels you will need to find a Label Converter (or Label Manufacturer), Label Printer, or general Printer who can do this for you. If you simply need labels printing for you then you may be able to use a general printers; most local high streets have a printers who should be able to fulfil your requirements. If you’re needing something a bit more specialised, such as labels in a particular material or adhesive, labels for a specific label application, or labels that are pre-printed with a partial design that you will then print further details onto, you may need to speak to a company that deals specifically with the manufacture and/or printing of labels.
Application or Industry Specific Labels
You might be trying to source labels that are designed for a very specific label application or for a particular industry; in these cases, there are usually very strict requirements about the materials that can be used, the form that these labels need to be made in, and the properties that the labels need to have to function correctly and efficiently in a specific environment.
For example, the food and medical industries have very strict rules about the kinds of materials that can be used both on products and packaging and in the environments where these industries operate. Some industries require labels that are suitable for applications where they may be exposed to extreme conditions, such as immersion in water or exposure to extremes of temperature. Other label applications may involve huge volumes, which means that it is vital that the labels are provided on rolls that can be loaded onto label applicators for fast and efficient application – for example, when product or batch labels need to be applied to items as they are put together on fast moving production lines.
There are huge numbers of label types that have been developed specifically for one label application or for one industry, and are made with specific materials and specific manufacturing processes to ensure that they have the exact properties and characteristics required of labels that are to be used in those situations.
In these cases, it is best to find a company who specialise in supplying specific industries or who specialise in the production of speciality label products. You should try searches that include both the term “label converter” or “label manufacturer” and the name of your intended label application or industry. Even if a company you find doesn’t have the exact product you are looking for, it is likely that they will know of and be able to recommend one who does.
Here at Label Planet, we have a list of recommended suppliers who specialise in providing labels for specific applications and industries, including: retail product labels, food labels, electronic labels, wire and cable labels, asset labels, building and construction industries, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, horticultural labels, and steel and timber processing plants.
Label Brands
If you’re trying to buy a specific brand of label then you will need to search for a label supplier who sells that brand. Here at Label Planet we do not sell any brands of labels; all of our labels are manufactured in the UK using high quality materials and manufacturing processes.
Labels For Label Applicators/Dispensers
Some customers come to us trying to find refills for the label applicators or dispensers that they have bought elsewhere. As all of our labels are on A4 sheets, we don’t have any products that are suitable for use with applicators or dispensers (which tend to be manufactured as labels on rolls). You should either see if you are able to purchase refills from the manufacturer or supplier of the applicator or dispenser that you are using, or see if there are compatible products sold by stationery suppliers.
Labels On A Roll
We specialise in labels on A4 sheets and so do not supply labels on rolls. We do, however, recommend a company called “Etiquette”, who have assisted a number of our customers with their requirements for labels on rolls and provide excellent customer service.
(Dish)Washerproof Labels
Occasionally, we receive requests for labels that will survive a trip through the washing machine or dishwasher. None of the A4 products we provide are “washerproof”, although we do have a selection of labels that are waterproof. While these labels will survive a thorough immersion in water, they cannot survive the conditions created in washing machines and dishwashers, which involve vigorous exposure to the variety of strong chemicals and ingredients used in cleaning products.
Washerproof labels need to be made with materials and adhesives that are designed specifically for these environments; they do, however, exist as a standard product in the form of name labels. Most name label products have been developed for use on school uniform and, here at Label Planet, we have our own versions: Stikins ® name labels (a stick on name label) and Trons ® name transfers (an iron on name transfer). Our Stikins ® are made with highly advanced materials that will survive repeated trips through the washing machine, tumble drier, dishwasher, and microwave and can be used to label clothing and all kinds of personal items. Our Trons ® use the same materials and methodology used in the clothing industry to apply designs to items of clothing such as t-shirts and, like our Stikins ®, will survive repeat visits to the washing machine and tumble drier.
Our name labels were designed specifically for parents who need to label their children’s school uniform and equipment, although they are also bought by families to label personal items and everyday clothing, along with equipment for holidays and activity groups, and by residents or friends and relatives of residents living in nursing and residential care facilities, where clothing is cleaned in shared laundry facilities and residents share common spaces, which means that clothing and personal items are easily misplaced or mixed up.
You can purchase our name labels here; you can enter the text you want or request blank labels BUT you cannot print these labels yourself (they require specialist printers and software) and you can only request standard characters (i.e. we cannot print images or logos).
Specific Material Combinations
The labels we supply are standard label products that provide our customers with a wide variety of choice at a very reasonable price. While there are hundreds and thousands of possible label combinations that we COULD choose to supply, the fact that these are NOT standard items would mean that there would be additional manufacturing costs involved and we feel that this would make these particular products too expensive to be cost effective for the majority of our customers.
For example, we often get customers asking if we do a waterproof freezer label. We have looked into the possibility of offering such a product and, while it is possible to produce such a product, the costs of combining a waterproof material with an adhesive that is both waterproof and suitable for use in freezer conditions would make such an item quite expensive. Unfortunately, the main problem with the cost of such a label is that these labels tend to be used on food and drink products. Most businesses try to ensure that the cost of producing the food and its packaging doesn’t outweigh the profit that they make on those items – a waterproof freezer label would most likely eat away at or eradicate any profit altogether.
If, however, you feel that you absolutely do want a particular material combination that we don’t offer, you can always look into sourcing a label manufacturer or converter who would be able to produce that particular item for you.
Impossible Material Combinations
Occasionally we get requests that are, unfortunately, impossible (although we would be delighted if some of them were possible!). Usually these requests occur because the requirements have been relayed through a number of different parties (in what we like to call “Label Whispers”) and have been mixed up or confused, because people aren’t quite sure what some properties and descriptions of labels actually mean, or simply because people are in a rush.
- I Need A Label That Is… White & Transparent
Transparent labels are completely see through and therefore colourless; if you’re looking for a label that offers both transparency and colour (whether that’s white or another colour of your choosing), what you actually need are Translucent Labels: these labels offer some degree of transparency (though not as much as transparent labels) and a choice of colours. Unfortunately, we do not supply translucent labels, so you would need to find a supplier who offers this particular kind of label product.
- I Need A Label That Is…Gloss & Matt
In this case, the two finishes are complete opposites – a gloss finish is bright and shiny, while a matt finish is duller and plain. However, if you’re looking for something in between, you can always opt for a semi-gloss finish, which you can find on our website here.
- I Need A Label That Is…Paper & Waterproof
Sadly, paper is never going to be waterproof – and we’ve all seen the damage done to paper when it is accidentally dropped into a puddle, left in the pocket of a pair of trousers or a shirt and goes through the wash, or thoroughly soaked when a drink goes flying. Waterproof products need to be made with synthetic materials (polyester, polyethylene etc), or you need to use a paper label that is completely encased in a protective layer – which sort of defeats the purpose of having a paper label in the first place.
- I Need A Label That Is…High Tack & Removable
This is the request that we get the most – and the one that we really wish we could provide. Many a time we’ve received an email or spoken to a customer who is looking for a label that is “really, really strong and is completely impossible to remove…until I decide I want to remove it and then it will drop off easily without leaving any residue behind”. Sadly, a magical label that will stay absolutely resolutely in place until you demand that it drops off simply doesn’t exist, so you need to decide which option is more important to you – that your labels stay firmly in place or that they are easy to remove when you no longer need them.