Fall Friday Series
Labeling Our Favorite Things About Fall 🏷️🍁
Let’s focus on an application that touches almost every industry: Labels! Labels are everywhere. That’s just a fact – everything is labeled. One would assume the production of creating an actual label is a simple process. One would be wrong. The making of a label is actually a pretty intricate process that involved multiple factors and steps that have to be considered.
The breakdown of a typical label’s structure involves 3 important elements: the release liner, adhesive and facestock.
Release Liner
Usually a filmic material made of paper or plastic (we prefer the plastic option), release liners are coated on either one or both sides with a release agent (silicone). This agent assists in preventing the label to stick to the support surface. In short, the release liner is the part of the label that easily detaches from the label itself.
Adhesive
Not much else to say… The sticky part between the release liner and the facestock. Typically determines the amount of adhesion needed.
Facestock
The top layer of the label… Essentially, the part of the label you see (and typically peel off). This is what the adhesive is adhered to.
So how does all of this involve the current season? Well, as we said, labels are literally everywhere. That means all of your favorite things and all of our favorite things about Fall most likely have a label attached. Don’t believe us? Here are a few industries that thrive in Autumn and definitely involve some sort of label:
Food & Beverage 🥫🍽️
Whether you’re uncorking a bottle for your next mulled wine or purchasing ingredients for your Thanksgiving feast – it’s apparent that food is a big part of the Fall persona. The holiday season alone creates a huge spike in food and beverage purchases. With these purchases, most (if not all) items will be labeled.
When it comes to the Food & Beverage industry, there’s no question that a brand’s label has a huge impact on a consumer’s decision process. From making sure the label commands attention to applying advanced label technologies for brand protection and product authentication, you want to make sure you choose the most ideal solution.
Plastic films are a great label material solution due to their durability, bondability, and security. Additionally, they’re waterproof (unlike paper labels) and more economical. A plastic film solution, like PPG TESLIN® label stock, not only provides the ultimate shelf appeal but printing convenience as well. When choosing plastic film materials, a brand automatically differentiates itself by having an outstanding label.
Candles 🕯️
Lots of people (including us!) would say that the start of Fall is the moment you light a pumpkin spice or apple cider candle. Maybe it’s the sense of comfort that the candle scent brings, or perhaps it’s just due to its inevitable ambience that’s brought with the wick flickering; whatever it may be, there’s no doubt that candles are a Fall staple.
The most popular material for candle labels is BOPP plastic film. It is typically offered as White Plastic, Metallic Plastic, Clear/Ultra Clear Plastic, Holographic Plastic, Removable Plastic. This propylene family member is hands down the most popular label material because it is waterproof, oil resistant, and easy to apply. Additionally, it is one of the more economical and durable plastic label options, making it a practical and reliable plastic film material solution.
Another option includes PVC, specially White Vinyl. PVC film is resilient enough to withstand even the toughest environments while maintaining a high-quality look to any design.
Packaging 📦
“It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes, or bags.” – The Grinch
Okay, we all know The Grinch is a Christmas icon… And yes, Christmas is a winter holiday. However, even something The Grinch can’t argue is that most Christmas and Holiday shopping occurs heavily in the Fall months (hello, Black Friday!) And while The Grinch was wrong to steal from the Who’s, he wouldn’t be wrong to say that plastic film labels for all of those stolen packages and presents is the ideal label material choice.
Whether you’re getting your packages delivered or if you’re going to the stores to buy them this season, you can be sure to see that most of them will be labeled with plastic film! PET plastic film is considered to be one of, if not the most, popular choice. PET labels are very durable and have high chemical, heat, and UV resistance. Additionally, PET film is an ideal material solution due to its great tensile strength (no creases!), durability, strong adhesion properties, and longer shelf life. It also offers design flexibility by offering thermal transfer printing and the ability to be printed by all conventional roll label techniques.
Luggage Items 🧳
With Fall comes the busiest travel time of year. From family gatherings to using up your last bit of PTO and vacation time – airports become packed and interstates become parking lots. Even (almost) every holiday movie shows someone traveling at some point.
With traveling comes luggage. And with luggage comes luggage tags (if you’re smart). And if you’re going through the airport with a checked bag, you’ll also receive a bag tag. All of this to say that you can thank plastic film for these labeling techniques.
With traveling comes luggage. And with luggage comes luggage tags (if you’re smart). And if you’re going through the airport with a checked bag, you’ll also receive a bag tag. All of this to say that you can thank plastic film for these labeling techniques.
While made of all kinds of different plastics, a popular plastic film material seen used for luggage tags includes PVC film. These types of tags are ideal as they often provide a 3D feel to it, making them more noticeable. Additionally, these tags require durability and flexibility – something PVC film is great at providing. Bag tags, made of Acrylic. Acrylic film is ideal for these tags due to its excellent printability; these are often printed at a kiosk with the departure and destination airport acronym (think JFK and LAX). These tags have an adhesive backing, making them easy to peel off and stick together.
Clothing & Accessories 👚🧣
What would Fall be without jackets, sweaters, flannels, boots, pullovers, scarves, and all of the other cozy garments? Next time you’re at the store looking for a new pullover to keep you warm from the crisp, cool Fall breeze, try to see how plastic films are integrated into the labels used for clothing and accessory items (hint: look at the size labels and tags).
Sizing labels – whether you find them satisfying to peel off or extremely annoying due to their ability to stick onto everything, there’s no question that they do come in handy (do we really need to tell you why?) Most of these sizing labels are made of clear Polystyrene film due to the material’s extreme adhesive abilities and exceptional printability (so you’ll never miss your size in the pile!)
Another way you may see plastic film labels being used in the clothing industry is through hang tags. Now, while these aren’t technically labels, they are the little plastic pieces that hold the price tag to the garment. Hang tags are usually made up of HDPE plastic film due to their high chemical, tear, puncture, and tear resistance… that’s why they’re so tricky to tear off!
If you’re in the market for plastic films, contact PolymerFilms today. Our expert team serves clients throughout a wide array of industries. We have an extensive inventory of plastic films with various high performance properties to suit nearly every need. We also employ a knowledgeable team that is always happy to provide guidance and expertise tailored to your industry. And the in-house conversion equipment at our five conveniently located distribution centers allows us to customize film products and ship them to clients quickly. Visit our website to request a free consultation and see what type of difference the right supplier can make when purchasing plastic films.