Label
It Right
A
product's success is greatly influenced by the label it sports. Gautam
K Bhattacharya explains the ‘why’ factor
Almost
all basic packaging substrates like paper, plastics, foil, cloth and
wood are capable of being used as labels. However, substrate paper remains
the most basic and most versatile form of labelling. Printing and adhesion
are the two important functions a label has to get attuned to-one surface
needs printability and the other one requires the adhesion characteristics.
Average gram/sq. meter (gsm) of paper is being used for labelling lies
in the range of 70-100 gsm and substrate is often used in combination
with various printing techniques to create labels. Depending on printing
techniques and the types of ink used, the paper substrate also varies
between the normal uncoated one to the other types of coated paper (clay
coated, chromo or art paper), cast coated and even metallised papers.
An ink and adhesive base, whether water or solvent, plays a significant
role in performance of the particular label. The application of water
as a part of ink or adhesive creates expansion for the labels and the
wet surface expands more than the dry surface. Paper fibres being celluloid
mass are hygroscopic, and thus swell on absorption of water. Thus, ideally,
the paper while being used for making labels should ensure having grain
direction parallel to the base of the label, as it has tendency to curl
along the axis of the grain direction of paper, and it would end up
having a curl outermost with the adhesive side. The problem or the characteristics
of the grain and cross direction of the paper being used for label also
comes into forefront while printing is done. Labels are generally printed,
in multiples on big sizes, as per the width of the printing machine
and are generally being cut to pieces as per the dye punch or the cutter
design with the printing itself. Normally in pre-gummed paper labels,
it is advisable to maintain the grain direction of the paper as parallel
to the base of the labels to be printed. Other major substrates used
in labelling are made from thermoplastic bases. The use of a transparent
plastic film, even when used in the form of a label, gives the effect
of direct printing which can be also made with reverse printing to provide
the scuff- proofess. In reverse printing, the effect of base colour
of the package can be easily used while actually using a transparent
film. Also, being of very low thickness/micron, plastic labels has the
advantage of being an integral part of the pack itself and not a separate
item along with the package. Aluminum foil or metallised paper or plastics
are also used as alternative substrates for labelling, especially when
there is a need of providing special effects of metallisation or embossing.
This need is pronounced when the package has to withstand severe and
extreme storage...
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