Adhesives!
The adhesive layer of your label material may be the most important. Label adhesives are formulated to fit generic to ultra specific use cases. Some labels will be applied at room temperature onto cardboard boxes by hand and will work fine with a standard and readily available adhesive. Other labels will need to be applied in freezers to a variety of materials and need to be removable at room temperature. There are many different formulations for adhesive and knowing the application method and environmental factors will help us get you dialed in the with the right solution.
Adhesive performance factors
Regardless of type, all adhesives have three distinct performance factors:
- Tack is the initial attraction of an adhesive to a surface with minimal external pressure.
- Adhesion is the bond strength between the adhesive and the surface after pressure has been applied to affix the label.
- Shear is the amount of time required, under specified test conditions, to slide a standard area of pressure-sensitive label from a standard flat surface in a direction parallel to the surface.
With all the factors above, knowing what kind of surface the label is to be affixed to is critical. An adhesive will hold or release differently on a smooth surface like glass than on a suede fabric material.
Acrylic vs. rubber-based adhesives
Another important distinction among adhesives is choosing between acrylic and rubber-based chemistry.
- Acrylic adhesives are noted for long-term bonding and UV resistance in outdoor applications. They also offer excellent resistance to most common chemical solvents. Acrylic adhesives may have higher initial costs but offer superior durability.
- Rubber-based adhesives are widely used for short-term general purpose indoor applications because of their instant bonding and low costs. However, they are susceptible to common chemicals and UV exposure.
Tamper-evident adhesives
When used with the right substrate, a tamper-evident adhesive reveals attempts to remove the label by shredding or revealing a hidden security message such as “void” in the adhesive. Tamper-evident labels are often used for retail pricing, pharmaceuticals, warranties and other applications where it’s crucial to deter the removal of the label.
Making the right choice
The right choice of adhesive can be the difference between a label that sticks for its intended lifetime—at the lowest possible costs—and one that fails to adhere. Yet, your choice of adhesive is just one part of the formula for creating the right label. Reach out to sales@cgapackaging.com to dial in your label project!