How do you know what type of labels you will need?

There are a few things you want to check before you purchase labels.

1. What type of printer are you using? Direct or Thermal Transfer? (Direct Thermal- heat transfer and Thermal Transfer is will require ribbons to transfer ink onto labels)
   Or if you have not chosen your printer yet, figure out how long do you need your labels to last and choose between direct or thermal transfer.
2. Look at the maximum print width that your printer will print, have a plan on what size you want your labels to be. (For example: 3×1 will be 3inches across and 1 inch tall) Normally, sizes for shipping labels will be 4×6 and shelf labels will be 2×1 or 3×1.
3. Print Material– The main type of print material revolves around three and it’s mostly paper, polypropylene, or polyester.
   Paper- $, used mostly indoor and max lifetime is 5-7 months
   Polypropylene(paper and plastic texture)- $$, can be used indoor and outdoor and max life time is 2 years
   Polyester(plastic texture)- $$$, used indoor or outdoor, gloss on label, scratch/smear, and water resistant and max life time is 3 years
4. Below are the sizes of the label cores that you have to confirm before purchase, just to make sure it will fit inside your printer. (Often times this is the step that most people overlook and realize that the roll won’t fit when it arrives. So keeping note now will prevent any mis-order in the future)
   Desktop Printers: (core in diameter)
   Inner Core: 1 inch              Outer Core: 5 inches
   Industrial Printers:
   Inner Core: 3 inches          Outer Core: 8 inches
   Mobile Printers:
   Varies

Take a look at some of the labels that we have available for desktop, industrial, and mobile printers. If you are still unsure about the type of labels you need, feel free to contact one of our dedicated account managers and they can help you find the type of labels you need.

Barcode labels come in a variety of types and materials to meet the needs of a range of applications. From a temporary shipping label to a rugged asset tag that needs to endure the challenges of outdoor use, there are labels that can meet these needs.

Knowing what type of label you are using is almost impossible to tell from just looking at it but there are a few key tests you can conduct to figure out what type and material your label is. Following these steps you can be assured you order the same label your application needs.

1. Try to tear the label in half

If you can tear the label in half we know right away that it’s a paper stock as opposed to a synthetic material like polypropylene or polyester.  Synthetic materials may stretch and deform a bit but will not be tear-able by hand.
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