Paper, Finishes, and Films

High demand and shortages are affecting many aspects of paper production, including its raw materials (pulp and chemical components) and paper mill capacity. Coatings and polypropylene (PP) films are adding a premium to paper costs, while PET film supply has been affected by chemical ingredient shortages.

Adhesives

Chemical shortages and high demand are affecting the supply of both acrylic and hot melt adhesives, resulting in significant price increases.

Packaging and Shipping

High demand for packaging and freight space combined with high fuel costs and inflation has increased overall packaging and shipping costs globally.

What to Expect from Master Tape Printers

We are as committed as ever to provide you with superior products and services to help you complete your label project with a great outcome. Because of our years of experience, we can make recommendations for the right paper, coatings or films, adhesives, and other label technologies for your application—and suggest alternatives where needed.

Additionally, our global suppliers are working tirelessly to source materials, pivot as needed, and to keep us updated on lead times and other critical supply information.

As we all navigate these unprecedented disruptions, we’re incredibly grateful to you, our customers for trusting us with your business, and for the opportunity to help you do yours. For any questions about your next label project and for recommendations on available papers, adhesives, and finishes, give us a call or contact us!

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Let’s take the mystery out of varnishes and laminates. Here’s how to choose.

Varnishes

A varnish is a liquid seal coating applied over a label. It protects both the ink and the label material. Varnish can be applied in a matte or gloss finish, usually matched to the paper stock the label is printed on. Varnishes protect against scuffs and abrasions while offering an understated look. They aren’t as durable as laminates, but also cost less. Because even the gloss finish isn’t as shiny as laminate coatings, it can be a good fit for products with a vintage or natural vibe.

Laminates

Like varnishes, laminates protect both the ink and the substrate of a label, but rather than a film, laminates are films (generally polypropylene or polyester) applied after printing. Also available in matte or gloss finishes, gloss laminates are much shinier than varnishes, while matte finishes can be smooth or textured. Laminates are also more robust, and can be manufactured to withstand not only scuffs and abrasions but also moisture, chemicals, and harsh environments.

Matching the Finish to Your Label Job

Questions to ask before choosing a varnish or laminate:

• Where will my label (or labeled product) be used? Shipped? Shelved for sale? Stored?
• How long must the label hold up? Only during the sales cycle or for the lifetime of the product?
• How important is the label coating to the brand identity? Which type of coating is more characteristic of my brand?
• How many labels do I need and what is my budget?

To get started with your label project and discuss your varnish and laminate options, give us a call or contact us!

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The colors that print out on the page (or product) can be spot or 4-color process (as opposed to “screen colors” that you would see on a computer monitor). So what does all this jargon mean?

Spot Colors and PMS Matching

It’s common for brands to have a signature color, or for artwork to be printed in limited colors (for example, two plus black). This is where spot colors come in. Single, premixed colors are selected and specified to different elements of the artwork. The most common catalog of spot colors is Pantone® Matching System (PMS). Many printers are able to select a close color with ink they have in stock, or they can mix the perfect shade when it must match specifications (such as a branding style guide).

Full-Color Printing

Full-color art, on the other hand, is printed from a blend of 4 colors: CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black). This is similar to your desktop inkjet printer, but on a much grander scale. Through blending and gradients, 4-color process printing can achieve photo-realistic printing in full color.

Note that while 4-color process printing uses a color blend of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CYMK), digital photos and computer monitors rely on screen colors of red, green, and blue (RGB). While the principle is the same (create the full array of colors from a blend), the outcome is a little different. That’s why screen previews and printouts on desktop printers that use 3 colors instead of 4 might not match the final product. Your professional print company can help with proofing to address any color variances so you can be confident in the finished product.

How to Choose the Right Color Printing for Your Project

With these options, how do you know what is right for your project? Some key questions you might ask yourself:

• Is the project on a tight budget?
• How will this label or graphic be used?
• Do we have a single brand color or a color palette?
• Does the artwork use photorealistic imagery?

Using 1 or 2 spot colors instead of 4-color process can be a cost-saving method. Similarly, using 4-color process instead of a large number of PMS spot colors can also save on costs. Temporary or “disposable” labels or other print items don’t require custom Pantone® blends. Critical branding artwork, however, should use high quality PMS spot colors or 4-color CMYK printing as needed.

Ready to get started with your color label project? Give us a call or contact us!

The post Printing in Bold Color: Understanding 4-Color Process, Spot, and PMS Matching appeared first on Master Tape & Label Printers.

In these extraordinary times as we all face COVID-19 together, we’ve seen many companies and organizations step up and even shift production to provide critical resources to essential workers and others in need. KOVAL Distillery in Chicago shifted its production from whiskey, gin, and specialty spirits to alcohol-based sanitizers so crucial for frontline workers in such fields as medical, retirement and assisted living, police, fire and rescue, and more. KOVAL is working hard to provide bulk sanitizer free of charge to these organizations, and we had the opportunity to partner with them, donating labels for the hand sanitizer packaging.

We appreciate KOVAL’s initiative to step in and help meet a massive need and are grateful to be part of the effort to protect people and try to reduce the spread of the virus. We also appreciate KOVAL’s kind thank-you letter acknowledging our contribution.

KOVAL Distillery needs support from those who can contribute so that they can purchase the supplies needed to produce and distribute hand sanitizer free of charge. If you are able to support this initiative or would like to learn more, visit KOVAL’s GoFundMe page.

Image Credit: kristine.c.sherred / CC BY-SA

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A variety of industries use equipment and machinery that benefit from overlays:

• Medical
• Fitness
• Aerospace
• Appliances and consumer electronics
• Gaming
• Automotive
• Musical instruments and controllers

You can elevate your machinery’s usability with a great custom-printed electronic overlay that sets it apart in your industry.

Operating Instructions

The more knobs, buttons, and controls a machine has, the more complicated it can be to operate. Rather than expecting operators—and each successive operator in an industrial or multiuse setting—to memorize the functions and how to sequence them, labeling is critical. Individual labels aren’t practical (or attractive), but a single electronic overlay is efficient, consistent, and visually appealing. With a little more real estate than small individual labels, there is also opportunity to expand the provided instructional information to improve usability overall.

Safety Information

Another advantage of more printable space is keeping safety information right in front of the user as they operate the equipment. Whether it’s manufacturing machinery or a cardio machine at the gym, basic (and critical) safety alerts can never be overused. Providing them in print on the electronic overlay is a helpful supplement to full safety information provided in additional labeling and in user documentation.

Branding

Custom-printed electronic overlays also provide the opportunity to brand the equipment you manufacture. Logos, colors, typefaces, and more customized to your brand expand your recognition and reach, attract prospects, and maintain consistency across your product line.

Electronic overlays play a valuable role between machinery and operator. But they also give manufacturers opportunities to communicate vital, useful, and interesting information beyond the basic functionality of the equipment. With quality printing, effective and intriguing artwork, and efficient application, the electronic overlay becomes more than a mere label, but a tool and resource to engage with the capabilities of your products.

To get started with your electronic overlay production, give us a call or contact us!

The post Electronic Overlays Improve User Experience and Branding appeared first on Master Tape & Label Printers.

Your label choice will depend very much on where the labels will be used: short-term inventory barcoding, product labels (or re-labeling), industrial machinery with permanent stock information or operating instructions, etc.

To get started with your label project, give us a call or contact us!

The post Thermal vs. Digital Printing: Technology and Applications appeared first on Master Tape & Label Printers.

There are seasons—and surfaces—that call for a glue-free application of labels or signage, yet there’s no need to compromise on print quality. Static clings made of flexible vinyl are an excellent substrate for full-color (CMYK) or Pantone spot ink printing. So even though they’re designed for shorter term use, they don’t have to look like “cheap” or low quality. They’re also very versatile, and can be applied to any clean window or similar smooth surface.

Creative Uses for Static Cling Window Labels

You’ve probably seen clings here and there, but have you considered the many different ways they can be used to make a statement, promote your business or product, or show your membership pride? These are just a few ideas.

Short-Term Signage

Clings are a great quick-turnaround resource for new business and/or new locations. If you’ve just set up shop and need affordable, high-quality signage for your front windows, a cling has a lower entry cost than custom painting, and can meet your need for months (or even a few years, depending on light exposure and other atmospheric conditions). It’s also perfect for shops in transition (occupying short-term space before moving into permanent digs) or seasonal stores that pop up around the holidays or are open only during peak tourism in resort towns.

Time-Limited Decals

Since there is no adhesive residue to worry about, static clings can provide valuable information—for a limited time—and then are easily removed with no stress to the customer. The number of ways to use such a material are seemingly endless.

• Seasonal specials: highlight short-term deals, specials, or sales with easily-removed clings. Static cling labels are higher quality and more attractive than taping a piece of paper to a window, and better reflect your business and branding.
• Municipal parking: for communities or companies with parking fees, clings are a no-mess way to validate resident parking. Upon renewal, simply peel and replace with the current-year “sticker.”
• Civic memberships: let your members show pride in your organization by applying a static cling to their car window without the hassle of removal. Clings make it painless upon annual renewals or when changing cars. And if something does happen to the cling (damage, overexposure to the elements, etc.), it’s easy to replace.
• Business associations and accolades: clings are an attractive and economical way for business with storefronts, walk-in traffic, or (at least) windows to display their memberships (like local chambers, BBB, associations, etc.), awards, social media URLs, and other information in a small footprint. Clings make it easy to move the items around as information is added or removed, locations are changed, during building renovations, and any other time it’s necessary to make small adjustments or large-scale changes.

Removable and Reusable Graphics

Clearly part of the appeal of static clings is how easy they are to remove and reposition—over and over again. So in addition to short-term cling labels that are used and then removed upon expiration, reusable static cling window labels are a beautiful way to decorate (or provide information) seasonally.

• Holiday decorations
• Black Friday hours
• “Shop local” initiatives
• Civic events
• Taco Tuesday specials
• Any recurring event that differs from the regular schedule!

Static clings make it easy to break up (and then get back together) with your labels as needed. With high quality graphics and printing capabilities, these aren’t second-class citizens in the labeling industry, but a useful choice and resource for a variety of labeling and signage needs. Ready to get stuck on static cling window labels? Give us a call or contact us!

The post The Versatility of Static Cling Window Labels appeared first on Master Tape & Label Printers.

Organic Ingredients and Sourcing Challenges

Many mass-market food and personal care products use unchanging “recipes” and ingredients that are easy to source and keep profit margins high. But to meet the growing demand for organic food and other products, manufacturers have to source ingredients not strictly based on margins but on the makeup of the product. It’s not surprising that some of these ingredients can be harder to come by, or that supplies may be depleted as more and more organic producers enter the market and compete. So what is a manufacturer to do?

Substitute Ingredients

For every organic food item and personal care product, ingredients are selected for how they contribute to the end product, whether it’s a nutrient, texture, therapeutic effect, etc. So if an essential ingredient can’t be obtained before a production run, some manufacturers are able to choose another organic ingredient to take the place of the missing one. There may be a one-to-one substitute available, or a few new ingredients (and perhaps adjustments to others) may be required to produce an equivalent end product.

Modify the Recipe

Even if all the ingredients are available at production time, full quantities may be lacking. Or, because of the variances in natural products, qualities or “strengths” may differ. To produce the same result that customers expect, it may be necessary to adjust the recipe. For example, a stronger flavor means using less of an ingredient, or a weaker natural hue may require different percentages of organic colorings to maintain consistency.

Meeting Label Requirements—Every Time

All these changes from batch to batch, or production run to production run, mean the dream of finalizing one ingredient/nutrition facts label for the life of the product is out the window (along with extra stock of labels or printed packaging). With rules upheld by the FDA, USDA NOP, NSF, and other product regulation and organic certification bodies, organic producers can’t just be “close enough” and bring products to market that don’t match what’s on the label. Ingredients are required to appear in descending order from highest quantity to lowest (with some exceptions, such as active ingredients). So when ingredients or even their percentages change, it’s time for new labels.

Printing New Labels

Traditional label and packaging print runs are often driven by volume discounts as much as the actual supply need. “More” is usually “cheaper,” so it’s tempting to overbuy. But even if you do buy just what you need, it’s not the most economical choice for short runs.

Because of frequent changes, digital printing is a fast and economical solution. Digital printing allows for label changes variations by using variable data:

• Run labels together for multiple products
• Run labels together for different batches of the same product (even with different ingredients)
• Quickly modify digital data rather than more expensive graphics to update labels with ingredient changes on the fly
• Maintain an assortment of frequently-used variations that you can easily rotate between
• Print short runs more economically than with press printing

Preparing FDA-approved labels is a big enough project, but changing them frequently doesn’t have to be a headache for organics manufacturers. Talk to your label printer about digital printing as a solution for staying compliant and keeping your sanity!

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So how can you provide files that will ensure the best finished product?

Color

Software and file formats that work for printing use a different way to create color than software and file formats intended for screen display. Screen images are made up of RGB colors—all colors are created from varying amounts of red, green, and blue. But artwork intended for print uses a four color “process” system—CYMK—or spot colors. CMYK represents cyan (blue), magenta (pink), yellow, and black. CMYK inks are blended together to produce any colors in the artwork. Sometimes, though, art only uses 1, 2, or 3 solid colors, and then printers will use premixed “spot” inks in an array of colors from PANTONE®. For simple color schemes and vivid, non-mixed colors, Pantone® PMS spot colors look great and can save money (especially on traditional printing presses). The number of ink colors may have less impact on pricing for digital printing, but CMYK with spot specifications is still how prepress art should be prepared.

File Format

Professional-quality graphics software can accommodate both RGB and CYMK/spot color profiles (in addition to others). But many consumer desktop applications cannot be used to produce press-ready CMYK. Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and other document or presentation software can only output RGB files (even when exported to PDF), so choose software that can natively produce print-ready art. Generally, Adobe software (Illustrator, InDesign, PhotoShop) has been the professional and even amateur choice. There are a few more options on the market now (e.g., the free and open source GIMP or Inkscape for most platforms, Affinity Designer or Sketch on Mac, and much more), but for best compatibility, use industry-standard software or export to an industry standard format:

• Software
  • Adobe Illustrator (.ai)
  • InDesign (.indd)—best to package the file with its assets
  • PhotoShop (.psd)—retain layers
• File formats
  • Encapsulated PostScript (.eps)—preferred
  • Portable Document Format (.pdf)—preferred
  • Tagged Image File Format (.tiff)
  • Bitmap (.bmp)
  • JPEG (.jpg or .jpeg)

Image files like TIFF, BMP, or JPG can be saved as CMYK, so they are usable as long as the resolution is high enough (see below). Note that JPG format is compressed to reduce file size, which means there is loss of quality from its original format, so if there is an original version available, it is likely better for printing. Other popular file formats like PNG and GIF are designed for screen display and only available in RGB. They are not acceptable for print (without conversion).

Fonts

When a font is used to create text in a document or art file, it is displayed on your computer only if it’s installed on your computer. So when you send a file to the printer, the printer must also have that font, or you have to prepare your file differently so that it still is displayed correctly. Your options are:

• Send the fonts to the printer along with the art file. Your use of certain fonts may have license restrictions, so make sure you are permitted to share your font with your printing company.
• Convert the fonts to outlines. To guarantee proper display, convert all text to outlines within your software (like Illustrator, PhotoShop, etc.) so that it is now treated as a shape rather than a font. The appearance will then not change when the printer opens the file. However, the text can no longer be edited, so (1) make sure you save and hide a text layer before converting, and (2) you’ll have to make text changes yourself if required, and then resend the art to your printer.

Resolution

To print clearly, all art must be “high resolution” or it will appear blurry or pixelated. But what does that mean? Art that is made up of pixels is called raster art (digital photographs—JPG, PNG, TIFF, etc.—are raster), and should be exported for the printer at 300 ppi (pixels per inch). Art made up of shapes, like drawn art in Illustrator, can be vector art. Vector art is generated on the screen using math, so it can be scaled up very large or down very small, with no change in appearance or loss of quality. Some file types—AI, EPS, and SVG—keep this art in vector format, so resolution isn’t an issue. But if the file is converted to PDF, an image format, or also contains raster elements, 300 ppi is still the best resolution.

The Bottom Line

For best results, use professional print-ready file formats (AI, EPS, etc.) in CMYK format (including spot colors if used), outlining or providing fonts, and at 300ppi resolution or vector format. Always consult your printing provider to verify that your file meets their system requirements.

The post How Do I Make Press-Ready Label Art? appeared first on Master Tape & Label Printers.

You’ve probably shelled out a good amount of cash on signage and some local advertising, plus staff uniforms with your stylish logo. And maybe you’ve put in some time setting up a website and social media accounts. But what are your products “wearing”? If you’re sticking a generic price tag on your baked goods before sending them out the door, you’re missing a huge opportunity to support your bakery brand.

Branded Labels Say Your Bakery Is Credible

Just because your baked goods make people think they’re eating homemade, your labels don’t have to look like it. You may have only one location, but you’re a legitimate business, and your packaging and labels should support that message. Blank labels don’t do any work for you, and running a sheet of labels through an inkjet printer may even cause some buyers to question your legitimacy. Your labels should be durable (able to stand up to moisture), and feature legible text and crisp images.

Branded Labels Help Your Bakery Be Memorable

You draw first time visitors and out-of-town guests into your store by the yummy fragrance of baking bread and pastries. But you don’t want them to have to work hard to remember where they enjoyed those amazing baked goods. With custom labels featuring your name, logo, and location, the mystery is solved and customers that find you buy chance can become repeat buyers.

Branded Labels Tell Your Bakery’s Story

A well-crafted label can tell more than just the product name. It’s an opportunity to share a tagline, mission statement, or even a brief history if your chosen label size and format allows. The label is also the perfect place to list ingredients, nutrition facts, and any unique features that set your bakery apart from competitors. For many small businesses, nutrition facts are not required. But as consumers become better educated about their diets and food choices, providing nutrition information is helpful and desirable. FDA labeling requirements are complex, however, so choosing a knowledgeable and experienced bakery label printing partner is important.

Branded Labels Are Walking Advertisements

Pastries are a great gift, whether it’s pastries and bagels for the office, cupcakes or a sheet cake for celebrations, or even artisan bread to bring to dinner with friends. When your current customers and fans share your creations with others, they’ll take your labels too—advertising your bakery for you, and reaching new potential customers in the process. Without that branded label, morning croissants in the break room can be enjoyed only once, but with the label, satisfied tasters can come to your bakery to buy for themselves.

Make the most of your product labels so that they work for you, supporting your brand and the bakery products you’ve worked so hard to perfect. Questions? We’d love to help you explore your food labeling options, so give us a call at (773) 685-4100 or send us an email!

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