Adhesive Labels Key Terms

Peel through the many types of adhesive labels and understand the relevant key terms
By Deneatra Harmon Adhesive labels are significant products for industrial and promotional materials, as well as having applications for food, beverage and other consumer packaging. Recognizing adhesive labels key terms helps you gain additional information about these glue-based items beyond just colors, sizes and shapes. Terminology related to adhesive labels indicates features and specifications such as backing material type, substrate compatibility, temperature controls and heating and melting processes. Choices of adhesive labels also include permanent, removable and repositionable. To ensure the proper backing and labeling of your products, stick with some common adhesive labels key terms.
 

Tack

The term tack refers to the measure of an adhesive label's attraction to glass, wood and other substrates or surfaces. Tack also pertains to the amount of force needed to remove or reposition an adhesive label from a surface.
Try: Bostik offers descriptions, applications and other information regarding the tack of adhesive labels.

Acrylic-based

Made from polymers, acrylic-based adhesive labels stick to corrugated packaging, metal, glass and plastic. Some acrylic adhesive labels work well in cold and sub-freezing temperature applications.
Try: Discover the characteristics of acrylic-based adhesives at Tekra. Information on features and specifications can also be found at Omnexus 4 Adhesives.

Rubber-based

Rubber-based refers to a type of label with an adhesive that is fabricated from synthetic or natural rubbers. These types of adhesive labels apply to metal, wood, glass or plastic.
Try: Weber Marking Systems features information about rubber-based adhesive labels and other labeling systems. Diagraph Label Group includes detailed descriptions of rubber-based adhesive labels.

Hot melt

Hot melt adhesives are another type of rubber-based adhesive. Manufacturers apply these adhesives to their backings or surfaces at high temperatures.
Try: Learn more about the origins of hot melt adhesives and labels at Gluefast. Chemsultants International also explains the specifications of hot melt adhesives.

Pressure-sensitive

Many adhesive labels are pressure-sensitive, which means you must apply pressure in order for the label to stick to surfaces.
Try: Rayven features articles on pressure-sensitive adhesive labels and applications. Color Craft Label Company also explains the characteristics of pressure-sensitive labels.

RFID Smart Label encoding systems

Radio frequency identification (RFID) label systems encode data onto tags, adhesive labels and other types of labels. Information is then captured by a reader, which is similar to bar coding.
Try: Zebra Technologies reports on the basics of RFID Smart Label systems. Datamax also displays general information about RFID printers.