Waterproof labels many times are an essential must-have in today’s world. They help us label items that are used outdoors and thus exposed to the elements or even indoors in spaces that are usually associated with water and other liquids. This includes bathrooms and kitchens among many other places. If you are about to make some waterproof labels, here is what you must keep in mind as you go about making them.
Ensure that You Use the Right Kind of Printer
Not all labelprinters are ideal for printing waterproof labels. Using an ink based printer for example to print your waterproof labels would be a bad idea as most ink-based printers use ink that is water based and therefore quickly smudges when it comes into contact with water. The best printers to use to print waterproof labels are laser printers. The reason for this is that the printers make use of dry printing to bond the toners to paper by use of pressure exertion and heat and hence making the impressions created waterproof.
If you have no other option other than ink-based printers, ensure that you use ink that is waterproof or apply a secondary clear label over your first label to protect it from moisture. Needless to say these two options will be slightly more expensive that just printing straight from a laser printer. There are also special labels that can be printed from inkjet printers, which save you the trouble and costs associated with the last two options.
Ensure that You are Using the Correct Materials
If you are going to create waterproof labels, it is important to ensure that all the components of the label are waterproof. What this means is that the face material of the label, the adhesive and the ink used to print must all be waterproof. Having one of the components not being water proof creates a chink in your amour that will ruin the end result of your labeling process. Fortunately, most suppliers will have water proof labels so you don’t have to worry about the adhesive or the face material.
These Labels are not Indestructible
There is a natural tendency to assume that because a label is waterproof, it must also be able to survive anything else that it might be bare to. A good example is waterproof labels that are applied to an item that is frequently put in a cleaning machine like a dishwasher. While the label will be fine in the water, the other items used in the dishwasher (such as cleaning agents) will eventually destroy the label.
It is important to understand that while waterproof labels can survive water and generally tend to be tough and durable, they are not indestructible and materials such as cleaning agents, oils and other substances can eventually cause damage to the labels. The best way to safeguard against this is to test the labels with the elements that they will constantly be exposed to in order to get an idea of what they can withstand and what they cannot withstand.
As you can see, there are important things to consider when setting out to create waterproof labels. Following these tips as well as ensuring you are getting high quality waterproof labels from a reputable supplier will assure you of durability and long service lifespan of your waterproof labels.
