Polymer Fusion Labeling vs Adhesive Labels

Labeling is a very important part of business, and labels can help with everything from marketing products to informing customers about ingredients, contents, health risks, and more.

And when it comes to making labels and applying them to products and packaging manufactured from polyolefin thermoplastics, different methods may be used, including polymer fusion labeling, adhesive and permanent labeling. In this guide, we’ll compare adhesive labels with polymer labeling techniques.

What Is an Adhesive Label?

Let’s begin with a look at adhesive labels. What exactly do we mean when we talk about adhesive labels? Well, as the name implies, these kinds of labels, which can be known under other names like sticky labels or self-adhesive labels, typically consist of a small piece of self-adhesive paper with an adhesive on one side.

How Do Self-Adhesive Labels Work?

The way in which self-adhesive labels work is simple. Companies can produce and print adhesive labels in large quantities, and when the labels are ready to be attached to an object, they can simply be stuck onto the item in question. The label adhesive on the back of the self-adhesive paper helps to hold the label in place.

What Are the Types of Self-Adhesive Labels?

When it comes to adhesive shipping labels or code labels, there are three main categories to be aware of:

• Permanent – Permanent adhesive labels have a strong label adhesive on the back which means they form a permanent bond to the high surface energy surfaces they attach to such as metals, glass, and composites. This makes them very difficult to remove, and a lot of companies opt to print adhesive labels that are permanent due to their high levels of strength.
• Removable – Removable product labels are effectively the opposite of permanent adhesive labels. They have a weaker adhesive on the back, which means they’re relatively simple to remove when needed. This can be helpful for products that have decorative purposes or other uses that are best served by a removable label.
• Repositionable – As the name suggests, a repositionable label is one that can be moved around or repositioned on the surface or item that it is adhered to. It may not be possible to fully remove and replace it as desired, but the label’s adhesive is of the right strong to allow for it to be moved.

The main way in which these three types of adhesive labels differ is simply in the type of adhesive applied to them. Some adhesives are much stronger than others, which is how it’s possible to have tough, permanent blank labels, as well as flexible, pressure-sensitive labels by making use of different adhesives.

What Is the Benefit of an Adhesive Label?

There are many advantages to opting for adhesive custom-printed labels. Firstly, these labels are really cheap and cost-effective to make. This makes them a good choice for companies, businesses, or even individuals with limited budgets.

In addition, it’s very simple to produce adhesive labels, and it’s even possible to make them with a simple laser designer application and a laser inkjet printer. Plus, there are several options available, including permanent, removable, and repositionable labels.

Adhesive-based labeling works with materials with high surface energy like metal and glass but where these labels run into issues is when they are adhered to low surface energy surfaces, such as polyolefin thermoplastics, and then exposed to harsh environments, chemicals, and conditions.

What Is Polymer Fusion Labeling?

Polymer fusion labeling is a modern and revolutionary form of labeling designed specifically for 100% compatibility with polyolefin thermoplastic products and the harsh environments, chemicals, and conditions they experience in the field.

Instead of using multiple construction layers of adhesives, basic inks, or unreliable coatings, this method involves top-quality pigments and additives that are blended together with the aid of polymer fusion technology, creating a kind of custom polymer ink that can fuse permanently with various polyolefin thermoplastic surfaces. In other words, this type of labeling produces truly permanent, detailed, high-quality labels that can stand the test of time and withstand various conditions.

How Does it Work?

The technology and science behind polymer fusion label technology are quite complex, but here’s how it works in simple terms: first, raw, high-quality pigments are selected and then combined with patented IP materials.

This results in a printable polymer “ink” that can fuse permanently onto polyolefin plastics. The inks are printed directly onto a PET carrier film, for example, which is then transferred and fused to various items and products.

What Is the Benefit of Polymer Fusion Labeling?

There are many benefits associated with polymer fusion labeling. For starters, one of the best things about this process is the fact that it’s highly versatile and compatible with virtually any kind of polyolefin thermoplastic.

This includes PE, PP, EVA, TPV, TPO, TPE, and more. In addition, polymer fusion labels are exceptionally durable, boasting greater levels of strength and resistance when compared to classic adhesive labels. Polymer fusion labels are also 100% recyclable with the products they adorn, making this process more sustainable than other labeling methods.

Why Choose Polymer Fusion Labeling?

Overall, for polyolefin thermoplastic products that require the most robust label available polymer fusion is the answer. It’s the most durable option, as well as being more versatile and truly permanent, unlike many other labeling methods which claim to be permanent but fail to stand up to the test of time.

If you’re looking for long-lasting, hard-wearing, attractive, cost-effective labels, polymer fusion is the very best option.

Summing Up: Polymer Fusion vs Adhesive Labeling

As you can see, both polymer fusion labeling and adhesive labeling are viable labeling methods with their own unique features and advantages. When it comes to comparing the two, there’s a clear winner. Polymer fusion is the most efficient, cost-effective, and long-lasting method of the too, producing better quality labels that can last for years of use.

If you’re interested in polymer fusion labeling for your next project, contact our experts to learn more.