When it comes to product labeling, far too many businesses seem to make the same mistake over and over again. They start with a design for the label and work their way back to the product when they should be starting with the specifics of the product and working their way forward to the label. It’s a small distinction, but an important one, and it’s especially critical when it comes to special types of materials like waterproof labels.
Not all products will necessarily require waterproof labels, but those that do will quickly come to depend on it. But this is about more than just designing labels that can withstand moisture or liquid. It’s about understanding how and where your product will be used and making decisions to help support that and, by extension, your customers.
But at the same time, not all waterproof labels are created equally. If you truly want to make sure that you’re picking the right materials to fit your needs, you’ll want to pay attention to a few core qualities in particular.
Why Waterproof Labels Matter
Most people think that waterproof labels are only a necessity if a product is going to be used or stored outdoors. After all, you don’t want your customer to get caught in a sudden rainstorm, only to lose all of the valuable information contained on the label itself. While this is certainly true, the applications for this type of material are also far broader than that as well.
Case in point: food and drink labels. If one of your products is a liquid like a soft drink or particular style of beer, the bottle itself is naturally going to experience often significant temperature variations on a regular basis. It’ll probably be shipped warm, but it will soon be stored in a refrigerator. That customer will take the product out of their refrigerator at some point, which will almost certainly cause it to “sweat.” Without waterproof labels, the label itself will begin to bubble and tear almost immediately – and it probably won’t survive very long after that, either.
If your materials have been properly waterproofed, on the other hand, this is something you don’t have to worry about. Regardless of the environment your customer uses that product in, your label will be intact and you’ll still be able to create the rich experience and put forward the professional presentation that they (and you) are looking for.
Choosing Your Waterproof Labels
When it comes to choosing the right waterproof labels to fit your needs, there are a few important decisions you’ll have to make. The first comes down to the type of adhesive material used, which will help prevent the labels from peeling or tearing away in wet or moist environments. For the best results, you should use either a high-tack or permanent adhesive.
Likewise, you’ll also need to think about an external protective coating. This is particularly important in the case of something like body wash, which is always designed to be used in one of the wettest environments there is – your shower. To make sure your labels remain protected, always try to use some type of high-quality polyester or vinyl material with a durable protective coating. That way, your labels will not only be able to stand the test of time, but they’ll be able to do so in a way that allows them to remain fixed to the product in question.
If you’d like to find out more information about why waterproof labels are so important, or if you’d just like to discuss your own labeling needs with someone in a bit more detail, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Unique Printing & Labels today.