Labels are printed materials used to display product-related information. Some have adhesive on the back, while others do not. Labels with adhesive are called "self-adhesive labels."

Self-adhesive labels are a type of material, also known as self-adhesive stock. They are composite materials consisting of a face stock (paper, film, or other specialty materials), coated with adhesive on the back, and a silicone-coated release paper as the backing liner. "Self-adhesive" is the general term for materials with these properties.

As a packaging form that achieves both aesthetic appeal and specific functionality, self-adhesive labels can be flexibly applied across various industries. Currently, labels have excellent applications in industries including pharmaceuticals, supermarket logistics, electronics, lubricants, tires, daily chemicals, food, and apparel!

Self-adhesive labels are broadly categorized into two types: paper-based self-adhesive labels and film-based self-adhesive labels.

Paper-based self-adhesive labels are primarily used for liquid detergents and mass-market personal care products. Film-based materials are mainly used for mid-to-high-end daily chemical products. Currently, mass-market personal care products and household liquid detergents hold a significant market share, so correspondingly more paper materials are used.

Film-based self-adhesive labels commonly use PE, PP, PVC, and other synthetic materials. Film materials mainly come in three types: white, matte, and transparent. Since the printability of film materials is generally not optimal, they are often subjected to a corona treatment or have a coating applied to their surface to enhance printability.

Structure of Self-Adhesive Labels

Typically, we refer to the structure of a self-adhesive label as a "sandwich" structure: face stock, adhesive, and liner (release paper). These three layers form the basic structure, visible to the naked eye.

In reality, many materials may have more detailed layers. For example, some film face stocks have a surface coating to facilitate printing. There might also be a coating between the material and the adhesive to ensure full bonding, and so on.

Production of Self-Adhesive Labels

Simply put, the manufacturing process of self-adhesive label stock is completed through two main steps: coating and laminating. There are typically two types of equipment used: split-type and tandem-type. Different equipment is chosen based on the specific product or production volume requirements.