1. The application surface
The first factor shaping everything else is the surface the label will be placed on. Labelling cardboard is not the same as labelling a polyethylene part, a steel tube or a glass bottle. Each base material requires a different adhesive profile.
High surface-energy surfaces such as glass, stainless steel or cardboard accept most standard adhesives well. Low surface-energy plastics such as polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP), on the other hand, require a specific adhesive formulation: a conventional adhesive will not wet the surface properly, and the label will end up peeling or lifting at the edges.
Common surfaces and how they behave
- Steel, stainless steel, aluminium — High energy. Standard permanent or ultra-removable adhesive, as needed. Watch out for painted or lacquered surfaces: surface energy can drop considerably depending on the finish.
- Glass — Very high energy. Compatible with almost any adhesive. The challenge is usually condensation and moisture, not initial adhesion.
- Cardboard and paper — Porous, absorbent surface. Moisture degrades adhesion if the adhesive isn't formulated for it.
- Untreated PE and PP — Low surface energy. Require an aggressive low-energy adhesive or a natural rubber adhesive. Always request an adhesion test before confirming.
- Powder-coated surfaces — Surface energy varies with the paint formulation and can be problematic with standard adhesives. We always recommend an adhesion test under real conditions of use before confirming the material.
- Curved or irregular surfaces — The face material must have enough conformability. Rigid polyester can lift at the edges on small curves; soft PP or conformable polyethylene are better options.
A quick field test: place a drop of water on the surface. If it forms a spherical bead and slides off, surface energy is low and you'll need a specific adhesive. If it spreads flat, standard adhesion usually works well. Either way, always request an adhesion test under real conditions before production.
2. The environment of use
A label can adhere perfectly on day one and fail within three months if the environment degrades it. Temperature, moisture, UV exposure and chemicals are the four most common failure vectors in industrial labelling.
Assess both continuous-use conditions and one-off peaks: a label in a curing oven may withstand 200 °C for 30 minutes but fail if exposed to that temperature continuously. And the reverse applies too: a deep-freeze label must withstand -40 °C without the adhesive losing its bond or the face material becoming brittle.
If the application combines several adverse factors (for example, outdoor + chemicals + heat), the most restrictive variable always prevails when choosing the face material, and a special construction with a protective overlaminate may be required.
3. The printing method
The material must be compatible with the printing technology available at your facility, or with the process that will be used to produce the label. Pairing the wrong face material with the wrong printing technology produces poor results: ink that doesn't adhere, an image that fades, illegible codes, or damaged printheads.
If you print with TT at your own facility, always confirm which ribbon you use: the right face material depends on whether it's wax, wax-resin or resin.
4. The durability required
The label's expected service life should match the cost of the material. There's no point using high-resistance polyester for a dispatch label that gets removed at the destination warehouse, or using direct thermal for a fixed-asset identification plate.
- Very short duration (hours to days) — Direct thermal. The most economical option for single-use labels: dispatch, delivery notes, process traceability. The image fades with heat, light or abrasion.
- Short duration (weeks) — Coated paper with thermal transfer. More abrasion-resistant than DT; suitable when the label must last several days or weeks in process or transit.
- Medium duration (several months, indoor) — Polypropylene. Resistant to handling, moderate moisture and surface abrasion. Good value for most indoor industrial environments.
- Long duration (years, outdoor, aggressive environment) — Outdoor or reinforced polyester. The unit cost is higher, but the service life justifies the investment when a label failure carries a traceability or safety cost.
Also consider whether the label must remain legible at the end of its service life: a fixed-asset identification label must still be scannable after years of exposure. In those cases, a protective overlaminate or resin printing adds years of legibility to any base face material.
See the material data sheet
Once you've identified your conditions, each data sheet includes technical specifications, temperature ranges, available adhesives and how to request a sample.