Materials
A pressure-sensitive label consists of four layers: print coating, facestock, adhesive and liner. Get any one of them wrong and it will show up at some temperature, in some solvent, or after some labelling run.
Take a label apart into four layers
The print coating determines whether it prints clearly: a thermal transfer coating must grip the resin ribbon, a direct thermal coating must control its colour-forming temperature, and laser and inkjet coatings must accept toner or ink droplets.
The facestock determines stiffness and durability: coated paper is inexpensive, smooth and suited to routine barcodes; PP synthetic paper resists water and tearing; PET polyester resists temperature and solvents; PI polyimide survives reflow soldering; aluminium base and composite facestocks are used for nameplates and heavy-duty applications.
The adhesive determines how long it stays stuck: permanent acrylic is the most general-purpose, rubber-based offers high initial tack but limited temperature resistance, low-temperature adhesive must not lift after returning from -196 °C, high-temperature silicone is used on PI and metal surfaces, and removable adhesive is for returnable containers and temporary marking.
The liner determines how smoothly it runs: glassine, heavy white liner, PET release film and pattern-coated structures directly affect die-cutting waste removal, peel adhesion and printer feed.
A note on part numbers: the T629, T401 and similar codes on this site are material codes that describe a material construction; numbers prefixed TH or LAB are blank-label numbers that describe a finished label. They serve different purposes and should not be mixed.
- FacestockCoated paper / PP synthetic / PET / PI / PVC / nylon cloth / aluminium base / compositeEight facestock families, selected by surface and service conditions
- Temperature-196 °C to 320 °CFrom low-temperature adhesive to polyimide, covering cryogenic and reflow soldering
- PrintingThermal transfer / direct thermal / laser / inkjet & eco-solventFour coating systems with matching consumables
- FunctionFlame retardant / halogen-free / anti-static / tamper-evident / reflective / metallizedCustomized to industry standards
Four layers, each of them adjustable
Facestock
Coated paper, PP synthetic paper, PET polyester, PI polyimide, PVC vinyl, nylon cloth, aluminium base and composite facestock; thickness from 1 mil to 20 mil.
Adhesive / bonding
Permanent acrylic, rubber-based, low-temperature acrylic, removable and high-temperature silicone; the adhesive is selected to the surface energy of the substrate.
Coating / printing
Four coating types — thermal transfer, direct thermal, laser and inkjet / eco-solvent — matched to different facestocks and printing processes.
Function / compliance
Flame retardant, halogen-free low smoke, anti-static, tamper-evident, reflective and photoluminescent, metallized and chemical resistant, backed by UL, ROHS and HF reports.
Facestock selection matrix
The same facestock behaves very differently at different thicknesses, coatings and adhesives. The table gives the common range and typical applications for each family; the TDS governs the specific product.
| Facestock | Common thickness | Print methods | Typical temperature range | Typical applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coated paper | 50#–100# | Thermal transfer / direct thermal / laser / inkjet | -40 °C to 50 °C | Logistics, warehousing, retail, routine barcodes |
| PP synthetic paper | 2–3.8 mil | Thermal transfer / direct thermal / inkjet | -70 °C to 150 °C | Durable labels, chemicals, outdoor and damp environments |
| PET polyester | 1–4.3 mil | Thermal transfer / laser / inkjet / eco-solvent | -70 °C to 210 °C | Electronics, assets, weather and solvent resistant identification |
| PI polyimide | 1–4.3 mil | Thermal transfer | -70 °C to 320 °C | PCB reflow soldering, cables, engine bays |
| PVC / vinyl | 2–20 mil | Thermal transfer / eco-solvent | -40 °C to 176 °C | Cables, pipes, equipment and pipe colour coding |
| Nylon cloth | from 3.5 mil | Thermal transfer | -40 °C to 145 °C | LN2 labels, cables, aerospace and industrial durable identification |
| Aluminium base / metallized | 2–4.3 mil | Thermal transfer / laser marking | -70 °C to 300 °C | Equipment nameplates, power, heavy-duty and weather-exposed applications |
| Composite / TPU / PVF | By construction | Thermal transfer / eco-solvent | -40 °C to 160 °C | Tyres, curved surfaces, outdoor and special structural parts |
Temperature ranges are typical production values and do not represent every product; when selecting, take the actual labelling surface, cleaning agents and service life into account.
Adhesive system comparison
| Adhesive type | Initial tack / shear holding | Common temperature | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent acrylic | Medium initial tack / high shear holding | -40 °C to 150 °C | General industrial, electronics, assets and cables |
| Rubber-based | High initial tack / medium shear holding | -40 °C to 70 °C | Paper labels, logistics and low-cost applications |
| Low-temperature acrylic | Stays flexible at low temperature | -196 °C to 80 °C | Liquid nitrogen, ultra-low freezers and freeze-thaw cycling |
| Removable acrylic | Clean removal, no residue | -20 °C to 80 °C | Returnable containers, temporary marking and showrooms |
| High-temperature silicone | No charring at high temperature | 150 °C to 320 °C | PI, aluminium base and reflow fixtures |
Changing the adhesive on the same facestock can alter service life several times over; for low- and high-temperature applications we recommend validating a full batch.
Two numbering systems: material codes and blank-label numbers
BRD uses two kinds of numbers that are often confused: a material code describes what the roll of material is; a blank-label number describes a finished blank label. The product pages on this site document material codes.
Material code
Defined by eight parameters: print method, facestock, thickness, coating, adhesive, special function, liner and colour. For example T101 (thermal transfer coated paper, 50#, gloss), T401 (thermal transfer PET, 3 mil, gloss) and T629 (nylon cloth for liquid nitrogen).
Blank-label number
The part number of a finished blank label, prefixed TH, LAB and so on, followed by the label serial, material number and size. For example Lab084-629 is a 30 × 15 mm blank label made from material 629.
How to use them
Choose a material by its material code (product pages on this site); order blank labels by their blank-label number (quotation and stock sheets). Do not mix the two — either one is enough when you send an enquiry.
Example: T629 is a material code (nylon cloth / liquid nitrogen / thermal transfer); Lab084-629 is a blank-label number (label serial 084, material 629, size 30 × 15 mm). Cable marking has its own T7 range (T701–T721).
Not sure which material to use?
Tell us the substrate, service temperature, print method and service life, and a materials engineer will propose a combination, with free samples and print validation.