When deciding on a label face stock you will need to consider:
- budget: balance between price & performance.
- final appearance: glossy, matt, textured or metallic look.
- printability: will it work through a printer.
- end use: what it is applied to plus any temperature exposure.
Face Stocks come in many variations of 2 main types: Paper or Synthetic
1) Paper Based Face Stocks
- Made of material converted from wood to paper.
- Suitable for most dry environments.
- Very popular for fast moving items required for short term use.
- Are highly versatile, economic and achieve outstanding print results.
2) Synthetic (or Filmic) Face Stocks
- Plastic or filmic in construction (won’t tear in both directions).
- Used where durability is required (moisture, chemical or temperature).
- Popular with bottles being recycled.
- 3 main types of synthetic material:
PE: Polyethylene (where squeezability is required)
PP: Polypropylene (durable and available in clear)
PET: Polyester (used for resistance to water, oil or chemicals)