FAQ's

Yes we can, and we love doing it. Special effects, or Embellishments as they are known in the industry can include:

• Matt Varnishes
• Gloss Varnishes
• Soft touch coatings and laminates
• Foil blocking
• Holographic effects
• High build tactile coatings
• Embossing and Debossing
• Speciality inks and coatings

Where these embellishments really come to life is when we combine multiple effects in one label, for instance a wine label with metallic foil, a matt varnish, with high build glossy tactile varnish over certain areas will give the product a real high-end appearance and feel. Add in some embossing and a few fancy bits of artwork and you will have a prize-winning label on your hands. We use Hot and Cold foil processes depending on the application, and we use screens to print our high builds and tactile inks. We can also add Photochromic and Thermochromic inks that change colour under certain light or temperatures the label is exposed too. The possibilities are endless with our finishing lines.

Yes sure! We can easily add a perforation tear off cut line between your labels to make separating them simpler.

We can print on to virtually all commonly used substrates including but not limited to:

• Paper – General use, glossy paper, matt papers, wine papers, threaded papers.
• Synthetics – Polypropylene (PP), Polyesters (PET), Polyethylene (PE), Biaxially-Orientated Polypropylene (BOPP) and Vinyl (PVC).

Our friendly customer service team will be able to recommend the best substrates for your label dependent on a number of factors, such as application, exposure to elements, exposure to moisture, exposure to heat or ice, conformability etc.

Our label materials come with a wide range of adhesives, but are generally categorised in to Permanent, Removable, Ultra Removable, and even gummed stocks. Adhesives are generally either a hot-melt adhesive, or an acrylic adhesive. There are more specialised solvent-based adhesives available too for certain complex applications.

We will generally guide you if you are unsure of which adhesive to go for, and we will do this based on your application process, the surface they are being stuck on to, the need for repositioning etc. Also, the contents of your packaging can have a very important part in the selection of adhesives too, especially in the case of some cleaning products and chemical packaging.

Yes, we do. We supply a wide range of compatible direct thermal and thermal transfer labels for all of the popular thermal printers, including;

• Zebra​
• Toshiba
• Sato​
• Intermec

We also sell printer ribbons compatible with this list of printers and we are the WA agents for the Toshiba TEC range of printers, meaning we can supply you with spares for your printer, and onsite servicing if required. Looking to upgrade your thermal printers? Look no further, we have some great deals available on Toshiba printers that we’d love to discuss with you.

Yes certainly – Our digital machines make the printing of variable data, sequential numbers and barcodes a breeze.  We can produce sequentially numbered and serialised bar-coded labels to your exact specification and high volumes if required. We can sequentially number any number of labels, from 2 unique labels, to many millions.

Yes! We are able to supply labels in many different formats including;

• On rolls using 1”, 1.5” and 3” cores.
• Sheets
• Die cut single labels.
• Bound book form
• Clear wrapped packs
• Rolls packed in dispensers

The short answer is “Any bar-code you like” We are able to integrate your own algorithm for check characters if you wish or use standard known algorithms. We can supply a wide range of formats including but not limited to;

• Bar Code 2/5
• Bar Code 39
• Bar Code 9
• Bar Code 128
• Bookland
• Codabar
• EAN 8
• EAN 13
• ISBN
• ITF-14
• SCC-14
• GTIN
• SSCC-18
• UPC-A
• UPC-E
• 2D Data Matrix and QR Codes
• PDF 417

Roll directions, lead off, or unwind directions as they are also called are the industry standards which define the way the label will face as it comes off the roll. For hand applied labels this is generally less important, but for machine applied labels it is critical. Failing to get this correct could cause your label to be applied to the product upside down and will mean re-processing of the job, either to re-wind the labels correctly, or in some cases reprint the job. Generally, there are 4 industry recognised roll directions for labels wound on the outside of the roll as you look at them;

• 1 Head first (Head or top of the label comes off the reel first)
• 2 Foot First (Bottom of the label is the leading edge off the roll)
• 3 Right Hand Edge (The right hand side of the label leaves the roll first)
• 4 Left Hand Edge (The Left hand edge of the label leaves the roll first)

These 4 lead offs can be applied in the same way to labels wound on to the inside of the roll ie:

• 5 Inside Wound Head first (Head or top of the label comes off the reel first)
• 6 Inside Wound Foot First (Bottom of the label is the leading edge off the roll)
• 7 Inside Wound Right Hand Edge (The right hand side of the label leaves the roll first)
• 8 Inside Wound Left Hand Edge (The Left hand edge of the label leaves the roll first)

For hand application we generally provide labels head first or right hand edge first, unwinds 1 or 3. This is due to the large percentage of the population are right handed, and for a right handed person holding the roll in their left hand, this makes for the easiest removal and application. We will always ask you for a roll direction before manufacturing your labels. If you are not sure, we can generally help you determine which will work best for you.

A die cutter is a specially made laser and chemical etched sheet of metal with a raised profile to the shape of your label. This die then presses down on the paper as it travels through the printing press and cuts out the shape of your label.  We keep an extensive library of dies in stock and in some cases, we may have one that is to your desired size, or very close to. If not, we will need to buy in a new die for your label which takes approximately 1-2 days to manufacture. We have a very low charge for dies compared to other label manufacturers.

CMYK is an acronym for CYAN, YELLOW, MAGENTA and KEY(Black) When the Cyan, Yellow and Magenta “primaries” are combined at full strength, the resulting “secondary” mixtures are red, green, and blue. Mixing all three colours theoretically results in black, but rarely true black, which is why the additional K component is needed.

The Label Factory may use the CMYK profile when quoting certain jobs, especially those which are to be printed on our digital presses. Your artwork may specify PMS colours, but if printed digitally we can achieve these by using our CMYK press, with added Orange, Violet and other ‘Spot colours’ in the press, to extend the colour gamut and hit your Pantone Colour requirements.

PMS stands for Pantone Matching System ®. The PMS book is a swatch book of printed colours which we use to physically mix inks to match your desired shade. This is an internationally accepted method of colour control and reproduction, and your designer will be able to specify pantone colours in your artwork if you have corporate branding or other specific colour requirements.

As part of our quality system, our pantone books are replaced regularly and controlled to ensure colours remain consistent. Need help choosing a PMS colour? Contact our customer service team who will be happy to assist.

Our standard lead times are 10 business days from receipt of approval of artwork work or from date of order for repeat orders. Need something delivered quicker than that? Let us know – we will always strive to do something more quickly. If your label is a similar design to another job we have going through, we may be able to tag it on and despatch them in a very short turnaround.

We will be completely focussed on your needs from the moment you make first contact with The Label Factory.

• We discuss your requirements with you, and determine the best process to use to print your labels depending on design, volume required etc. Normally we ask you to supply us with any artwork or specifications that are relevant to the job at this stage too.
• Our sales team will work out the most efficient way of producing your labels and produce a quotation for you. At this stage we will commit to a delivery time that is acceptable to you subject to artwork approval.
• The Label Factory will provide you with a proof of your print job for you to approve. This generally is only required on first runs, and repeat orders are produced exactly as per the previous order. Manufacturing will not commence until the final artwork approval has been received by us. Our preferred method for this process is email.
• Once your artwork is approved, we will order plates (if required), along with any screens, foil blocks and dies if required, and manufacture your order to the highest possible standards. Your job will be inspected throughout the process and finally before despatch.
• If you are a new customer of the Label Factory, you may be asked to pay for your order prior to commencement of manufacturing. This is standard practice amongst most manufacturing businesses, however for returning regular customers we may be able to offer more flexible payment arrangements.

Here’s the good news – we don’t have one. We have equipment on site that can economically produce 100 labels, or 100,000,000 labels. Some labels may not be suitable for our ultra-short run labelling machines and setup will always factor in these cases, however we generally have a cost-effective solution to meet most needs, no matter how large or small

Yes we certainly do, in fact we supply labels to all states across Australia via our highly efficient freight networks. For smaller packages we can deliver next day to most metro cities around Australia. For palleted loads delivery times are usually 3 working days from despatch from our warehouse. We also deliver to rural areas all over Australia.

Our customers are located all over Australia including WA, SA, NSW, VIC, QLD, ACT, NT and Tasmania.

You will receive the same great service from The Label Factory no matter which state you reside in.