It doesn’t matter whether you’re selling craft beer, fruit juice or kombucha; every beverage needs a durable label that’s designed to withstand cold and damp conditions.
If your label is easy to tear, or peels away from the bottle, it can suggest that your product is ‘cheap and nasty’, reflecting poorly on your brand. The same applies if the ink begins to run or smudge, rubbing off on the hands and clothing of your customers. It all contributes toward a negative experience that will influence how consumers perceive your brand.
Because an inappropriate label could lead customers to avoid purchasing your product again in the future, it’s important to design and print a high-quality label for your product. To ensure you get the best results for your beverage’s label, here’s what you need to take into consideration.
Choose the Right Printing Stock
When you start to design your label, it’s a good idea to get in contact with your printing company to discuss what type of material will be most suitable to use.
As bottled drinks will be directly handled by the customer as they consume your product, you will need to use a printing stock that will resist the friction from their grip.
While paper-based stocks will be far too flimsy for your application, plastic or polypropylene stocks such as BOPP (Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene Film) will be up to the task. Robust and flexible, BOPP can be used on curved surfaces without wrinkling or cracking.
Waterproof Your Beverage Label
For products that need to be chilled before serving or refrigerated after opening, you will need a label that will remain intact when exposed to condensation.
As there is a chance your beverage could leak or that the contents could be spilled, the label also needs to be impervious to the properties of your product.
You can combat these issues by waterproofing your beverage label with a laminate or varnish coating.
Lamination involves applying a matte or gloss plastic film to the surface of your label to prevent moisture from seeping into the printing stock. It will also increase the thickness and strength of your label.
If you are using machinery to bulk label your bottles, it may be better to use a varnish coating. As it will not impact the properties of your label, varnish will also allow it to retain its flexibility.
Use a Suitable Adhesive
When selecting an adhesive, you first need to consider your product packaging and whether it’s made from glass, plastic, liquid paperboard or another material.
Different adhesives are designed to grip different surfaces and you need to use one that’s going to work well with your bottle or container.
There are permanent, semi-permanent and freezer adhesives that may be appropriate for your use.
While permanent adhesives immediately bond to the surface, semi-permanent or repositionable adhesives have a little more leeway, enabling you to move and adjust the label before it cements in place.
As the name suggests, freezer adhesives are ideal to use if your product is likely to be frozen and exposed to extremely cold temperatures.
It’s also important to select a non-toxic adhesive given that it will be applied to product that is fit for consumption.
Get Expert Label Printing Advice
If you’re looking to partner with a label printing company that can help you find the most effective solution for your product, get in touch with The Label Factory.
Our friendly team of experts can guide you every step of the way to ensure you achieve an excellent outcome. Contact us today.
