The label material is chosen by the conditions it will face during its whole life: from application until the consumer discards the package or the asset is retired. A cheap paper that peels in the refrigerator costs more than the right synthetic. This guide walks through the six conditions we ask about in the quoting tool and which material answers each one.
The six conditions of use
- Dry: indoors, no moisture and no contact with liquids. Boxes, print collateral, dry-shelf products.
- Moisture: refrigeration, condensation, ice bucket, bathroom or kitchen.
- Freezing: application or service below 0 °C.
- Outdoor: weather, sunlight, rain.
- Chemicals: contact with the packaged product or with solvents and cleaners.
- High temperature: heat processes, autoclave, motors and equipment that heats up.
Add one geometric condition: curved or flexible surfaces, where the material must conform without lifting.
Papers
Gloss coated paper
80 g/m² coated stock for color printing in flexo and digital. For dry environments only; with lamination or varnish it resists rubbing. It is the material of product labels on the dry shelf: honey, coffee, preserves that are not refrigerated, boxes.
Matte coated paper
A glare-free surface suitable for writing and for printing variable data by thermal transfer or laser. Inventory labels, shipping boxes and products with lot and date printed on the packaging line.
Direct thermal paper
Carries the heat-sensitive coating for ribbon-less printers. Short-life identification: logistics, weighing and expiry. It does not withstand heat, direct light or solvents.
Kraft paper
Natural uncoated stock for artisanal products and packaging. Accepts one or two spot colors and process color; also for dry use only.
Synthetics
White, clear and metallized BOPP
60 µ biaxially oriented polypropylene. Resists water, refrigeration, freezing, mild chemicals and rubbing, and conforms to cylindrical containers and squeezable bottles. Main use: food, beverages and cleaning. Clear BOPP gives the no-label look on glass and PET, with white backing ink; silver metallized BOPP keeps the shine where there is no ink. Not for prolonged outdoor exposure or high temperature.
White polyethylene
85 µ film, the most flexible of all: for squeezable containers (shampoo, cleaners, sauces in squeeze bottles) because it recovers its shape without wrinkling. Resists moisture, freezing and household chemicals.
White, clear and metallized polyester
50 µ PET for long-life labels: outdoor exposure, chemicals, abrasion and service temperatures up to 150 °C. Equipment identification, industrial chemicals, fixed assets and data plates. Clear polyester works as a printed overlaminate and window; metallized, for serial numbers and plates. It does not conform to tightly curved surfaces.
White vinyl
80 µ flexible PVC for outdoor use, irregular surfaces and container marking. Resists weather and moisture; with lamination, chemicals too.
Quick table
| Condition | Suitable materials | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Dry | All | — |
| Moisture | BOPP, polyethylene, polyester, vinyl | Unlaminated papers |
| Freezing | BOPP, polyethylene, white or clear polyester (with freezer-grade adhesive) | Paper, metallized BOPP, vinyl |
| Outdoor | Polyester, vinyl | Paper, BOPP, polyethylene |
| Chemicals | BOPP, polyethylene, polyester, laminated vinyl | Paper |
| High temperature | Polyester | Everything else |
| Curves and squeezable containers | Polyethylene, BOPP, vinyl | Polyester, thick paper |
| Pharmaceutical (lot and expiry as variable data) | Matte coated paper, white BOPP; VOID or destructible stock for seals | Direct thermal (the print fades) |
Selection criteria
- Mark every condition the label will see during its life, including occasional ones. A preserve that is refrigerated after opening needs moisture resistance even if it is sold dry.
- Among the label stocks that meet all of them, choose the lowest-cost one. The materials matrix on the site filters by condition and the quoting tool warns when a material does not meet what you marked.
- Add a finish if there is rubbing: gloss or matte lamination protects the print on any material; UV varnish is enough for light rubbing in dry use.
The material decides half of how the label behaves; the other half is the adhesive, chosen by surface and temperature. That decision has its own guide.
