In an era marked by growing environmental awareness and sustainability concerns, businesses are increasingly turning to eco-friendly solutions to minimize their carbon footprint and contribute to a greener future. Thermal labels offer a significant opportunity for brands to make a positive impact by opting for sustainable materials. Let’s delve into the environmental benefits of using sustainable label materials and discover how Labels Zoo is leading the way with its eco-friendly options.
Reducing Environmental Impact: A Commitment to Sustainability
Labels Zoo recognises the importance of environmental stewardship and is committed to minimising its environmental footprint using sustainable label materials. By choosing eco-friendly options such as recycled paper, biodegradable adhesives, and compostable films, brands can significantly reduce their contribution to landfill waste and resource depletion, paving the way for a more sustainable future.
Lowering Carbon Emissions: Eco-Friendly Production Processes
In addition to using sustainable materials, Labels Zoo employs eco-friendly production processes to further minimise its environmental impact. From energy-efficient manufacturing facilities to optimised supply chain logistics, every aspect of Labels Zoo’s operations is geared towards reducing carbon emissions and conserving natural resources. By prioritising sustainability throughout the production process, Labels Zoo ensures that its eco-friendly labels not only benefit the environment but also meet the highest standards of quality and performance.
Promoting Circular Economy: Closing the Loop on Waste
Labels Zoo’s eco-friendly materials are designed to support the principles of a circular economy, where resources are reused, recycled, and regenerated to minimize waste and maximise value. By choosing labels made from recyclable or biodegradable materials, brands can contribute to the circular economy by ensuring that their packaging materials can be safely and responsibly disposed of at the end of their lifecycle. This closed-loop approach not only reduces environmental pollution but also conserves valuable resources for future generations.
Consumer Demand for Sustainable Solutions: Meeting Market Expectations
As consumers become increasingly eco-conscious, there is a growing demand for sustainable products and packaging solutions. Brands that prioritise sustainability and offer eco-friendly options are better positioned to attract environmentally conscious consumers and build brand loyalty. Labels Zoo’s commitment to sustainability not only aligns with consumer values but also provides brands with a competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving market.
In conclusion, the environmental benefits of using sustainable label materials are undeniable. By choosing Labels Zoo’s eco-friendly options, brands can reduce their environmental impact, lower carbon emissions, promote a circular economy, and meet consumer expectations for sustainable solutions.
If you’re aiming to streamline your e-commerce operations and boost efficiency, look no further than Labels Zoo. Our high-quality label solutions, including sustainable options, are tailored to meet your needs. Contact us today to take your e-commerce venture to the next level. To see more of the Integrity Communications Group, see here.
In today’s fast-paced retail environment, efficiency and compatibility are paramount. Retailers rely on seamless integration between their point-of-sale (POS) systems and labelling solutions to ensure smooth operations and accurate transactions. At Labels Zoo, we understand the importance of retailer compatibility, which is why our label solutions are designed to work seamlessly with a wide range of POS systems.
Whether you’re a small boutique or a large-scale retailer, Labels Zoo offers label solutions that are compatible with popular POS systems, ensuring hassle-free implementation and operation. Our integrated labels, sheet labels, roll labels, and A4 printer labels are all engineered to meet the specific requirements of various POS setups, allowing for easy printing and application in any retail environment like Amazon, Royal Mail, PayPal, and more.
What are the Benefits of Retailer Compatibility?
One of the key advantages of Labels Zoo’s label solutions is their versatility. Our labels are compatible with both thermal and inkjet printers, offering flexibility to retailers with different printing setups. This compatibility ensures that retailers can choose the printing method that best suits their needs without sacrificing label quality or performance.
Furthermore, Labels Zoo’s labels are designed to meet industry standards for barcode printing and scanning. Whether you’re printing barcodes for inventory management or customer transactions, our labels deliver crisp, clear barcodes that are easily scanned by POS systems, reducing the risk of errors and streamlining checkout processes.
In addition to compatibility with POS systems, Labels Zoo’s label solutions are also compatible with a wide range of retail packaging materials. Whether you’re labelling boxes, bags, or products directly, our labels adhere securely to various surfaces, ensuring that your branding and product information remain intact throughout the retail journey.
Explore Our Options Now
Labels Zoo is committed to providing label solutions that offer seamless compatibility with retailer POS systems. With our versatile and high-quality label solutions, retailers can streamline their operations, enhance customer experiences, and drive business success. Choose Labels Zoo for label solutions that work seamlessly with your retail setup.
Stay tuned for exciting updates, innovations, and collaborative endeavours that will reshape your label experience.
A thermal label is a product that uses a thermal print head to heat specific areas of the label to transfer relevant information. The most common form of direct thermal printing is a label, but this technique can also be used in printed products such as posters and signs. Direct thermal labels are typically used in places where high volumes of products need to be displayed quickly and efficiently so that shoppers can see them easily, such as in warehouses and retail environments. They have many benefits and uses, which we will discuss throughout this blog.
What are direct thermal labels?
Direct thermal labels are a cost-effective solution to label printing and are used to print high volumes of labels quickly and simply. These labels are popular due to their compatibility with printers that don’t have ribbons, such as printers from manufacturers including Zebra, Toshiba TEC, Intermec & Datamax-O’Neil.
Direct thermal labels are usually used more for short-term applications as whilst they are durable, over time they tend to become darker and harder to read due to the exposure to heat and light. These labels have a chemical layer that is applied to a paper or synthetic base, which is then activated by heat. This is how the image is created, through heating up elements on a direct thermal printer which activates part of the chemical layer to create the required image or information for your label.
What are direct thermal labels used for?
Direct thermal labels have many uses, but due to their short-term applications, industries such as hospitality and retail tend to gain the most advantage from them. Direct thermal labels tend to be printed on a regular basis, especially if the information changes frequently.
An example of this is addresses, barcodes, product prices and descriptions as they frequently require change or altering. Many of the places and industries these labels are used in tend to not be exposed to high heat or moisture levels after the label has been applied, making them the ideal solution.
The benefits of direct thermal labels
More environmentally friendly labels
Direct thermal labels do not use a ribbon when printing, therefore it’s a much more environmentally friendly process than some other types of printing. This is because it reduces the amount of non-recyclable waste and by-products. Also, as they tend to have a lighter shipping weight than the alternatives, their carbon footprint is also lower.
Time efficient
As there is no need for a ribbon with direct thermal label printing, the time it takes to produce the labels is greatly reduced. This allows extra time to focus on other important tasks rather than wasting time on reloading the printer or adjusting settings.
Simplicity
Some ribbon printers can cause issues such as wrinkling or sizing, so using a solution that doesn’t require a ribbon printer eliminates these risks. Thermal printing can be simple, more compact and requires less physical inventory space.
Greater productivity
Once setup, the process for printing using this method can essentially be automated, simply input the new price or information and then leave the printer to do all the work. Thermal printing can therefore provide much greater productivity within your business, giving your staff more time to focus on important areas of business.
Multi-use
Just like integrated labels, direct thermal labels have multiple uses from tickets, address/shipping labels, pricing and more. However, they can be used for more than just simple labels, they’re able to be used as barcodes too. Therefore, these labels are useful to keep on hand for numerous uses.
The drawbacks of direct thermal labels
Fading over time
Direct thermal labels only tend to last 6-12 months due to how quickly they fade over time. When exposed to too much heat they start to fade. That’s why they’re much better suited for items that will need changing more regularly or will be stored in colder temperatures, such as retail for the use of labelling in the chilled and frozen food areas.
Unable to withstand long exposure
Thermal labels are unable to withstand exposure for long periods of time. This discolours the material, making the label harder to read, therefore these labels are better suited on products that need changing more often or in less hot and bright environments.
Conclusion
This blog has covered the benefits and uses of direct thermal labels, as well as some careful considerations. Now you have all the information needed to decide if these are the right solution for your business labelling needs. If not – don’t worry! We also provide a large range of printer labels that could be perfect for you.
Got a question?
If you have any questions and still aren’t sure of the best solution for you, get in touch with one of our expert Zoo Keepers – they’ll be happy to guide you in the right direction. You can contact us by calling us or leaving us a message, as we’re always happy to help.
An adhesive label is designed to be affixed to any surface, with different types of label adhesives being more suitable in certain situations than others. The two main types of adhesives are permanent and removable. Each type can be made from a variety of different materials. The materials chosen can depend on the use of the label, the type of adhesive and the longevity required.
Permanent label adhesives
Permanent adhesive labels are the most common type of label and can be more cost-effective. These labels are made to be non-removable, therefore they require certain solvents should you wish to remove them. If you do decide to remove a permanent adhesive label, it will likely ruin the label, so you should be certain when applying the label to the required surface. Permanent adhesive labels are suitable for films, corrugated boards and non-polar surfaces.
Types of permanent labels
Permanent adhesive labels are the better choice for surfaces you want to label for a long time, without the labels wearing away or becoming detached.
Packaging labels are a perfect example of permanent label usage. Packaging labels are designed to inform warehouse staff, delivery drivers and recipients of the package of the contents, with warnings such as “fragile” or “keep this way up”. In this instance, if a label was to become detached it would risk the contents of the parcel, and as such a permanent label would be the suitable choice in this sort of situation.
Our printer labels are also permanent adhesive, which are very versatile and high quality. These labels have endless use and can be used with inkjet and laser printers to allow you to completely customise them for your needs. We supply templates with our labels so you’re able to utilise them as you need easily. You’re able to check out our resources on how to use our templates.
Integrated labels are paper-based documents which usually is A4 in size that have integrated labels incorporated into them. These labels are used to combine various documentation onto one single sheet and are used for a range of businesses, especially in the e-commerce and healthcare sectors. As a permanent label, they are great for many businesses to express information in an accessible way. They are great for return labels, dispatch labels, invoices, shipping documents, pharmaceuticals, packing slips and more.
Direct thermal labels are permanent hot melt adhesive labels that are cost-effective. They are made with the direct thermal printing process. These types of labels are used for short shelf-life products such as fresh food due to their heat-reactive surface. These labels are very cost-effective for creating simple labels in large quantities. Thermal labels do not require a thermal ribbon, which makes them a more environmentally friendly option and they take less time to print. They make the perfect choice for printers without ribbons and they do not wrinkle.
Removable label adhesives
Removable label adhesives are perfect for when you need a temporary label, which can be used in many areas. They are a specialised adhesive that can provide a secure grip to the surface materials. However, they still allow the label to be removed without leaving residue or damaging the surface. Removable labels can be a great temporary provider of information, which is perfect for products such as stock that need the price changing regularly.
When removable labels may be preferred
There are a few areas where removable labels may be of better use than permanent adhesive, such as:
Food: When a label is applied to food, such as an apple, it must be able to be removed so the apple can be easily eaten without leaving any residue from the label. No customer wants residue left on their produce or has to go through the hassle of cutting the sticker part out. Therefore, a small and removable label is best in this scenario.
Reusable containers: With reusable containers, it is important to use a removable label so the users can wash or microwave it without any danger of burning or residue being left on. Removable labels allow customers to repurpose and reuse the product as intended, which is not only better for the environment but also provides a smoother consumer experience.
Pricing: when it comes to product pricing, it is much more efficient to use removable labels, as prices can vary and change all the time. It is convenient and doesn’t risk ruining the product or leaving any residue when changing the price.
Medical information: due to healthcare information constantly changing and frequently being updated, it is useful to use temporary labels. The labels allow medical information to be more organised and up-to-date efficiently and safely.
In need of labels?
At Labels Zoo we can provide multiple labels with strong and permanent adhesives. These labels are perfect for many uses and they are not only durable but also allow people to stay informed permanently. If you’d like more information or a quote, make sure to get in touch. You can also buy our labels online directly from our online store, with bulk offers available for larger orders. We have market-leading experts when it comes to labels, so don’t hesitate as we’re here to help!
Printer labels are usually A4 sheets of plain labels for your laser or inkjet printer, so you can print what you need, stay in control, and use them as you go. These types of labels can usually fit a huge variety of labels per sheet, and we have sizes between 1-70 labels per sheet, with more options for oval and round labels. They are manufactured using high-quality 70gsm paper with a permanent adhesive backing and radius corners, making them very easy to peel and one of the most convenient types of labels, as you’re able to use them in both laser and inkjet printers.
What are printer labels used for?
Printer labels are high-quality 70gsm sheets, filled with a set amount of labels that have a permanent adhesive backing. These are used for creating your own labels, as we supply each set with a template, so you’re able to just edit what you want on your labels and print them at home on your inkjet or laser printer. This saves time, and money and allows you to print what you need, rather than an estimated batch. These labels can be used for your business or your home, such as labeling your jars or your packaging, for example, you could turn them into your own packaging labels.
8 Key Benefits of Printer Labels
1 Maintain control
The first benefit of printer labels is that you’re able to print what you want, when you want and how much you want. This will keep you in control of the labels, making sure everything is correct to your standards. Not only does it maintain control for you, but also if you’re a company trying to maintain quality control. Printing your labels on the go allows your production operation to always be able to label the right product, for the right consumer, at the right time. Therefore, meeting the correct quality standards and maintaining the quality management systems; if there is a regulated label change, it will be cheaper and faster to use printer labels.
2 Reduce costs and inventory
Using printer labels can help you cut costs – especially if it’s a small quantity – as you’re only printing what you need. Even if you have the best inventory management practices, it can often be difficult to predict the number of labels you will use, and with printer labels, you can print as you go. After storing printed labels for a long period, they may become dirty, damaged or yellowed, therefore printing them at home as you go can benefit you and your labels greatly.
3 Gain flexibility
Label anything, at any time. Once you have your printer labels, you’re able to control when you print, how much you print and what you print. This leaves room in your schedule to fit it in whenever you need to, which is especially important if it is for your business, freeing up time for you to complete other tasks.
4 Fast turnaround time
Having your labels ready, means you can skip the steps of contacting a designer or waiting for orders; you can print your own and finalise it yourself. This allows you to introduce new products on a shorter timeline, keeping you ahead of your competitors.
5 Easy updates
When you require updates to be made, having your labels ready to print provides you with easy changes. For companies that are currently growing, you’re able to update your information a lot more frequently as your branding, process and stock changes. This allows your consumers to stay engaged with you and your new products, especially when you consider special events, seasonal or special edition stock.
6 Reduce waste
You can reduce waste because you can print the labels you need, rather than having to estimate the number of labels necessary.
7 High quality
Having a fast turnaround time and quick updates is essential for your business, however, you also need good, high-quality labels for your products. Our labels are high-quality, and printed on 70gsm paper with permanent adhesive, allowing your labels to stand out and remain stuck down, whether it’s for your business or just your household needs.
8 Create custom labels for various elements
If you provide a wide range of products in your business, or you want various labels for your home, using printer labels gives you that flexibility. Perhaps you need a barcode on one, text on the other and an image on the third, well with printer labels you can use our templates and add in what you need on each label. This creates room for creativity and efficiency and it can save you time and money.
Here at Labels Zoo, we produce a variety of high-quality labels, and one of our best sellers is our packaging labels in high-quality rolls of labels that come in two sizes and are made with super sticky adhesive. These are labels that usually contain a graphic or a piece of information on to indicate the contents of the box they’re stuck to. Such indicators may include the contents, product specifications, health and safety warnings, branding, pricing information, any additional marketing information, contact details, how to control the packaging, and more. Labels for packaging are usually made to be durable and permanent to allow the important information to remain on the box or item they are stuck to for as long as possible, so users can absorb the information when handling the package.
What are packaging labels used for?
These labels are mainly used to indicate the contents of the packaging to which they adhere, providing information to the holder or courier. Some categories of products are subject to legal and regulatory requirements, which can stipulate specific information to be added to the item before it is allowed to be sold. An example of this is having prices and quantities or having relevant health and safety warnings on a potentially dangerous or hazardous product. Therefore, having packing labels to provide specific information, specifications or contact information is a must.
The benefits of packaging labels
Here at Labels Zoo, we are proud to produce a wide range of useful packaging labels that will help boost efficiency and keep your packaging safe, such as Do Not Bend, Fragile, This Way Up, Heavy, and more. We make them hi-tack, permanent adhesive labels that are made with high-quality materials and are available in two different sizes. These labels can help workers and consumers make informed decisions about the packaging they are stuck to, but that is not all, they have many more benefits, including:
Provide information – providing the correct information can be vital – especially if the contents are hazardous or food-related – to inform the user if it is safe to open or consume the contents. Not only that, but it can also protect the contents if the label states do not bend or handle with care. Therefore, utilise packing labels to clear misunderstandings and better inform any customer or holder.
Improve delivery – From warehouse to arrival, all purchases sent to deliver require labels, and sometimes multiple throughout their journey. Therefore, having certain labels for packaging can not only make yours stand out, but it allows any user or holder to handle it properly, which reduces damages and returns.
Safe and secure – Allow our labels to ensure the security and protection of your product and whoever handles it.
Efficient – With the right informational labels, it can avoid any returns or misuse of the packaging, making for faster delivery and higher success rates with deliveries. Therefore, it gives you more time and control over other sections of your business, creating a more efficient work environment.
Which Label?
Packaging labels come with a variety of informative, hi-adhesive designs to best suit your business and needs. Our high-quality labels for packaging come in rolls and are available in two different sizes, depending on your preference. Depending on what you need them for, we are sure you will find what you’re looking for in our list, including do not stack, urgent, do not bend, keep dry, sold, handle with care, and more. Feel free to check out our packaging labels page for more information.
Got a question?
With a varied number of labels that we produce for our clients, across a wide range of industries, we are leading experts when it comes to labels. Our Zoo Keepers are more than happy to help you through the process, guiding you every step of the way and willing to answer any questions or queries that may arise. Do not hesitate, to get in touch by calling one of our friendly Zoo Keepers or leave us a message, as we’re here to help!
Integrated labels, sometimes known as ‘integral labels’, ‘peel-out labels’ or ‘shipping labels’ are a paper-based document, usually A4 in size, with adhesive labels incorporated into it. This simple label and paper combination can save order processing time and improve order accuracy, as well as labour efficiency. Integrated labels are used to combine various documentation onto one single sheet, which can reduce the time it takes to print the documents and it removes the need to purchase both the sheets of labels and the paper.
Integrated labels usually come in single, double and triple. This is one, two or three integrated labels per sheet including adhesive to suit any application. Many companies are starting to use these labels for their daily operations due to the many benefits when using them, and they can be used to streamline the shipping process as they are able to combine shipping labels and your customers’ invoices.
What are integrated labels used for?
Integrated labels are mostly used for the delivery of products or services, and companies that utilise these labels have significantly improved efficiency within their operations by printing multiple pieces of information onto one sheet, such as the order information or invoice with the delivery/returns labels.
Integrated labels are also often used for:
Return Labels: Integrated labels simplify the process of creating return labels for customers.
Dispatch Labels: They are used for printing dispatch labels along with order details.
Invoice Labels: These labels include both the invoice and the shipping label on the same sheet.
Shipping Documents: Integrated labels combine shipping labels with important shipping documents.
Packing Slips: They provide a packing slip with a built-in label for easy attachment.
Delivery Notes: These labels include delivery notes and a corresponding label.
Bullet Labels: Integrated labels can be used to print bullet labels for various purposes.
Pharmaceutical Labels: They are used for creating pharmaceutical labels with relevant information.
Information Labels: Integrated labels combine information labels with additional documentation.
The benefits of integrated labels
Integrated labels can be completely personalised with any laser or inkjet printer, making your delivery or dispatch notes fit in with your brand identity. These can be done at the same time as the return or address labels, which greatly reduces errors, time and money spent. Making major improvements in efficiency when using integrated labels allows for more time to increase productivity in the workplace. More benefits of integrated labels include:
Completely Personalised and Customisable: Integrated labels can be tailored to fit specific needs, allowing businesses to design the layout, size, and content according to their requirements. This customisation ensures that all necessary information is included, and branding is consistent.
Easy and Hassle-Free to Use: With integrated labels, the process of printing and labelling becomes straightforward. There’s no need to match separate labels to documents, reducing the steps and effort involved in preparing shipments or products.
Reduced Errors: By printing both the label and the associated information (such as invoices or packing slips) on the same sheet, the risk of mismatched or incorrect labelling is significantly lowered. This integrated approach helps ensure accuracy in shipping and product handling.
Efficient – Save Time and Money: Integrated labels streamline the workflow by combining multiple tasks into one. This efficiency reduces the time spent on printing and applying labels separately. Additionally, it cuts down on the cost of purchasing separate labels and sheets, leading to overall savings in operational expenses.
Easy returns make consumers happy!
Integrated labels help keep all of the documentation of an order in one specific place, which can greatly reduce the risk of errors in shipping. However, if a customer does require a return on an item, using integrated labels will save your company a lot of time processing the return due to the label being included in the order. This makes for an easier return for both you and the consumer, as well as providing excellent customer service, which can increase consumer loyalty.
How To Use Integrated Labels
Integrated labels are usually designed to match an existing layout from a popular software or e-commerce platform, such as Amazon Marketplace. Therefore, this will need to be taken into consideration when choosing the label best matched to your desired platform or software.
It is recommended that you should try a test print after you choose the integrated label that is most suited to your company and needs. This is the safest option before printing orders in bulk.
It is important that all the information on the labels is aligned with your choice of integrated label, so checking the paper size and making sure the configurations match the label dimensions is the third key step. This is crucial since you want to ensure consistent results.
Margins are also important; you want to be able to have a header, footer and left and right margins. This part may be trial and error, but we can of course make sure it is suitable to your needs.
Once the labels are perfect, we can save your preferences for future orders which will save time and allow an efficient operation process.
Which Label?
You are able to choose from 25 formats with Labels Zoo to suit your software or e-commerce solutions. Different sites are able to work with our labels, such as: Amazon Marketplace, Paypal Packing Slips, eBay Selling Manager Pro, Actinic, Sage, Quickbooks plus many more! If you’d like more information, feel free to visit our Integrated Labels page.
Need more information?
At Labels Zoo, we are able to produce a huge variety of labels for our clients across a wide range of industries. Our Zoo Keepers are market leading experts when it comes to labels, and they will be happy to help and guide you through the process and any questions you may have. Don’t hesitate, we’re here to help!
Since March, UK online retail sales have spiked to record levels, leading to an increased demand for integrated labels and record sales for Labels Zoo.
With the panic-buying trend in March, UK supermarkets saw an unprecedented rise in the demand for essential items, with shelves being left empty across much of the country. According to the statistics from Neilson, UK Shoppers made nearly 80 million extra trips to supermarkets in the run up to the government announcing its lockdown. This resulted in consumers spending an additional £1.9 billion, which drove a 20% increase in overall supermarket sales during this period.
With lockdown being announced towards the end of March, and the majority of us being confined to our homes, many high street shops were forced to close their doors. This led to a dramatic shift in shopping habits as UK consumers took to their smart devices and went online for their essential items.
Surge in e-commerce
The overall proportion of retail sales that took place online grew to 30.7% in April, from the already historically high level of 22.4% in March.
The UK’s online retail sales continued to soar as we moved into June, even though non-essential bricks-and-mortar retail began to exit lockdown from the middle of the month.
According to the latest IMRG Capgemini Online Retail Index, overall online retail sales in June surged 33.9% year-on-year – a new 12-year high since March 2008.
As reported by analysts at insights firm Edge by Ascential, the swell in online shopping caused by the coronavirus crisis is expected to add an extra £5.3 billion to UK e-commerce sales this year; with Amazon being declared the “clear winner” as it is forecasted to add an extra £2 billion in UK sales, totalling £31.1 billion by the end of 2020.
So where do labels come into it?
The increase in demand for delivered goods over the past few months has cascaded down into the supporting industries, including labels manufacturers and suppliers. As well as the increased requirement for product labels as supermarkets battled to keep their shelves stocked, the rise in demand for delivered goods caused a proportional demand for:
Shipping labels
Packaging labels
Despatch labels
Address labels
Invoice labels
Returns labels
Predictably, the healthcare sector also experienced and unprecedented demand for its products and services during the coronavirus pandemic. One of the most critical functions of integrated labels is for pharmaceutical products and laboratory testing. In recent months, labels manufacturers and suppliers have seen an increase in the requirement for:
Medicine labels
Medical warning labels
Medical waste labels
Test sample labels
Specimen bag labels
Why are integrated labels important to e-commerce?
Integrated labels improve the accuracy of e-commerce processing. One of the biggest factors contributing to customer dissatisfaction is the lack of accuracy in the shipping and delivery process. By incorporating all the necessary product, customer, and shipping information on a quick-to-process label, e-commerce businesses can reduce the likelihood of processing errors, and in turn, reduce customer dissatisfaction. E-commerce businesses across the world depend on integrated labels to:
Reduce picking, handling errors
Reduce shipping and invoicing errors
Personalise communications
Simplify deliveries and returns
Save time and money
Integrated labels can also provide businesses with further marketing opportunities for their products and services. The addition of discount codes and 2D barcodes can be a simple and effective promotional tool that can be incorporated onto an integrated label – encouraging customers to engage further with the product and brand.
In short, the effective classification, packaging, and distribution of nearly all products sold online relies on the use of integrated labels.
Record Sales for Labels Zoo
As a result of the increased demand for essential products and delivered goods, Labels Zoo saw a 40% increase in orders for integrated labels between March and July, compared to the same period in 2019 – marking a record period in sales for our Zoo Keepers.
Labels Zoo’s Integrated labels offer an ideal solution for your customer address labels, invoice label sheets or despatch notes. Our range of high quality, low cost labels help e-commerce businesses and online sellers to streamline their processes and therefore save money.
Call one of our friendly Zoo Keepers or leave us a message if you’d like to discuss your integrated label requirements.
An integrated label is a paper document, usually A4 in size, with one or more self-adhesive labels incorporated. Integrated labels are also referred to as ‘Shipping Labels’, ‘Integral Labels’ or ‘Peel Out’ labels.
In Demand
According to a report from Oberlo, global ecommerce sales amounted to more than $3.5 trillion USD (£2.7 trillion GBP) worldwide in 2019. With the ever- expanding global marketplace, as well as the rapid growth of online businesses, comes a greater need for quick and easy dispatch solutions and customer friendly returns. As a result, Integrated labels have become more and more popular.
Whilst there are many applications for Integrated Labels, they are most commonly used for integrated dispatch or integrated return labels.
The Benefits of Integrated Labels
Easy to personalise
Reduce errors
Save time
Save money
Using any laser or inkjet printer, online retailers can personalise a delivery note, or dispatch note at the same time as the address labels or return labels – streamlining processes, reducing errors, and saving valuable time and money.
The Labels Zoo Solution
Labels Zoo’s Integrated labels offer an ideal solution for your customer address labels, invoice label sheets or dispatch notes. Our range of high-quality, low-cost labels helps e-commerce businesses and online sellers streamline their processes and therefore save money. Furthermore, you will eliminate mistakes and save time by printing everything in one go.
Which Label?
Choose from 25 formats to suit your software or e-commerce solution. Our labels work with Amazon Marketplace, eBay Selling Manager Pro, PayPal Packing Slips, Actinic, Sage, QuickBooks, and many more. Add a returns label, a bullet label or even a promotional message if required. Each label has a template that you can download to check if it works for you. If you are still not sure, then please order a free sample of any of our labels to try them out before you order.
Call one of our friendly Zoo Keepers or leave us a message if you’d like to discuss your integrated label requirements. Can’t find what you need on our website? No problem. Let us know what you need, and we’ll be happy to discuss our bespoke template options with you.
Thermal label printers use heat to create to an image. Two main types of thermal printing techniques exist, direct thermal and thermal transfer.
Direct Thermal
The label surface is coated with a heat-reactive layer which turns black when in contact with the heat from the print head. This heat-reactive surface will effectively cause the print to fade when exposed to sunlight, strong artificial light or friction (cartons rubbing together in transit for instance) with the speed of fading dependent upon the intensity of the light or friction. For this reason, direct thermal labels tend to be used for short-shelf-life products such as fresh food. Although there are no ribbon costs associated with these labels, there are other cost implications as without the ribbon acting as a protective insulator between the print head and the label, the print head will wear more quickly requiring more frequent replacement.
Direct thermal synthetics are a good choice for carton and retail pack labelling in the chilled and frozen food sectors where the labels are exposed to high levels of moisture and rough handling during transportation
Advantages of Direct Thermal Labels:
Simple to use; a ribbon is not required as it images directly onto the label: This simplicity reduces operational complexity and costs associated with ribbon replacements.
Used in most printers: These labels have technology that is widely compatible with various types of printers, making them versatile for different applications.
Cost-effective: Eliminating the need for ribbons reduces consumable costs, making these labels economical for businesses.
Greater productivity due to no ribbon changeovers: Workflow interruptions are minimised without ribbon changes, enhancing overall productivity.
Clear and consistent images for good readability and ‘scannability’: Direct thermal labels produce high-quality prints suitable for easy scanning and readability.
Suitable for both 1D and 2D barcodes: They can effectively print a range of barcode types, supporting diverse barcode application needs.
Paper and synthetic material options available: These labels are adaptable to different environmental conditions and durability requirements.
The quality, stability and durability of the image are suitable for most common requirements: These labels provide dependable image quality and durability suitable for many standard labelling needs.
Disadvantages of Direct Thermal Labels:
Can fade over time (6-12 months): The prints on direct labels may fade over several months, which can affect their readability and longevity.
Overexposure to heat or UV light discolours the material, making the print harder to read: These labels are sensitive to heat and UV light, which can cause the material to darken or yellow, impacting the clarity of the print.
Limited abrasion resistance: They are more susceptible to damage from rubbing or abrasion compared to thermal transfer labels, which can affect their durability in high-contact environments.
Thermal Transfer
The labels are printed through a thermal transfer printer where, at the point of the print head, a layer of ribbon is placed on top of the label. The print head elements heat up and cause the carbon pigment that is on the ribbon to transfer to the label, creating the required image.
Thermal transfer paper labels are a good choice where direct thermal is not suitable or the print quality of the ribbon is preferred.
Thermal transfer synthetic labels are more durable so are better suited for long-life applications such as outdoor labelling, or applications where high levels of moisture or scuffing are expected.
Advantages of Thermal Transfer Labels:
Excellent print definition for text, images and barcodes: They provide high-resolution prints, ensuring clarity and precision for detailed text, graphics, and barcodes.
Ideal for small characters and line work: The technology for these labels excels in printing small fonts and intricate line work, making it suitable for applications requiring fine details.
Suitable for both 1D and 2D barcodes: They support a wide range of barcode types, ensuring compatibility with various industry standards and requirements.
Wide variety of paper and synthetic materials available including clear, pearl, metallic, and fluorescent: These labels come in diverse materials to meet specific aesthetic and functional needs, enhancing design flexibility.
Coloured ribbons available for branding and promotional uses: These labels can be customised with coloured ribbons, enabling branding and promotional messaging.
Better resistance to heat, moisture and chemicals: They offer enhanced durability and are capable of withstanding harsh environmental conditions, including exposure to heat, moisture, and chemicals.
Stable and durable images that are long-lasting: Theser labels produce prints that are stable over time, ensuring longevity and readability throughout their lifecycle.
Higher-speed printing: They enable faster printing speeds compared to direct thermal labels, enhancing efficiency in high-volume printing environments.
Longer printhead life: Thermal transfer technology typically extends the life of printheads, reducing maintenance costs and downtime associated with printhead replacements.
Disadvantages of Thermal Transfer Labels:
Not all printers are thermal transfer compatible: Compatibility issues can arise as not all printers support thermal transfer technology, limiting options for printer selection.
Ribbons must be kept in stock are an additional cost; a ribbon saver can reduce the amount of ribbon used: Maintaining an inventory of ribbons adds to operational costs, and while ribbon savers can help reduce consumption, they require additional investment.
Requires additional setup time and ribbon changeovers: Compared to direct thermal printing, thermal transfer printing requires more setup time for loading ribbons and occasional changeovers during operations, which can interrupt workflow.
Ribbons can wrinkle and compromise print quality: If not handled properly, ribbons can wrinkle during printing, affecting print quality and potentially causing errors or reprints.
Label Construction
All four components of the label are important in their own right, however, the face stock, tends to require the most immediate consideration as it is the surface on which you are actually printing. Does the label need a topcoat or protective coating? This topcoat is used to protect the print job from various types of environmental conditions. There are two main types of coating:
Varnish – This is what you would use when you want to have a protective gloss applied to the face stock. Laminate –This type of topcoat is generally used when a label will come into contact with chemicals or if the label needs to be protected against abrasion.
Another major component is the type of material on which you will need to print to complete the job. There are various types of materials and films from which to choose; choosing the correct one is what will separate a successful printing job from an unsuccessful one. Let’s take a look at the most commonly used types of face stock:
Paper is the type of label most typically used. It is made from natural wood or pulp.
Film is generally made from a synthetic or plastic material. For the most part, these types of labels can be utilised for decals, beverage identification or whenever moisture resistance is needed.
Foil is made from aluminium or alloys and is great when needing to label a rigid or semi-squeezable container.
Static Cling labels are vinyl face stocks that are used for most smooth surfaces such as glass, and painted metal.
Magnets are made with paper or film on the uppermost layer with a bendable magnet as the bottom layer.
Holograms are micro embossed metallic film, that is intended to be more eye-catching
So which type of Thermal Label should I use?
Given the advantages and disadvantages of both types of thermal label, your primary consideration should be the type of application for which the label is intended. Here’s a quick guide to help you to select the appropriate thermal label for your print job:
Introducing or Direct Thermal Labels
Box Quantity – 12 rolls per box
Label size: 4” x 6”
Perforation every label
475 per roll on 25mm cores
One of the newest additions to the zoo, the Badger LZ101 is our Direct Thermal Eco Perm paper label with general purpose permanent adhesive.
Suitable for Zebra printers as well as a variety of other printers, these versatile and cost-effective labels are useful for easily printing addresses, shipping labels, and 2D barcodes for Royal Mail. A favourite of online retailers and couriers, these thermal labels will stick reliably to various packaging surfaces, including cardboard boxes, to ensure your important information stays intact.
Still Unsure? Let us help
At Labels Zoo, we produce labels for a wide variety of clients across multiple industries. Our Zoo Keepers are market-leading experts when it comes to all things labels. Whether you need more information about thermal labels or would like to discuss any of the products in our extensive range, we’re here to help.
