Horticultural Labels

Horticultural labels typically fall into three categories:

Loop lock or self-tie tags
Pot pointers and stick in plant tags
Waterproof self adhesive
Direct thermal labels.

Professional garden centre and plant nursery customers tend to print using thermal label printers, laser printers or the trusted permanent marker pen. We supply our clients with horticultural labels to suit all three technologies. Click below to chat with one of our team now.

Loop Lock and Self-Tie Tags

Also known as tie on tags or self-tie tags, these are very popular horticultural labels.

The self-tie loop lock is a simple, quick and easy method of tagging plants, shrubs and trees. The self-tie loop lock is looped round the stem or branch of a plant and then the notched end locks into the “key-hole” shape at one end of the tag. Contact us if you want some to try.

These are all waterpoof and tear resistant. Come in a range of colours. For larger quantities these tags can have a perforated tear off segment. Come in sheet form for laser printing or 4-across on rolls for thermal printing.

Loop lock labels are usually ordered in white, but come in red, green, pink, yellow, orange, purple and blue. If you need a specific colour or you need your tags printed on one side or both Contact us.

Loop lock labels are made from thick, durable PE plastic or Tyvek. Tyvek is incredibly tough, resistant to tearing – yet can be cut with easily with scissors. Because it’s so tear resistant – the tags last longer, it’s recyclable (but not biodegradable) and prints well.

If you want us to print your Loop Locks for you (save you buying a thermal printer), we can print a limited number of sized tags with black text. If you have a database or spreadsheet of information to print onto the labels – we can do that for you. Contact us to get details of sizes available and prices.

Call us about Tyvek self-tie labels for your next project.

Plant Pot Pointers and Stick in Tags

Plant pot pointers and Stick In Tags are heavy duty plastic tags that come on rolls and can be printed by a Thermal printer to identify plants, print barcodes and indicate prices.

You can have these tags printed with your logo or other information before you over print them with your own information. If you don’t have a thermal printer you’re able to write on them with a permanent marker.

These are not suitable to be printed on a laser printer.

They are tough, waterproof and scratch resistent.

They come on rolls and are limited to a height of around 100mm.

Waterproof Labels

Waterproof labels are the most commonly found label in horticulture. Our customers usually need plain white labels for jobs where a good weather resistance is needed and of course a label that can be wiped clean. Usually ordered with a permanent adhesive, they can also be ordered with a peelable or even freezable adhesive.

Used for printing prices, barcodes and product descriptions. Most of our clients buy them in roll form, for printing with a thermal label printer. One thing to note is that with synthetic (plastic) labels, resin ribbons are needed to ensure a durable, scratch resistant finish. Resin ribbons won’t fade, giving you labels that will last years.

Our waterproof labels come a wide variety of dimensions, plain white or coloured or pre-printed with your logo or other information.

Contact us and let us know what size, colour and quantity you need. We also need to know what kind of printer you’re using (so the rolls fit) and if you need it pre-printed.

If you want us to print the labels for your garden centre or nursery, we print a minimum of 1000 labels in the most common sizes. Visit our Buy your labels online page for sizes, prices and ordering.

Direct Thermal Labels

Thermal labels are the simplest and easiest labels and popular in garden centres and plant nurseries. Whilst they are not waterproof, they are in demand because they print without ink. Load them into a thermal label printer and they’re ready to use. Usually ordered with a permanent adhesive, they can also be ordered with a peelable adhesive. If you want to know more, learn about thermal labels here.

Used for printing prices, barcodes and product descriptions. They need to come in roll form, for printing with a thermal label printer. Unlike waterproof labels, direct thermal labels have a limited life and will discolour if subjected to heat – including the sun – which is a problem if used outside in a garden centre.

Direct thermal labels are made using a heat sensitive coating, making them slightly more expensive than plain paper labels, but because they don’t use ink the cost is roughly equivalent. What makes direct thermal labels advantageous is the ease of use. No need to keep stocks of ink ribbons and no need to change ribbons.

Keen to Test Labels in your Horticulture Business?

To help you make the right choice, we can send free samples for testing to companies based in the UK.

Testing is really important, so you can see how different labels, tags and loop lock labels perform when tested on your specific application, under your specific conditions.

Finally, if you’d like to speak with us for expert advice on the best labels, tags, and ribbons, what label printer would be best and what software you need to design and print labels – please contact us by clicking the button below.

As always, we are here to help. If you have a question about label printers or label design software, or specific requirement you would like to discuss with us, horticultural or not, please get in touch.

Email sales@expertlabels.co.uk or call us on 01359 271 111, we’d love to hear from you.

Updated: 12 Aug 2023