All posts by Miles

Guide to Biodegradable Labels

28th December 2019NewsMiles

With plastic doing so much harm to our environment – more and more of us are looking at biodegradable packaging to minimise damage. This guide to biodegradable labels will help you in your small but significant contribution to the war on plastic.

How can you, as someone who buys labels for your product packaging, meet your customers demands and use biodegradable labels to reduce environmental damage?

Biodegradable labels is a complicated subject and to fully understand it, you’ll need to read all of this guide. Even though these labels will biodegrade there are practical things to consider from the point of view of the packaging and the local authority that handles your customers’ household waste.

We'll be Covering

What are biodegradable labels and tags?

What is the difference between biodegradable and compostable labels and tags

Biodegradable paper labels

Biodegradable plastic labels and tags

Oxo-biodegradable plastic labels and tags

How to know if you really have biodegradable labels?

Why recyclers don’t like biodegradable labels

Conclusion – recycleable or biodegradable?

What are Biodegradable Labels and Tags?

Biodegradable labels are labels that will be broken down by nature – fungus, bacteria, natural chemicals and plants.

Technically everything is broken down by nature – even plastic and metal – the real question is:

how long it takes,
what conditions it breaks down under and
what it breaks down into (or what gasses it emits) during the process.

There are no standards we are aware of for biodegradable labels – though there are for compostable labels. We’ll look at compostable labels below.

Biodegradable Paper Labels

Biodegradable paper labels are the most straight-forward labels.

Most papers are biodegradable however the adhesive is the sticking point (pun untended).

For a paper label to be biodegradable, it needs a certified biodegradable adhesive. Because these adhesives aren’t made in the volume that standard adhesives are, the cost of biodegradable paper labels is much higher than standard paper labels.

Tags are often made from card and because they don’t have adhesive they are biodegradable, providing they are not laminated with plastic or printed with a lot of non-biodegradable varnish or ink.

We haven’t yet found a biodegradable paper tag that is suitable for long periods outdoors (obviously).

If you’re interested in using biodegradable labels on your packaging, we can provide a quote or help with sample labels. Read this page to help you set your label budget. How to Set my Label Budget.

Click the button below for a quote

Click this link to get a sample of biodegradable label.

The Compostable Standard

Despite the importance of biodegradable labels in the news, the industry has been slow to catch up.

Sourcing biodegradable label material isn’t easy. We are able only to supply labels made from four types of biodegradable label material at the moment.

Matt biodegradable paper
Gloss biodegradable paper
Gloss biodegradable white film and
Clear biodegradable film

Composting is the breakdown of materials into the soil. The good thing about composting is that there is a standard to measure against.

Other forms of Biodegradablility (such as into the air or water) don’t have such a standard.

The most widely accepted standard for composting is the European compostable packaging standard (EN13432).

Labels that meet the EN13432 standard break down into water, CO2 and new cell biomass.

To meet the standard they have to do so within six months.

Something to consider, however, are the conditions under which the composting takes place.

Importantly, the standard requires the label not to generate any harmful by-products. Particular attention is paid to potentially toxic elements.

A key part of the European standard is that after 12 weeks, 90% of the material is in pieces smaller than 2mm.

If the material passes all the criteria then it can display the Compostable logo.

EN13432 applies to industrial composting as opposed to home composting.

The difference between home composting and Industrial or commercial composting are the conditions the process is done under.

For example, industrial composting is tested at 58C, home composting is typically around 30C.

There are no international standards for home composting.

The European EN13432 standard includes the glue, label and ink.

Contamination of Waste by Biodegradable Plastic Labels is a Problem

Despite their eco-friendly credentials, biodegradable plastic labels are a problem for home and municipal waste disposal.

Biodegradable plastic can’t be recycled with standard plastics. If they are included with plastic they will contaminate it. As they are not paper they will contaminate paper as well.

They can’t be disposed of with food waste because they take longer to biodegrade (unless they are put through an industrial composting process).

In many local authorities, biodegradable plastic labels go to landfill, and whilst they will breakdown more rapidly than standard plastics, and won’t leave any toxic residues, they may contribute to powerful greenhouse gasses such as methane.

Identifying Biodegradable Plastic Labels

Even with the biggest ‘Compostable’ logos, it’s practically impossible for human or machine sorters to recognise biodegradable labels from normal plastic labels.

Generally speaking standard plastic contamination in garden or food waste is a big problem in composting. Local authorities are particularly sensitive to plastic contamination. If they see any plastic – biodegradable plastic labels or standard plastic labels in organic waste, it will be rejected and sent to landfill or burned.

Oxo-Biodegradable Plastics

Some biodegradable labels have a chemical added to them that needs to be exposed to oxygen or water to trigger the decomposition process. These oxo-biodegradables create micro-plastics that are considered harmful and therefore not a good alternative to standard plastics.

Oxo-plastic labels can’t gain compostable EN13432 certification.

None of our biodegradable range of labels are made with Oxo-biodegradable plastics.

Only put Biodegradable Labels on Biodegradable Packaging

It’s no good putting biodegradable stickers onto product that isn’t biodegradable. A biodegradable label on a glass bottle is a waste of money.

Not only does the packaging need to be biodegradable – it needs to look biodegradable. If it doesn’t look biodegradable waste handlers will send it to landfill where it will break down slowly.

Currently, the only combination of stickers and packaging that look biodegradable are paper stickers on cardboard packaging.

Conclusion - Use Paper or Recycleable Plastic

It’s impossible to say what conditions labels will be disposed (or discarded) under.

Biodegradable plastics might not degrade as completely and as quickly as we want them to. If they go through the waste disposal system (as hopefully the bulk of them will) they might cause more problems than they solve.

My recommendation is to use paper labels, without any plastic coating and with an adhesive that will break down without leaving any harmful by-products. What we describe as a biodegradable paper label.

If you are using plastic packaging, I hope (and expect) most of your packaging will be disposed of responsibly by your consumers.

Because most of your labels will be disposed of into the recycling system, use a label material that can be recycled and use a recyclable label NOT a biodegradable plastic sticker.

	Carelessly discarded	Disposed of properly
Plastic packaging	Biodegradable paper labels	Recycled plastic labels
Paper or card packaging	Biodegradable paper labels	Biodegradable paper labels

We Want to Help You Improve Our Environment.

We are as keen to improve our environment as you are and want to help. This guide to biodegradable labels is only a start.

Please pick up the phone and call 01359 271 111 or contact us and ask us how we can help you help our environment.

Useful Links

Understanding Label Prices – a resource to help you understand what to expect with costing label projects.

The concise guide to compostable packaging and products – EN 2013432 – by the Association for Organics Recycling:

http://www.organics-recycling.org.uk/uploads/article1983/EN%2013432%20Compostable%20Products%20and%20Packaging.pdf

See our range of environmentally friendly labels here:

Biodegradable labels

Sustainable labels

Recyclable labels

Here’s a definition of biodegradation on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodegradation

Sustainable Labels

4th November 2019NewsMiles

There is a lot of talk about limiting the harm we’re doing to our environment. Being sustainable is the ability to live without depleting our natural resources. Modern packaging is often held up as a culprit in the damage we are doing to our environment. This article will help you understand how sustainable labels really are.

Sustainability is both the materials the labels are made from and the process the labels are made under.

There are always two sides to many of the points raised in this article. For example: the forests grown in order to make paper are good for capturing CO2 but, as they are usually grown in large single species plantations – this can be bad for bio-diversity. I’m not writing this article to promote one side or the other in this debate. Our business is focused on labels – but we all depend on the environment for our survival as a species.

Paper label manufacturing

The paper making process uses water, wood and energy and leads to water and air pollution. Paper manufacturing accounts for up to 5% of pollution in North America. In the last few decades paper mills have reduced their pollution significantly and I’m sure technology and innovation will reduce the environmental impact further, however paper isn’t without it’s harmful by-products.

Water is the ultimate recycled product. Should we worry about water use in paper making? If it’s cleaned and returned to rivers and lakes, water consumption in paper making isn’t a problem.

Paper’s main raw material – wood – is renewable and good for CO2 capture.

Energy use – Whilst paper product uses huge amounts of energy, most of it is sourced from bio-mass energy generation.

All the labels we supply are paper or plastic.

All the paper we supply comes from sustainable sources (i.e trees that are farmed as opposed to tropical rainforest). However, paper is usually made using chemicals that are harmful to the environment.

Chlorine is used in the paper making process – to whiten the paper. As you would probably guess, Chlorine is toxic and, as a by-product of paper production, is harmful to the environment. Our standard paper label material uses chlorine, though the same chlorine compound is used to treat drinking water.

Sustainable Paper Labels

Standard paper labels are made from virgin paper with chlorine bleaching. Paper is sustainable, but the paper production process has a significantly damaging effect on the environment

We are able to supply a recycled paper label that is chlorine free, with a wood free backing paper (the paper that the labels are stuck to on the roll). Interestingly people rarely ask for recycled paper labels and the availability of the material is limited. Contact us and ask us about recycled paper labels.

Plastic Labels

Most of the labels we supply are made from Polypropylene (PP) or Polyethylene (PE).

This type of plastic label is made from oil, but is easily recycled. The most recent figures I found for the proportion of plastic that’s recycled was from 2008 and 21% of plastic was recycled.

However, plastic labels are not biodegradable (unless you count hundreds of years as biodegradable), so are harmful to nature and are non-renewable.

From a marketing point of view, plastic labels are not popular.

Sustainable BioPlastic Labels

More popular BioPlastic label materials are PP and PE labels made from corn, coconut or potato. These starch-based plastics are sometimes compostable. They are not widely available and relatively expensive, but we are able to supply you with them.

The best we can obtain is 83% sugar cane derived material, 17% oil-based. Contact us for a quote.

Clear and white plastics made from wood pulp – cellulose – if made from sustainable forestry products are an extremely eco-responsible way of making labels.

There are cellulose based labels available, though they are water soluble, so not suitable for long term storage in wet places (i.e. not good for products destined for bathrooms).

Not only are these labels sustainable – some are also biodegradable. See our biodegradable range here.

Updated: 5 Oct 2024

Useful links

Wikipedia’s article on the environmental impact of paper: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_paper

British Plastics Federation (perhaps a little biased – but it quotes the recycling rate of plastic)

https://www.bpf.co.uk/sustainability/plastics_and_sustainability.aspx

Bioplastics Article at ‘Explain that stuff’:

https://www.explainthatstuff.com/bioplastics.html

Print Station: BarTender’s Label Printing Secret

14th October 2019NewsMiles

Print Station is BarTender's Label Printing Front End

Printing labels with BarTender can be a little time consuming.

First you need to open BarTender, then you need to find the label file. Once you’ve found the label file you need to open it. The next step is to choose print from the menu and start the printing process.

Printing labels is not difficult, but if you rarely use BarTender, finding the correct label and remembering the printing process might take time.

BarTender Print Station, a BarTender ‘companion app’, is BarTender’s solution to this. Print Station is included with all BarTender editions and makes printing labels so simple, a five year old could do it.

How to Use BarTender's Print Station

Look at the image at the top of this post if you want to see Print Station in action.

How to use Print Station:

Open Print Station from your computer’s start menu.
Look through the label thumbnail images until you see the label you want.
Click on the label image.
Choose how many copies of the label you want and press print.

Simple!

Tips & Tricks

Streamline your label printing process even further – set up Print Station to open straight to the folder your labels designs are kept in.
Where you have inexperienced BarTender users, or your label designs look complicated, by-pass BarTender designer and open Print Station when you click on a label design. In Microsoft Windows, associate your BarTender design files (.btw) to open Print Station instead of Bartender Designer on certain users’ computers.

Want Help with your Print Station?

If you would like help with BarTender’s Print Station, enjoy a complimentary 30 minute remote training session to get to know Print Station. Learning Print Station will only take five minutes – but let us show you other features to make label printing easier and faster.

Useful Links

BarTender Training

Difference between BarTender editions

Updated: 14 Oct 2019

Using forms to protect your label designs

12th October 2019NewsMiles

How BarTender Forms Work

BarTender forms make label printing easy and error proof.

BarTender forms pop up at print time and prompt you for the information you need to print with. For example, you could be asked to choose a product description or code, a batch code and a production date.

Enter the data on the form and watch as your labels print the data.

No need to edit the label each time you print. Using BarTender forms you can even limit fields to specific characters, number formats or lengths – ensuring consistent labels and eliminating mistakes on your labels.

How to Use BarTender Forms

Choose from 19 different ways to enter data from drop down lists and calendars to number sliders and database choosers.

Add the different form controls to your form, then match the form controls to the fields on the label by dragging them together. Add forms to your labels in minutes.

Want Help with your Label Forms?

If you would like help with your label forms, enjoy a complimentary 30 minute remote training session to get your forms started.

Useful Links

BarTender Training

Difference between BarTender editions

Updated: 12 Oct 2019

Datalogic’s Gryphon Cordless barcode scanner

26th September 2019NewsMiles

We recently worked on a project and used Datalogic’s Gryphon 4500 series cordless 2D barcode scanner. It’s a cordless scanner that can read normal 1D barcodes and 2D codes (like QR codes and datamatrix) as well. It comes with a healthcare coating – which inhibits the growth of bacteria and cleaning the scanner with harsh chemicals doesn’t damage it.

Here are some of the things that impressed and didn’t impress us about the scanner.

Summary

What we like

Looks and feels like quality.
Scans lightning fast
Scans 1D & 2D barcodes
Displays a green good read light

What we didn’t like

Wasn’t easy to adjust the stand
Expensive

Look and feel

First impressions, the scanner feels good. It’s a comfortable weight – feels nice and solid without being too heavy. It’s designed in Italy and it looks good. With it being cordless, it feels tidy.

Very easy to use – with a clear aiming mark. Useful if you’re choosing a barcode from a menu of other codes.

Bright white barcode illumination, so you can clearly see what’s being scanned. Also better with coloured barcodes.

Automatic barcode detection and scanning. Just wave the code under the scanner and it reads it automatically.

Most of Datalogic’s range comes with a green dot good read indicator. If you’re busy looking at the item you’re scanning then having a confirmation of sucessfully scanning your code is very helpful. There’s also a big green indicator at the back of the scanner as well.

The cordless Gryphon has eliminated charging contacts or sockets on the GBT4500, the latest Datalogic cordless scanner. No contacts to clean. Whilst that removes a potential vulnerability on the scanner, they’ve included a hidden cable connector in the bottom of the scanner for a USB cable.

Negatives

There wasn’t much to fault about the Gryphon GBT4500 scanner. The only slight inconvenience I suffered was adjusting the charging stand. It has a locking screw and you need a screwdriver to unlock it.

It isn’t the cheapest cordless scanner on the market. Priced at around £450-£500 for the scanner and charging cradle, it’s an expensive option.

Summary

The Datalogic GBT4500 is a quality piece of equipment with a two-year guarantee and so many features I can’t begin to describe them all in this review. Easy to use, lightning fast and very versatile, you’d be pleased when you bought it. It’s not the cheapest, but it is quality.

If you’d like to find out more about the Gryphon 4500 cordless barcode scanner click here and ask me any questions.

– Miles Green

Here’s Datalogic’s Gryphon 4500 video, demonstrating the scanner and it’s features.

Brewery Labels

13th September 2019IndustriesMiles

If you’re in the fast-growing brewery and craft beer industry and are ready to start manufacturing, you’ll need labels that will make your drink stand out from the rest. Whether you’ve already got a design or you need a hand with one, Expert Labels are here to help.

Using the latest digital label printing technology, we can produce as few as 1000 labels, all with different designs printed to the highest quality standards for a truly professional finish – perfect for microbreweries who are producing labels for the first time. Let us print your labels from your own design, helping your bottles of beer, wine or cider stand out from the rest.

We can provide you with:

Multiple materials and colours, such as waterproof labels, Crystal Clear, Matte Clear, Gold, Silver, Blue Foil or Glossy White
More than 6,000 cutter choices for unique shapes
Barcodes for your brews, along with barcode printing if you already have your own barcodes ready
Thermal label printers for in-house case and keg labelling

We are here to help you every step of the way with labels for your brews. For more information, give us a call on 01359 271 111, email us at info@expertlabels.co.uk, or fill in our contact form and we will get in touch.

Other pages you might find useful

http://expertlabels.co.uk/applications/waterproof-labels/

http://expertlabels.co.uk/applications/barcode-labels/

http://expertlabels.co.uk/services/barcode-label-printing/

http://expertlabels.co.uk/contact-us/

http://expertlabels.co.uk/products/Choosing-the-Right-Barcode-Printers

https://www.gs1uk.org/get-a-barcode

Bottle & Drink Labels

13th September 2019ProductsMiles

Bottle and drink labels are slightly different to standard labels. These types of label often carry the company brand and need to stand out on a crowded supermarket shelf. To make your bottle labels stand out, you can use a range of features, known in the trade as ’embellishments’.

Hot Foil or Hot Foil Stamping.

Hot Foils are metallic foils that make your labels look metallic. Silver and gold are the most frequent colours we’re asked for, but bronze and copper are available along with other metallic finishes.

Elegant Cosmetics Branding — Metallic effect on Cosmetics Branding

Touch is particularly powerful when it comes to building a brand and we can help you build that intimate relationship with your buyer by using these printing techniques and label finishes that make your products stand out are:

Embossed labels

This is where labels are printed using a special tool which raises specific areas of text or a logo on a label.

High-build bottle labels

High Builds are similar to embossing where an area of the label has a thick varnish type material added to it which makes parts of the bottle label literally stand out. This is usually done over a logo but can be done anywhere on the label.

High Build on a label — An area of High Build on a bottle label.

If you need any type of bottle or jar labels, we can help you. Your labels are made from a wide range of materials and colours i.e. waterproof materials, Crystal Clear, Matte Clear and Gloss White.

Give your labels the feel of quality with some of these label embellishments. Give us a call or fill in the form below to find out more from our experts today.

REQUEST A QUOTE

REQUEST A SAMPLE

Useful links:

Get ideas on labelling helps with cosmetics label branding – read here: https://expertlabels.co.uk/news/How-to-use-labels-to-build-your-cosmetics-brand

Updated: 28 Oct 2019

Don’t Let Your Labelling Hold You Up

15th August 2019Special OffersMiles

Don't Let Your Labelling Stop You.

Labels are critical to modern organisations and with most labels printed on site, there are dozens of things that can make your labelling system vulnerable.

90% of these reasons can be eliminated or mitigated.

You can’t afford to stop shipping because of something as simple as labels.

Complete your assessment and see how you can protect yourself from label stoppages.

Managed Labelling Service

26th July 2019Special OffersMiles

Concentrate on Running Your Business and Let Us Concentrate on Printing Your Labels.

Expert Labels provides clients with a complete on-site labelling service.

We cover everything to ensure maximum uptime, so your labels are printed when you need them.

You pay us to get your labels printed and we manage everything else.

Let us do what we do best, so you can do what you do best.

Leave us to handle:

- label and thermal ribbon stock management,
- Thermal label printer procurement, installation and training,
- Software configuration, integration and training,
- Hardware maintenance and support
- Support desk
- Finance arrangements – turn capital expenses into operating expenses

Chris Day is an IT manager. He started at his company on the helpdesk, having got a degree in Business Studies. Gradually he worked his way up and now, in his early 40's, is the IT manager for his company.

His key objective is making sure the computer systems remains operational.

Chris' team is small - just three of them. They are stretched thin and he doesn't want them using their talents looking after label printing.

Chris doesn't want to have to deal with thermal label printers. He has a service company look after his multi-function laser printers and appreciates the advantages the simply ringing the help line and having the printer fixed gives him.

Keeping up to date with the latest thermal printer models and knowing how to support them is the last thing he wants to bother with. Keeping on top of label and ribbon stocks is easy enough, but a real nightmare when it goes wrong.

Chris wants someone who understands thermal printers to take them off his plate. He wants to concentrate on the next generation of software and hardware that his company needs to grow and prosper.

Chris Day

IT Manager

And you thought Desktop Printers couldn’t be Portable Printers!

28th June 2019NewsMiles

On a recent visit to the Zebra Experience Centre (you might be mistaken for thinking I’m writing about a zoo) – a large demo room that Zebra Technologies have set up to showcase their complete range of products – I spotted this.

These are desktop printers equipped with battery packs.

These are chargeable battery add ons which fit to the base of the ZD420, ZD410 and ZD620 printers. Designed to provide power for a complete 8 hour shift, this now means your desktop printers don’t have to be used on a desk.

Imagine: a trolley or even a vehicle can now become a printing station. Charge the battery pack, fit the battery to the printer base and start printing.

In fact, you don’t need to remove the battery to charge it.

ZD400 Printer Charging Bases and Battery Packs

The charging base and battery are separate items and cost around £60 for the base and £300 for the battery. For up to date prices contact us for a quote.

Fits the ZD410, ZD420 and ZD620 – both the standard and healthcare printer models.

Zebra ZD620 HC printer with battery pack

If you’d like to know more, contact us or press the chat button in the bottom right of the screen.

Useful Links

Interestingly, the Zebra website doesn’t mention these battery packs, but they are genuine Zebra products.

We'll be Covering

What are Biodegradable Labels and Tags?

Biodegradable Paper Labels

The Compostable Standard

Contamination of Waste by Biodegradable Plastic Labels is a Problem

Identifying Biodegradable Plastic Labels

Oxo-Biodegradable Plastics

Only put Biodegradable Labels on Biodegradable Packaging

Conclusion - Use Paper or Recycleable Plastic

We Want to Help You Improve Our Environment.

Useful Links

Paper label manufacturing

Sustainable Paper Labels

Plastic Labels

Sustainable BioPlastic Labels

Useful links

Print Station is BarTender's Label Printing Front End

How to Use BarTender's Print Station

Tips & Tricks

Want Help with your Print Station?

Useful Links

How BarTender Forms Work

How to Use BarTender Forms

Want Help with your Label Forms?

Useful Links

Summary

What we like

What we didn’t like

Look and feel

Negatives

Summary

Hot Foil or Hot Foil Stamping.

Embossed labels

High-build bottle labels

Useful links:

Don't Let Your Labelling Stop You.

Concentrate on Running Your Business and Let Us Concentrate on Printing Your Labels.

Labels & Inks

Hardware

Labelling Systems

ZD400 Printer Charging Bases and Battery Packs

Useful Links

Search