If you require any more information or help with your labelling please do not hesitate to contact us where a member of our team will be more than happy to help.
Anybody watching the news recently will have seen the stories on plastic waste and the problems it is causing to our environment and our lives. We have all seen the pictures of rivers full of plastic bottles and cartons, of landfill overflowing with un-recycled litter. Whales dying from plastic filling their stomachs. This is a serious global problem, with complex solutions.
Labelling and packaging prices are driven by volumes. Unfortunately biodegradable labels are not as widely used as they should be at the moment and prices are high.
If you are interested and want to do your bit for future generations, request a sample or a quote and we can help.
If you are interested in a quote Click here to visit the Biodegradable product page.
Help stop plastic destroying our planet
Our lives have never been busier and as a consequence we turn to disposable products like bottled water, take away coffee and lunch on the go all in handy plastic containers. This plastic poses a huge threat not only to our environment but also to our health. Plastic is made by using a number of toxic chemicals. These have the potential to leak into the food and water we are consuming.
According to the journal Science Advances the calculated total volume of all plastic ever produced is 8.3bn tonnes, with a staggering 6.3bn tonnes now as waste. 79% of this is now in landfill or the natural environment. Whilst plastic is undeniably useful we should all be finding ways to decrease our usage.
Expert Labels Ltd provide completely biodegradable labels for a variety of uses, and completely compostable labels are also available for other particular packaging applications where needed.
Expert Labels offer the following environmentally friendly labels:
Biodegradable semi gloss paper labels (FSC certified by the Forest Stewardship Council) are suitable for a wide range of promotional and industrial label uses and we can offer these plain or full colour printed. This material is printable by most printing methods including thermal transfer.
Biodegradable (FSC certified) matt white thermal transfer printable labels are ideal for situations where label presentation is less important (i.e. warehouse labels, outer case labels and labels for in-house identification). This material is printable by most printing methods including thermal transfer.
Biodegradable and compostable white high gloss film labels are available, with a print receptive top coating. These labels are great for food items including fruit and vegetables, drink bottles and healthcare products and can be printed in full colour to a high standard. All the labels are compliant with the European Food Regulations for direct contact with dry, non fatty food items. The adhesive used is acrylic based and biodegradable. The labels are water and tear resistant.
Biodegradable and compostable clear gloss film labels are available, with a print receptive top coating. These labels are also especially good for food items and healthcare products and can be printed in full colour for a high quality presentation. All the labels are compliant with the European Food Regulations for direct contact with dry, non fatty food items. The adhesive used is acrylic based and biodegradable with good initial tack and adhesion and the labels are water and tear resistant.
Even though labels are just a small part of packaging as a whole, we should all be striving to reduce our plastic waste, recycle more effectively and improve biodegradability for a positive impact on the environment.
To find out more about our biodegradable labels and to get a quote, contact us here or click on the Chat button in the bottom right corner.
We are currently offering the new Zebra ZD420 200dpi USB/USB Host with Labels, Ribbons and Software. A complete package for all your label printing needs.
This is the latest Zebra Technologies Thermal Transfer Desktop Printer.
The New Zebra ZD420
Starting from £385.00 + VAT with Free UK Delivery, this will include the following: –
Permanent Adhesive Labels – 70mm x 38mm. 1 Box containing 12 Rolls of 1790 Labels.
Transfer Wax Ribbon – Zebra Brand 2300 Wax. 84mm x 74mm. 1 Box containing 12 Rolls.
Including the Zebra Designer Software this is everything you will need to get you started.
We can provide different ribbons or labels if required, for a price on this please contact us.
For further information regarding this offer, or to place your order, please do not hesitate to call us on 01359 271111.
Branding is what your customers feel when they think about your products. If your cosmetics products aren’t talking to your customers they’ll ignore you. Your products’ packaging is the most powerful way to get listened to and in turn build a brand. Here’s how to use your cosmetics labels to make your customers fall in love with your products.
Getting your company brand right is absolutely crucial. This is the face of your company. It should be as unique as you are and set your business apart from the rest.
Branding is more important today than ever. With an ever increasing number of new products coming onto the market, your company must visually and emotionally connect to your prospective market. The cosmetics industry is HUGE and your company brand needs to stand out from the crowd.
Your labels tell a thousand words
How do I create a Brand for my company?
A good place to start is to think about what you want your company to stand for. What are your values? It could be environmental, economic or the well being of your customers.
Questions to ask yourself include: –
Who is my target customer?
What message do I want to get across about my company?
Do I have a story people can relate to?
What do I want my customers to remember about my brand or product?
Is there anything that your company can offer that others cannot?
What do my customers need?
What promise are you making to your customers?
Creating a Label that is Right for my Company.
Creating a label for your product that builds a relationship with your brand is crucial. Every time you change your labelling you’re altering the relationship your customers enjoy with your brand. Your labels are something that you don’t want to change unless you have to, so it’s important to get it right first time.
You don’t need reminding of the importance of consistency across a range of products.
Checklist of things to consider when designing your cosmetics label include:
Colours – high contrast labels Black on Yellow gives a totally different impression of your product than gold on black. Graphic design – ‘elegant’ flowing fonts versus a no nonsense stencil font would attract a very different client. Label shapes – simple rectangular or wrap around label versus different shapes such as circular. Remember that circular labels aren’t as common as rectangular labels so the range of sizes is smaller. Consider using a rectangular label but with a circular design. Legal requirements – such as ingredients, net weight etc. these need to be incorporated into your label design. Barcodes and product codes – there are size limitations when it comes to barcodes. These need to be included in your labels, and need to be taken into account during the design phase. We have more than 25 years barcode experience and we’d be happy to help you plan for barcodes on your labels and packaging. Story – if you’re telling a story – you will need to keep it brief – because you will never have enough label space.
What label features can I use to build a brand?
The best type of material for labels that are likely to encounter high moisture exposure would be one of various synthetics.
A clear synthetic is one of the most versatile materials available for label printing and will provide the appearance of the popular no label look. When used with an ultra clear permanent adhesive it will endure damp conditions without losing its clean appearance. These labels are water and oil resistant making them perfect for the cosmetic industry.
Gold and silver foiling adds the feeling of quality and exclusivity. Using a high resolution thermal printer and silver (or gold) coloured thermal ribbon can achieve that quality appearance on a much smaller print run that you’d normally need.
Textured finishes – on paper or plastic. Can be as simple as embossing your labels or choosing a synthetic label material with a matt finish – almost like a extra-fine sandpaper effect. The moment your client touches your product it feels different. It’s different and adds an extra dimension to your brand image.
Holographic effect labels – these rainbow reflective labels can add a feeling of exclusivity. True holographic labels are very expensive and difficult to obtain.
Peel & Reveal labels – Use these to run competitions and promotions.
Leaflet labels – Leaflet or fold out labels give you the space to really tell your story – or on a less exciting level – provide all the legal information needed for your product.
Ready to take the next step?
To discuss your labelling needs further please do not hesitate to contact Expert Labels. We understand the importance of excellent branding and offer a wide variety of labels that will suit your every need.
Barcode verifiers are the undisputed way to ensure your barcode labels are up to standard. Read on to learn what everyone needs to know about them.
Thermal label printers are widely agreed to be the best way of printing barcodes. However, they wear through their printheads and eventually white lines can appear in barcodes. These white lines can prevent barcodes from scanning.
Sometimes the first you know that your codes won’t scan is when your customers phone to say they’re rejecting your last consignment of product. If it’s fresh product, you are likely to end up scrapping your entire shipment. Just to rub salt into your already tender wounds, larger retailers will actually fine you for non compliance.
Faulty barcode
Even on a personal level, you’ll have experienced poor quality barcodes yourself if you use self scanning checkouts at the supermarket and a product just won’t scan! It’s frustrating and time consuming.
What should you do to prevent that from happening?
Barcode verification is the jargon phrase for “barcode quality” checking. Barcode verification grades seven barcode qualities to make sure it is of a high enough quality for scanning purposes. A barcode verifier is the ‘instrument’ used to grade the barcode and can identify if there are any issues within.
Barcode Verifier
A verifier will grade the colour contrast, the ratio of thick and thin bars – all that sort of stuff you’d rather not have to worry about. If there is an issue with even just one of the grades, the verifier can tell you and then you can fix the problem – without needing to get a call from an angry customer.
What do I need to know about barcode verifiers?
First of all – barcode verifiers aren’t just barcode readers. They are highly tuned instruments for measuring barcodes. A verifier can give you a report that you can use in court and is a key part of any company’s quality assurance programme. Not only do you need a key quality tool, but you need staff trained to interpret and act on the results. We can help in this area also.
Smaller barcode verifiers start from around £1,650. These will read narrower barcodes – typically up to 68mm wide. If you need a larger verifier (for reading pallet barcodes up to 195mm) you can expect to pay in excess of £3,000.
Portable units are available, as are verifiers for 2D barcodes.
If you think this is expensive then you probably haven’t experienced a product recall because of substandard barcodes.
If you can’t commit the budget to a barcode verifier, just having a basic barcode reader to sample barcodes for readability could warn you if your barcodes need investigation. Contact us for suitable low cost scanners.
If you feel your business could benefit from a barcode verifier, please contact us on 01359 271 111 of click the chat button below.
With the explosion of the Craft Beer industry over the past few years, the taste of the beer isn’t the only aspect of it garnering attention. The beer bottle labels play almost as big a part in the popularity of the drink as the flavour itself, with a study by Anglia Ruskin University’s pubLAB research centre (I have to get a job there!!) finding that the label design was more important than shelf space when it came to first time buyers of a new craft beer, and the continued appeal of the beer.
The diversity of beer bottle labels
The Rise of Craft Beer
Coming up in a time of economic uncertainty and following a recession, microbreweries are a product of necessity, as entrepreneurs who have had to adapt and evolve to the changing world of employment make work for themselves. Although the large breweries have dominated the market for over 70 years, microbreweries are seeing an increase in start-up, production, audience, and turn over – and all in a time of lowering beer consumption.
Although consumers are turning to independent craft beers in preference to the tried and tested giants of the beer world, there is still healthy competition between the different microbreweries. Since they’re all producing different tasting beers, there is room for multiple beers to thrive successfully in the market. However, it’s interesting to note, consumers will, more often than not, stick with the first beverage they’ve tried, without venturing out to buy different brands.
With this in mind, the importance of the label starts to become more critical.
The Importance of Beer Bottle Labels
Luckily for us, the huge growth in the craft beer sector has seen a similar growth for beer bottle labels – and with the label design such an integral part to the adoption of a new beer by first time customers, getting the right design on the label can be the deciding factor in acquiring new, long term, customers.
So what makes a label stand out from the rest? The bold designs you find on the newly established craft beers flying off supermarket shelves find inspiration in places as diverse as Soviet art to US 1980’s counter-culture iconography. These designs play a huge part in drawing in a new customer; studies have shown that the design of the can or bottle is more important than shelf space when it comes to the deciding purchase factor. So how can you go about getting the perfect label for your beer?
Suitable Labels
At Expert Labels, you have the choice of lots of different label materials and colours, with waterproof labels, crystal clear, matte clear, gold, silver, blue foil and glossy white just some of the options. You’ll also find some unique shapes, with over 6,000 cutter choices.
If it’s barcodes you need for your beer bottle labels, we can help you register and design your barcodes. If you need to over print barcodes on your labels, see how we do it here or contact us to find out more. Also, if you’d like to do in house case and keg labelling, we have thermal label printers. There’s a guide to the top printers for less than £300 here.
If you have any questions about our products, services, or getting a quote, get in touch with our friendly team today.
Do you sell a Vegan product and want Vegan labels to meet your brand values? We get questions from Vegans like you every week and we have one and a half Vegans here in the office keen to help you with your Vegan Label project. Here’s what we’ll cover in this article:
What we think Vegan Labels means
Certified vegan labels
Can I buy vegan labels?
Let’s get started.
Veganism has increased in popularity over 350% in the past ten years alone.
This is thanks to increased awareness of the health and environmental benefits, not to mention being cruelty free to animals.
Whilst Veganism is on the rise, where can you get Vegan labels?
What Makes Labels 'Not Vegan'?
Generally speaking, being Vegan means you avoid products containing or using meat or animal by-products including honey or bee products, insect or bone char.
Sometimes there are animal by-products where you would not expect them.
The glue used on labels was traditionally made using bone parts or casein (milk protein).
Another consideration is the ink used on labels. Inks sometimes contain animal bone char, glycerin from animal fat, gelatin from hooves, or shellac from beetles.
Another concern might be the process the label needs to go through, i.e. the machinery used in production.
Typically printing equipment is very expensive and will be used for both traditional and vegan labelling.
Can I Buy Certified Vegan Labels?
YES. See the certification from Herma – a global supplier of self adhesive label material.
You will see that whilst Herma don’t use any animal products in their manufacturing process, they are unable to guarantee their own suppliers do not use animal derived products in their products or processes.
You need to specify with us that you want certified vegan labels and we will provide quotes for vegan labels.
Click on the certificates below for full details
Vegan Certification
No Animal Testing
How Your Labels Would Be Animal Free
Pretty much all the labels Expert Labels now offers uses acrylic glues. The adhesive performance is generally better than with traditional labels so no compromise has to be made on quality.
With inks, many labels can be printed using inks made from soya beans – ask us about this.
Paper doesn’t generally contain animal products or by-products, but there are many different papers so animal products can’t be ruled out. Check with us if the label you have in mind would be vegan.
Animal Free Digital Printing Toner
Now the subject of inks is a little more complicated. The statement from one of the leading ink suppliers was that animal products were used in the ink making process, but ink was refined to have organic materials removed so technically ink doesn’t contain animal products.
Additionally, whilst the toner used in digital printing is animal free, the varnish which is used to coat pretty much all labels falls into the category described above.
So, in summary, ask us for Vegan certified labels.
Want help with Vegan Labels?
Click the contact us button below or use the webchat function (in the bottom right of the screen) and tell us about your project.
You’ve been told you need to put barcodes on your products and you’re probably feeling overwhelmed by all these barcode names and numbers.
UPC, EAN, GS1, GTIN12, GTIN13, GTIN8 – what do they all mean?
What do I need?
Let me explain all you need to know about barcodes for retail suppliers, but first let me explain how we got to where we are today.
Barcode scanning 1970s
In the beginning there was the Universal Product Code (UPC). In 1973 to be precise.
The UPC was a 12 digit number that got turned into a barcode.
The UPC was the outcome of a group of US retailers who had got together and decided upon a way of automatically identifying groceries.
A pack of Wriggley’s chewing gum was the first item scanned in a supermarket in Ohio – no doubt surrounded by a group of cheering barcode geeks (like myself).
US retailers formed a group to manage the issue of barcode numbers and called the group the Uniform Code Council.
In 1976, seeing the benefit of this new idea, the rest of the world got in on the act and formed EAN, the European Article Numbering Association. The Americans kindly allowed the use of the UPC code, but with an extra digit.
So now there was a 12 digit number for the US and a 13 digit number for the rest of the world.
In 1990 the two organisations formally agreed to work together and expanded their presence to 45 countries. In 2005 they started to use one name – GS1, Global Standards One.
Whilst the two organisations had merged, the situation on the ground wasn’t so tidy. There were UPC A, UPC E barcodes. There were EAN8’s and EAN13s, ITF14s and EAN 128s not to mention a range of 2D barcodes from GS1.
In a bid to streamline the barcode names GS1 launched Global Trade Item Number. The GTIN identifies products and brings together formerly separate registers – for books, music, magazines, Japanese items, international items and American items.
So now we have GTIN8, GTIN12, GTIN13 and GTIN14s. But what’s the difference?
GTIN-8
GTIN8s are used in retail (as opposed to in distribution) and are short 8 digit codes for use on small items, such as packs of chewing
gum or my personal favourite, chocolate bars. They used to be called EAN8s or UPCEs. 8 digit barcodes are in short supply so you would need to ask GS1 specially.
GTIN-12
GTIN-12s are used in retail. They used to be called UPC A barcodes and are the North American format of barcode. All barcode readers can read these codes and GTIN-12s can be used anywhere in the world. GS1 in the US still issue 12 digit codes.
GTIN-13
GTIN13s are used in retail. They used to be called EAN13s or JAN13s and are the international barcode format. They are the barcodes you see on most products (except small ones). All barcode readers can read GTIN13s and they can be used anywhere in the world – including North America.
GTIN13 Barcode on a can of coke
GTIN-14
GTIN-14s are used in the warehouse and distribution side of the supply chain. Retailers won’t be scanning these codes at the checkout. In fact, none of the items you take to the checkout will even have these codes on them. They used to be called ITF-14, EAN14 or Outer Case Code. If you are a manufacturer – do you need GTIN-14s and will you use them? The answer is yes. GTIN-14s are GTIN-13s with a zero at the beginning. How do you use GTIN-14s? You use them on outer cases. If you have a dozen retail items packed in a box then the label you attach to the outside of the box is a GTIN-14. If you would like help printing these codes contact us for help.
Buy a wide range of bespoke or stock Loop Lock Labels – perfect for harsh outdoor environments. Whether you’re a Christmas tree farmer, nursery manager or a professional baker, you can buy tie on tags tailored to suit your needs.
Reassuringly durable, our non-adhesive Loop Lock Labels are made using a tough non-adhesive polyethylene material. So even during prolonged periods of weather exposure your labels remain intact – making it more efficient and cost effective.
Some other industries & environments that benefit from using these tags, other than the horticultural industry, are fish markets, abattoirs, meat packing plants, industrial laundries, ‘Pick and Pack’ businesses, Bakeries for tray identification, baggage tags, ‘Green Fee’ bag tags, meter inspection and machine repair businesses to name a few.
Tyvek Self Ties Labels
Loop Lock Labels can be made from a number of materials – plastic (polyethylene), metal detectable card or tyvek.
Tyvek is often overlooked – but is an excellent choice.
Tyvek is sheet material, made from strands of plastic fibers and cut into tag shapes.
It’s flexible, durable and tear proof.
It’s 100% recyclable (just like the standard Polyethylene material) and prints well (though not quite as well as the Polyethylene labels).
Where Polyethylene labels will last one or two years, Tyvek labels will last five to ten years.
Prevents premature fading out of labels, to ensure excellent readability.
High-strength materials
HDPE, LDPE, PE or Tyvek make the labels extremely resistant.
Gallery
Industries
Horticulture
Fish markets, abattoirs, meat packing plants
Industrial laundries
Baggage tags
Machine Servicing
Hospitality
Testimonials
“We needed some Loop Lock Labels that were coloured and we wanted our company logo printed on them, which is very hard to come by. Expert Labels were able to provide us with everything we required. They were competitively priced and the turn around time for the order was speedy. The labels look great on our palm trees. All in all an excellent service and we look forward to working with them again!”
Loop Lock Labels come on a roll. These rolls vary in size, length, width and material. The most efficient and cost saving way of producing them is to print them 4 across (depending on your printer size).
They can be printed singularly if required i.e. for baggage at the airport.
There are a couple of different materials for Loop Lock Labels. For example paper, polyethylene or Tyvec. Polyethylene will be more expensive than paper. Keep in mind where the labels are going to be used, and how robust the label will need to be.
The higher the quantity ordered the lower the price will be.
Expert Labels can offer many options when it comes to your Loop Lock Labels. We can provide either a basic white label or if you want something a bit more special we can offer a variety of colour labels.
Our labels can include perforations i.e. a tear off price section.
Please speak to a member of staff about any requirements you may have.
Batteries play a big part in portable printing, barcode terminals and cordless scanners. Recently, I sat down with an expert from Global Technology Systems, a company who supply batteries to some of the world’s largest companies to use in their Zebra and Honeywell devices. I didn’t realise there was so much to learn about batteries. Here are some ideas on how to properly care for your barcode scanner batteries to keep them in top condition.
What You Need To Know About Batteries
Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) batteries are more advanced than Nickel Cadnium (NiCad) and Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMh) batteries and don’t need to be fully discharged before re-charging.
Li-ion batteries don’t suffer battery memory as NiCad batteries do. This means that Li-ion batteries will keep more of their charge longer.
The lifespan of a Li-ion battery is 500 charge cycles. The battery life decreases as the charge cycle increases.
If unused, a Li-ion battery will lose as much as 5% of its charge a month.
Li-ion batteries start degrading as soon as they’re made. They will only last two or three years from the date of manufacture whether you use them or not.
Li-Ion batteries degrade faster in high temperatures.
Lithium Ion Polymer (Lipo) batteries are lighter and more durable but aren’t quite as energy dense as their Li-ion predecessors. Lipo batteries are regularly seen in drones and phones.
Quality batteries are date-stamped with manufacturing dates and serial numbers.
Electronics with back-up batteries must be full-charged to keep the battery in good condition.
Barcode Scanner Batteries: Charging Tips
Charging printer batteries
When using a Li-ion battery for the first time, follow the manufacturer’s instructions on charging. If the instructions tell you to charge your device overnight, charge it overnight.
Charge your battery at room temperature between 4ºC – 32ºC.
Battery Life Checklist:
Follow this check-list to maximise your device’s battery life
Set your LCD display back-light to the lowest readable level. Set it to auto-dim after 15 seconds of idle time.
Audible sounds use valuable battery power. Do you need them? Turn them off or set the audible volume to its lowest practical level.
Do you have 4G capability? Turn it off if you’ve got Wifi access.
The batteries I’m buying have a serial no and date stamp on them
Turn off Wifi if you’re always using 4G.
Label your batteries. Try and use the same batteries in the same mobile device (try not to mix them up).
Change your battery as promptly as possible when you see the low power alert on your LCD screen display.
Keep a charged spare battery pack on hand.
Check your batteries for leaks, cracks, swelling and other signs of damage every few months.
Never use defective or damaged batteries – they contain flammable liquids.
Replace your batteries annually if you’re a heavy user (24/7 user). Every 18 months if you’re a less intensive user (i.e. 8 hours shifts). Contact us for a quote for replacement barcode scanner batteries
Cleaning your battery contacts with a pencil eraser every few months means they will charge properly.
The future of batteries
Batteries that charge quickly, are lightweight and small and that have a long cycle life are the future. They’re needed for electric vehicles and solar storage. Whilst barcode scanner batteries aren’t likely to be in the forefront of most researchers minds, portable computing is very important and we’ll see this technology arriving soon to a scanner near you. This is what universities and laboratories the world over are working on:
Graphene batteries
The wonder material that’s been in the news for the past few years is graphene. This carbon based material can be used in batteries, providing a battery that charges 30 times faster than lithium Ion, discharges many times faster (this is quite useful when a car needs to draw upon massive power to accelerate) and is five times more energy dense than Li-ions.
We’re likely to see graphene make it’s way into batteries in the near future. In November 2017 Samsung researchers have announced batteries that use graphene to charge five times faster than Li-ion batteries. They’ve also developed a method for making graphene more cost effectively than before, a technology that will see more uses for graphene – no doubt.
Na-Ion batteries
Those of you who remember school chemistry will recognise Na as Sodium. French researchers have created a battery similar in performance to Lithium Ion, but with a life span of 2,000 charge cycles – four times better than Li-Ion.
Prieto Batteries
The Prieto Battery company is a US based research company working on a revolutionary 3D Li-Ion technology that promises five time better energy density, faster charging and a longer life – all made more cheaply than existing Li-Ion batteries – with the added benefit of using a cleaner, more environmentally friendly manufacturing process. Formed in 2009, they’re yet to make a breakthrough – so keep an eye on their website for future updates: www.prietobattery.com.
Solid state batteries
New Battery Technology in the Lab
The university of Texas’ Prof John Goodenough (the father of the Litium Ion battery) and separately, scientists at MIT, working with Samsung, have been developing solid-state batteries – an improvement on current lithium-ion efforts. These batteries seek to be safer, longer lasting and more energy dense.
Current lithium-ion batteries contain amounts of an electrolyte liquid. It’s this liquid that can be flammable and which limits the life of the battery.
MIT reports their new batteries could be charged for hundreds of thousands of cycles before degrading. They could also provide a 20 to 30 per cent improvement in power density – a breakthrough for electric vehicles and drones especially as they’re not flammable.
Further help
We provide all the main brands of barcode scanner batteries, along with high quality compatible batteries, at considerable savings. If you need further advice or costs of replacement batteries, email us at info@expertlabels.co.uk
Questions to ask yourself include: –
