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To help determine the best film substrate for your application,
MR Label offers this guide to the key attributes  of
some of the most popular films, including their advantages, disadvantages
and their most common applications
This bi-axially oriented film is available in gauges
ranging from 1 mil to 10 mil. PET is most often available in clear,
clear matte, white, silver and silver matte versions as well. Our standard
stock gauge is 2 mil.
PET is dimensionally stable at high temperatures, and offers durability
in the form of excellent initial tear and puncture resistance. It provides
good thermal and chemical resistance as well.
Produced to very high standards, polyester is an extremely smooth substrate
that lends itself well to applications that require good adhesive wetout.
Polyester also retains good optical clarity over a wide range of temperatures,
making it an ideal choice as an overlaminating film. A non-reactive
substrate, polyester bonds well with many inks, coatings and adhesives.
Polyester makes a great thermal imprintable over-laminate.
Polyester withstands many outdoor stresses, such as temperature extremes,
environmental conditions and exposure to moisture. This means that PET
labels will remain legible and intact for the life of the product. These
characteristics make polyester an ideal choice for material tracking
labels as well as product identification and safety/hazard/instructional
labeling for durable goods. It can also be used for two-way window decals
inside of storefront windows.
Vinyl comes in gauges ranging from 3 mil to 12 mil, our
standard stock gauges are 3.25 mil to 4 mil, vinyl offers a great degree
of conformability and flexibility, making it ideal for applications
involving compound curves. Cast vinyl is available in black, white and
clear. Calendered vinyl also comes in black, white and clear, as well
as a wide range of other colors.
Vinyl is generally very weatherable, offering good resistance to UV light
and exposure to other environmental conditions. Vinyl is therefore often
used for outdoor applications. However, temperature extremes can pose
a challenge for vinyl, which becomes brittle at extremely low temperatures
and soft at extremely high temperatures.
Vinyl is favored for exterior applications where durability is key. Cast
vinyls are most commonly used for fleet graphics. Calendered vinyls are
ideal for product identification and safety/hazard/instructional labeling
for durable goods. Calendered vinyl can also be used for indoor applications,
such as short run temporary P-O-P, as well as holiday/seasonal and novelty
stickers, bumper stickers and college, alumni and association decals.
Vinyl can be perforated to create transit advertising as well as window
graphic applications.
Polypropylene is available in gauges ranging from 1 mil
to 10 mil gauges, and is usually produced as a clear, clear matte, white
or silver. 3 mil is typical. Like polyester, polypropylene is a bi-axially
oriented film. This orientation gives polypropylene very good tear resistance.
Propylene also exhibits excellent chemical resistance and can withstand
exposure to container contents.
The high volume production of polypropylene makes it a very economical
film. This economy of scale has helped drive the success of this substrate
in the pressure-sensitive label market, especially as an alternative to
paper labels.
This is a popular choice for primary and secondary labeling applications
requiring the no-label-look, such as with the food and beverage (particularly
glass bottle), personal care, household chemical and pharmaceutical. It
is well suited for semi-squeeze and rigid containers. PP is primarily
recommended for interior applications.
Available primarily in clear, clear matte and white matte,
polyethylene comes in gauges ranging from 2 mil to 4 mil. PE features
excellent chemical resistance and can withstand exposure to container
contents. It is often produced by either being blown or cast. The blown
version is stiff, while the cast PE is a non-oriented, flexible substrate
ideal for applications that require extreme deformability or squeezability.
High-density polyethylene is a popular choice for household chemical and
personal care package decoration, including rigid, semi-squeeze and full
squeeze containers.
Available in gauges ranging from 3 mil to 20 mil, polycarbonate
is a durable film. It is a dimensionally stable, clear velvet substrate,
offering excellent scratch resistance. This substrate offers excellent
exterior durability as well.
Typical uses include graphic overlays on membrane switches, as well as
backlit signage where one side of the sign is exposed to UV light and
the other is exposed to elevated heat due to the interior lighting. It
is also ideal for applications that require repeated actuations or constant
usage.
Instrument panels and dial gauges often use thicker sheets of polycarbonate.
In these cases, the graphics are often subsurface printed and a transfer
adhesive is then used to mount the application.
With so many substrates available, it is important to
know your product application and work with your MR Label Representative
to help you determine the right substrate for your application.
*Technical information provided by FLEXcon. |
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