Adhesives
The adhesive decides whether a label stays on a chilled bottle, peels cleanly from a reusable jar or grips a textured HDPE container. We match it to the surface, the application temperature and the life of the product.
Four adhesive behaviours
Behaviour is what you specify; the chemistry behind it (acrylic, rubber, hot melt) is chosen by us for the face stock and surface.
Permanent
Bonds fully within hours and stays for the life of the product. The default for product labels.
- Glass, PET and coated surfaces at room temperature
- Product, ingredient and compliance labels
- Most roll and sheet label projects
Removable
Holds during use and peels cleanly without residue within an agreed time frame.
- Promotions, pricing and seasonal labels
- Reusable containers and returnable packaging
- Glass, metal and smooth plastics
Cold-use
Applies and holds on chilled, frozen or condensation-wet surfaces where standard adhesives fail.
- Beverage, dairy and chilled food lines
- Freezer packaging
- Bottles labelled wet or applied cold
High-tack
Extra initial grip on low-energy plastics and rough or textured surfaces.
- HDPE, PP and PE bottles and tubes
- Kraft and textured paperboard
- Lightly textured plastics and powder coatings
Which adhesive for which situation
Read across your surface and the conditions the product meets.
| Surface | Dry, room temperature | Chilled / condensation | Freezer | Outdoor | Needs clean removal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass | Permanent | Cold-use | Cold-use (freezer grade) | Permanent + lamination | Removable |
| PET / coated plastics | Permanent | Cold-use | Cold-use (freezer grade) | Permanent + lamination | Removable |
| HDPE / PP / PE | High-tack | High-tack cold-use | Test required | High-tack + lamination | Removable (test) |
| Paperboard / carton | Permanent | Permanent | Cold-use | Not typical | Removable |
| Metal | Permanent | Cold-use | Cold-use (freezer grade) | Permanent + lamination | Removable |
| Painted / powder coated | Permanent or high-tack | High-tack | Test required | High-tack + lamination | Removable (test) |
What we need to confirm the adhesive
These four answers come straight from the quote form; anything unknown is worked out with samples.
Liners and application
The liner carries the label to the applicator and is removed at application. It is chosen for the machine, not the product.
| Glassine paper liner | Standard liner for hand and machine application.Economical, easy to peel, suits most roll and sheet labels. |
|---|---|
| PET film liner | Thin, strong liner for high-speed and clear-on-clear labels.Keeps clear labels flat and bubble-free; needed for some automatic lines. |
| Easy-peel liner | Split or tabbed liners for hand application.Sheets and small rolls applied by hand. |
| Liner specification | Stated in the quotation with the roll specification.Core, web width, unwind and labels per roll are on the Roll Labels page. |
Find the details for your project.
Explore individual guides and discuss the exact construction with us.