Clear product labels are an excellent alternative if you want “Custom Vinyl Stickers & Decals” or prefer that the contents of your product be the emphasis of your package. Glass bottles and jars or glass containers can look very sleek with a transparent film label, allowing the colours and textures of the unique insides to be shown on the shelves. Here are a few things to keep in mind when purchasing Custom Vinyl Stickers & Decals for glass bottles because working with clear substrates presents its own unique obstacles.
Picking the right custom clear labels - things to think about
Application
Where are you going to put those readable labels? Is it glass or plastic or metal? If it's going to be painted, what colour is the wall? Where, if anywhere, will they be used? Clear film or poly, for example, would often be used for interior product labels, whereas clear vinyl, on the other hand, would be utilised for harsher applications like outside window decals because of its greater durability. Clear substrates are often available in a number of adhesive strengths, such as static cling, removable, normal and hi tack, so knowing what conditions the Custom Vinyl Stickers & Decals will be subject to is crucial to selecting which stock is most suitable. If you want to understand more about adhesive used for Custom Vinyl Stickers & Decals, check out our blog!
Putting on personalised transparent labels can be a bit of a challenge because the label's edge is nearly invisible and you want to eliminate bubbles and wrinkles, which are more noticeable on clear packaging. If you haven't already, you should think about purchasing a label applicator, whether it's a desktop one or a machine designed for larger operations. If you are applying them by hand, make sure the surface is clean and dry, and you might want to use a bit of tape or some other removable marker to help you line up the Custom Vinyl Stickers & Decals on your packing.
Transparency
You can't assume that any two transparent labels for bottles of clear liquid will be equally transparent. Some transparent stocks are so opaque that they disappear after printing, while others have a milky translucency that leaves the printed material seeming frosted or like scotch tape. What you're seeing is the glue through the transparent material, the degree to which it shows through dependent on the glue's quality, concentration, and strength. A stronger adhesive can produce a thicker residue, so you might witness a kind of silvering or bubbling appearance when looking closely at the Custom Vinyl Stickers & Decals in application. Inquire about extra-clear stocks if you're concerned about transparency; they adhere exceptionally nicely to various surfaces.
Inks
When obtaining personalised clear labels for glass bottles, ink is the single most important factor to consider. The watery composition of many inks makes them partially transparent, revealing the underlying hues or patterns of the surface they rest upon. While darker inks are better at blocking light, most printers advise printing a layer of white ink first, followed by the other colours, in a process known as a "white ink backup," to increase ink opacity. White ink is not used in CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) printing unless the printer supports it. Applying a CMYK-printed, full-color clear Custom Vinyl Stickers & Decals on a white surface shouldn't cause any problems, but if the surface is coloured or patterned, the ink may take on an undesirable shade or hue, or you may even see lines from the pattern through the label. To achieve the desired thickness and opacity when printing white or metallic copy on a clear label, a resin or leaf is typically used instead of ink.
Cloak of Protection
A protective coating, also known as a lamination, varnish, clear coat, or scratch guard, is an extra layer of transparent material applied on top of the substrate to prevent damage. A lamination may be recommended if the clear product labels will be exposed to water, intense UV radiation, or frequent abrasion; however, if the ink selected is a long-lasting UV resin, no protective coating is required. Varnish is more like ink in that it provides some protection and scratch resistance, but, like all protective coatings, it can alter the label's finish. Many variations on lamination and varnish are available, including those with varying degrees of shine, matte, UV protection, and sunscreen, all of which can alter the appearance of your final, label-free product.
Conclusion: Use only legible labels on glass containers.
If you're working on a Pro Cut Vinyl Decals project, the first step is to get some samples. You can check the material's transparency, examine the available inks, consider your printing options, and determine whether or not a protective coating is required by performing these tests. Don't be shy about giving us a call and firing off some questions.