Understanding face stocks

Factors To Consider When Deciding On A Label Face Stock

• Budget: balance between price & performance.
• Final appearance: glossy, matt, textured or metallic look.
• Printability: will it work through a printer.
• End use: what it is applied to plus any temperature exposure.

Variations of Face Stocks

Face Stocks come in many variations of 2 main types: Paper or Synthetic.

Read more: Synthetic labels vs paper labels.

1) Paper Based Face Stocks

• Made of material converted from wood to paper.
• Suitable for most dry environments.
• Very popular for fast moving items required for short term use.
• Are highly versatile, economic and achieve outstanding print results.

2) Synthetic (or Filmic) Face Stocks

• Plastic or filmic in construction (won’t tear in both directions).
• Used where durability is required (moisture, chemical or temperature).
• Popular with bottles being recycled.
• 3 main types of synthetic material:
  PE: Polyethylene (where squeezability is required)
  PP: Polypropylene (durable and available in clear)
  PET: Polyester (used for resistance to water, oil or chemicals)

Read more: Understanding labels.