Given how many different things must be considered when choosing printing/labeling supplies, it really is best to enlist the help of experts who literally spend all day focused on ensuring …
- Label adherence. Adhesive performance can vary based on the surface type and shape. A Supplies expert can tell you quickly which labels are designed, pre-tested and certified to adhere directly to various materials. In turn, you can be confident that the labels you affix to your products, packages or pallets will remain secured for years.
- Print and label durability. Each thermal material and ribbon on the market today has a different temperature, environmental and chemical resistance, and it can be hard to know a label’s resistance and tolerance to various elements without an expert’s assistance. Fortunately, they’ll be able to help you confirm whether or not the label can endure exposures or contacts with certain chemicals, fluids, radiation, weather elements and more.
- Label compliance with industry and customer compliance requirements. It’s not always easy to confirm which labels are suitable for use on electronics, food and beverage items, medical devices, automobile components and other products where ID labels are required to have special markings. Our Supplies team experts can help you quickly identify which labels are compliant with UL/cUL, FDA 175.105, UID, Globally Harmonized System (GHS), Unique Device Identification (UDI) and GM 14573 mandates, for example.
- Label security. Tamper-evident labels are often demanded by retail customers and others who are prone to losses from counterfeit goods, product contamination or even “clearance fraud”.
- Printer ribbon compatibility with the various product ID labels. Not all thermal ribbons are compatible with all thermal materials. When the ribbon is not compatible with the material, the print easily rubs off or disappears when subjected to abrasion, making the product unidentifiable.
- Label quality and authenticity. This isn’t broadly advertised, but many supplies manufacturers will substitute materials used to produce labels, ribbons and other components, and that can severely impact the quality and performance of your labels. (For the record, Zebra never substitutes materials or ribbon formulations for any reason once we spec them in. You will always get the exact same supplies at the exact same quality. All of our supplies are also ISO 9001:2015 certified via strict quality control processes to ensure reliable, consistent performance.)
- Customization flexibility. It’s important to work with a Supplies manufacturer that can create labels in any size and configuration and, if needed, pre-print static information and branding. Zebra is authorized to pre-print the UL mark. This will help you reduce waste, (again) ensure compliance and reduce labeling-related delays when you’re trying to go to market with new products.
