Print Buying Direct

Label adhesives and Label printing – 19th March 2010

Safeguarding the environment through responsible selection and use of materials, technology and working methods is one of the stated aims of my company which, in common with other label printers is faced with the challenge of a more environmentally-conscious approach to the manufacture of self adhesive labels. This applies particularly to the selection of materials and adhesives where we need to balance the new environmental concerns against the commercial and technical of self adhesive label production and application.

Types of adhesives

Adhesives are made up of the following components:

• Polymer – The backbone of adhesive.
• Tackifier – Part of the formulation giving its sticky properties where required.
• Carrier Agent – Allows the polymer and tackifier to flow during coating and application.
• Additives – specific additives may be used, depending on the particular properties the adhesive requires.

Given the best composition above, adhesives can be grouped into:

• Emulsion systems – These are usually based on an acrylate (polymer) and tackifier using water as the carrier agent. They are most widely used, and are solvent free.

• Solvent systems – The polymer used may be either acrylic or rubber, with a solvent-based carrier agent.
• Hot melt systems – Usually rubber-based systems: the manufacturing process involves melting rubber or acrylic to form a thermoplastic compound.

Adhesive systems are usually inerted in the final laminate state and under normal conditions of use are not hazardous to health.

Considering these adhesives families, the ‘easy’ answer to the most environmentally- friendly adhesive question may appear to be emulsion or hot melt systems (which account for more than 80% of all label adhesives produced). However, the label printer must also be concerned with the performance and end use of the label, and sometimes a solvent system may be required to meet application conditions. There has been considerable development of emulsion systems to meet a wider range of conditions but there may always be some conditions where solvent systems will offer the best, or indeed the only, adequate performance characteristics.

Next time – more on Label Printing…

Peter Harrison is Joint Managing Director of The Printing House Ltd, and Print Buying Direct of Crewe, Cheshire, UK.

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• Environmentally Aware Printing – Types of Adhesives (continued)
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• Environmentally Aware Printing – Types of Adhesives (continued) – 11th March 2010
• Environmentally Aware Printing – Types of Adhesives (continued)
• Environmentally Aware Printing – Types of Adhesives (continued)

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This entry was posted on Thursday, March 18th, 2010 at 10:49 pm and is filed under Banners, Business Stationery, Calendars, Leaflets and Brochures, News, Newsletters, Postcards. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.