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Linerless Label Glossary
Key terminology for linerless labelling, thermal printing, and label technology. Understand the terms used across our products and industry.
Technology
- Direct Thermal Printing
- A printing method where heat from the print head activates a chemical coating on the label to produce an image. No ink, toner, or ribbon is required. Direct thermal labels are sensitive to heat, light, and abrasion, making them ideal for short-term applications like shipping labels and receipts.
- Linerless Labels
- Thermal labels manufactured without a backing liner (release paper). The adhesive is coated with a silicone release layer that allows labels to be wound onto rolls without sticking together. Eliminates liner waste and allows 40% more labels per roll compared to traditional die-cut labels.
- Thermal Transfer Printing
- A printing method that uses heat to transfer ink from a ribbon onto the label material. Produces more durable prints than direct thermal, suitable for labels that need to withstand harsh conditions or have longer lifespans. Requires ribbon consumables.
- Variable Length Printing
- The ability to print labels of different lengths from a single roll. Linerless technology enables true variable length printing because labels are cut after printing rather than pre-cut to fixed sizes. This reduces waste and allows one roll to serve multiple label size requirements.
Materials
- Adhesive
- The sticky coating on the back of labels that allows them to bond to surfaces. Linerless labels use pressure-sensitive adhesive that activates when applied. Options include permanent (strong bond), removable (clean removal), and repositionable (can be adjusted after application).
- BPA-Free
- Labels manufactured without Bisphenol A, a chemical historically used in thermal paper coatings. BPA-free labels are required for food contact applications and preferred for health and environmental reasons. All modern food-grade thermal labels should be BPA-free.
- Face Stock
- The top layer of a label that receives the print. For direct thermal labels, the face stock includes a heat-sensitive coating. Face stock materials include paper (most common), synthetic materials (for durability), and specialty substrates for specific applications.
- GSM (Grams per Square Metre)
- A measurement of paper weight and thickness. Higher GSM indicates thicker, more rigid paper. Typical thermal label paper ranges from 55-80 GSM. Linerless labels commonly use 55-60 GSM paper to maximise labels per roll while maintaining print quality. Related: Face Stock
- Permanent Adhesive
- An adhesive formulation designed to create a strong, lasting bond that cannot be removed without damaging the label or surface. Used for applications where labels must remain attached, such as shipping labels and product identification.
- Release Coating
- A thin silicone layer applied to the face of linerless labels that prevents the adhesive from sticking to the printed surface when rolled. The release coating allows labels to unwind smoothly while maintaining full adhesive functionality when applied to products.
- Removable Adhesive
- An adhesive formulation that allows labels to be peeled off without leaving residue or damaging the surface. Used for temporary labelling, promotional stickers, and applications where labels may need to be removed, such as price markdowns.
Equipment
- DPI (Dots Per Inch)
- A measure of print resolution indicating how many dots the printer can produce per inch. Higher DPI means finer detail and better barcode quality. Common resolutions are 203 DPI (standard), 300 DPI (high quality), and 600 DPI (ultra-fine detail).
- Linerless Cutter
- A cutting mechanism designed to cut linerless labels cleanly without adhesive buildup. Uses non-stick coated blades (often Teflon-coated) to prevent adhesive accumulation that would cause jams and poor cuts. Can be guillotine (straight cut) or rotary style.
- Linerless-Ready Printer
- A thermal printer equipped with the components necessary for linerless label printing: silicone-coated platen roller, non-stick cutter blade, and appropriate label guides. Some standard printers can be converted with linerless kits; others are purpose-built for linerless operation.
- Print Head
- The component in a thermal printer that applies heat to create the image. Contains tiny heating elements that activate the thermal coating on direct thermal labels or melt ink from ribbons in thermal transfer printing. Print head resolution is measured in DPI (dots per inch).
- Silicone Platen Roller
- A specialised roller in linerless printers coated with silicone to prevent the label adhesive from sticking. Standard thermal printers use rubber platen rollers which would be damaged by exposed adhesive. A silicone platen is essential for linerless printing.
Applications
- Day-Dot Labels
- Small labels used in food service to track when items were prepared and when they should be discarded. Typically colour-coded by day of the week. Linerless labels are ideal for day-dots because variable length printing allows small labels without pre-cut waste.
- Receipt Labels
- Labels that function as receipts with adhesive backing, allowing them to be attached to products or packaging. Common in QSR environments where order tickets need to stick to bags or containers. Combines receipt and label functionality in one print.
- Shipping Labels
- Labels applied to packages for delivery identification, containing recipient address, sender information, barcodes, and carrier routing codes. The standard 4x6 inch (100mm x 150mm) format is used by most carriers. Linerless shipping labels eliminate liner waste in high-volume fulfilment.
- Weighscale Labels
- Labels printed by retail scales to show product weight, price per unit, total price, and product information. Common in supermarket deli counters, butchers, and produce departments. Typical widths are 50mm, 58mm, and 60mm.
Standards
- Barcode
- A machine-readable representation of data using parallel lines (1D barcodes) or patterns of squares (2D barcodes like QR codes). Used for product identification, inventory tracking, and logistics. Label print quality must meet minimum standards for reliable scanning.
- Food Contact Safe
- Labels that comply with regulations for materials that come into contact with food. In the EU, this means compliance with Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004. Food contact safe labels are BPA-free and use adhesives approved for indirect food contact.
- GS1 Barcode
- Barcodes that follow GS1 international standards for product identification and data capture. Includes formats like EAN-13 (retail products), GS1-128 (logistics), and GS1 DataMatrix (healthcare). Ensures barcodes are scannable across supply chains globally.
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