Anyone in the label making/printing business, or have experience?

[GraemeVW]

I'm designing a product and need to think about labels.
I know nothing about this though.
It's a household item, not a disposable bottle etc. Trying to give a feeling of decent quality.
It will just be the brand logo and name, quite simple.
Round, 80mm diameter.
Silver details on black background, so presumably black printed onto silver foil?
It needs to be splash proof.
It will be stuck to rubber!
The product is static really, just put down and left alone, but I'd still expect a product life of maybe 20 years.

I guess it could also not at all be self adhesive, but would then need to be stiff. So screen printed onto a thin aluminium disc would also work.

I guess what I'm trying to find out is what should I be looking for so I know how to approach any label making companies.

Thanks.

 

[julianf]

I can talk to you about screen print.

Screen print works for volume stuff OR high end stuff.

Volume stuff like every felt tip pen case that you've ever encountered. High end stuff like expensive hifi.

But other bits like estate agents boards are screened too, as they just work well with the process.


If the item is being made in China just get them to do the print. If it's volume it will be screened or pad printed.


If you're looking at small to medium run at the start, loads of places will do you vinyl bits.


If you have an idea of your run size then the answers can be more specific. I do moderately expensive, short run, stuff, but that's just because it's where I lurk in the market. I could do volume but I'm fond on that saying "I can be skint lying in bed all day - no point in working hard to be equally skint"

Volume is often a race to the bottom, against far east suppliers.


Edit -

I'm working for these folk this week -

*Soundgas Type 636 (Grampian) Spring Reverb FOR SALE

View the current Soundgas 636 range here Sold out. No more builds planned. Please contact us to be on the list for preowned units.

soundgas.com

*Soundgas Type 636P 2 - Twin Grampian 636 Preamp - Deposit to Reserve FOR SALE

This tone monster is the ultimate incarnation of our celebrated Grampian 636 circuit. Use on guitars, vocals, keys, synths, beats, strings, stems, mixes. From subtle stem/mix enhancement/thickening to maximum drive, fuzz and filth. Twin channel Carnhill transformer balanced germanium mic preamp...

soundgas.com

(I only do the silver bit)

The top one is sold out. I forget what they were charging, but something like 5.5k ex vat. It's not a complex job, but you can understand that, at that price point, customers don't really tolerate, well, anything...

 

[GraemeVW]

I can talk to you about screen print.

Screen print works for volume stuff OR high end stuff.

Volume stuff like every felt tip pen case that you've ever encountered. High end stuff like expensive hifi.

But other bits like estate agents boards are screened too, as they just work well with the process.


If the item is being made in China just get them to do the print. If it's volume it will be screened or pad printed.


If you're looking at small to medium run at the start, loads of places will do you vinyl bits.


If you have an idea of your run size then the answers can be more specific. I do moderately expensive, short run, stuff, but that's just because it's where I lurk in the market. I could do volume but I'm fond on that saying "I can be skint lying in bed all day - no point in working hard to be equally skint"

Volume is often a race to the bottom, against far east suppliers.


Edit -

I'm working for these folk this week -

*Soundgas Type 636 (Grampian) Spring Reverb FOR SALE

View the current Soundgas 636 range here Sold out. No more builds planned. Please contact us to be on the list for preowned units.

soundgas.com

*Soundgas Type 636P 2 - Twin Grampian 636 Preamp - Deposit to Reserve FOR SALE

This tone monster is the ultimate incarnation of our celebrated Grampian 636 circuit. Use on guitars, vocals, keys, synths, beats, strings, stems, mixes. From subtle stem/mix enhancement/thickening to maximum drive, fuzz and filth. Twin channel Carnhill transformer balanced germanium mic preamp...

soundgas.com

(I only do the silver bit)

The top one is sold out. I forget what they were charging, but something like 5.5k ex vat. It's not a complex job, but you can understand that, at that price point, customers don't really tolerate, well, anything...

I was hoping to get one label made that I can put on a few different products, maybe slap on the box too.

Small scale, high (ish) value.
If I can use one sticker for maybe 2 or 3 products and maybe even use as a way to decorate a box, I'd probably hope to get through maybe 100 to 150 a month.

If I go with a cheaper label for the cheaper product/s (bottles rather than items) and use a screen printed disc for the main product, I'd probably needing 50 a month, maybe ordering monthly, hoping things take off.

The only thing that concerns me about using one label for everything is whether it would adhere to thick rubber.

I have done some high end HiFi screen printing before. I used to work at rega and we screen printed all out products in house.

I could get a screen or two made, get the discs cut, then print them myself, but would probably be easier to get them done.
I'd be looking at aluminium discs about 0.5mm thick.

 

[GraemeVW]

I could vary the labels for each product, but I'm assuming I'll Prob a my have to order 500 at a time or some such so I'd use them for as many things as I could until things take off.

Using a screen printed aluminium disc may be too expensive, not really sure. They wouldn't become cheap until I was ordering high volumes.

Edit...
Put it this way, 80mm diameter, 0.5mm thick, screen printed on both sides, I'd need them to be less than £5 each, which I guess means ordering lots!

 

[julianf]

If you find a disc in volume and send them off to a printer that could be a solution. You pick the stock and the printer just prints.

You could get yourself a laser and diy, but you would be there forever even if you jigged up a load at a time. But that's also a consideration maybe?

I've got a rega 3 about 2 mtrs from where I'm sitting. Not that it's working currently!

 

[GraemeVW]

If you find a disc in volume and send them off to a printer that could be a solution. You pick the stock and the printer just prints.

You could get yourself a laser and diy, but you would be there forever even if you jigged up a load at a time. But that's also a consideration maybe?

I've got a rega 3 about 2 mtrs from where I'm sitting. Not that it's working currently!

If the little round sticker on the motor tray has a terribly written GW on it, I made it.

 

[julianf]

If the little round sticker on the motor tray has a terribly written GW on it, I made it.

Motor tray is currently off, as it seems to be the motor that's stuffed. I've got a dc motor kit from rega but stalled on its fitting.

I'll have a look later if I remember.

(My suspicion is actually the caps rather than the motor - but I got the DC kit all the same)

 

[GraemeVW]

Motor tray is currently off, as it seems to be the motor that's stuffed. I've got a dc motor kit from rega but stalled on its fitting.

I'll have a look later if I remember.

(My suspicion is actually the caps rather than the motor - but I got the DC kit all the same)

The caps fail on the old boards. Normally takes 30 years though!

Are you by chance swapping from a suspended motor to one fixed with a sticky pad?

Your p3 is probably pre my working there if it's suffering capacitor issues.

 

[julianf]

The caps fail on the old boards. Normally takes 30 years though!

Are you by chance swapping from a suspended motor to one fixed with a sticky pad?

Your p3 is probably pre my working there if it's suffering capacitor issues.

I bought the rega, second hand, when i was 17, i think. (could have been 18 or 19, but i think it was that early)
I believe that I'm 46 now, so its been in my ownership about 30 years, but, like i say, was second hand when i acquired it.

 

[DAPPH]

I was hoping to get one label made that I can put on a few different products, maybe slap on the box too.

Small scale, high (ish) value.
If I can use one sticker for maybe 2 or 3 products and maybe even use as a way to decorate a box, I'd probably hope to get through maybe 100 to 150 a month.

If I go with a cheaper label for the cheaper product/s (bottles rather than items) and use a screen printed disc for the main product, I'd probably needing 50 a month, maybe ordering monthly, hoping things take off.

The only thing that concerns me about using one label for everything is whether it would adhere to thick rubber.

I have done some high end HiFi screen printing before. I used to work at rega and we screen printed all out products in house.

I could get a screen or two made, get the discs cut, then print them myself, but would probably be easier to get them done.
I'd be looking at aluminium discs about 0.5mm thick.

Look at jam , marmalade or honey jar label makers see if they can do it for you or give you an idea of price . I had rolls of 1000 made for me for my honey jars years ago in one pound and 2 ounce jars sizes

 

[graffian]

Girl I know ran a printing ocupational therapy workshop in a nuthouse. They did all sorts including pad printing. When I
collected something from her she showed me around and they were printing a label on some curved object, the flat silicon pad distorted
around the curved surface and left a perfect print!
I guess that's how a lot of products used to be printed

 

[Popcorn]

Don't forget must printing machines where rotary and used to use cylinders to mount the printing plates on.
So a calculation (using a dizbro machine) is applied to which ever side goes around the cylinder and that side is shortened to allow it to print the correct size.

 

[ukracer]

I'm designing a product and need to think about labels.
I know nothing about this though.
It's a household item, not a disposable bottle etc. Trying to give a feeling of decent quality.
It will just be the brand logo and name, quite simple.
Round, 80mm diameter.
Silver details on black background, so presumably black printed onto silver foil?
It needs to be splash proof.
It will be stuck to rubber!
The product is static really, just put down and left alone, but I'd still expect a product life of maybe 20 years.

I guess it could also not at all be self adhesive, but would then need to be stiff. So screen printed onto a thin aluminium disc would also work.

I guess what I'm trying to find out is what should I be looking for so I know how to approach any label making companies.

Thanks.

I recently purchased a business card printer from a lady.
She was in a form of partnership with a couple of people who specialised in certain areas.
1 was labels..... I will go and look for a link.

DTS Print & Design - Home

Welcome to DTS Print & Design, a print and design studio with over 30 years experience. Specialists in custom product labels, print marketing and so much more. In house designer and illustrator. Vinyl labels and stickers. Packaging design and prototyping. Print finishing services.

www.dtsprintanddesign.co.uk

 

[DAPPH]

It's likely Fizzy has a pair of high spec. high speed label printers for sale.

 

[Ali]

I used to be in the business of selling / supporting high end vinyl printers (Roland). There are many, many sign writing businesses using these and similar. I’d be tempted to have a look at materials before approaching the printing shop as there are loads available - for instance we used to sell a material you could stick to brickwork (which worked amazingly well). A company called Dorotape were always good. Get a sample and make sure it sticks to what you want to stick it to and then find a sign shop to do the printing for you. UV might be another option if you can find someone with the equipment. This can print directly onto the item, I found it amazingly durable and it looks really good. May need a rotary setup for the radius, not sure if you’d get away with 80mm.

 

[Ali]

I believe that I'm 46 now…

You don’t look it, I’m 40 and I thought you were at least 10 years younger than me when we met!

 

[GraemeVW]

I used to be in the business of selling / supporting high end vinyl printers (Roland). There are many, many sign writing businesses using these and similar. I’d be tempted to have a look at materials before approaching the printing shop as there are loads available - for instance we used to sell a material you could stick to brickwork (which worked amazingly well). A company called Dorotape were always good. Get a sample and make sure it sticks to what you want to stick it to and then find a sign shop to do the printing for you. UV might be another option if you can find someone with the equipment. This can print directly onto the item, I found it amazingly durable and it looks really good. May need a rotary setup for the radius, not sure if you’d get away with 80mm.

I have some material samples coming from a label place, can't remember their name, but we'll see.

I'm after something high quality, something that looks like mat black ink on aluminium, but in sticker form.
I can picture in my mind what I want, just not sure what that is.

Think more adhesive manufacturers logo rather than the kind of label you would put on a jar of jam.

 

[GraemeVW]

You don’t look it, I’m 40 and I thought you were at least 10 years younger than me when we met!

I'm 46 too and get told I look 10 years younger at least once a week!

But I've got no kids, don't know what julianf's secret is.

 

[Ali]

I have some material samples coming from a label place, can't remember their name, but we'll see.

I'm after something high quality, something that looks like mat black ink on aluminium, but in sticker form.
I can picture in my mind what I want, just not sure what that is.

Think more adhesive manufacturers logo rather than the kind of label you would put on a jar of jam.

There’s definitely stuff like that out there

 

[julianf]

I'm 46 too and get told I look 10 years younger at least once a week!

But I've got no kids, don't know what julianf's secret is.

I don't like alarm clocks. Even the sound of them on films makes me feel ill! I've engineered my adult life to largely avoid them.
That's not to say I don't work*, I just want to wake up when I wake up.

I forget the statistic, but i believe the majority of heart attacks happen before 10:30am. I figure its best to pass that 'killing zone' in as relaxed a fashion as possible.


...of course, there is, however, the organic alarm clock. I look at photos of us at around her birth - i have aged rapidly since then!


(*the majority of the people i work for now are overseas on different time zones anyway, so i cant see that it matters at all)