A barcode is only as good as the label it is printed on. The right label depends on the surface, the environment, how long the label must last and which printer and ribbon you use.
Labels Indian Barcode makes for barcode printing
Indian Barcode (Mindware) converts these labels in-house in New Delhi, in 168 die sizes kept in stock, ready for desktop and industrial barcode printers:
Direct thermal labels
Heat-sensitive paper that darkens in the printer - no ribbon needed. Fast and economical; best for labels that live weeks or months, not years. Best for: Shipping, courier, e-commerce, weighing scales, food and short-life labels.
Thermal transfer paper labels
Chromo, maplitho and art paper printed with a wax or wax-resin ribbon for sharp, long-lasting barcodes. Best for: Retail MRP and product labels, inventory, garments, carton labels.
Polyester (PET) labels
Silver, white and clear polyester printed with resin ribbon - resists water, oil, heat, scratching and many chemicals. Best for: Asset tags, electronics, rating plates, automotive, outdoor and chemical drums.
VOID / tamper-evident labels
Security labels that leave a "VOID" pattern on the surface when someone tries to peel them off. Best for: Warranty seals, electronics, pharma, cartons, documents and asset security.
Pre-printed labels
Multi-colour printed labels with your logo and design, with blank space for barcodes or variable data printed later. Best for: Brand labels, MRP labels, product stickers, shipping and promotional labels.
Jewellery tags & labels
Dumbbell (barbell) tags with tails and synthetic jewellery labels sized for rings, chains and bangles. Best for: Jewellery showrooms, hallmarking and stock tagging - also available with RFID (see the case study).
Seed labels & seed tags
Certified (azure blue), foundation (white), breeder (golden yellow) and truthfully labelled (opal green) seed tags, 15 x 7.5 cm, plus seed packet labels - plain for your printer or printed (seed labels guide). Best for: Seed companies, certification tags, seed packets and agro products.
Polypropylene & synthetic labels
BOPP and synthetic films that resist moisture and tearing - a middle ground between paper and polyester. Best for: Cosmetics, bottles, cold chain, FMCG and wet environments.
RFID labels
Barcode labels with a UHF RFID inlay inside - printed and encoded in one pass by Indian RFID. Best for: Retail, apparel, warehouses, jewellery and asset tracking.
Direct thermal or thermal transfer?
| Direct thermal | Thermal transfer | |
|---|---|---|
| Ribbon | Not needed | Needed (wax, wax-resin or resin) |
| Life of print | Weeks to months; fades in heat and sunlight | Years, depending on label and ribbon |
| Materials | Direct thermal paper only | Paper, polyester, PP, VOID and more |
| Typical use | Shipping, courier, weighing scales, receipts | Product, asset, retail, compliance labels |
Matching ribbon to label
- Wax ribbon - paper labels, economical, general use.
- Wax-resin ribbon - coated paper and some films; better smudge and scratch resistance.
- Resin ribbon - polyester and synthetic labels; resists heat, chemicals and abrasion.
Adhesives
Permanent adhesive for most uses; removable for labels that must peel off cleanly; freezer adhesive for cold chain and frozen food; high-tack for rough, curved or dusty surfaces such as corrugated cartons and drums.
Label size, dies, cores and rolls
- Size - width x length in mm. Die-cut labels are cut to shape by a die; Mindware keeps a large stock of dies, so most sizes need no die charge.
- Ups - how many labels sit across the roll (1-up, 2-up, 4-up).
- Gap or black mark - how the printer finds the start of each label.
- Core - 1 inch for small desktop printers, 1.5 inch for many desktop models, 3 inch for industrial printers.
- Roll size - the outer diameter your printer can hold decides the number of labels per roll.
- Perforation - lets labels or tags be torn apart.
Need a size we do not have a die for? Request a custom die and we will send the die price and label quotation.