Your Encyclopedia for Labels!

Adhesive

Good adhesion is essential for labelling your products safely and effectively. That is why we offer different types of adhesive, tailored to every need:

• Permanent
• Reinforced
• Repositionable
• Water-soluble/Soluble
• For ice cream tubs
• For freezing

If you have any doubts or questions, you can contact us by telephone from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, on +33 (0)4 81 68 19 73, or by email at the following address: info@labelletiquette.fr.

Amazon Transparency

Transparency by Amazon is a product serialisation service that allows you to identify each unit and significantly prevent counterfeits from being produced for your products. You can order Transparency codes via Amazon and each unit of your product will receive its own code. You then create an account on labelletiquette.fr. Once your account has been created, you can order product labels containing the Transparency codes directly online.

Opaque white

This is a layer of white ink printed beneath the colours on metallic, transparent or tinted substrates (such as grass-based paper, for example) to make the image opaque, vibrant and true to the original colours. Opaque white must be set up in your print file as an additional colour layer named HPI-White and defined as overprint. This acronym stands for HP-Indigo White, HP Indigo being the name of our digital printers. It is important to use the term HPI-White correctly in your print files so that the digital press recognises it as a special ink and prints it accordingly.

Intense Opaque White (Double Hit)

Intense Opaque White involves a double application of white ink for maximum opacity, particularly on coloured, metallic or transparent substrates. All areas of your design defined with Opaque White will be printed in two layers of white. Please note that the white ink must be defined as an additional colour and named ‘HPI-White’ in your file.

CMYK

The CMYK colour model (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) forms the basis of four-colour printing and corresponds to the colour mode used for your print files.

Cutting line

The cutting line defines the final shape of the label. The cutting line must be created in a spot colour and named ‘Cutter’. Furthermore, it must be set to overprint, as the cutting line is merely a technical tool that is not printed.

Conventional die-cutting

This is a cutting technique in which a metal tool mounted on a rotating cylinder cuts the substrate to the desired shape, enabling the production of adhesive labels on a roll.

Laser cutting

This technique uses a laser beam to cut the substrate with precision. It requires no cutting tool and allows for the creation of any conceivable shape. The laser beam can be programmed individually and fully automatically.

Roll diameter

This corresponds to the roll diameter obtained after the labels have been wound around the core. You can choose the configuration of your rolls when placing your order, fully customised to suit your needs.
The maximum roll diameter indicates the largest possible size of the rolls. However, this does not mean that the rolls cannot be smaller.

Core diameter

Label rolls are customisable and we do not offer standard rolls. At labelletiquette.fr, you can choose the core diameter of your label rolls during the ordering process.
You can choose between 1″ / 25 mm, 2″ / 40 mm and 3″ / 76 mm (standard) cores. By selecting the core diameter that matches your equipment, you avoid machine downtime and ensure optimal labelling speed for your products.

Hot foil stamping

Hot foil stamping gives your label a unique, high-end finish. To apply the hot foil, a metallic film is applied to your label using heat and a special tool. Hot foil stamping is particularly popular in the wine and spirits sector to enhance the product’s image. It is available in a wide range of colours, such as bronze, silver, gold, mint green and pink. You can see the effect of hot foil stamping in our free sample book.

Embossed foil stamping

Embossed foil stamping combines embossing and hot foil stamping. The substrate is shaped into a three-dimensional form in the desired areas using a specially designed tool, combined with a metallic hot foil stamping film.

Liner

The liner supports the adhesive and the label facestock, whilst protecting them during die-cutting, storage and printing. Our substrates are available with the following types of liner:

• Glassine paper
• PET film

DPI

The term dpi stands for ‘dots per inch’ and refers to the print resolution. During the printing process, printed images are converted into small dots (halftoning). To ensure we can print your artwork and text to the highest possible quality, your print file must meet certain minimum resolution requirements:
Minimum resolution: 250 dpi
Standard resolution for images: 300 dpi
Standard resolution for vectorised elements: 1,200 dpi

Weeding

When cutting out labels, excess material remains around the cut-out shape. Weeding involves removing this excess material from around the labels. Trimming is particularly necessary when labels are applied using an automatic labelling machine. At labelletiquette.fr, all labels ordered for application by a labelling machine are trimmed by default. In some cases, automatic trimming is not possible, for example for very specific shapes or certain substrates. Please do not hesitate to contact our customer service team regarding this before placing your order.

Silver ink

Silver ink, known as HP Indigo Silver, is used in addition to the CMYK colour space and allows for colours with a metallic effect.
For more information on suitable substrates, please contact our customer service team Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm on +33 4 81 68 19 73, or by email at the following address: info@labelletiquette.fr.

Fluorescent ink

Fluorescent (or “invisible”) inks create a special effect that is only visible under black light. The label then becomes a real eye-catcher: these special UV inks reflect light thanks to their chemical composition and begin to glow.

Fluorescent ink

Fluorescent (or “invisible”) inks create a special effect that is only visible under black light. The label then becomes a real eye-catcher: these special UV inks reflect light thanks to their chemical composition and begin to glow.

Label spacing

The spacing between labels refers to the space left between each label on the roll. By default, we produce a spacing of 5 mm, but this can be adjusted to suit your requirements (minimum 3 mm). For alternating labels, the spacing must be defined in the print file.

Adhesive labels

Adhesive labels are self-adhesive labels supplied on rolls or sheets. Adhesive labels are suitable for various applications across almost all industrial sectors, whether in the drinks industry, the food industry or the cosmetics industry. Adhesive labels are versatile and easy to use.

Alternating labels

Front and back labels are printed alternately on the same roll in a single print run. This configuration is ideal for automatic labelling, where labels need to be applied simultaneously in a single step using a labelling machine.

Roll labels

Roll labels are also often referred to as labels on a roll, adhesive labels on a roll, or adhesive labels on a roll or reel. As the name suggests, roll labels are wound onto a reel. Regardless of this, the labels can be designed freely and individually to suit your needs. Roll labels are particularly suitable for automatic labelling. If you apply your labels to your products by hand, you can also opt for sheet labels.

Opaque labels

Opaque adhesive labels are ideal for permanently covering a part of your product or a previous label. Made from special substrates where the adhesive is covered with a dark layer, they prevent any transparency and are perfectly suited to coloured backgrounds, images and text.

Thermal transfer labels

The thermal transfer printing technique involves using heat to transfer the colour from a thermal transfer ribbon onto the label substrate. This printing method is ideal for printing barcodes, bottling information or use-by dates. For thermal transfer printing, you need a special printer equipped with a high-quality thermal transfer ribbon. This technique allows only one colour to be printed at a time, namely the colour of the ribbon used. Thermal transfer printing offers much higher quality and greater durability than direct thermal printing. You can use thermal transfer labels to label food products, equipment or other goods. Data that needs to withstand the test of time or not deteriorate during product use can therefore be printed using a thermal transfer printer.

Direct thermal labels

Direct thermal printing uses special paper impregnated with colour pigments. The print head of the direct thermal printer moves across this special paper and heats its heat-sensitive surface. Where the paper is heated, it turns black. This is how the desired design or text is printed onto the paper. Grey tones are very difficult to achieve with this printing method. Only monochrome black can be printed. Products printed using direct thermal printing have low UV resistance and fade quickly or turn black when exposed to intense heat. Direct thermal labels are often used for shop receipts, admission tickets or parking tickets. Furthermore, only special paper can be used for direct thermal printing, which considerably limits the design possibilities for the print.

Euroscale

Euroscale is the abbreviation for the European colour scale for offset printing. For printing according to Euroscale, the standard four-colour process, the four process colours Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (CMYK) are used.

Print files

To create print-ready files, we recommend using professional software such as Adobe Illustrator, InDesign or ArtPro. You will find full details on how to set up your files in our instructions for print files. You can also opt for one of our graphic correction services: depending on the option chosen, we will adjust your files to ensure an optimal print result.

Bleed

The bleed is a 2.5 mm margin that extends beyond the final format. This safety margin compensates for cutting tolerances and ensures that your design can be printed right to the edge of the image. If the print file does not include a correctly configured bleed, white bands may be visible at the edges of the label. The bleed is sometimes referred to as trimming, trim margin or edge trim.

FSC®

The FSC® certificate guarantees that the wood used to produce the materials comes from FSC®-certified forests managed in accordance with sustainable forestry practices. We offer a wide range of FSC®-certified papers which we use to manufacture your labels.

Blind Embossing

Blind embossing uses heat and a brass or magnesium tool combined with a counter-tool to give the label a three-dimensional appearance, without the need for ink or a metallic hot-foil film.

HP Indigo

At labelletiquette.fr, we print using HP Indigo digital presses, which are synonymous with excellent quality and great flexibility. Unlike traditional printing, no plates are required: the special ‘electronic’ ink is applied directly to the substrate.
Although part of digital printing, the quality achieved with HP Indigo is significantly superior to that of conventional digital or inkjet printers, which explains why we have chosen this technology.
The benefits don’t stop there. With HP Indigo, each label can be personalised, for example with barcodes, sequential numbering, or even with unique addresses or names. These features are impossible with traditional machines. To see the difference for yourself, request our free sample book.

Digital printing

Digital printing is a process that allows files to be sent from a computer or other electronic device directly to the printer. It guarantees optimal quality, both in high definition and in colour, thanks to management systems that preserve the image’s appearance regardless of the medium used.

Offset printing

Conventional offset printing (from the English ‘set off’) uses so-called printing plates. Offset is known as a flat printing process and operates indirectly. The printing plates and the substrate do not come into contact, but the ink is transferred onto a blanket. This blanket then transfers the ink onto the substrate, usually paper or film. Moreover, from a quality perspective, digital offset printing via HP Indigo and conventional offset printing are indistinguishable.

Sandwich printing

Sandwich printing involves printing several layers of ink onto a transparent label to create a visual effect that shows through the substrate. The first layer is printed onto the transparent PP film, then separated from the final layer by an opaque white area, ensuring optimal results and perfect legibility on both the inner and outer sides of the label.

Test print

A test print is a print of your labels under original production conditions. It is used to test the appearance of your design and the colour quality, or to confirm your choice of material. This ensures your labels will look exactly as intended.

JPG

In the field of photography, the JPG format has been an essential standard since 1992. The format is widely compatible and easy to use. For photos, this poses no problem. However, it becomes difficult when it comes to printing labels in this format. In a JPG file, each point in the image is stored as a fixed pixel. This makes it difficult to edit certain areas. Furthermore, print quality may not be optimal, particularly for fonts and fine lines.
For these reasons, we ask that you send us your print files in standardised formats wherever possible. As a general rule, the PDF format is the ideal solution. We have compiled all the information you need regarding the preparation of your print files.

Safety margin

The safety margin is the distance between the cutting line and the nearest element. For technical printing reasons, the safety margin must be at least 2 mm. If the safety margin is not observed, certain elements may be trimmed or removed during the label cutting process.

Deep Black

Deep Black is a particularly deep black in digital printing. To achieve this, we recommend setting the following colour values: C 0%, M 0%, Y 0%, B 100%. It is also possible to print this black twice (Double hit) to increase its density and achieve an even more intense result.

PDF

The PDF format is a universal file format. It can contain both images and text and can be opened regardless of the operating system or device. This format is primarily used in the printing industry.
Print files are the be-all and end-all of label production. All subsequent stages are based on them, and it is important that these files are created correctly to ensure production runs smoothly. That is why we ask you to provide us with the print file in PDF format.

Lamination

Lamination involves applying a protective film using an adhesive which, under pressure and heat, bonds the film to the label. It is available in gloss or matt finishes and offers superior protection to that of a protective varnish. Lamination protects the printed label against abrasion, water, oil and mild chemicals.

Reprinting

Would you like your new order to be printed to the specifications of a previous one? No problem! Contact our customer service team to request a reprint of your labels, specifying any changes. If the order meets certain criteria, we will be able to reproduce the colours as faithfully as possible using a sample from the previous production run. Otherwise, or if no sample is available, slight colour variations may occur between production runs.

To confirm the required specifications or provide us with a sample, you can contact us by phone from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, on +33 4 81 68 19 73, or by email at the following address: info@labelletiquette.fr.

Black Mark

The black mark is a black line usually printed on the reverse side of a label’s backing. Labelling machines or finishing machines that require this mark can thus recognise the start and end of a label. The black mark is mainly used for transparent labels.

RGB

RGB is an additive colour space represented by the primary colours Red, Green and Blue. The RGB colour space is mainly used for screens and televisions. The counterpart to RGB is CMYK, the colour space for four-colour printing.

Winding direction

For the automatic application of your labels, it is important that you know which winding direction you need for your machine. Here, we distinguish between inside and outside winding and the way your labels are positioned on the roll, i.e. tail-in, head-in, left-in or right-in. You will find an illustrated overview here.

PLUS Materials

Plus Materials are reinforced with a layer of PET between the adhesive and the material, minimising the risk of creasing and ensuring excellent performance in damp conditions. They offer optimal performance in refrigeration and when immersed in water or ice.
This makes them ideal for bottles of wine and spirits, food products, as well as any item that needs to be refrigerated or kept in an ice bucket.

Protective varnish

The protective varnish is an additional finish and is primarily designed to protect your label from abrasion. At the same time, it gives the label a distinctive look, setting it apart from the competition. At labelletiquette.fr, protective varnish is available in matt or gloss.

Digital spot varnish

The digital spot varnish, which is transparent and glossy, is applied to specific areas of the label to highlight the desired details. Please refer to the dedicated section to find out which substrates are compatible with this finish.