Label Glossary

ACCELERATED AGING
Procedures for subjecting pressure sensitive label material to special environmental conditions in order to predict the course of natural aging.

ACETATES
Transparent and cellulose films used as face materials; cellulose is a plant product.

ACROSS WEB
The direction opposite the machine direction of the web.

ACRYLIC ADHESIVE
Pressure sensitive adhesive based on high-strength, acrylic polymers. Can be coated as a solvent or emulsion system.

ADHESION/ADHERENCE
A bond established upon contact between two surfaces.

ADHESIVE
A substance capable of holding materials together by surface attachment.

ADHESIVE ACRYLIC
A pressure sensitive adhesive based on high strength, acrylic polymers. It can be coated as a solvent or emulsion.

ADHESIVE ACRYLIC BASED
A pressure sensitive adhesive with an acrylic polymer base.

ADHESIVE AQUEOUS
A water-based pressure sensitive adhesive.

ADHESIVE BLEED
The adhesive migration from pressure sensitive material and labels. Note: Especially critical in laser printing.

ADHESIVE COLD TEMPERATURE
An adhesive that adheres to refrigerated substrates. Has an application range of -20° and a service range of -65°.

ADHESIVE DEPOSIT/ADHESIVE RESIDUE
The pressure sensitive adhesive remaining on a substrate when a label is removed.

ADHESIVE DRY GUM
An adhesive that adheres by getting it wet and then applying it to the substrate.

ADHESIVE FREEZER TEMPERATURE
An adhesive that adheres to freezer substrates. Has an application range of 0° and a service range of -65°.

ADHESIVE HEAT SEAL
An adhesive that has a coating which melts under heat to form the bonding agent.

ADHESIVE HIGH TEMPERATURE
An adhesive that withstands sustained, high temperatures (+200º F or higher).

ADHESIVE HOT MELT
A pressure sensitive adhesive that is applied to the release liner at an elevated temperature and then cools into a conventional, highly-tacky pressure sensitive adhesive.

ADHESIVE OPAQUE
A darkened adhesive that restricts printing from showing through the adhesive-coated side of a label.

ADHESIVE PATTERN COATED
Refers to the spacing arrangement of areas of adhesive on the face material that are coated parallel to the machine direction. Also, referred to as dry lap, strip coated, or zone coated adhesive.

ADHESIVE PERMANENT
A pressure sensitive adhesive characterized as having relatively high ultimate adhesion to a wide variety of substrates. The label either cannot be removed intact or requires a great deal of force to be removed.

ADHESIVE PRESSURE SENSITIVE
A type of adhesive which in dry form is aggressively tacky at room temperature. It has the capability of bonding to surfaces on contact with pressure.

ADHESIVE REMOVABLE
A pressure sensitive adhesive characterized by low ultimate adhesion. The label can be removed from most substrates without damaging the surface or leaving adhesive residue or stain.

ADHESIVE RUBBER BASED
A pressure sensitive adhesive derived from natural or synthetic rubbers.

ADHESIVE SPLITTING
A condition in which portions of pressure sensitive adhesive remain on the face material and portions remain on the substrate when the label is placed under stress or removed.

ADHESIVE STRIKE-THROUGH
When adhesive penetrates through the face material of a pressure sensitive lamination.

ADHESIVE WATER-BASED
A pressure sensitive adhesive derived from water based materials.

ADHESIVE WATER SOLUBLE
A pressure sensitive adhesive in which all components are water soluble.

AGE RESISTANCE/SHELF LIFE
The resistance of deterioration from air, heat, moisture, light or chemical action.

ANCHORAGE
The specific adhesion of a pressure sensitive material to a substrate.

ANCHOR COAT
A coating applied to the substrate to increase the adhesion of other coatings.

ANILOX LINE SCREEN
Dots per square inch on an Anilox Roll.

ANILOX ROLL
Ceramic or chrome plated steel rolls which have been engraved with cells that carry and transfer liquids (varnishes, adhesives, inks, scents, etc.).

ANTIFOAMING AGENT
An additive that prevents or eliminates foam in inks.

ANTIOXIDANT
Prevents or reduces the rate of oxidation from exposing the material to air.

ANVIL
A hardened steel roll upon which the bearers of a rotary die cutter ride, which also provides the hardened surface to support the die cutting.

ANVIL CUT LABELS
Pressure sensitive labels that are die cut through all components of the label stock, including the liner. Also called steel-to-steel, zero tolerance, punched out, or blanked out labels.

APPLICATION
1) Placement of a label on a substrate. 2) The conditions under which a label is to be used; the life-cycle of the label.

APPLICATION TEMPERATURE
Temperature of a label material at the time of application. All adhesives have a minimum application temperature rating. Testing is recommended in minimum and maximum application temperature situations.

APPLICATOR
A device that automatically feeds and applies pressure sensitive labels to a substrate or product.

ARTWORK
The design including the text, produced by the artist.

AXIS
The line in which the roll or cylinder rotates.