A Brief History of Label Printing

What Is Label Printing? A Brief History

Everything you buy as a consumer comes with a label. Whether it has instructions on how to use a product, nutrition information, or just a design to catch the consumer’s attention, each label has its own unique role in the product. With such a large number of products on the market today, there is a high demand for label printing services. So, how do label printing services work? In today’s blog, the experts at Label Solutions Inc. are here to explain the details about label printing, including a brief history!

What Is Label Printing?

Label printing is the process of printing custom labels through various methods. These methods include digital printing, flexographic printing, and wide-format printing, all of which yield different results in the look, feel, and purpose of the label. 

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A Brief History of Label Printing

Some of the earliest adhesive labels date back to the 1800s. These were paper labels with an adhesive gum on the back that you had to lick to activate, and they were adorned with eye-catching designs. The first labels were used to label crates of fruit traveling across the states and provide information on drug containers. With the emergence of lithography, early label makers were able to commercialize this process by transferring an image made of oil-based ink onto treated paper over a flat surface.

In the 1930s, R. Stanton Avery invented the first self-adhesive label. During this time, manufacturers started including health benefits, ingredients, and slogans on labels to better market their products. 

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The 1950s brought about the use of flexographic printing, a modern version of the letterpress where rotating reliefs are used to print fluid ink on flexible material like film or vinyl. Labels also shifted from being word-heavy to creative and eye-catching for consumers. 

Label Printing Today

Today, flexographic printing has continued to advance and thrive, and the 1990s brought about a new process of label printing—digital printing. Today, this process has evolved with the addition of inkjet technology, creating high-quality, full-color labels with a less labor-intensive process and less waste. 

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Choose Label Solutions Inc.

Whether you are looking for high-quality imaging or a simple logo for your product, Label Solutions Inc. can help design and print the right label for you. To get started, call us at (800) 299-9200 or request a quote today!