A History of Integrated Labels and Cards

Integrated labels have been in the ever evolving market for over 15 years now, they were born out of clients' desire to use less sheet label products and combine a sheet of paper with a built in (integrated) label. Initially, a web-finishing machine used a roll of sticky tape material which was applied to the carrier sheet and then die cut to create the first "sesam" label.

At the time, it was perceived as a small technological step but now with modern advances forms part of a market share in the UK alone worth many millions of pounds. Boosting this market hugely is the advent of internet mail order companies who use this simple innovation for many different aspects of their pick and pack process. All despatch information from acknowledgement of order, invoice, receipt can be easily included on the paper and provides the despatch label, and this all in one passes through your printer.

Over the years many improvements have been made to the laminates which form the label itself, and advances in the pre-print paper grades mean these products are increasingly versatile and can be used on a wider range of hardware from high speed industrial printers to a printer in your home. Cheaper adhesive are available such as Hot Melt; they are traditionally a lower cost option but care should be taken when choosing this option particularly when running the forms on higher speed lasers as these often have a higher running temperature which could melt the adhesive and contaminate the hardware.

Having been such a success, the market has moved on again and is now able to offer a similar product to the integrated labels but instead of a sticky label there is the option of a high quality integrated card. This has many advantages as the card is simply die cut from the pre-printed form which enables an easy release. The fact that both the sheet of paper and the card are printed at the same time increases a consistent colour match between the two aspects of the product and as they have no raised surface they can run smoothly on a wide range of laser and other printers.

Laminates for the cards are as varied as those for the labels, and despite the previously mentioned products forming the majority of the UK market, the products can be used for just about everything; parking permits, reply cards and payslips being simple examples. An easy adjustment to your printer settings can allow you to personalise or print barcodes and a laminate can be chosen to suit the application.

The advancement in technology of the machinery available means that pretty much any product you can think of from a simple form through to an all singing all dancing mailing form used by major blue chip companies can be produced now with an integrated label or card - Any size, shape or configuration can be achieved and indeed, you could have a form with both a label and a card on it.