Thermal Transfer PET & Synthetic Labels

A paper label on an asset tag has a short life. It tears at the corner where the tag is handled, it cockles once it gets wet, and after a season in the sun both the print and the stock are finished. Where the label has to sit on equipment, on an outdoor unit or on a chemical container and still be read years later, the face stock is the part that decides.

We supply thermal transfer label stocks on PET film and synthetic paper — dimensionally stable stocks that do not tear, do not cockle when wet, and take a resin ribbon so the print resists solvents and abrasion. Intended for asset tags, equipment and outdoor marking, and for containers that are wiped down with something stronger than water.

Where Thermal Transfer PET & Synthetic Labels Are Used

Wherever the label has to outlive paper:

• Asset tags — equipment, tools and IT assets marked for years rather than months.
• Outdoor and plant equipment — units that see rain, sun and temperature swing.
• Chemical and industrial containers — drums and vessels wiped down with solvents.
• Automotive and machinery — component and maintenance labels that meet oils and heat.
• Cold chain and freezer — labels that go into and out of cold storage.

Need a stock built for outdoor tags rather than a film? See Synthetic Labels. For the wider film range, see Plastic Film Labels.

Key Features

PET holds its shape where paper tears

A PET film face does not tear at a handled corner, does not cockle when it gets wet, and does not stretch or shrink enough to move the print. On a tag that is handled daily, or a label that is wiped down, that is the difference between a marking that lasts and one that is replaced every quarter.

Synthetic stocks matched to the exposure

Synthetic paper, PVC and other film stocks each behave differently outdoors, on curved surfaces and in cold storage. Tell us where the label goes and for how long, and we will confirm the stock rather than default to one.

A resin ribbon to hold the print to the film

Film stocks take resin and wax-resin ribbons, which is what makes the print survive solvents, oils and abrasion on a surface that is itself resistant. The stock and the ribbon are specified together, against the printer you already run.

Adhesive confirmed for the surface, not assumed

Low-surface-energy plastics, powder-coated metal, cold or damp substrates and curved surfaces each need a different adhesive. Send us the surface and the condition, and we will confirm the adhesive together with the stock.

Technical Specifications

• Imaging: thermal transfer (ribbon-based)
• Face stock: PET film; synthetic paper; other synthetic stocks on request
• Adhesive: permanent, with options for low-surface-energy and cold substrates — confirmed per application
• Ribbon: resin or wax-resin, matched to the film
• Durability: resists moisture, abrasion, oils and many solvents; holds dimension where paper tears or cockles
• Formats: rolls and sheets, die-cut to your specification
• Print performance: stock, ribbon and print settings confirmed against your printer

Tell us the surface, the environment and how long the marking has to last, and we will confirm the stock, the adhesive and the ribbon.

How to Select and Order

• Start from how long the marking has to last — an internal asset tag and an outdoor unit label do not need the same film; tell us the life and the exposure.
• Match the stock to the surface — a smooth flat panel and a curved, oily or cold substrate take different adhesives, and sometimes different films.
• Confirm the ribbon with the film — the two are specified together, and samples on your own equipment settle it faster than a data sheet.

MOQ, lead time and freight depend on material, size and quantity — send your specification and volume and we will quote.

FAQ

• Is PET the same as synthetic paper? No — they are different stocks with different behaviour. PET is a film: it does not tear and it holds its dimension, which suits asset tags and containers that are handled or wiped. Synthetic paper is a printable sheet that behaves closer to paper in the printer while resisting water; it suits outdoor tags and signage. Tell us the application and we will point to the one that fits.
• Will it last outdoors? Film stocks with a resin ribbon are built for outdoor marking, but how long depends on the film, the ribbon and the exposure — direct sun and repeated washing shorten it. Tell us the conditions and we will confirm.
• Does it resist solvents? The film does, and a resin ribbon keeps the print on it. Which solvents, and how often, is what matters; tell us what the label is wiped with and we will confirm the combination.
• Will it stick to a plastic container? Low-surface-energy plastics need an adhesive chosen for them. Tell us the material and we will confirm the adhesive with the stock, rather than assume a general-purpose one will hold.
• Can I test before ordering? Yes — request samples and run them on your own surface and your own printer before you commit a specification.

Bofeng New Materials supplies thermal transfer PET and synthetic label stocks to manufacturing, utilities and chemical customers as part of its Eco Labels range. Tell us the surface and the environment and we will specify the stock.

Get a quote or request samples: jason.zhan@bofmat.com

Related: PET Film Labels · Synthetic Labels · Plastic Film Labels