Why Are Labels Prone To Bulging And Wrinkling After Labeling? The Answer Is .....

For products, the quality of labeling directly affects the appearance and brand image of the product. However, labels inevitably encounter various problems during the labeling process, among which the most common is the phenomenon of bubbling and wrinkling after labeling. These issues not only affect the aesthetics of the product, but may also reduce consumers' desire to purchase and have a certain impact on the brand image.
This article will provide a detailed introduction to various factors that may cause labels to bulge, bubble, or wrinkle, and share some practical solutions. I hope to provide valuable reference and inspiration for you in solving label labeling problems.
Labeling bulging
The problem of bulging labels often occurs in batches and is only discovered after a period of time after labeling, and sometimes even discovered by end users during pre shipment inspections, causing great inconvenience and losses to end users. The main reasons for label bulging are as follows:
01
Label swelling due to water absorption
Labels will lose a certain amount of moisture during the processing. If the moisture in the environment suddenly increases during use, it will cause the label to absorb water and expand after labeling, especially for paper based adhesive labels. This problem is even more pronounced. Due to the label already being attached to the object being labeled, the expanded area will form bubbles or bulges.
When encountering such problems, it is recommended to polish or film the surface of adhesive labels on paper materials, which can isolate air moisture. If it is not possible to light or film the label due to special reasons, it is best to open the packaging and leave it for 24 hours to allow the label to fully balance with the moisture in the air before labeling. At the same time, if the object being pasted is an object that is easily affected by humidity, such as corrugated cardboard boxes, the same method should be used for processing.

02
The adhesive undergoes a chemical reaction with the surface of the object being pasted
Many of the stickers are usually plastic products, and various additives are added during the processing, and some plastic products made from recycled plastics have more complex components. The glue in adhesive materials is a chemical product that sometimes reacts with some components in plastic products, producing some gases. Due to the label being attached to the surface of the object, the gases produced cannot be released, resulting in the formation of bubbles or bulges. In this case, if the label is removed, significant changes will be observed in the adhesive layer, such as a phenomenon similar to melting in the adhesive layer.
When encountering this problem, it is recommended to replace the adhesive material with another one to process the label. Before processing, it is necessary to conduct a labeling test to confirm that there will be no chemical reaction between the two before production.
In addition, the presence of dust, particles, and other dirt on the surface of the sticker can also cause the label to not fully adhere to the sticker, leading to the formation of bubbles. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that the surface of the object being labeled is free of oil stains, dust, and impurities before labeling.
Label wrinkles
Wrinkles in labeling are one of the common problems during the labeling process. Sometimes wrinkles can be found on the label at the labeling site, and sometimes wrinkles can only be discovered after being placed for a period of time after labeling. There are various reasons that can cause label wrinkles, and the main reasons are as follows:
01
Shape of the sticker
We know that adhesive labels are flat, so it is best for the object being labeled to also be flat in order to have a good labeling effect. However, in practical applications, many labeled bottles have a certain curvature. If the curvature of the bottle is too large to form a spherical surface, the label will inevitably wrinkle due to incomplete unfolding after labeling.
When encountering such problems, you can first observe whether the wrinkles are mainly concentrated at the edge of the label (sometimes the wrinkles are also very regular, because the automatic labeling roller often squeezes the areas where the label cannot be fully unfolded to the same position to form wrinkles), and then check the bottle body to determine whether the curvature of the bottle body is too large. This can basically determine whether the wrinkles are caused by the unreasonable shape design of the object being labeled. If so, it is necessary to consider redesigning the shape of the sticker.
02
Unequal pressure in regulating standards
Automatic labeling equipment is equipped with a labeling device, and the pressure of the labeling can usually be adjusted. Some of the surfaces of the labeled objects are relatively soft, and if the pressure is too high, it can easily cause deformation of the surface of the labeled object, resulting in label wrinkles.
Therefore, when adjusting the pressure of the labeling device, it must be adjusted to a suitable range, and in principle, it should be adjusted to the level where the label has just been attached.

03

Label water absorption
During the rainy season, the air humidity will suddenly increase. If the moisture content in the label is lower than that in the air, it is easy to cause the label to absorb water and expand, especially for paper adhesive labels, which is particularly obvious. In this case of labeling, the label will absorb water and expand after being attached, which can easily cause the label to wrinkle.
Therefore, it is best to open the packaging and leave it for 24 hours before labeling during the rainy season to ensure that the label is balanced with the moisture in the air before labeling.
04
Transportation or storage issues
During storage or transportation, improper stacking or compression of labels may cause friction and compression between layers, resulting in wrinkling.
Therefore, appropriate packaging materials and methods should be used during transportation, such as bubble wrap, cardboard, etc., to isolate the labels layer by layer and reduce friction and compression between the labels during transportation. At the same time, violent vibrations and impacts should be avoided as much as possible during transportation to prevent damage to the labels.