Finishes · Labels

The finishing
touch

Your label should not just look good, it should also hold up: scratch-resistant, smudge-proof and right in the hand. We have the surface for that, on film and on paper.

Feel the difference.

Open the label calculator Compare finishes
Three gin bottles with differently designed labels
Film
Paper

The material decides

Two materials, two approaches

Which finish is possible depends on the label material. Film labels can be coated, on paper labels we use hot foil as the highlight.

Film labels: four protective coatings

  • Soft-Touch for a velvety feel
  • Matt or gloss lamination
  • Gloss varnish
  • Protects against scratches and moisture

Paper labels: hot foil stamping

  • Hot foil as a spot metallic stamping
  • In gold, silver and bronze
  • Gloss varnish on semi-matt paper
  • No lamination, no Soft-Touch

Film labels

Four ways to finish your film labels

Each of the four options changes the look, the feel and the protection of your label differently. Which of them work on your material is listed further down under Materials.

Label with a Soft-Touch finish
Scratch-resistant

Soft-Touch

  • In shortVelvety, exclusive, unmistakable
  • EffectStrengthens the premium perception
  • FingerprintsFar less visible
  • Ideal forCosmetics, spirits, premium food
Labels on green pre-workout tubs
Scratch-resistant Thermal transfer

Matt lamination

  • In shortMatt look, robust protection
  • SurfaceMatt and smooth
  • ProtectionGrease-, water- and sweat-resistant
  • FingerprintsBarely shows them
Two supplement tubs with colourful gradient labels
Scratch-resistant Thermal transfer

Gloss lamination

  • In shortHigh gloss with colour brilliance
  • SurfaceHigh-gloss
  • EffectBright colours, stronger contrasts
  • ProtectionGrease-, water- and sweat-resistant
Roll labels for coffee next to a roll of round labels
Scratch-resistant Thermal transfer

Gloss varnish

  • In shortGloss without build-up
  • SurfaceHigh-gloss
  • EffectBright colours
  • Build-upMaterial thickness stays almost unchanged

Finish your label, straight in the calculator

Configure your label from the material to the finish. Colours, format and finish, all in one flow.

Open the label calculator

Feel

Soft-Touch

Velvety and exclusive

Soft-Touch changes above all how your label feels. The surface is velvety, almost like textile, and you notice it the first time you pick up the product. Visually the label stays matt and understated.

On film labels, Soft-Touch brings the standard protection of the film with it. Fingerprints are far less visible on this surface. That counts most when your product gets picked up often on the shelf.

  • Velvety feel, matt look
  • Strengthens the premium perception
  • Fingerprints are far less visible
  • Scratch-resistant
  • Suits cosmetics, spirits and premium food
Round labels on golden caviar tins

Look

Matt lamination

Understated and elegant

With lamination, a thin film goes onto the print. Matt here means: the surface is smooth, but without gloss. Colours look calmer and more muted than on a glossy label, and reflections disappear.

The layer also protects the label. It is grease-, water- and sweat-resistant and scratch-resistant, and fingerprints barely show.

The difference to Soft-Touch is in the grip: both look matt, only Soft-Touch feels velvety.

  • Matt and smooth, without reflections
  • Grease-, water- and sweat-resistant
  • Scratch-resistant
  • Barely shows fingerprints
Dark label on a chilli sauce bottle, more varieties behind it

Hot foil stamping

Hot foil: metallic highlights for paper labels

Gloss accents, placed exactly

Hot foil is not a full-surface coating. It is applied in spots, only where you want it. On matt paper it creates a metallic effect that is raised to the touch, and no printing method reproduces it.

Hot foil is available on paper only, and there only without varnish. Films, lamination and varnishes contain silicones, and the stamping does not hold on those permanently.

How robust the stamping is on your product is best tried out yourself. The free sample set contains a labelled hot foil sample you can test for friction, moisture and adhesion.

  • Applied in spots, only where you want it
  • Raised to the touch on a matt paper surface
  • Gold, silver and bronze
  • On paper only, not on film
  • 10 business days lead time, no express
Paper labels on a roll, with a square of gold hot foil and a cut-out heart

New: screen printing

Spot varnish and raised varnish

Varnish applied by screen printing, live from our production
Depending on the screen, the result is spot varnish or a raised layer you can feel

Customer examples

This is how your labels could look

A selection of our customer labels with different finishes. For inspiration and a reality check.

Gin, beer and wine bottles with colourfully illustrated labels
Soft-Touch
Product
Bottle label
Industry
Spirits
Cream jar and serum bottle with turquoise and white labels
Matt lamination
Product
Roll label
Industry
Cosmetics
Roll of gradient labels next to two supplement tubs
Gloss lamination
Product
Roll label
Industry
Supplements
Five beer bottles with different pilsner labels
Hot foil gold
Product
Bottle label
Industry
Beer
Three jam jars with colourful labels, a roll of round labels in front
Gloss varnish
Product
Roll label
Industry
Food
Two honey jars with labels in blue and yellow, motif with a bee
Soft-Touch
Product
Roll label
Industry
Honey
Wine bottle with a classic Pinot Noir label
Hot foil silver
Product
Bottle label
Industry
Wine
Rolls of hazard labels next to a bottle of hand sanitiser
Gloss lamination
Product
Roll label
Industry
Industrial

Overview

All finishes compared

Which finish is possible depends on the material.

For labels

Film and paper

Soft-TouchFilm

Matt, velvety

Standard protection

Fingerprints barely visible

Matt laminationFilm

Matt, smooth

Grease-, water- and sweat-resistant

Fingerprints barely visible · Thermal transfer compatible

Gloss laminationFilm

High-gloss, smooth

Grease-, water- and sweat-resistant

Thermal transfer compatible

Gloss varnishFilm and semi-matt paper

High-gloss, smooth

Scratch protection

Material stays thin

Hot foilPaper, without varnish

Metallic stamping, raised to the touch

–

Spot, in gold, silver, bronze

Labels with hot foil stamping need 10 business days of lead time and are excluded from express.

For packaging

Stand-up, flat-bottom, flat pouch, Flowpacks, roll stock

Matt finishThe quiet classic

Matt, smooth

Standard protection

Everyday classic

Soft-TouchThe premium card

Matt, velvety

Standard protection

Premium feel · Anti-fingerprint

You print pouches or roll stock too? The finishes for packaging are on a page of their own.

Materials

Which finish works on which material?

Not every finish suits every material. Here you see what you can select in the calculator for your material.

Film labels

Five materials

Available Not availableOn request

MaterialSoft-TouchLaminationmattLaminationglossVarnishgloss
White PP film, permanentThe standard
White recycled PP filmMono-material
Silver filmMetallic look from the material itself
Transparent film
White PP film, removableRemovable adhesive On request

On transparent film, Soft-Touch has no effect, which is why the combination is not in the calculator. On removable film, Soft-Touch is possible on request, just ask us.

Paper labels

Nine materials

Available Not available

MaterialHot foil stampingVarnishglossLaminationSoft-Touch
Semi-matt paperpermanent, alkali-removable and OPAQUE
All other papersWine paper, textured paper, pearlescent, ice-bucket paper and more

With permanent semi-matt paper you choose one of the two: varnish or hot foil. Together they are not possible. On alkali-removable paper, the varnish reduces the alkali removability.

The remaining papers have an open surface. There the varnish soaks into the fibres and the effect does not appear. It is not needed there either, the inks hold without varnish.

The calculator is what counts: it lists only the finishes that can actually be ordered for your material.

Musterpaket Rollenetiketten, Muster Doypacks
Soft-Touch. Lamination. Hot foil. To touch.

Finishes you can touch

Soft-Touch feels different from how it looks. And the difference between matt and gloss lamination only becomes clear in the hand. The free sample set contains every finish as a labelled sample, hot foil included.

Request your sample pack

#getinPouch #getinLabel

Not sure which finish fits?

Whether it is Soft-Touch for your cosmetics line or gloss lamination for your supplement label: Sebastian will look at it with you. His recommendation follows your industry, your shelf environment and how much your label has to withstand in the end.

Sebastian Weißenfels

Sebastian Weißenfels

Head of Sales

09231 41496-50 sebastian@labelisten.com

Sebastian is looking forward to meeting you!

Grab a slot in Sebastian's calendar. 15 minutes are enough to go through your finishing options.

Book an appointment

FAQ

More questions about finishing your labels? We have the answers!

What is the difference between lamination and varnish?

Both are protective layers for your label and both come in a gloss version. The difference is in the build-up: lamination is a film layer that is laminated on and adds material thickness. Varnish is applied as a liquid and dries to a thin film, so the material thickness stays almost unchanged. Lamination also protects against grease and water and can be combined with thermal transfer printing, varnish cannot.

Can I overprint my labels with thermal transfer?

Yes, with the right finish. Matt and gloss lamination are compatible, gloss varnish is not. If you want to add batch numbers, best-before dates or serial numbers later, choose one of the two laminations.

Do fingerprints stay visible on the label?

Hardly. On Soft-Touch, fingerprints are in our tests far less visible than on other matt surfaces, and matt lamination is not prone to them anyway. There is no extra coating behind it, the surfaces come that way from the manufacturer.

Can I get paper labels with a protective layer?

On semi-matt paper yes, there you can add gloss varnish. All other papers have an open surface: the varnish soaks into the fibres and the effect does not appear. It is not needed there either, the inks hold without varnish. Lamination and Soft-Touch do not exist on paper, for those you need a film label.

Which metallic colours are available for hot foil stamping?

Gold, silver and bronze. Other metallic tones we do not solve through the stamping but through the material: a label on silver film. There is no restriction on colour there, and it is cheaper than hot foil too.

Is hot foil possible on film labels as well?

No. Films, lamination and varnishes contain silicones, and the stamping does not hold on them permanently, it partly comes off again. Hot foil is therefore available on paper only, and there only without varnish. If you want a metallic effect on film, take a label on silver film.

Does a finish cost extra?

Yes, the finish is an additional production step. You see the exact price directly in the label calculator as soon as you select the finish.

Can I combine several finishes?

On paper labels you can use hot foil in spots, for example only on the logo, while the rest stays matt. Two protective coatings side by side on the same label, matt and gloss for instance, are currently not possible.