# Roll Labels

> Custom roll labels for applicators or hand application: consistent spacing, core and winding options, and roll specifications that match your machine.

Category: labels · Minimum order: From 50 units · Lead time: Typically 7–12 working days after artwork approval

## When rolls beat sheets

Rolls exist for speed. A sheet has to be peeled by hand, one label at a time, and every peel introduces a chance of a crooked application. A roll feeds a dispenser or an applicator at a consistent rate, which is why anything applied more than a few hundred times a day is supplied on a roll.

If you apply by hand at low volume, sheets are usually cheaper and easier. If you have a semi-automatic applicator, or a filling line, the roll specification matters more than the label itself.

## The specification that actually matters

A roll is defined by more than its label size:

| Parameter | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Roll direction | Whether the label leads or trails affects how it feeds |
| Core diameter | Must match your applicator's spindle (38 mm and 76 mm are common) |
| Labels per roll | Fewer labels per roll means more changeovers; more means a larger roll to mount |
| Gap between labels | Too small and the sensor misreads; too large wastes liner |
| Winding | Inside or outside wound — wrong for your machine means the roll runs backwards |

Send these five and the roll will work on your line. Guess them and the first run becomes a test.

## Materials on roll

Paper is the default for dry goods and cartons. PP handles squeeze and chill. PET is chosen where durability or chemical resistance matters, and clear film where the container should show through.

Adhesive is the part buyers forget. A permanent acrylic adhesive is the safe default; a removable adhesive is needed for promotions and returnable containers; a freezer-grade adhesive is needed below −18 °C, where standard adhesives lose tack and labels curl at the edges.

## Printing and finishing

Digital printing keeps short runs economic, which is what makes a 50-unit order possible at all. Flexographic printing takes over at higher volumes where plate setup is amortised.

Lamination is worth considering on rolls even when it is not chosen for appearance: an unlaminated paper label on a fast line is more likely to scuff during application and packing.

## Quantity and cost

Roll labels are priced on the same four variables as any label — area, material, finishing, quantity — plus one: the number of rolls. Splitting a run across many small rolls adds winding and packing time, so a 5,000-label order supplied as ten 500-label rolls costs more than the same order on two rolls.

## Ordering

Tell us the label size, the applicator (or "by hand"), core size, roll direction and quantity. If you do not know the machine specification, send a photo of the spindle and the current roll — that is usually enough to work it out.

## Ordering

Quotations by email (martin@customstickersprinting.com) or WhatsApp (+86 133 2323 7275). Send size, material, quantity and destination.