Choosing the right printing method for your product labels is a critical decision that can impact your brand’s appearance, budget, and operational speed. For decades, flexographic printing was the industry standard. Today, digital printing technology offers a compelling alternative. But how do you decide which is the best fit for your business?
This guide will compare digital and flexo labels, exploring the unique benefits and ideal applications for each. By understanding the core differences in quality, cost, and flexibility, you can make an informed choice that aligns with your specific needs and helps your products stand out on the shelf.
What is Flexographic Printing?
Flexographic printing, often called flexo, is a traditional printing method that functions much like a modern-day letterpress. It uses flexible photopolymer printing plates wrapped around rotating cylinders. These plates pick up ink and transfer the design directly onto the label material, which is fed through the press at high speed.
Think of it like a highly sophisticated stamping process. Each colour in a design requires its own custom plate. Because of the initial setup involving plate creation, flexo printing is best suited for large, consistent print runs where the cost per label decreases significantly as the volume increases.
What are Digital Labels?
Digital label printing, as the name suggests, transfers a digital file directly to the printer without the need for printing plates. It works similarly to a desktop office printer but on a much larger, more advanced scale, using either toner or inkjet technology to apply the design onto the label substrate.
This method eliminates the extensive setup time and costs associated with flexo plates. As a result, digital printing labels are exceptionally well-suited for short-to-medium print runs, jobs requiring variable data (like sequential numbers or barcodes), and businesses that need rapid turnaround times.
Key Differences: Digital vs Flexo
When weighing your options, it’s helpful to compare digital and flexo printing across a few key areas.
Print Quality and Colour
Historically, flexo printing held an edge in delivering vibrant, high-quality colours, particularly for large solid areas. However, digital printing technology has advanced dramatically. Modern digital presses can now produce stunning, high-resolution images with near-perfect registration and a wide colour gamut, making the quality difference between the two methods almost indistinguishable for most applications. For intricate designs, like those often seen on Avery Wine Labels, digital can even offer superior detail.
Cost and Run Size
This is where the two methods diverge most significantly.
- ● Flexo: The primary expense in flexo printing is the creation of the plates and the initial setup. This makes it uneconomical for small batches. However, for very large runs (tens of thousands of labels or more), the cost per label becomes extremely low, making it the most cost-effective option.
- ● Digital: With no plates to create, the setup cost for digital printing is minimal. This makes it ideal for short runs, seasonal products, or market testing. You can print as few as one hundred labels without incurring huge costs. The price per label remains relatively constant regardless of the quantity.
Speed and Flexibility
Digital printing is the clear winner when it comes to speed and flexibility.
- ● Flexo: The time needed to create plates and set up the press means that turnaround times can be weeks. Making a change to the design requires a whole new set of plates, adding more time and cost.
- ● Digital: Since the process goes directly from a digital file to the printer, jobs can be turned around in days, sometimes even hours. This allows for on-the-fly design changes and makes variable data printing—where elements like text or images change from one label to the next—a simple task.
Which Method is Right for You?
Choosing between digital and flexo printing depends entirely on your business needs.
You should choose flexo printing if:
- ● You need a very large quantity of the same label design.
- ● Your design uses a limited number of solid colours.
- ● Cost per label on a massive scale is your main priority.
- ● Your label design is stable and won’t require frequent changes.
You should choose digital printing if:
- ● You require short-to-medium print runs.
- ● You need quick turnaround times.
- ● Your labels require variable data, such as barcodes or serial numbers.
- ● You have multiple label designs (SKUs) for various products.
- ● You want to print prototypes or test market a new product design.
The Future of Label Printing
While flexo printing remains a powerful workhorse for high-volume jobs, the trend is undeniably shifting towards the flexibility and speed of digital. As a leader in labelling innovation, Avery Dennison continues to invest heavily in advancing digital printing technologies, making high-quality, custom labels more accessible to businesses of all sizes. The ability to react quickly to market trends and manage inventory with short, on-demand print runs gives businesses a significant competitive edge.
Ready to explore which labelling solution best fits your brand’s vision? Our team is here to help you navigate the options and find the perfect match for your products.
