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An adhesive label or sticky label is a small piece of paper designed to be affixed to any surface,[1] typically by the action of removing a layer of adhesive on the front or back of the label. The term adhesive refers to a sticky substance, while something that is self-adhesive implies that it will stick without wetting or the application of glue to the product.[2]
One of the most familiar types of adhesive labels is the postage stamp, which was developed in Britain in the 1840s[3] and became popular in the United States within the same decade. However, it was not until 1935, when R. Stanton Avery invented the machine to manufacture self-adhesive labels.[4] Over time Avery's invention stimulated the development of eighteen original patents and revolutionized the way that manufacturers and brands advertised information on their products.[5]
The machines Avery pioneered used a die-cutting process, allowing the paper to be cut into a repeated, specific shape, usually a rectangle or a square. In the 1960s, further innovations, increasing demand, and new kinds of adhesives were produced, and self-adhesive labels began to be manufactured on a large scale to a worldwide market.[1] In the 1970s self-adhesive labels and stickers became mainstream products and were popularized in the form of car decals, bumper stickers, and collectable items.[6]
A sheet containing adhesive labels
There are three main classifications for label adhesives including: permanent, removable, and repositionable.[7] Each variation has its own unique qualities and uses. The bond strength of each type of adhesive ranges from a strong bond which is permanent, to a flexible bond, which can be repositioned or removed entirely.[7]
The growth, diversity, and popularity of self-adhesive labels have continued into the present day. Advancements in technology and demand for versatile products has led to more innovative materials being used to create more dynamic bonds which are specific to the environment they will be used in. Similarly, there are now a wide variety of materials that are used to create the face material, or front, of the labels. These products include polypropylene, polyester, vinyl, and mrPVC.[8] Adhesive labels may now be produced individually, or in sheets, which case they are usually separated by perforations or rouletting, see postage stamp separation. Digital printing technology is also being used to improve this process. This innovative printing allows for customizable, print-on-demand products and has the capacity to lower costs for manufacturers worldwide.[9] A recent article suggests that an increased consumer awareness paired with developments in technology will result in a strong future for adhesive labels.[9]
The concept has since been extended into a variety of areas:
Philately is the study of postage stamps and postal history. It also refers to the collection and appreciation of stamps and other philatelic products. While closely associated with stamp collecting and the study of postage, it is possible to be a philatelist without owning any stamps. For instance, the stamps being studied may be very rare or reside only in museums.
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage. Then the stamp is affixed to the face or address-side of any item of mail—an envelope or other postal cover —which they wish to send. The item is then processed by the postal system, where a postmark or cancellation mark—in modern usage indicating date and point of origin of mailing—is applied to the stamp and its left and right sides to prevent its reuse. Next the item is delivered to its address.
For postage stamps, separation is the means by which individual stamps are made easily detachable from each other.
In philately, gum is the substance applied to the back of a stamp to enable it to adhere to a letter or other mailed item. The term is generic, and applies both to traditional types such as gum arabic and to synthetic modern formulations. Gum is a matter of high importance in philately.
A bumper sticker is an adhesive label or sticker designed to be attached to the rear of a car or truck, often on the bumper. They are commonly sized at around 25.4 cm by 7.6 cm and are typically made of PVC.
Indian postal systems for efficient military and governmental communications had developed long before the arrival of Europeans. When the Portuguese, Dutch, French, Danish and British conquered the Marathas who had already defeated the Mughals, their postal systems existed alongside those of many somewhat independent states. The British East India Company gradually annexed the other powers on the sub-continent and brought into existence a British administrative system over most of modern-day India, with a need to establish and maintain both official and commercial mail systems.
This is a list of philatelic topics.
A decal or transfer is a plastic, cloth, paper, or ceramic substrate that has printed on it a pattern or image that can be moved to another surface upon contact, usually with the aid of heat or water.
In philately, the term cover pertains to the outside of an envelope or package with an address, typically with postage stamps that have been cancelled and is a term generally used among stamp and postal history collectors. The term does not include the contents of the letter or package, although they may add interest to the item if still present. Cover collecting plays an important role in postal history as many covers bear stamps, postmarks and other markings along with names and addresses all of which help to place a cover at a given time and place in history.
A self-adhesive stamp is a postage stamp with a pressure-sensitive adhesive that does not require moistening in order to adhere to paper. They are usually issued on a removable backing paper.
A sticker is a type of label: a piece of printed paper, plastic, vinyl, or other material with temporary or permanent pressure sensitive adhesive on one side. It can be used for decoration or for functional purposes, depending on the situation.
A revenue stamp, tax stamp, duty stamp or fiscal stamp is a (usually) adhesive label used to designate collected taxes or fees on documents, tobacco, alcoholic drinks, drugs and medicines, playing cards, hunting licenses, firearm registration, and many other things. Typically, businesses purchase the stamps from the government, and attach them to taxed items as part of putting the items on sale, or in the case of documents, as part of filling out the form.
A label is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product, on which is written or printed information or symbols about the product or item. Information printed directly on a container or article can also be considered labelling.
Pressure-sensitive adhesive is a type of nonreactive adhesive which forms a bond when pressure is applied to bond the adhesive with a surface. No solvent, water, or heat is needed to activate the adhesive. It is used in pressure-sensitive tapes, labels, glue dots, stickers, sticky note pads, automobile trim, and a wide variety of other products.
The postal history of Malta began in the early modern period, when pre-adhesive mail was delivered to foreign destinations by privately owned ships for a fee. The earliest known letter from Malta, sent during the rule of the Order of St John, is dated 1532. The first formal postal service on the islands was established by the Order in 1708, with the post office being located at the Casa del Commun Tesoro in Valletta. The first postal markings on mail appeared later on in the 18th century.
A variable value stamp is a gummed or self-adhesive postage stamp of a common design, issued by a machine similar to an automatic teller machine (ATM), with a value of the user's choice printed at the time the stamp is dispensed. The value may be variable or from a fixed selection of postal rates. The stamps and machines are typically for use in retail or post office environments. As only the postal value varies from stamp to stamp, these stamps have been described as key type stamps. They are also closely related to meter stamps from postage meters.
A release liner or release paper is a paper or plastic-based film sheet used to prevent a sticky surface from prematurely adhering. It is coated on one or both sides with a release agent, which provides a release effect against any type of a sticky material such as an adhesive or a mastic. Release liners are available in different colors, with or without printing under the low surface energy coating or on the backside of the liner. Release is separation of the liner from a sticky material; liner is the carrier for the release agent.
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Sierra Leone.
R. Stanton Avery was an American inventor, most known for creating self-adhesive labels. Using a $100 loan from his then-fiancé Dorothy Durfee, and combining used machine parts with a saber saw, he created and patented the world's first self-adhesive die-cut labeling machine. In 1935, he founded what is now the Avery Dennison Corporation.
Adhesive remover is a substance intended to break down and remove glue and its remnants from surfaces.
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