Alameda Packaging's Decorating and Labeling Techniques

Silk Screening - Screen printing is the most common method of decorating bottles with a variety of decorating effects. A screen is made from your artwork, using a photographic technique to transfer the image. Each color is applied in a separate pass. Costs increase with each additional color.

Flame treating is typically required for silk screening plastic substrates.

Silk Screen printing is available in Organic, Ceramic finish on glass.

Hot Stamping - Hot stamping is the technique of applying a specific colored foil to the surface through the use of heat, pressure and dies. This is the most popular and elegant method to achieve a 'shiny' metallic print on bottles, jars and closures. Foil is usually gold or silver but other colors are variable.

Hot stamping can be rolled onto a container, as in the application of 360° bands or a straight stamp.

Acid Frosting - Glass Frosting is the practice of making clear glass have a matte appearance by putting the glass in contact with the fluoride-based acid material. Glass is frosted to enhance the appearance, either over the entire surface or in designs. Frosting can be thought of as a subtractive process, one in which small quantities of the glass surface is removed, leaving behind a disrupted glass surface. These disruptions cause light that passes through or reflect off the glass to become diffused. It is this diffusion which makes the glass look frosty.

Offset Printing - This method of printing utilizes printing plates rather than silk screens to transfer the ink to the containers. Offset printing is more exact than silk screening, and is practical for multiple color labeling. Offset printing is utilized primarily on round containers. Because plates are engraved for each color rather than making screens, offset is more expensive than silk screening. The process involves transferring ink from a printing plate to a rubber blanket and subsequently to the sheet (surface to be decorated).

Pad Printing - Pad printing is an effective way to decorate bottles with irregular shapes. Pads receive ink for a print station and selectively apply color to a particular area, regardless of the contour. Through the use of several pads in series, pad printing offers multi color decoration.

Thermal Transfer -

Heat Shrink - This technique uses a printed film which is applied to the container with either a heat gun or heat tunnel. Shrink bands can be printed in multiple colors.

Call us to discuss your ideas and our decorating options today!