Canned craft beers are trending right now, and for those brewers thinking of heading that direction, don’t forget about the ever-important label.
Some of today’s most eye-appealing craft beer artwork is being put on 12-ounce aluminum cans.
Inland Label is offering an innovative, sustainable solution called Roll-Fed Shrink (RFS), which the company said is unique to the shrink label market as it is the only rotogravure water-based printer. The use of water-based inks, which is a more sustainable solution, eliminates any limitations that exist with current solvent-based inks, which can be harmful to the environment.
Coupled with water-based inks, rotogravure printing brings to life the vision of packaging designers by producing higher-end graphics, delivering finer lines, incredible detail, vignettes, more color options and a wider range of specialty inks.
RFS labels are also appealing from a value engineering standpoint because of the process improvements this technology can offer. From a total-applied-cost perspective, RFS can save valuable time and money with only three steps: printing, slitting and application. Traditional shrink methods, like shrink sleeves, have five steps: printing, slitting, seaming, inspection and application.
Advantages cited in the company’s RFS release include:
- 360-degree of photo quality graphics
- A wide range of shrink percentage from 15-65 percent
- Recyclability
- 15 to 30 percent total cost savings
- Rotogravure printing for long run efficiencies
- Flexographic printing for economical short runs
