In a clinical setting, medical labels are one of the most critical links in the chain of care. Yes, they’re designed for short term use, so you don’t want to overspend on materials that don’t add value.

But the under-engineered label is far worse. When labels lift, smear or fall apart prematurely, they can delay care, cause dosing errors and lead to other outcomes that jeopardize patient safety or expose your organization to liability. The best performing labels strike the balance. They can hold up under the environment but without going over budget.

Good label design starts with understanding why labels fail, and working backwards to selecting materials that prevent flagging, yellowing, smudging and machine jamming.

As you select a label printer for medical applications, don’t overlook the importance of selecting reliable label materials. We put together a guide to help you choose high-performance materials designed to hold up under clinical and lab conditions, so your labels will be there for your patients and your care professionals.

What causes medical labels to fail?

Medical labels face a number of challenges. Use the wrong materials to build your labels, and rather relying on them to convey critical information to conduct patient care, you can instead rely on them to fail prematurely. Here are a few common problems found in medical labeling and how to avoid them.

Flagging

Mandrels such as test tubes, syringes and other small containers with a tight diameter are surprisingly challenging to label. To solve lifting and flagging, switch to more flexible facestock and stronger adhesives that keep their hold on low-energy surfaces.

Shrinking, yellowing and delaminating after sterilization

Sterilization procedures for medical equipment and components protect patients from exposure to microorganisms. But harsh processing, such as high temperatures, gamma radiation and autoclaving, can lead to early label failure by degrading the adhesive or protective film.

Production disruptions

In an automated label feed, torn liners and jammed machines can’t always be blamed on faulty equipment. Try swapping your paper liner for something more durable and better suited to peel, pick and place processes.

Ebook preview: What’s in our guide?

When designing labels, turn to the specialists. At iD Products, choose the right label construction for your application — whether you’re pre-printing in bulk or printing on demand with an Epson ColorWorks label printer.

When designing medical labels, turn to the specialists. At iD Products, our experts can help you choose the right label construction for your application — whether you’re pre-printing in bulk or printing on demand with an Epson ColorWorks label printer.

Our new ebook, Custom Label Solutions for Medical Applications, breaks down everything you need to know to create labels that stay strong, maintain their hold and, most importantly, work hard to support patient care.

In this free resource, you’ll discover:

• The most reliable materials for mandrel hold with no lifting or flagging
• Which labels materials hold up under ETO, gamma and autoclave sterilization
• The best performing liner materials in automated label applications
• A comprehensive buyer’s guide to recommended materials from 3M^TM. 

iD Products: Removing the guesswork from medical labeling

At iD Products, we specialize in creating custom labels for demanding real world applications that run flawlessly on your Epson ColorWorks printer — whether you rely on pre-printed labels or use an on-demand solution like Epson ColorWorks. From IV bags and diagnostic panels to pre-filled syringes, we’ll help you choose the right materials and construction for your application.

Get started by downloading our free guide now: Custom Label Solutions for Medical Applications. Or reach out to one of our experts in medical labeling for a free consultation.