Silk screen printing is a highly versatile labeling process that has grown increasingly popular for products that are frequently exposed to moisture, washing, and outdoor conditions. Today, silk screen printing has become one of the most widely used methods for printing images and text on a variety of products and materials. The durability and weatherproof nature of screen-printed designs make the method ideal for the creation of labels, branding, designs, and other details on glassware and plastic bottles.
When selecting the right bottle printing method for your plastic and glass containers, it is important to partner with a company that understands the need for compelling imagery using quality silk screen printing methods. At WB Bottle, we have the experience, equipment, and skill necessary to meet even the most challenging bottle printing requirements.
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Screen Printing Bottle Process
As silk screen printing technology has advanced, it has begun to replace more traditional paper labels in bottle labeling applications. Not only are silk screen labels more reliable, but the application process is also faster and requires fewer materials than traditional methods. Because of this, bottle silk screening has quickly become one of the most popular labeling methods in the packaging industry.
The silkscreening process involves pressing specialized ink through photographically treated silk or synthetic material onto your plastic or glass container. The material is held tightly in a wood or aluminum frame, and a coating is applied to the areas that should not print. This creates a stencil through which ink can be forced against the bottle using a squeegee. Depending on the needs of your application, silk screen designs can be created in multiple colors, with various typefaces and flexible label dimensions.
Benefits of Screen Printing vs. Paper Labeling
Screen printing has become the bottling industry’s favored printing method, rapidly replacing paper labeling in most bottling applications. The advantages of screen printing over traditional paper labeling include:
Durability
When it comes to durable labeling, screen printing is far more durable and long-lasting than paper labels. While paper labels easily show wear and tear due to scuffing and shelf contact, screen printing maintains a fresh appearance. In addition, exposure to moisture or the elements will not cause screen printed labels to degenerate, stain, or peel as paper labels do.
Distinct Branding
Screen printed bottles allow manufacturers to create a unique brand appearance that will stand out in any environment. You can personalize your design with compelling images, visually striking branding, color effects, and even metallic finishes. With almost 360° of printing area, you can easily merge your bottle’s aesthetic with attractive labels to create eye-catching products in any setting.
Precision and Aesthetic Appeal
Screen printing creates clear designs and shapes directly on the bottle, with exceptional precision. Your branding and design will be crisp and clean, with neat lines, clear words, and an impeccably smooth surface. With a wide range of colors and effects, you can rest assured that your final product will look exactly the way you pictured it.
Cost-Efficiency
Screen printing requires a lower initial investment than many traditional printing methods. In addition, it provides a higher return on investment, especially for small-scale production. The process requires fewer supplies, and you can ensure economical production by using only the amount of ink you need, for minimal material waste.
Large Print Area
Screen printing offers a greater printing area for your branding and labeling needs. Rather than adhering to standard label sizes based on the shape of your bottle, you can develop singular designs unrestricted by your container’s size and shape.
Exceptional Silk Screen Printing by WB Bottle
As packaging and labeling technology continues to advance, screen printing will continue to be at the forefront of the bottle labeling industry. At WB Bottle, we are committed to using the latest bottling and labeling technology. Our state-of-the-art screen printing equipment allows us to create custom decorations, branding, and imagery to make your glass and plastic bottles stand out in the crowd.
With more than 85 years of experience in the packaging industry, the seasoned experts at WB Bottle know how to help you achieve your bottle decorating needs. Our facility incorporates cutting-edge silkscreen technology to create unique, eye-catching visuals to perfect your final product. Our single- and multi-color bottle silk screen printing services allow us to create flawless, professional labels for a variety of packaging needs, from beverage containers to spray bottles for cleaning solutions.
Our knowledgeable graphic design team will start by helping you find the printable area of your bottle. With your artistic concept in mind, our team works closely with you throughout the design and manufacturing process, creating mock-ups and models to help make your concept a reality. No matter what your needs, we have the experience and technology to make your product concept a reality.
If an application calls for the use of a bottle or container, it’s important to select the right closure. One aspect of a closure is the liner used for it. Liners are an essential aspect of the closure because they help improve product longevity and increase safety. For example:
Tamper-evident seals help keep food from spoiling and make it evident if someone has accessed what is inside
Certain liners increase the shelf life of food, chemicals, and personal care products
Some products react poorly to different liner materials. Every application will benefit from a specific bottle cap liner; brands only need to choose the liner that’s compatible and best for their products.
As always, be sure to test your product with the liner you choose to be sure they are compatible.
Bottle Resin Compatibility
Polyster
Polyster
Polyvinyl Chloride
Barex
Polyethylene
Polyprpylene
Properties
PET
PETGC
PVC
Barex
HDPE
LDPE
PP
Clarity
Clear
Clear
Clear
Clear
Opaque
Opaque
Translucent
Rigidity /Stiffness
Moderate to High
Moderate to High
Moderate to High
High
Moderate
Low
Moderate to High
Impact Resistance
Good to Excellent
Good
Fair to Good
Fair to Good
Good to Excellent
Excellent
Poor to Good
Low Temp. Impact Resistance
Fair to Good
Poor
Poor to Fair
Poor to Fair
Good to Excellent
Excellent
Poor to Good
Stress Crack Resistance
Good to Excellent
Good
Good to Excellent
Good to Excellent
Good to Excellent
Good
Good to Excellent
Moisture Barrier
Fair to Good
Fair to Good
Fair
Fair
Good to Excellent
Good
Good to Excellent
Oxygen Barrier
Good
Good
Good
Excellent
Poor
Good
Good
Scuff Resistence
Poor to Fair
Poor to Fair
Poor to Fair
Poor to Fair
Very Good
Very Good
Very Good
Resistance to:
Acids
Fair to Good
Fair to Good
Good to Excellent
Fair to Good
Fair to Very Good
Fair to Very Good
Fair to Good
Alcohols
Good
Good
Good to Very Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Alkalis
Poor to Fair
Poor to Fair
Good to Very Good
Good
Good to Very Good
Very Good
Mineral Oils
Good
Good
Good
Excellent
Fair
Poor to Fair
Fair
Solvents
Good
Good
Fair to Good
Excellent
Poor to Fair
Poor to Fair
Poor to Good
Heat
Poor to Fair
Poor to Fair
Poor to Fair
Poor to Fair
Good
Fair
Good
Cold
Good
Good
Fair
Fair
Exccellent
Exccellent
Poor to Fair
Sunlight
Good
Good
Poor to Good
Poor to Good
Fair
Fair
Fair
Liner Materials
F217 and PE foam: White, foam-type liner; PE is the generic version of F217 and both are generally good for liquid products.
Pulp and Poly: Liners made of two materials; the pulp is cardboard-like and faces the cap while the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) faces the product; suitable for solid and liquid food items.
Pulp and Foil (PAF): Liners made of two materials; pulp is cardboard-like and faces the cap; the product-facing layer is foil; these liners are popular for solid and powdered products.
Plastisol: Foamy, PVC component that forms a hermetic seal with the lip of a bottle; usually used for glass bottles and jars.
HS035: Specialty, induction seal liners; liners stick to bottles to create tamper-evident seals; usually appear silver on the product-facing side and printed with protective information on the consumer-facing side.
PS22: Pressure-sensitive liners with tamper-evident properties; applied through pressure and offers good sealing properties for dry products.
PE Cone: Usually used with glass or amber pour-out glass bottles; cone-shaped and creates a seal on the lip of a bottle; ideal for carbonated products and essential oils.
Induction: Uses a heat-sealing foil laminate and creates a hermetic seal
Other liner materials also include Teflon PTFE, Polyseal, and Poly vinyl.
Closure Types
Threaded caps: The interiors of threaded caps have spiraling, uninterrupted threads; the threads match up with the neck finish of compatible containers.
Child-resistant caps (CRC): These caps require dissimilar motions to open, which makes it difficult for children to access what’s inside; you have to push down on a CRC cap while turning it clockwise to open.
Induction lined caps: There are several layers in an induction liner: wax, foil, pulpboard, and polymer coating; they create hermetic seals.
Brush caps: Brush caps have two primary components: a screw cap and a plastic rod attached to the inside. There are bristles at the end of the rod to help with product application.
Shrink bands: Shrink bands are tamper-evident and, usually, perforated to facilitate easy removal; they are made of PVC plastic.
Lug caps: Lug caps are used with lug-finish containers; they have non-continuous threads.
Snap caps: Snap caps don’t use threads; instead, they have closures held in place by a depressed or raised circle around the closure.
Tapered corks: Tapered cork stoppers are natural and decrease in diameter from top to bottom.
Black phenolic ball rod caps: Black phenolic ball rod caps have PE plastic rods attached on the inside; at the ends of these rods, there are round protrusions for applying product.
Choosing the Right Liner for Your Product
At WB Bottle, our team is committed to helping clients select the best liners for their products. Contact us if you need help choosing a liner type or request a free quote today for pricing information.
The outbreak of COVID-19 cases around the world has led to hand sanitizer and other disinfectants becoming more vital than ever. As demand for these products increases, so too does the need for quality packaging to contain them.
At WB Bottle Supply Company, we serve as a full-line bottle supplier for customers around the world. We deliver plastic packaging bottles suitable for use with various products, including hand sanitizers. Now, more than ever, we are committed to working with manufacturers to ensure the demand for these potentially lifesaving products is fully met.
The Creation Process for Hand Sanitizer Bottles
The function of all hand sanitizer packaging is the same, but the packaging can vary depending on the needs and desires of the manufacturer. The process for creating plastic packaging begins with an image of the desired final product. This image is then converted to a CAD image, modified as needed, and translated into a 3D model. This process ensures that all parties are fully satisfied with the design of the packaging before production begins, thus reducing the likelihood of time-consuming and costly adjustments later on.
Types of Plastic Bottle Designs
Disinfectant products are typically packaged in plastic bottles. While the exact design varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, some of the most common bottle designs employed include:
Certain types of packaging, such as spray or squeezable bottles, are particularly well suited for use as hand sanitizer bottles. When choosing a material for these bottles, it’s important to keep in mind rigidity and resistance to alcohol. While most plastics resist damage or degradation from exposure to alcohol to some degree, flexibility is essential for hand sanitizer in squeezable bottles. For these packaging materials, LDPE is ideal.
Types of Caps and Closures for Hand Sanitizers Bottles
Hand sanitizer bottles feature different caps and closures depending on the bottle design and the intended dispensing method. The ones typically employed include:
Our company has served the industrial and household chemical industries for many years, including by distributing plastic packaging for hand sanitizer and other disinfecting products. We recognize the vital role that packaging manufacturers play in making these products available to the general population. In critical times, such as these, we fully understand how every company must strive to do their part.
We recently partnered with the team at Central Standard Craft Distillery. In reaction to the rise in COVID-19 cases and diminishing hand sanitizer and other disinfectant supplies, the distillery has converted its production operations to produce free disinfectant spray for those in high-risk groups, such as nursing home residents and first responders. As the bottle supplier for this company, we are donating sanitizer bottles to help support this cause.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we will search for additional opportunities to help make a difference as a packaging company. In the meantime, we will continue to provide quality plastic bottles for hand sanitizer and other disinfectants to help supply meet demand.
For additional information about our packaging solutions, contact us today.
