Frequently Asked Questions

We’re a service company, so we want to accommodate your needs. Some people prefer to send in one of our request for quote forms and others prefer to send an email or call us on our 800 number. We understand that you often require a rapid response to your quote request, so we always respond to all methods very quickly. If you have a specific deadline please let us know when you send in the quote.

When referring to the dimensions of the label, the industry standard is the width of the label first, then the depth. The width of the label is the direction going across the liner (carrier). The depth of the label runs down the length of the carrier. The dimensions of the label do not always correspond with the direction of the printing.

Everything and anything! We are a custom label manufacturer, so every label is custom made to exact requirements. With more than 40 years as a label manufacturer, we have built up a cutting die library with thousands of shapes and sizes to choose from. And, we have a special plotter cutter that can cut labels without special tooling, thus avoiding tooling charges for special shapes on smaller orders.

Yes. If you send us the label that you want to match then we’ll do our best to identify its material type and adhesive type and offer you a solution that will meet your design and performance requirements. Then, we’ll send you samples of the material and adhesive we propose. Your Applications Specialist will guide you every step of the way.

Our Application Specialists are expert in working with our clients to select the appropriate adhesive. We will ask you a set of questions to help us understand your requirements and provides the best guidance.

Typical questions may include:

Where will the label be applied?
What type of surface is the substrate (i.e. smooth, rough, curved, etc.)?
What is the temperature where the label will be applied?
Will the label be exposed to extreme temperatures, the outdoors, or subject to anything else that may affect the integrity of the label?
If the label is going to be removed, how long will it be on the substrate before it is removed?

This is where our experience, expertise, supplier base and warehouse full of materials will benefit you. You don’t have to determine the proper face stock alone; our Application Specialists are label experts, and they will work with you to determine the proper face stock for your labels.

Here are some of the questions we might ask you to help us provide you with the best advice:

What is the purpose of the label?
What type of printer, if any, is the label going through (i.e., impact, thermal transfer, etc.)?
How long does the label need to stay on the product?
Will the label be exposed to any extreme temperatures, solvents, abrasion or process that could affect the integrity of the label?

Yes, we are set up to support short runs, as well as longer runs. We operate a wide range of equipment to satisfy different sizes and types of orders. And, since we know that sometimes you only need a small number of labels, Coast Label does not have a minimum order requirement. One of our long-time customers likes to say, “Coast Label is big enough to handle anything, but small enough to care about me”.

Absolutely, and we do it all the time for our clients. This is an area of specialty for us, and we can also make sets of labels and barcodes with any number of labels in the set with same number.

We manufacturer all label delivery formats. Your Application Specialist will discuss the options with you and help you select the best and most cost-effective solution for you.

We’re faster than most label companies because of our efficient and lean processes, our number of presses and, and our close proximity to our key suppliers. Our typical lead-time is five to seven days, although this will vary with the requirements of your order. We will provide a lead-time estimate on the quote, and a ship date on the order acknowledgement. If you need your labels faster, please let us know and we will make every effort to accommodate your needs.

Absolutely! We are a service-oriented custom manufacturer and the packaging is often very important to our customers. We can even “kit” your labels by assembling specific combinations of different labels in one carton for a particular use. Some of our customers ask us to combine thermal transfer printable labels and the ribbons together in a carton so they just have one SKU to inventory. And, many of our clients find our single-sheet label kits convenient. These combine a variety of labels onto a single sheet to ensure accurate application of all the required labels on to a finished product or sub-assembly. Just tell us what you need and we’ll make it happen!

There are thousands of label face materials available to choose from, ranging from papers to foils to decorative and durable film materials. A Coast Label Applications Specialist will work with you to understand how your labels will be used and the expected life cycle and we will recommend materials that meet your needs. We can also send you samples of the proposed materials so you can test them for appearance and performance under your actual use conditions.

Yes, we design labels for almost any environment, and high-performance materials are an area of specialty for us. In addition to being able to print on durable films coated with high-performance adhesives, there are options in inks that are better suited for holding up in harsh environments. Labels can also be coated with clear protective coatings or over laminated with range of clear protective films in a variety of thicknesses. Ask your Applications Specialist for details.

Yes, we offer adhesives for every situation, ranging from the temporary and repositionable adhesive to industrial-grade permanent acrylic adhesives designed to affix a label for the life of a durable industrial machine. We even have adhesives designed to for affixing labels to tires, lumber, stone, and even Teflon! Your Applications Specialist will help determine the right adhesive for your application.

We accept MasterCard, Visa and American Express. Most of our regular customers apply for an open account and place purchase orders with us after the account has been established.

You can email your artwork to prepress@coastlabel.com or send it to your Applications Specialist. If you have large files, we’ll provide you with access to the Coast Label File Transfer Protocol (FTP) internet site.

Most of our customers send us artwork in the form of ready-for-print files, but if you don’t have this let us know and we can help.

We want to make absolutely certain that you will be delighted with the labels we make for you. So, even though you’ve sent us an electronic art file, we will send you a PDF proof for your approval. This color proof will show you all the graphic elements in relationship to die line (the finished cut shape) of your labels. This is an important step in our ISO 9001:2008 Quality Procedures.

We have accounts with UPS and FedEx as well as numerous LTL freight carriers. We can even charge it to your company’s freight account. Discuss your specific shipping and delivery date needs with your Applications Specialist.

No problem! We are experienced with complex logistics. Just email us the distribution list and we can integrate it into your order. And, we can send you the tracking numbers once the job has shipped.

Yes, Coast Label is a Recognized Component Manufacturer for UL 969 performance-oriented labels. We also have an UL Printers Agreement which allows us to print and manufacturer the UL Mark. Click here for more information.

Coast Label is one of a handful of label companies in the US which has had their quality system certified to the ISO 9001:2008 standard. This means that Coast Label has been independently audited and met the exacting standards of the International Standards organization. Every procedure is documented and reviewed to ensure our customers always receive the highest quality labels. Click here to see our ISO Certification.

Coast Label is a leader in this important arena. We are one of the few label companies in North America that operates a L.I.F.E.® Certified Facility, which means we have met the rigorous criteria of the L.I.F.E.® program and we have been audited by NSF to certify our environmental program as L.I.F.E.®-compliant.

Many label materials and adhesives have been designed so they can be recycled with the containers to which they have been applied. If you have special requirements in this area please let us know and we will work with you to design a label that meets your requirements. Additionally, as part of our L.I.F.E.® Certification, we recover and recycle most of the waste generated in our facility.

Yes. In addition to manufacturing a broad range of pressure-sensitive (peel and stick) labels, we also manufacture tags in roll, sheet, and fan-folded form. We manufacture tags that are sewn on to furniture, stapled on to wood products, crimped on to vegetable bags, and that are used for product inserts. The possibilities are limitless. See our Products section for wide variety of products we can make or discuss your needs with one of Applications Specialists.

Yes, and we have many solutions ranging from materials and manufacturing methods that show evidence of tampering to invisible inks and special security inks. Additionally, labels can be serial numbered and barcoded. Your Applications Specialist can suggest a solution appropriate for your needs.

Yes we do. Many of our customers must add additional information to their label at the point of use. And, they have specific label performance requirements that off-the-shelf labels cannot meet. We make labels suitable for subsequent printing by all types of printers, including those using laser, inkjet, thermal transfer, direct thermal, and impact printing technologies.

Yes. We have a variety of materials, adhesives, inks, coatings, and protective laminates that your Applications Specialist can suggest depending upon your needs. We make labels that go on aircraft landing gear, movie company film cans, construction machinery, electrical equipment and many, many other items where the label must survive a harsh environment for a long period of time.

Your situation is common, and we’ll help you every step of the way. The Coast Label Applications specialist will work with you to understand your label’s graphic and performance requirements and then offer you a proposal that solves your problem.

Of course! We have an 18,000 square foot plant that we are very proud of. So, if you want to stop by to drop off or pick up a sample, discuss a project, pick up an order, or if you would just like to say “Hello” we welcome your visit.

We make labels for the “Fortune 100” size companies, start-up companies, and companies in between. The basic manufacturing steps are similar regardless of the order size, and people from companies of all sizes appreciate our personal service, on-time delivery, and attention to detail.