Since 2002 · Anti-counterfeit · Specialty · Functional Ink Manufacturer Tel: 0755-84672518 Mr. Chen +86-13510514531 · Mr. Wang +86-13510998453 Email: 29888248@qq.com

产品系列: <span>包装系列</span>

Home › 产品系列: <span>包装系列</span>

Packaging ink: the hard part is adhesion and deformation, not colour

The real difficulty in packaging printing has never been colour matching — it is adhesion and deformation. Paper gets folded and glued, fabric gets stretched and washed, and plastic has low surface energy that barely accepts ink. A single “universal” ink fails in three different ways on these three substrates: cracking along fold lines, washing out, or scraping off under a fingernail. This series is split into two separate formulation lines precisely to avoid the “works everywhere on paper, fails in production” problem.

The plastic line targets PVC, PC, PP and PET, using a dedicated resin system and curing parameters to bond to low-energy surfaces — screen printing for flat parts, pad printing for small complex parts, gravure for continuous roll stock. The paper and fabric line uses a flexible system that survives folding and stretching: offset and flexo for paper, mainly screen for fabric, with a soft hand feel and wash resistance. Both lines accept UV fluorescent, thermochromic or scratch-off overlays, but adhesion must be re-validated after adding them — previous parameters cannot simply be carried over.

Adhesion can only be confirmed on press. Please send the actual substrate, ideally together with downstream processes (lamination, hot stamping, UV varnish, washing conditions). We proof on your material and test scratch, solvent and wash resistance as used. Where plastic surface energy is very low, corona or flame treatment may be needed first — often more effective than changing the ink.

Frequently Asked Questions

Selection, detection, printing and ordering — answered.

Why can’t one ink serve both plastic and paper substrates?
The film-forming mechanism differs. Plastic has low surface energy and is non-absorbent, so it needs a targeted resin system and curing parameters to achieve firm adhesion, scratch and solvent resistance. Paper and fabric are absorbent, so the priorities are colour saturation, fold flexibility, and for fabric a soft hand feel plus wash resistance. A universal ink typically cracks at paper folds, stiffens fabric, and scrapes off plastic.
What should be done when adhesion on plastic is poor?
First confirm the exact substrate (PVC/PC/PP/PET) and its surface condition, then decide whether corona or flame treatment is needed to raise surface energy — often more effective than changing ink. Also disclose downstream processes, since lamination and hot stamping affect adhesion. The final answer comes from scratch and solvent testing on a proof made with your actual substrate.
Can fabric prints withstand washing?
The paper and fabric line uses a flexible system that keeps a soft hand feel and is formulated to a stated wash requirement. The actual wash rating must be validated against your conditions (temperature, detergent, cycles), so please send the actual fabric and finishing process and we will test on your material.
Can packaging inks carry security features?
Yes. Both lines accept UV fluorescent, thermochromic and scratch-off overlays, and decoration plus security can be printed in a single pass. Adhesion and curing must be re-validated after adding them rather than reusing the original parameters, so a complete proof is recommended before finalising.

Still deciding? See the full 12-ink selection comparison table →