Flexo Printing

What is Flexographic Printing? 

Flexo printing is a process of printing in which flexible relief plates get rolled over your labels like a stamp in order to make packaging labels. It’s good to think of flexo printing like a letterpress, but a more high-speed and modern version. This is a great way of printing because it’s cost-effective, fast, and can print on a variety of different substrates.

Flexo

Contact Us for Flexographic Label Printing

Looking for flexo printing services? Mammoth Labels & Packaging provides flexo and digital printing services. Contact us at (800) 452-9010 to get a quote on high-quality packaging labels today.

Our Flexo Printing Products

We use flexo printing to create the following types of packaging labels. Don’t see the product you need in this list? Let’s talk! This is just a selection of the many packaging solutions we can make for you. Get in touch with us today to learn more and get a quote.

  • Pressure-sensitive labels
  • Extreme temperature labels
  • Foil stamped labels
  • Embossed labels
  • Bottle labels
  • Extended content labels
  • Variable data printing
  • Hang tags & collars
  • Cut & stack labels
  • Tamper evident seals
  • Jar & tube labels
  • Die cut labels

Materials We Can Print On

Flexographic printing allows us to print packaging labels on a wide variety of substrates. Here’s a complete list of all the materials we can print on. Don’t see your label substrate in this list? Contact us today to see what we can do.

  • Papers
  • Plastics
  • Cardboards
  • Cellophanes
  • Foils
  • Non-woven fabrics
  • Metals 
  • Multilayered film composites

Markets That Can Benefit from Flexographic Printing

Mammoth Labels & Packaging currently delivers custom flexo packaging solutions to the following markets:

The Benefits of Flexo Printing

Low Cost

Flexo printing is a cost-effective printing method if you need to produce a large number of packaging labels. The ink is inexpensive, and the relief plates are durable and easy to replace. 

High Speed

Need your labels made fast? Flexographic printers run at extremely high speeds, operating at 750m/2,000 ft. per minute. Once your flexographic printing plates have been made, the printing process doesn’t take long at all. We do our best to ship within 8 business days from proof approval.

Quality

In the past, flexo printers had problems with halo effects and dot bridging. Thanks to recent developments in flexo printing technology, we can now produce high-quality labels with clear texts, crisp colors, and beautiful designs. 

Versatility

Flexo printing can be used to print labels on a wide variety of substrates. We can print labels on paper, plastic, cardboard, cellophane, foil, non-woven fabric, metal, multilayered film composites, and more. Flexo printing also allows us to use water-based, solvent-based, and UV-curable inks.

Lamination & More

Need your labels laminated, varnished, embossed, or die-cut? No problem. With flexo printing, we can integrate these processes in a single pass. This is a huge advantage that flexography has over other printing methods. Others require you to complete these processes separately.

Flexography: How Does it Work?

Want to learn more about flexographic printing? Flexographic printers have two rollers and two cylinders that work together to make your labels. Here’s how the process works:

  1. First, a fountain roller transfers ink from an ink pan to a second roller called the anilox roller. The surface of the anilox roller has finely engraved cells that hold a specific amount of ink. A doctor blade scrapes the surface of the anilox roller to ensure there isn’t any excess ink on it. 
  2. Next, The anilox roller transfers the ink to the flexible relief plate on the plate cylinder. This flexible plate has a raised image of your label design on it. It’s like a big, flexible stamp.
  3. Finally, your label material is fed in between the flexible relief plate and an impression cylinder. The ink is transferred from the plate to your label substrate. 
  4. If your label design only has one color, this is the end of the printing process. If your label has multiple colors, we wait for the ink to dry and then repeat this process for each color until your design is complete. Each color requires a separate relief plate.
  5. Do you need your labels laminated, varnished, embossed, sheeted , or die-cut? With flexo printing, we can complete these processes in a single pass!

Flexographic Printing vs. Digital Printing

What’s the difference between flexographic printing and digital printing? Which method is best for your labels? Here’s our quick guide:

Flexographic Printing

Flexo printing is like using a stamp. Ink is applied to rubber printing plates that have a raised image of your label design on them. These flexible relief plates are attached to cylinders and rolled over the surface of your label material. 

Pros

  • Cost-effective for large orders
  • Can be used to print on many substrates
  • Pantone color matching

Cons

  • Not cost-effective for small orders
  • Making changes to your label design is time-consuming since we have to make new flexographic printing plates for each design

Digital Printing

Digital printing is when a digital image is printed on a label material’s surface by directly applying toner to it. It works like the color copier in your home or office.

Pros

  • Can be used to quickly print an exact image without making printing plates
  • Label design changes are easy since there are no plates involved
  • You can have different versions of your labels 

Cons

  • Can’t print on as many substrates
  • Digital printers use CMYK, so if an exact match is required, it is best to do a press proof or provide a physical sample that we can color match to

Get the Best of Both Worlds with Mammoth Labels & Packaging

Some of our clients find that a combination of flexo and digital printing is best. This is especially true if they have multiple product lines. 

Flexo printing is ideal for your products that are popular and widely distributed. You can save money by flexo printing these labels in bulk. 

Digital printing, on the other hand, is ideal for your new products that aren’t widely distributed yet. It’s more cost-effective to print smaller orders digitally. Plus, it’s easier to make changes to your label design when you print digitally. 

At Mammoth Labels & Packaging, we offer both flexo printing and digital printing services. Contact us today to learn more about which type of printing is best for you. We’d be happy to help you put together a plan for all your product lines. 

Flexographic Printing vs. Offset Printing

Another printing method we get asked about is offset printing. What’s the difference between flexo printing and offset printing? Flexo printing uses flexible relief plates to print your design directly on the substrate, while offset printing prints your design indirectly through a set of offset plates. Each method has its advantages, but label printers typically prefer flexographic printing for its ability to scale and adapt. Here’s what sets flexo apart:

 

More Substrates

Flexo printing can be used to print on a wider variety of substrates, both absorbent and non-absorbent. Offset printing can only be used to print on flat, smooth surfaces.

Hybrid Solutions

Flexo printing can be combined with digital printing to create hybrid packaging solutions. This makes flexo printing a more flexible printing method.

Lamination & More

Flexo printing allows us to carry out secondary processes like lamination, varnishing, embossing, folding, and die-cutting in a single pass. Offset printers can’t handle these extra processes.

Flexo Printing FAQs 

Our flexo presses can print on papers (semi-gloss, thermal transfers), plastics (BOPP, films), and wood-based substrates. 

Flexo printers can print labels with water-based, soy based, and UV-curable inks.

Our flexo printers can hit all Pantone colors and special custom matches. 

Yes, if you do not have a Pantone color to use, then providing us with a sample or swatch will allow us to color match.

Flexographic presses use flexible relief plates to lay the ink down on your packaging material like a stamp. Each color in your design requires a separate plate to be made.

We do not have a minimum label quantity, but our minimum order price is $260 not including the costs of tooling, taxes, and shipping. If you have a smaller order, we recommend using our digital printing services. Digital printing is more cost-effective for smaller orders, while flexo printing is more cost-effective for larger orders.

Our flexo printers run at 600 ft/minute.

We do our best to ship within 8 business days from proof approval. Sometimes material delays affect this. We communicate expected ship dates from the day your order is confirmed to the day your order is shipped.

Contact Us for Flexo Printing Services Today

Looking for a flexo printing supplier? Mammoth Labels & Packaging provides flexographic and digital printing services. Call us at (800) 452-9010 to get an estimate on high-quality packaging labels today.