The answer would probably be, it all depends upon what the barcode is to be used on and the purpose of the barcode. If it is simply to price a product, then paper labels will usually satisfy most environments, but if it is for asset tagging or for industrial applications, something more robust may be required.
For example, high quality, durable barcodes can resist corrosion, heat, cold, UV light and solvents. They might be listed as warehouse barcode labels, industrial use barcode labels and polyester barcode labels. Of course the durability of the barcode label is not restricted to the kind of material it is printed on. Printing is also paramount so we can use the correct printing for the purpose. For example, thermally printed labels are scratch-resistant and more durable than some ordinary labels.
We have been supplying long lasting barcode labels with a wide range of adhesive backings; these can be supplied as ceramic, aluminium and polyester. Another material used for high quality long lasting barcode labels is aluminium. These will resist moderate wear and tear and corrosive chemicals.
With our wide selection of “pre-sized” dies for printing your barcode labels, this means that costs can be kept down and we also have very modern and sophisticated digital label press and finishing equipment. This has resulted in reduced production costs, a saving which we have passed onto our customers.