Laminate
Engineering laminate is the most common and cost effective engraving material for permanent labelling. Designed for external use with a service life of at least 20 years.
Standard thicknesses are 1.5mm and 3mm, layered in a three part sandwich of black white black. It is available in gloss and matte finishes.
As a guide, standard plant label sizes are:
50x75mm
55x85mm
50x100mm
60x100mm
75x100mm
We also make other sizes and shapes to order.
Aluminium
Aluminum which has a tough anodised coating is becoming popular with botanical institutions. It is made with recycled content and is 100% recyclable.
We supply thicknesses of .9mm and 1.5mm in gloss and matte finishes in a range of standard label sizes with either square or rounded corners as below:
50x75mm
55x85mm
50x100mm
60x100mm
75x100mm
We also make other sizes and shapes to order including designs for espaliers on rails and trellis.
Something Different
Wood is an alternative for smaller projects where surface weathering is considered acceptable. We use reclaimed Iroko or FSC sourced Western Red Cedar which are proven outdoor timbers for the longer term.
20x100mm (Cedar)
55x75mm (Cedar)
50x100mm (Iroko)
55x75mm (Iroko)
Cast alloy was pioneered by early C20 label makers such as John Pinches (Acme Labels) Ltd. We can remake these labels in our micro-foundry to special order.
Acrylic (Greencast) is a solid colour material which is manufactured entirely from 100% recycled content. The surface can be engraved and filed with paint or gold leaf. Alternatively it can be left flat for use with a chalk pen for temporary uses such as vegetables and propagation.
Traffolyte is a phenolic laminate engraving material which was developed by Metro Vickers in 1927 at their Trafford Park factory in Manchester. It has been used for plant labelling over many years but has declined in popularity due to outdoor colour fading compared with modern laminates. We continue to stock and make labels with Traffolyte to special order, even though it is actually recommended for indoor use only.
