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Rank: New User
Posts: 2  Location: Arkansas
I purchased the OL996WJ Weatherproof Inkjet Labels and print on an Epson Artisan 835.The labels are used on handmade Soaps, body sprays, etc.and I participate in a weekly farmer's market. I've water tested the labels, at home, with no issues. However if any moisture gets on them at the market, some of them are starting to smudge and smear. I can send pics if needed. I've played with the printer quality setting (presently using presentation paper matte), but can't tell what works for sure until they get a couple drops of rain on them. Please help! I am presently having to re-label some of them almost weekly and I just can't afford to keep wasting them this way. I only have a few sheets left and would like to reorder, but I need to get this sorted first.... Thanks! Edited by user Thursday, September 15, 2016 5:29:30 PM(EST)
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 Rank: OnlineLabels Rep Posts: 895 Was thanked: 84 time(s) in 78 post(s)
I'm sorry to hear about the issue that you have been experiencing and will be happy to offer any assistance that I can.
In general, Epson printers are known to output ink at a heavier saturation that printer models from other manufacturers. Our weatherproof materials for inkjet printing consist of a topcoat that is designed to absorb ink and protect it from moisture, but if the material is over-saturated you may still run into some minor issues with smudging and smearing.
There are a couple of printer settings you can adjust that will potentially provide more durable results. You had mentioned using the presentation paper matte material setting when printing your labels. I would try changing that to a photo or glossy material setting. The material you're using has a matte finish, but in my experience the photo/glossy material settings generally provide the best results with our weatherproof materials.
In addition to the material type setting you may want to adjust the print quality setting as well. If you're currently using the best or highest quality setting, that could potentially contribute to the over-saturation discussed above. I'd try running your design with the normal or possibly even draft quality setting instead. This should output less ink and will potentially resolve the smudging and smearing that is occurring.
If adjusting the material type and quality settings does not resolve the issue then you may want to consider using a clear overcoat spray - we recommend a spray called Krylon Preserve-It. Applying a light coat to your label sheet when it leaves the printer will seal the label and prevent smudging and smearing from occurring. You can view a tutorial on how to use the Krylon Preserve-It spray at the link below:
https://www.onlinelabels.com/articles/krylon-weatherproof-waterproof-label-overcoat-spray.htm
I hope this information helps. If you'd like us to send you a few additional sample sheets for further testing please just let me know.
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Rank: New User
Posts: 2 Location: Arkansas
Josh,
Thank you for getting back with me. I will go through your printer adjustment tips and see if I can get some better results.
On a side note, nothing has ever gotten saturated. It's only been a couple drops of rain, here and there, from it blowing a light mist into the tent. The labels turned face down seem to be the culprits. So maybe more of a condensation then anything.
I've poured water on them and let it sit and no smears at all. Crazy!
If you could send me sample sheets to further test, that would be awesome!
Thanks!
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Rank: OnlineLabels Rep Posts: 895 Was thanked: 84 time(s) in 78 post(s)
I apologize for the confusion - when I spoke of saturation I was actually referring to the possibility of too much ink being placed on the page by the printer, which can over-saturate the protective topcoat and leave some of the ink unprotected and prone to smearing. Making the adjustments to the material type and print quality settings should help with that.
It is strange to hear that the smearing is only occurring with rain water and not running tap water. This could be a result of the chemical composition of the rain - rainwater can sometimes contain trace amounts of chemicals that cause slight acidification of the water. This could potentially make the rain a little harsher on the label material as well. If you make the suggested printer adjustments and are still running into problems, I'm pretty certain that the Krylon Preserve-It would resolve the issue.
Your sample pack will be shipped out this afternoon. If you should have any additional questions please just let us know.
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