Originally Posted by: uniqueleaf 
Hi,
I am printing on various size weatherproof polyester for laser printers. I'm using an HP color Laser Jet Pro M452dn and have used the printer settings for label, heavy label, high gloss, etc.. in hope to find a setting where my labels are not losing bits of the design on them. They are also scratching fairly easily. We use liquids(oils, lotions) in our bottled products and find they are not holding up. I could use some direction on how to get these right. I have spent hundreds on labels and am hoping there is an easy resolution soon as it is affecting business.
Thanks,
Megan
Megan,
I'm sorry to hear about the issues you're experiencing. The HP Color LaserJet Pro M452dn is one of the laser printer models used extensively when testing our laser compatible label materials. In terms of print quality and durability to scratching and smudging we've always had excellent results with the Weatherproof Polyester material. We've found that under normal usage the HP Matte Photo 200g, Color Laser Transparency, or Labels paper settings provide results that are incredibly durable to abrasion.
There are some heavier material type settings available that could potentially improve the durability of the of the print even further. If you haven't already, I'd try the following paper type settings:
- Extra Heavy 131-175g
- Extra Heavy Glossy 131-175g
- HP Matte Photo 200g
- HP Brochure Glossy 200g
- Cardstock 176-220g
- Card Glossy 176-220g
- Color Laser Transparency
These are some of the heaviest paper type settings available on the HP Color LaserJet Pro M452dn. They should slow down the speed at which the material feeds through the printer while also increase the fusing temperature, which will theoretically improve the overall print quality and durability.
Is the scratching issue occurring after the labels have come into contact with some of the oil and/or lotion content from the bottles? It's possible that direct contact with oils could potentially weaken the bond between the toner and the surface of the sheet. If you're finding that the scratching issues are only occurring after the contents of the bottle have dripped on the printed labels, then some additional form of protection or laminate may be necessary to protect against the effects that certain oils can have on printed labels. The best means of protection would likely be using a clear glossy label placed over the printed white labels. This should make the printed labels impervious to oils. There are clear coat protective sprays out there from companies like Krylon that are intended to provide additional durability, but I worry that certain types of oils may break those sprays down as well. Either way, I'd definitely recommend trying the paper type settings listed above before going this route. You may find that one of them resolves the issue for you with no additional steps being necessary.
If you need some additional sheets for testing the recommended material type settings we'd be happy to send you some free samples. You can enter a sample request by visiting the link below:
https://www.onlinelabels.com/general/SamplesSelectItems.aspx
I hope this helps. If you need any additional information please just let me know.
