Online Labels Forum

It can be tough to match the durability of big brand labels that are printed and laminated using professional presses, but there are definitely some steps you can take to improve durability on laser printed labels.

Before taking any additional steps you should ensure that you're using the optimal settings when printing your labels. Adjusting the material type to a heavier or more specialized setting is a great way to improve durability. If you've been using the default or plain paper setting you may find that making this adjustment is enough to resolve the problems you're encountering. We typically recommend photo/glossy or labels as the optimal material settings for the weatherproof polyester material, but if your printer model has heavier setting options available you may want to try those as well. Some printer models also include an advanced option called "Improve Toner Fixing." This option is commonly found on Brother laser printers, and is another possible solution that may help improve print durability.

If you've already adjusted the printer settings and are still looking to improve the durability of your printed labels, you'll likely need to treat the labels after they've been printed in an effort to provide a laminate or protective coating of some kind. This can be accomplished by using a clear overcoat spray or by applying a clear overcoat label to your printed label to act as a laminate. You can view more details about both methods at the link below:

https://www.onlinelabels.com/articles/how-to-make-labels-waterproof

If you'd like to try samples of one of our clear label materials to use as an overcoat you can submit a request at the link below:

https://www.onlinelabels.com/samples

I hope this helps. If you need any additional information please just let us know.