Letterpress printing for stickers involves applying ink to the raised surface of a plate, making it a popular method in the sticker printing industry. This technique provides clear results at a lower cost compared to other methods.
In fact, 95% of sticker and label production can be achieved with letterpress printing.
This article covers an overview of letterpress printing, its benefits and drawbacks compared to other methods, and showcases products made with this technique. If you’re considering letterpress for your product labels or stickers, this guide will be helpful.
As a specialized printing company for labels, we offer various printing methods. For any inquiries about sticker or label production, please feel free to contact us.
Please feel free to contact us.
What Is Letterpress Printing? Explanation of its Mechanism and Features
Toppan printing is a method where ink is applied to the raised portions of a plate and transferred to printing materials such as paper. Toppan printing is mainstream in the label printing industry.
The Mechanism of Letterpress Printing
Toppan printing requires the creation of a plate. The plate has raised areas for printing characters or designs, while non-printing areas are recessed. Ink is applied to the raised areas and transferred to printing materials such as paper by pressing, similar to a stamp.
In the past, metal plates such as zinc were mainly used, but with the development of printing machines, resin plates are now mainstream. These are sometimes referred to as resin Toppan printing plates.
Features of Letterpress Printing
Letterpress Printing is characterized by clear and stable printing, making it particularly suitable for printing illustrations and text. Therefore, it is an ideal method for product label printing.
While it is slightly weaker in reproducing fine gradients compared to offset printing, which will be introduced later, it can still achieve gradients unless the color is extremely light. Gradients in Letterpress Printing are expressed through a collection of small dots called "halftone dots," with color density adjusted by the size and density of these dots.
・Small dots with low density → Light color
・Large dots with high density → Dark color
The Two Types of Toppan Printing
There are two types: "flatbed" and "rotary." Each has different characteristics, so please refer to them as preliminary knowledge if you are planning to print labels. Note that the selection between flatbed and rotary is made by the printing company.
Type 1: Flatbed
The flatbed method sets a roll of paper and prints by pressing it onto a flat plate. In other words, the flat plate is pressed onto the paper for printing. The disadvantage is that the pressure is not evenly distributed, which can cause slight variations in printing, requiring some adjustments.
The flatbed method excels at simple designs with single colors, such as spot colors. It allows for clear printing due to the high printing pressure but is not suitable for reproducing shades. Moreover, since it is not fast, it is suitable for medium to small print runs rather than large-scale printing. Despite its simple mechanism, it is very versatile and convenient, capable of functions like foil stamping and embossing. Though it was popularized in the Showa era, it is still widely used today, offering much greater durability compared to on-demand printing.
Type 2: Rotary
The rotary method uses a rotating cylindrical plate for printing. The paper is passed between cylindrical metal cylinders for printing. In other words, the plate is formed into a cylinder and rolls while applying pressure for printing.
Because the pressure is evenly applied, it allows for consistent printing even on large areas. This method is suitable for "solid printing," where a large area is covered with ink, as well as high-precision photo printing. This stability in printing is challenging for the flatbed method, which prints on a "plane." In terms of printing speed, it is faster than the flatbed method, making it suitable for large-scale printing.
The rotary method is widely used for printing labels with full-color designs. It also supports spot colors such as PANTONE and DIC.
Differences Between Letterpress Printing and Offset Printing
This section explains the differences between Letterpress Printing and offset printing, both of which use plates for printing.
Offset printing uses a flat plate without any relief. It utilizes the repelling properties of water and oil.
When water is applied to the entire plate, the non-image areas, which are hydrophilic, attract water, while the image areas, which are oleophilic, repel water and attract ink. (It’s a bit complex, but you don’t need to think deeply about it.) Offset printing can reproduce very fine details and is known for being the most precise printing method among the many available.
Detailed Differences Between Letterpress, Offset, and On-Demand Printing
There are mainly three types of printing in label printing: Letterpress Printing, offset printing, and on-demand printing. Below are the differences and features of each.
| Type | Letterpress Printing | Offset Printing | On-Demand Printing |
| Share | 85% of label printing companies have this (average equipment cost) | 10% of label printing companies have this (high equipment cost) | 5% of label printing companies have this (high running cost) |
| Mechanism | Uses a relief plate, ink is applied to raised areas and transferred to paper. | Uses a flat aluminum plate, utilizes the repelling properties of water and oil for printing. | Inkjet uses nozzles to spray ink, laser uses static electricity to transfer toner. |
| Features | Slightly weak in gradients | Capable of gradients | Capable of gradients |
| Spot Colors | Possible | Possible | Not possible |
| Cost | Average price | Expensive | Low cost for small runs, high cost for large runs |
| Lead Time | Short From 5 business days (excluding weekends and holidays) | Long From 10 business days (excluding weekends and holidays) | Short From 5 business days (excluding weekends and holidays) |
Below, we introduce the features of offset printing and on-demand printing in detail.
Offset Printing
As mentioned earlier, offset printing uses a flat aluminum plate without relief to apply ink, transferring the ink to a rubber roller before printing onto paper. It allows for high-volume printing in a short time, ensuring high-quality results with precise color matching.
Mainly used for producing books, magazines, and posters, offset printing is also utilized for label printing. Unlike Letterpress Printing, offset printing can reproduce gradients and fine text. We use both Letterpress Printing and offset printing based on the design. However, the cost is higher compared to Letterpress Printing, and the lead time increases by 4-5 days.
For more details on offset printing, please refer to the article below.
What is Offset Printing? Explanation of its Mechanism and Differences with On-Demand Printing, and Suitable Print Products
On-Demand Printing
On-demand printing refers to printing methods such as "inkjet printers" and "laser printers" that can be controlled by a PC. It is a relatively new printing method that has emerged in label printing in recent years. Inkjet printing is done by spraying ink from the tip of a nozzle, while laser printing uses static electricity to fix toner, a powdered pigment, onto paper.
Both can handle gradients without any issues. However, laser printing is clearer than inkjet. Additionally, inkjet is slower in terms of printing speed, while laser is faster.
Both are suitable for small print runs but not for large runs. The reason is that unlike other printing machines that incur no additional costs after purchase, on-demand printing machines incur "high annual maintenance fees" and "counter charges (fees based on usage)" after purchase, which means the more you print, the higher the cost, making it unsuitable for large runs.
For more detailed information about on-demand printing, please refer to the article below.
What is On-Demand Printing? Explaining Differences with Offset Printing, Benefits, and Precautions
As a specialized printing company for labels and stickers, we offer custom sticker creation services. If you consult with us, we will propose the most suitable printing method, so feel free to contact us.
The Two Advantages of Letterpress Printing
Letterpress Printing has the following advantages:
- Can print text clearly
- Low cost
Advantage 1: Clear Printing
Letterpress Printing is capable of printing a wide range of designs, as evidenced by its long-standing use in the sticker printing industry. While slightly inferior to offset printing, it is sufficient for standard sticker and label printing. The print quality is better than inkjet and comparable to laser printers. Additionally, spot color printing is possible. It is also suitable for creating unique stickers with options like metallic ink, varnish, and rough surface (rio-tone) inks.
Advantage 2: Low Cost
Another advantage of Letterpress Printing is its low cost. Both the equipment cost and running cost are low, and the printing process is simple, making it more affordable than offset printing. If you need to produce 1,000 or more stickers on a budget, Toppan printing is recommended.
For specific ways to reduce the printing cost of stickers, please see the article below. It explains concrete methods from a professional perspective.
6 Tips for Ordering Sticker Printing at a Low Cost
The Two Disadvantages of Letterpress Printing
The main disadvantages of using Toppan printing are as follows:
- Not suitable for very small text or intricate designs
- Weak in gradient printing
Disadvantage 1: Not Suitable for Very Small Text or Intricate Designs
Letterpress Printing is not suitable for expressing very fine text or patterns. Because it transfers ink by applying pressure, there is a possibility that "small characters with many strokes" or "intricate designs" may become blurred. When handling small text or intricate designs, it is recommended to consult with the printing company while progressing with the design.
Additionally, when applying pressure to the paper with the plate, a double line may appear on the edge. Although it is not very noticeable, some customers occasionally find it bothersome. This is called a "marginal" and is an inherent characteristic of Toppan printing that cannot be avoided. If you absolutely want to avoid this, please specify offset printing or on-demand printing.
Disadvantage 2: Weak in Gradient Printing
Letterpress Printing is not suitable for expressing gradients where color density changes in stages. This is because the color change in the gradient is not smooth, and the boundary where the color changes is noticeable. Therefore, even if the estimate is for Letterpress Printing, if the submitted data includes gradients, it is necessary to change to offset printing. Hence, it is recommended to attach the data at the time of the estimate. This will result in the most suitable estimate.
Even if you choose Letterpress Printing for its cost, if gradients are included, you may have to switch to more expensive offset printing, so be careful. If you do not have a particular preference for gradients, Letterpress Printing will be sufficient.
※However, recently the performance of plates has improved, and the printing accuracy for gradients has increased significantly. In many cases, the quality is so high that it can be mistaken for offset printing, so the weakness in gradients is becoming a thing of the past.
If you are considering printing product labels or stickers and are unsure about the most suitable printing method, please feel free to contact us. We will propose the best method for you.
Introducing Production Examples Using Letterpress Printing
Finally, we introduce production examples using Letterpress Printing from our company. If you are considering using Letterpress Printing for product labels or stickers, please refer to these examples.
Example 1: Minabe Craft Umeshu Label
We created this label using Letterpress Printing with three colors on washi cotton material. The product name is "Yii," featuring a pop design that does not resemble traditional umeshu labels.
For more details about this colorful and fun product label that breaks the conventional image of umeshu, please see the page below.
Example: Minabe Craft Umeshu Label
Example 2: Hokusai Samurai Hologram Sticker
We created a hologram sticker for the Sumida Hokusai Museum's special exhibition "Hokusai Samurai Painting." The design features a brave samurai in a scene as if snow is dancing around.
We used "Hologram NO.3" as shown in the image below, and the sticker was printed using Letterpress Printing with three colors: white, spot color, and black.
For more details about this sticker, please visit the case study page.
Example: Sumida Hokusai Museum Special Exhibition "Hokusai Samurai Painting" Hologram Sticker
Example 3: Blue Bottle Coffee Label
We created package labels for Blue Bottle Coffee Japan LLC. The labels are made of high-quality paper with a smooth texture. The labels were printed using Toppan printing with three spot colors, followed by embossing to create a raised design.
For more details about this work, please see the page below.
Example: Blue Bottle Coffee Label
If You Want Clear Printing at a Lower Cost, Letterpress Printing is Recommended
Letterpress Printing applies ink to the raised parts of a plate and transfers it to paper, similar to a stamp. By applying ink to the raised parts and pressing, it can print text clearly.
In addition, compared to other printing methods, Letterpress Printing allows for cost reduction, making it suitable for those who want to produce materials while keeping costs low.
As a specialized printing company for labels, we handle a wide range of printing methods including Letterpress Printing, flat printing, and intaglio printing. If you are looking to create product labels or stickers, please feel free to consult with us from the link below.
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