As the name suggests, tamper evident labels – a.k.a. security labels – are made to indicate when someone tries to remove them. They can reveal such tampering in a number of ways: they may fracture, deform, stretch, tear, or snap, for example. Some come off in tiny, useless pieces. Others are made on substrates that leave telltale markings on the item the security label was affixed to until it was removed. Whatever type of custom security labels you use, they definitely won’t come off without a fight. No thief or vandal’s going to get away with messing with your durable security labels; you can take that to the bank.
On the downside, tamper evident labels aren’t at all repositionable, so be sure you’ve got them in exactly the right place before you attach them to an object!
Like many durable labels, tamper evident self-adhesive labels are intended to last the entire use life of the durable goods they’re affixed to. They have to be waterproof and weatherproof, as well as resistant to high and low temperatures, chemical exposure, and abrasion. All these factors make them ideal for use as warning labels, hazardous materials labels, and in similar roles where losing a label is dangerous or costly. Less-durable custom security labels are sometimes used for product packaging in stores, but those are cheap paper or plastic versions made to prevent people from switching price tags or altering products. Durable security labels aren’t often intended for use as packaging; they’re meant to assure authenticity and maintain quality control.
Most self-adhesive security labels are made of materials like polyethylene, destructible vinyl, and acetate. These are the best substrates to use for rough, irregular, or curved surfaces. Standard colors include white, silver, and clear. Tamper evident labels made of polyester work best with smooth, flat surfaces, which makes them good product and asset labels, especially for electronic parts and glass. Silvery voidable chrome security labels are popular for computers, cellphones, and other electronics, especially where opening the machine or removing the label itself voids a warranty. When someone tries to peel these off, it leaves VOID VOID VOID repeated across the surface it was affixed to, as well as on the security label itself. A common use for adhesive tamper evident labels with “VOID” messages is for car registration and inspection stickers.
Tamper evident barcode labels are ideal for asset tracking in warehouses, laboratories, and outdoor parts yards. The materials are long-lasting; like all durable labels, they’re expected to last at least 2-3 years and protect the items they’re affixed to for that entire time. The barcodes make them easy to scan and track, and even if a durable tamper evident label isn’t intended specifically as a barcode security label, it’s a simple matter to add the barcode during the printing process.
Tamper evident labels come mostly in both roll and sheet format. Etiquette Systems can provide them for your personal printing use, or produce custom printed tamper evident labels to your specifications. Call us and let us know how we can help.
