In our article we will talk about what a label is, where it came from, we will also indicate its types. The material also considered information that is indicated on the tags.
Label is what?
The word "label" is borrowed from the French language. Translated as “inscription” or “label”.
The very first prototype labels that archaeologists discovered were tags made from pieces of leather on wine vessels. This find dates back to the end of the II millennium BC. e. The information on the label of this kind reported the place of grape harvest, its variety, taste (sour or sweet), age and by whom it was produced. The need for this appeared because all the vessels were of the same shape. It was difficult to understand what the contents were without opening or trying. To break the tightness of the packaging was impractical. Then the idea came up of applying information to a piece of skin and attaching it to a bottle. With the advent of trade routes and the transportation of goods over long distances, labels greatly facilitated the implementation. The first tags were simple rectangular in shape.
After 1820, the form began to change. Winemakers wanted to give individuality to their product. As a result, stickers appeared in the form of a crown, a bunch of grapes or a leaf of a plant. The label has become a sign of individuality. Over time, information about the place of growth of the grapes was removed, leaving only the year of harvest, the type of wine and producer. In 1880, the first color tags appeared. And in 1883, labels and stickers began to be used for other types of products.
Further use of labels
The next ones who began to transmit information in this way were fruit and vegetable dealers. With the evolution of labels, a way to apply information to the product has developed. The first tags were simply tied to a piece of rope and fixed with sealing wax. Later, the product label began to stick directly to the product. As an adhesive, various improvised means were used. Later, glue began to be purchased from masters specializing in its production. Virtually disappeared products on which there was no label. This has become an indispensable attribute for trading.
In 1935, the first self-adhesive sticker was invented by the American entrepreneur Stanton Avery . Previously, label information was applied manually. Bulk label printing began in 1980. The order was received for a batch of champagne, since since 1820 its production has increased to 2 million bottles a year.
Classification of labels by the importance of information on them
According to the importance of printed information over time, the tags were divided into four categories.
- An information label is a tag that contains information about the name of the product, composition, size, date of manufacture, expiration date, storage condition.
- A descriptive sticker told how to operate the product correctly, gave recommendations for care, informed about safety measures during operation.
- The identifier carries information about the manufacturer.
- Advocacy is an additional advertising and talks about the benefits and uniqueness of the product.
To date, another label has been developed. This device is in the form of a circuit protected by a housing. It carries information of a strictly confidential nature. It is used most often at checkpoints of protected and important objects.
As development and the need to put information on the product, legislation began to appear that spelled out the requirements for product tags.
Developed standards that strictly regulate label requirements. The regulatory requirements indicated on which paper label printing is allowed, what ink should be used, what varnish it is permissible to laminate this paper product. The regulation prescribed what print quality and font size should be. Mandatory conditions have appeared regarding the centering and alignment of the printed information. Indentation from the edges of the paper product is not ignored. Compiled tables providing label sizes for each type of product.
Types of tags by type of product
The following amendments to the bills of different countries were the regulations on the composition of the mandatory information that must be applied to the sticker.
Product labels were divided into four categories, by type of product:
- food products;
- clothes and shoes;
- equipment and instruments;
- packaging.
Product Label Information
The information on the food product label must necessarily contain the following information:
- product name;
- a listing of all components used in the manufacture;
- nutritional and energy value;
- information about the country of manufacture and the manufacturer (name, address);
- product weight;
- date of manufacture, storage conditions and period;
- barcode;
- designation of a norm, GOST or other act to which the product corresponds;
- indicates the presence or absence of food additives, dyes, flavors, flavor and odor enhancers, genetically modified objects.
Tags on things
With goods from the clothing category, everything turned out to be much more complicated. The tag for things, in addition to the trademark, information about the country of manufacture, size, composition of raw materials and warranty obligations, should contain the following information:
- if it is clothing, then the percentage of natural and chemical raw materials is indicated. Moreover, in each element of the product: top, bottom and lining;
- when it comes to shoes, the manufacturer must display information about the type of material used for the top, bottom and inner lining.
For items made of leather, information about the area, weight and thickness is added. Information on the type of fur (natural or dyed) and the method of processing the skins should be present on fur products.
But progress does not stand still. There are more and more new materials, a variety of types of finishes. The manufacturer is trying to protect his product from deformation and rapid loss of appearance due to improper use. But recommendations for care, cleaning methods and proper storage may look like multi-volume publishers, and only a standard tag size is available. To endow such a complex task, a set of graphic symbols was developed that contained sufficient information on use and care.
Symbols began to be placed on a separate label sewn to the product. After a number of changes, improvements and innovations, an international standard for product care labeling appeared.
The signs on the labels have acquired a standard look, familiar and recognizable.
Washing tags
Symbols for washing look like containers with water. The numbers indicate the permissible temperature of the water. The standard ranges from 30 ° C to 95 ° C.
A hand dipped in water warns that only hand wash is required at temperatures not exceeding 40 ° C. A product with such a sign must be gently squeezed out without twisting. The presence of a line under the container warns of the delicacy of washing. If there are two features, the washing mode should be particularly delicate at a water temperature of no higher than 30 ° C. A cross on the container means that the product cannot be wetted, only dry cleaning is permissible.
Drying and ironing
Information about the drying of the product has the form of a square. A line is drawn inside it (vertical or horizontal), that is, the product should be dried in a vertical or horizontal position. The presence of the second line next to the first indicates that the product must not be pressed.
Ironing recommendations are shown as an iron. A cross is a warning that it is prohibited. Ironing temperature is expressed in dots. One corresponds to 110 ° C, two 150 ° C, three 200 ° C.
Whitening
Marking for whitening has the form of a triangle. The crossed out sign prohibits the use of such funds.
If two parallel lines are applied inside the figure, then only oxygen-containing bleaches can be used. The absence of signs inside the triangle allows the use of chlorine-based products.
Conclusion
Marks on labels are present on all types of goods sold today.
When purchasing any type of product, just look at the information on the sticker. Properly reading the information on the label, you will take care of your health and the health of people close to you.