Made in the USA
The dome itself gives a raised or 3-D label look by using Urethane, one of the most inert types of plastic available. The dome is designed for years of domed label use indoors or out.
Vibrant colors make your image stand out. Today, tomorrow and for years to come, your logo will stand the test of time indoors and out.
Whatever look you want to create, we have custom-made print surfaces that are in stock and ready for your next dome label order.
Special adhesives are needed for domed labels because they are so much thicker than standard labels. Read on to see how DomeTag leads the industry in adhesive options for domed labels.
The extra dimension of a domed label makes the label come off the liner more easily than a traditional un-domed label. To avoid labels falling off the liner prematurely during shipping, DomeTag custom-formulates the silicone release on the liner specifically for domed labels.
What is a domed label?
A domed label has a raised dome shape that is created by clear liquid polyurethane which is poured on top of a “flat label.” Domed labels have dimension that flat labels can’t match.
Clear liquid polyurethane (urethane) is poured onto a flat label to create the unique, raised dome shape for our labels. The precisely measured volume of urethane flows to the edges of the label forming a bubble of urethane specific to the label’s contours. The label is kept level for approximately 12 hours while the urethane cures to a flexible, resilient and durable bubble.
Both Flexible and Extra Flexible urethane have a smooth surface that is resilient to impacts and allows the clear dome bubble to dent and absorb impact to rebound to its original shape. The basic chemistry, durability and guarantee are the same for both options.
Flexible urethane is the ideal choice for domed labels that are applied to flat surfaces and is our most popular urethane.
Extra Flexible urethane is primarily used when applying domed labels to curved surfaces.
Once the polyurethane has cured, it is: optically clear, flexible, abrasion resistant, chemically inert and has excellent UV resistance such that it will maintain its gloss and clarity even after years of outdoor exposure. Dome labels are superior to epoxy stickers for their ability to remain clarity.
DomeTag uses premium-grade polyurethane that withstands brutal outdoor extremes unlike inferior epoxy that will lose gloss, yellow, harden, crack, shrink and curl over time. Inferior epoxy is commonplace on cheap products and is typically the cause for labels falling off and discoloring. Unfortunately, the difference between epoxy domes and urethane domes is not easy to spot when they are new. In fact, epoxy domes and urethane domes look the same for about one month before the epoxy begins to change. The shrinkage of epoxy causes labels to curl and lift the edges such that the label peels up from the mounting surface. Epoxy domed labels that fall off may appear to be caused by inferior adhesive when the real cause is inferior doming material. Our domed labels stay clear!
Urethane Specifications:
Durometer (measurement of hardness): Flexible: 70-82 Shore DO; Extra Flexible 45-55 Shore DO
Operating temperature: -40°F to +140°F(-40°C to +60°C). No effect from several hours exposure at 300°F (149°C). No effect from split-second exposure to direct flame from propane torch. Sustained exposure to direct flame (1500°F/ 816°C) will liquefy the doming material, but avoids holding a flame unless exposed to continuous extreme temperature.
Outdoors: It has been laboratory tested to withstand the equivalent of three years of Florida sunlight in a salt-water mist without any shrinkage, yellowing, or deterioration. Passed 1,500 hours QUV exposure. Passed 1,500 hours Xenon Arc Weather meter at 2,900 kj/m2. Passed 113,000 Langleys — Outdoor Florida Weathering (exposure to direct weather 5° from horizontal facing South).
Chemical Resistance: No effect from fresh or salt water; no effect from moderate to weak acids and alkali; no effect from alcohols (e.g. methanol); glycols and glycol ethers (e.g. ethylene glycol) acceptable, but some swelling may occur; aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons (e.g. benzene and toluene) may cause some loss of gloss and swelling; keytones, esters, and chlorinated hydrocarbons may cause some loss of gloss and swelling.
Regulations: DomeTag’s polyurethane is in compliance with the following Directives:
Advantages of DomeTag printing for Domed Labels:
Seven-Color Printing: Our domed labels print quality and color range is superior to most other labels available (domed or undomed). This is because we use seven-col-or digital printing (White, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Orange, and Green) unlike most printers who only use four-color digital printing (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black). Our seven-color, digital printing capability allows us to more accurately print a larger range of the color spectrum while also having smoother color gradations. In addition to printing more vivid colors, our press prints with higher resolution to ensure that your graphics are clean and sharp which is vital when producing small graphics such as the ® of a registration mark.
White Ink Printing: In addition to seven-color printing, DomeTag offers white ink printing that is often necessary when dome labels include clear or metallic graphics. Typically, a label with a metallic print surface will only allow for a metallic version of colors. For example, an orange color on metallic will create a metallic gold look. However, DomeTag can print white ink behind the orange color to create a brilliant orange instead of gold. Similarly, with clear labels, if white ink isn’t printed prior to the color, you end up with a color that is dull and translucent instead of vibrant and opaque. DomeTag’s ability to print white allows for full graphic freedom to create whatever dome label look you want to achieve.
UV Resistance: Another important consideration for domed labels is the UV resistance (colorfast, fade resistance) of the printed graphic as domed labels are frequently exposed to outdoor conditions. Over 95% of the printing industry is geared towards printing for indoors (magazines, books, packaging labels, etc.) where UV resistance isn’t a concern. Printing for outdoor applications requires special pigmented inks and special printing equipment made to handle pigmented inks. DomeTag specializes in just domed labels so all printing equipment is specifically for outdoor applications including pigmented, UV-resistant inks. Simply put, DomeTag is your solution for durable, heavy-duty outdoor stickers or labels.
Your image is printed onto a plastic film background (AKA substrate or print surface).
DomeTag’s domed labels are typically printed on polyester and occasionally vinyl and other plastics. Because we specialize in just domed labels, we stock a full variety of customized backgrounds made specifically for domed labels — including: White, Silver, Brushed Silver, Clear, Matte Silver, Holographic and Reflective. As a result, we are able to quickly produce the majority of domed labels.
White Background
Silver Background
Brushed Silver Background
Matte Silver Background (printed gold)
Clear Background
Holographic Background
Domed labels are about 30 times thicker and heavier than a standard label and for this reason require a stronger and thicker adhesive. Considering that 99.99% of all labels are un-domed, label companies simply do not stock materials with adequate adhesive to permanently bond domed labels. Label printers may be able to print the label and send it to us for doming, but their standard label adhesive is 800% too thin for the needs of a domed label. In contrast, DomeTag only makes domed labels so all of our label adhesives are made exclusively for domed labels. Our adhesives are custom made and in inventory allowing for fast turnaround on all varieties of doming applications.
The two primary adhesives options we offer are Standard and Elephant Snot adhesive®. Both of these adhesives are custom made to our specifications for domed labels.
We give you adhesive options because DomeTag domed labels have such a wide range of applications- from custom packaging, cosmetics, consumer electronics, and luxury goods, to automotive, manufacturing, heavy-equipment, industrial, and outdoor use.
Elephant Snot Adhesive® is an extra thick, high strength, permanent, pressure sensitive, acrylic adhesive trademarked by the U.S. Patent Office exclusively for DomeTag. Elephant Snot adhesive® is the result of years of research to find the best adhesive for the extra demands of a domed label mounted to a textured surface. It performs superbly in both indoor and outdoor settings on lightly textured surfaces. This adhesive is 8x thicker than industry standard label adhesives. Because of this, it works great on rough and textured surfaces where the thicker adhesive is needed to achieve maximum contact with irregular surfaces.
Permanent Adhesive: The best adhesive does not need to cost extra; the best adhesive is determined by the mounting surface. For example, domed labels which will be mounted to a glossy-smooth surface require less adhesive thickness. Our Permanent Adhesive is custom made for the correct adhesion of domed labels to flat, smooth surfaces. While many factors should be considered such as operating temperature, chemical exposure, surface energy, etc., the most important factor determining the best adhesive is typically the roughness of the mounting surface. Our Permanent Adhesive is 3-4 times thicker than a typical un-domed label adhesive and is ideal for the extra bonding requirements of a domed label onto a smooth surface.
Acrylic Adhesive: Both Elephant Snot Adhesive and Permanent Adhesive are acrylic based adhesives which are engineered for indoor and outdoor applications, resistant to sunlight, not easily broken up by water or humidity, and can withstand extreme temperature fluctuations. These acrylic adhesives will continue to cure to the surface they are applied to over time and actually increase adhesion strength over years of bonding.
Other Adhesive options: Scrim adhesive is made for extremely rough surfaces such as wood, carpet, heavy fabrics, bags and canvas material with limited exposure to moisture. This 7-9 mil thick (0.007 — 0.009″) rubber based adhesive has high initial tack that flows into the fibers of the mounting surface. It is called “scrim adhesive” because it is held together with a fine woven mesh.
Heat-fusible textile adhesive is applied with special equipment that melts the adhesive into the fibers of the mounting surface (similar to hot-melt glue) to create a permanent bond suitable for laundering and dry cleaning. This adhesive is ideal for cotton, hemp and other natural fibers. Synthetic materials such as nylon and polyester typically have a waterproof coating which prevents proper bonding for this heat-fusible adhesive. Consider scrim adhesive, sewing, bezels or liquid glue as options for synthetic material.
Foam adhesive is excellent for rough, irregular surfaces and for domed labels that experience frequent vibration. The black or white foam base is typically 1/16″ thick and helps the domed label conform to unique surfaces as well as absorb shock. It is coated with acrylic adhesive ideal for indoor and outdoor applications.
Removable Adhesive is ideal for domed labels that need to be removed over time. This is different from a repositionable adhesive which requires the ability to adjust the label during assembly before forming a permanent bond. A variety of adhesives can be used for removable applications including acrylic, rubber and static-cling depending upon the mounting surface and use requirements. Please contact DomeTag to discuss your specific needs.
Sample DomeTag Domed Labels to see the different shapes, sizes, 3-D look, and design effects that DomeTag can create. Test the adhesion, test the flexibility and make sure that DomeTag Domed Labels are a good fit for your project.