why do people request vinyl labels…and what are the alternatives?

It often has less to do with the ‘best’ solution and more to do with what you may have worked with or offered in the past. Traditionally vinyl was used for its versatility, affordability and durability – and was also easy to trim or cut, especially with a guillotine or wide-format plotter.
Vinyl labels still have a place, but there are often more economic and suitable options. Vinyl is still popular for many outdoor applications, especially with things like bumper stickers.
For product labels like cosmetics, electronics or food & beverages however, vinyl has been replaced with options like:

     • PP (Polypropylene)

     • PE (Polyethylene)

     • PET (Polyester or Mylar)

These materials are known as Synthetic (or Filmic) Face Stocks and these are plastic or filmic in construction. Synthetic labels are used when you need durability (from moisture, chemicals or temperature) and are very popular (read necessary) where bottles will be recycled or reused.
Understanding the end-use or application is really important to ensure the right material is chosen. We can suggest materials and alternatives for different applications based on budget, final appearance and performance: ask us now.