Packaging Tape

Custom Tape

There’s nothing better than getting a package, even finding a little failed delivery slip through the letterbox puts a spring in your step! With custom-printed packing tape, your brand will be the first thing your customers see when they receive their parcel.

• Our PVC/Vinyl branded packing tape comes 48mm x 66 metres in length.

• A more sustainable option would be our paper-based tape, which comes in two widths - either 48mm x 50 metres or 36mm x 50 metres. It looks a little like masking tape, but it’s got a permanent, strong adhesive to keep things secure.

• The paper-based option comes in light brown or white.

• The PVC and Vinyl options are available in transparent, white or clear.

• You can print up to 3 spot colours on the single-sided print option.

• All options come in boxes of 36 rolls of custom-printed tape.

• Simply upload your design and refer to this article, How To Supply Your Artwork for packaging tape, for help with Pantone colours, line weights and fonts. 

Choosing the right tape and adhesive:

Hot Melt Polypropylene Tape - Ideal for general use and cost-effective. This tape has a hot melt adhesive which sticks when pressure is applied. Perfect for use in packaging, bundling and sealing cardboard cartons or boxes. It's also suitable for use in standard tape guns.

• Available in clear, brown and white

• Print up to 3 colours in single-sided,

• Roll size: 48mm x 66m

Vinyl Tape - A very high-quality tape and the best choice if your design has multiple colours that need to be closely registered. We recommend using a standard tape dispenser as the tape is durable and more difficult to tear by hand.

• Available in clear, brown and white

• Print up to 3 colours in single-sided,

• Roll size: 48mm x 66m

High Tack Acrylic - A pressure-sensitive adhesive which requires pressing down firmly to ensure a good bond, perfect for long-term adhesion. A good shout if boxes are going to be stored unopened for long periods of time.

• Available in clear, brown and white

• Print up to 3 colours in single-sided,

• Roll size: 48mm x 66m

Polypropylene Solvent Tape - A high-quality tape that's best used if you require adhesion for long periods of time. Solvent tape performs well in cold environments.

• Available in clear, brown and white

• Print up to 3 colours in single-sided,

• Roll size: 48mm x 66m

Kraft Paper - The most environmentally considerate tape option. If applied to a cardboard box, it can be recycled. 

• Available in brown and white

• Print up to 3 colours in single-sided,

• Roll sizes: 36mm x 50m, 48mm x 50m

Important Application & Storage Guidelines

To ensure the best performance of this pressure-sensitive (PS) packaging tape, please follow the guidelines below:

• Optimal Temperature for Use: For ideal adhesion and bonding, the tape should be stored and applied at 17°C or above. If the tape becomes too cold, for example, overnight in an unheated area, its adhesive performance may be compromised. Allow the tape to return to room temperature before use for best results.

• Even Firm Pressure Required: As a pressure-sensitive product, this tape requires firm, even pressure to activate the adhesive and ensure a strong bond. We strongly recommend using a pistol grip dispenser to apply consistent pressure across the entire length of tape.

Following these steps will help you get the most reliable, professional-grade seal every time.

Please note that when printed, there will be a gap between printed impressions on the tape and we do not print edge to edge, so a 2.7mm gap will be between the edge of the tape and the printed impression.

UK shipping is free, exceptions apply.

Technical Specifications for Branded Tape

How To Set Up Design Files For Printed Tape

We recommend you create your artwork in Adobe InDesign or Adobe Illustrator (or any other vector-based programme) and supply your file as a print-ready PDF, using the PDF profile PDF/X-1a:2001. Please submit your files as 1 layer without transparencies.

•    There is approximately a 7mm gap between each printed panel so we do not recommend having any solid colour backgrounds in your design, as you will notice this gap on your final tape •    Your artwork must be vectorised without any overlapping paths or bitmap images. •    Fonts must be outlined or embedded within your file. •    The printable area is the same size as the format size to be submitted. Please ensure the full design is included within the printable area. You do not have to supply bleed or use crop marks on your artwork. •    Colours should be used from the Pantone® Coated Library only. We cannot accept CMYK, RGB or unnamed spots. To print in black or white, please use the colours Pantone Black C and Pantone White (you can create a swatch named PANTONE White within your swatch palette). Our Illustrator and InDesign templates contain this spot colour within the swatches panel. •    If printing in PANTONE White, please represent the tape colour within your artwork in CMYK, which can be found within our templates.  •    Artwork must be supplied as solid closed vector shapes without any gradients or transparencies; we cannot replicate these effects using this printing process. •    We recommend line-work has a minimum weight of 1.5pt (points) (3pt for reversed-out lines). •    Fonts should be at least 8pt (10pt for light and decorative fonts). •    Please download our templates to assist with setting up your artwork. •    Please note that when printed, there will be a gap between printed impressions on the tape, and we do not print edge to edge, so a 2.7mm gap will be between the edge of the tape and the printed impression.

For a step-by-step guide on how to set up your packaging tape design, please see our help centre for more information.

Ordered Roll Size      Artwork Size 48mm x 50m              273mm x 44mm 48mm x 66m              273mm x 44mm 36mm x 50m              273mm x 32mm

UK shipping is free, exceptions apply.

High Quality Printing with Sustainability in mind.

We are working hard to mitigate our environmental impact and are following an emissions reduction program to lower our direct and indirect emissions which will lead us to Net Zero by 2040.

We are working hard to introduce more environmentally credible products in our range and we encourage you to consider using more of those products.

Tradeprint supports Two Sides, the print and paper advocacy group that aims to dispel myths around greenwashing and promote paper as a truly sustainable product.

We are committed to reducing waste and in particular aiming to eliminate problematic plastics from our printing and fulfilment operation.

Read full Environmental policy here.