At the time of this post's initial writing, it is the 21st day of the 21st year of the 21st century and actually in the midst of a 10-day period where we will witness in palindrome with the number's making up each day's date being in the same sequence whether it is read forwards or backwards. So on these auspicious days, it makes the most sense to share the backstory on a business initiative of ours that was about 5 years in the making: launching an e-commerce arm to our business that was mutually beneficial to our customers and those garnering such a title, all the while being sustainable to our business.
As we noted in a recent blog post, as a producer of custom labels, SixB Labels makes a significant, ongoing effort to stay on top of industry trends for our customers. Here of late we have been considering the upcoming year, 2021, with an eye to future trends, which we expect to be an outgrowth of some of what we witnessed in 2020.
The effects of the pandemic have been profound on how business is conducted. They include the change to working from home, virtual meetings, increased online shopping, the move from bigger brands to local suppliers, direct-to-consumer sales, drop shipping, and the growth of smaller online retailers (like our online store). These trends are here to stay, even after Covid-19 is vanquished.
In the midst of these ongoing challenges, the good news is that the
printing industry, and label printing in particular, have proven themselves resilient and flexible — willing and able to embrace change.
As we now enter the final quarter of 2020, SixB Labels looks back with satisfaction over the last four years of accolades received from the Printing & Imaging Association of MidAmerica, a regional division of the larger organization, Printing Industries of America (PIA), covering Texas, Oklahoma Kansas and Missouri. The SixB Labels Family is pleased to be members in good standing with PIA. And we are just as happy to be the recipient of a number of custom label printing awards from this body because there is no better compliment than respect from a jury of one's peers— the reward for our proud participation in the PIA.
As a custom label manufacturer, SixB Labels makes a significant, ongoing effort to stay on top of industry trends. We have been producing labels for beverage industry clients for decades, and in the last few years we have observed a growing trend among beer craft brewers to switch from
bottles to cans.
Canned packaging is quite the trend, despite the fact that when many consumers think about craft beer, the typical image that comes to mind is of a table or a bar with drinkers raising long-necks to their smiling lips. Craft beer in
bottles, especially those of dark amber or green glass, is iconic and a staple. Not only has craft beer been distinguished by its high quality and flavor profiles, but by its sparkling, eye-catching packaging.
So it may come as a surprise to some that American craft beer in cans is becoming increasingly accepted by consumers, as well as a more common sight in breweries and stores. To better appreciate how this part of the beverage market has changed, it is helpful to know three things about how craft beer — an industry valued at $23.5 billion and growing fast — creates its niche in the beer marketplace.
Here at SixB Labels, we aim to simplify the labeling process to make the routine parts of one's life flow more smoothly. It is in that spirit that we offer this blog post, intended to make the process of designing, developing, and printing a parking permit just a little easier. In it, we cover the requirements for a good parking decal and the significance of a parking permit as a marketing device. We also look at who might benefit from using this product. In addition, we describe the materials and printing processes we offer to produce a custom parking decal perfectly suited to your needs.
ESSENTIALS SERIES | We are kicking off this blog series on essential product labels, looking at how businesses are rising to the occasion of the COVID-19 health crisis offering products like hand sanitizers to fulfill those deemed "essential needs." Keeping in mind that during this unprecedented period in our history, SixB Labels has a special responsibility to stay open safely — with more information on our operations here in the blog post "We're Here For You." — particularly serving industries such as those in medical, healthcare and food & beverage.
Facing a shortage of essential cleaning supplies we are seeing numerous entities forming, adding to, or even changing, their production lines to include hand sanitizer products. More and more operations are offering these sanitizers for free to the likes of municipalities, discounting prices and/or maintaining typical pre-high-demand price-points. SixB Labels has joined the effort from donation initiatives to prioritizing production on these essential hand sanitizer labels. This piece will focus on hand sanitizer labels in variations of design, technical specs and printing options.
On the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, we still believe every day should be a celebration while taking particular note of the tradition that began in 1970. Eco-friendly printing has been a staple of SixB Labels operations since our early days. 2019's originally posted blog "Why Print Your Labels With FSC-Certified Paper and Water-Based Inks?" explained the reasoning behind our company's use of FSC (Forest Stewardship Certified) paper products and water-soluble inks. It has been a way of providing a cleaner and greener approach to label printing with cost accessibility.
As technology and capabilities increase so do our eco-friendly label printing techniques. In this post, we will explore further and discuss some newer aspects of this greener approach to printing: the use of biodegradable materials. We look at biodegradable label parts in the form of:
- A newer and more sustainable choice: repulpable adhesive
- Recyclable paper products
- The disposal of water-based inks
While we dive into this topic below, a short note that SixB Labels is remaining open safely during the current pandemic, with more details in our post "We're Here For You" and your business. Please don't hesitate to contact us.
As another surreal work week comes to a close, I wanted to personally update you on behalf of the SixB Labels family. Our small business team is continuing to monitor and act upon health concerns related to the COVID-19 virus. We want to assure you that SixB Labels is seeking to protect the health and safety of our employees, their families and our communities by following all applicable governmental mandates.
As we enter the 20s of the 21st Century it will be interesting to see how spectacular the decade will truly be. The SixB Labels family is optimistic about what the new year and decade will bring. Trade shows have their own "roaring" natures and for being one of the largest annual packaging events, WestPack Anaheim is no exception. This is why we are happy to exhibit in Booth 5152 from February 11-13, 2020 at the Convention Center. We invite you to join us, and if by any chance you won't be in Southern California on these dates, ask you to stay tuned for some offers we will also make available to you, our blog readers! (This event notice was timely, and that time has passed.)
While you continue reading our post, let us first go through this Checklist to prepare you for the show!
SixB Labels WestPack 2020 Checklist
- Register For The Show — Visit the registration site here and use code “SPECIAL” to receive your complimentary WestPack Expo pass and/or 20% off a conference pass!
- Schedule a 20-minute Consultation with the SixB Team — Make more use of your time during the WestPack trade show where you’ll have dedicated time to discuss your product and goals. Click here to schedule your meeting!
- Bring Specs and Thoughts — to our Booth 5152 at WestPack Anaheim and get ahead of your next labeling project!
Everyone who works in or buys from the printing industry knows that, like a variety of other businesses, printing is undergoing numerous and seismic changes. From rising demand for mass customization to the growth of digital printing to increased competition from other channels there’s a mix of positives and negatives in the industry. All the while, something unforeseen just a couple of years ago may influence the fortunes of the printing industry, and have a real impact on businesses: Tariffs.
This “T-word” has been a cause for concern for businesses and consumers alike, and we believe it is valuable to share more information about tariffs, by defining current events and forecasting what could happen in the near future. While SixB Labels is based in the Southwest our clients are national and we operate accordingly.
Fortunately for our clients and their customers, sourcing at SixB Labels is done in such a way that the potential impact of most recent tariffs is negated. The tariffs on these imported goods do not affect our company, because we don’t use raw materials from China, so we do not look to see price increases in our supplies. All the while, in this blog we look at how generally trade tariffs impact printing.