Digital vs Flexographic Label Printing: How to Choose the Right Technology for Your Brand
- 710481
- Oct 28
- 5 min read
In packaging, precision is everything. The colour of a logo, the sharpness of text, and the texture of a finish all contribute to how customers perceive your product. But before those details reach the shelf, brands face a crucial production decision: should your labels be printed digitally or flexographically?
At Priority Label & Packaging Products, we help Canadian brands find that balance every day. With more than three decades of experience in premium label manufacturing, we understand that the “right” technology depends on more than price. It’s about run size, colour control, design complexity, and speed.
Understanding the Two Technologies
Flexographic Printing
Flexographic or “flexo” printing is a mechanical process that uses flexible relief plates and rotary cylinders to transfer ink onto various materials such as film, foil, or paper. Each colour requires its own plate, meaning setup takes time but once running, the press operates at extremely high speeds.
Flexo remains the industry standard for:
Large production runs exceeding 50 000 labels.
Spot colours that must remain identical across batches.
Durable applications such as refrigerated, outdoor or chemical products.
Special finishes like metallic inks, embossing or hot stamping done in-line.
In a controlled study, Hurley et al. (2015) compared flexographic and digital labels for fruit-drink packaging and found that flexo offered higher durability and better outdoor resistance, maintaining colour stability under light and humidity exposure. For long-life consumer goods, that reliability is critical.
Digital Label Printing
Digital printing uses inkjet or toner-based systems to apply CMYK (process) colours directly from a digital file no plates required. This plate-free process makes digital ideal for short runs, frequent artwork changes or multiple SKU versions of the same size.
Digital technology excels when:
The job involves many design variations or personalised artwork.
You need rapid turnaround for seasonal or promotional labels.
You require photo-quality images and fine gradients.
Sustainability and waste reduction are priorities.
Key Factors When Choosing Between Digital and Flexo
1. Run Size and Cost Efficiency
The most significant cost difference between digital and flexographic printing lies in the setup process. Flexo involves plates, ink trays, and registration which take time and fixed cost to prepare but once running, the press operates at extremely high speeds, producing labels at a lower cost per unit.
In a 2016 study published in the International Design Journal, Mostafa (2016) found that digital printing is more cost-effective for runs up to roughly 30,000 labels, after which flexographic printing becomes more economical because of its faster production rates and reduced material cost per unit. This research confirms the industry-accepted break-even range between 30,000 and 50,000 labels, depending on artwork complexity, ink coverage, and substrate type.
Digital printing eliminates plate-making and setup entirely, making it ideal for short runs, sample batches, or multiple SKUs. For large, recurring orders, flexographic printing continues to provide the best per-label value and speed.
Example: One design, 40,000 labels → Flexo for cost efficiency and speed. Ten designs, 3,000 labels each → Digital for flexibility and quick changeovers.
2. Number of Colours and Brand Consistency
If your brand depends on a specific Pantone or spot colour, flexo is the safer choice. Dedicated ink stations allow printers to mix exact hues that remain consistent run after run.
Digital printers use process colour mixing (CMYK and sometimes OGV extensions). While excellent for photographic tones and smooth gradients, minor shifts can occur in solid brand colours. That’s why many companies print their master branding runs flexo but their limited editions digitally.
3. Design Complexity and SKU Count
Today’s product lines change quickly new flavours, languages and promotional versions appear every season. Digital printing thrives here: it lets you upload new artwork and print within minutes, without new plates or press adjustments.
Flexo’s setup time makes frequent design changes less efficient, but for a single high-volume label that rarely changes, it remains the most reliable choice.
4. Turnaround Time
Speed matters. Digital jobs can often ship within days of approval because there’s virtually no pre-press downtime. Flexo requires mounting plates, registering colours and aligning cylinders processes that can add hours to a production schedule.
For urgent launches or sample runs, digital is the clear winner. For ongoing national production where labels are ordered by the hundred thousand, flexo delivers the most efficient output.
5. Finishing, Materials and Durability
Flexographic presses can print on a broader range of substrates, including metallic films and textured stocks, while adding lamination or varnish in-line. That integrated finishing makes it ideal for premium packaging or industrial labels exposed to moisture and heat.
Digital presses work best on standard papers and films and typically require a secondary finishing stage. However, modern inks and toners have improved so much that digital labels now perform well in most indoor retail conditions. For outdoor or chemical-resistant labels, flexo still offers superior longevity (Hurley et al., 2015).
6. Sustainability and Waste
Flexo setup inevitably creates some material waste from plates and make-ready runs. Digital printing, meanwhile, prints directly on demand and requires no plates reducing energy use and inventory waste.
The Impact of Flexographic and Digital Printing of Fruit Drinks on Consumer Attention at the Point of Sale (Hurley, Rice, Cottrell & Felty, 2015) shows digital has “greatly reduced substrate waste and zero plate cost benefits” according to the study
Comparing Digital and Flexo at a Glance
Start with Your Brand Needs
There is no universal answer to the question of digital versus flexo. The best choice depends on your volume, timeline, brand colours, and design complexity.
Choose flexographic when you need consistent spot colours, large runs, and in-line finishes.
Choose digital when you need speed, multiple versions, or on-demand printing.
At Priority Label, we evaluate every project based on these factors to ensure you get the best result technically and economically. Our goal is to help your brand stand out on the shelf with perfectly produced, professionally finished labels every time.
Contact us today to discuss your next label project and receive a technology recommendation tailored to your brand’s needs.
References
Hurley, R. A., Rice, J. C., Cottrell, D., & Felty, D. (2015). The Impact of Flexographic and Digital Printing of Fruit Drinks on Consumer Attention at the Point of Sale. Beverages, 1(3), 149–158. https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5710/1/3/149 Mostafa, A. M. (2016). Digital Printing as an Alternative Printing System for Short-Run Label Production. International Design Journal, 6(3), 73–84. https://idj.journals.ekb.eg/article_103156_57c8388d8331af8b27158c8544152db0.pdf
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