Everything You Need to Know About Flexo Printing in Nairobi Kenya
Today, let’s talk about Everything You Need to Know About Flexo Printing in Nairobi Kenya. Flexo printing is one of the most common and widely used printing technologies worldwide. Flexo Labels and Packaging flexo printing continues to improve, offering significant benefits to entrepreneurs entering the product manufacturing services market. A lot has been said about flexo printing; however, we will break it down in this article. For Flexo printing to flourish, we will need Flexo designers In Nairobi Kenya whose primary function is to prepare Distortion and Plate making. In addition to flexo printing, we shall also learn about some of the Best Flexo Printing companies in Nairobi Kenya, so that in case you intend to source label and packaging printing, you will have an idea how to go about it.We Label Gurus design we are here to highlight you with any information that will make your brand stand out in the market ,from professional Label design to printing of products label .
What is Flexo Printing?
Flexo printing is a printing technology that uses special drying ink, utilising a flexible digital plate to transfer ink onto the substrate. Some of the materials used during printing include plastic, foil, self-adhesive PP white material, Semi-gloss, paper, and many others.
The flexo printing process always uses flexible plates wrapped around a rotating cylinder to transfer the image to the substrate.The end products is the finish label that is ready to go to the market .
Why You Need to Learn About Flexo Printing Technology
Flexo printing is so popular in today’s market; therefore, it’s essential to learn Everything You need to know about Flexo Printing in Nairobi Kenya. Some of the Best Flexo Printing companies in Nairobi Kenya, that produce mass-produced Flexo Labels and Packaging. When it comes to Flexo designers in Nairobi, Kenya, what roles do they play in Distortion and Plate making? A look at the development of flexography reveals a printing technology and culture that has been willing and capable of change in response to the needs of the packaging industry.
Flexo Printing Process
Step 1: Engaging the Printer on the Design Artwork to Be Printed
To begin with, the flexo printing process always starts with Distortion and Plate Making, which is handled by Flexo designers in Nairobi Kenya. Initially, the client approaches a flexo printing company and then shares their artwork for review. From there, the design is evaluated and prepared before moving to the next production stage.
Step 2: Identifying the Number of Colours in the Artwork
Once the artwork is shared, the Label or Package designers must open the client’s design in professional software such as Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop. At this stage, the goal is to analyse the artwork thoroughly. This analysis includes checking the total number of colours used, such as SPOT Colours, Pantone Colours, and CMYK (Process) Colours.
SPOT COLOUR
Spot colours are solid, premixed inks created using a specific formula—often from the Pantone Matching System (PMS). In other words, a spot colour is printed as a single, consistent ink, making it ideal for accuracy and uniformity.
PANTONE COLOURS
Pantone colours are standardised, and each one is assigned a unique name or number. As a result, designers and printers across different locations can easily match and reproduce the exact same colour without variation.
PROCESS COLOUR (CMYK)
Process colour involves mixing inks through tiny overlapping dots to create a wide spectrum of colours. These colours include Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. Because of this method, process colours are perfect for full-colour images like photos.
Cost and Consistency Consideration
When it comes to printing, using fewer colours can reduce plate-making costs. However, on the downside, relying solely on process colours may lead to slight shade inconsistencies when printing large volumes or reprinting the same artwork later.
Step 3: Identifying the Printing Materials
At this stage, it is important to identify the specific label or packaging material on which the artwork will be printed. In most cases, the client will recommend the material they prefer depending on their product. However, as a flexo printing company, you can also advise the client on which material best suits their packaging needs.
Types of Materials
1. Semi-Gloss Material
Semi-gloss materials are self-adhesive but non-waterproof. They are mainly used for products such as honey labels, cosmetic labels, wine and alcohol labels, display labels, pharmaceutical labels, and household product labels for plastic or glass packaging. Generally, these materials are ideal for products that do not go into the refrigerator.
2. PP White Materials
PP White is a non-waterproof, self-adhesive material commonly used for products that require refrigeration. For example, yoghurt labels and bevelled labels for juices and soft drinks fall under this category.
3. BOPP Material
With BOPP materials, the gluing is applied at the edge as the label wraps around the bottle. In addition, they are waterproof, making them suitable for water labels, juice labels, and soft drink labels.
Notably, popular brands such as Dasani Water and Coca-Cola 2L use BOPP labels.
The major advantage of BOPP materials is that they produce high-quality, sharp, and legible labels that easily attract the target audience.
4. Silver Foil / Gold Foil
Silver and gold foils are coating materials applied on semi-gloss, PP clear, or BOPP materials to enhance the label’s visual appeal. Because of their shiny finish, these coatings make labels stand out on supermarket shelves. Products such as cosmetic items, vodka, brandy, and other wine and alcohol labels commonly use these foils.
5. PP Clear Materials
PP Clear is a transparent material designed to expose or showcase the product inside a bottle or jar. Therefore, if your goal is to let customers see the product, this is the ideal choice. It is also waterproof, making it suitable for water-label stickers, alcohol labels, wine spray labels, and many other types of labels.
Step 4: Getting a specific measurement for a particular artwork
At the point u have an idea of the No of colours on the Label and the material to be used, the next thing to check is the label size. The reason you need to know the Label size is to determine whether you have the die for that size.
A die cut refers to a label that has been precisely cut to a specific shape, often custom-fitted to a design, using a metal cutting tool (a “die”). This process cuts through the Label’s face stock and adhesive but not the backing liner, creating unique, eye-catching labels for products that stand out from standard square or rectangular shapes.
We have a special-shaped die and a standard rectangular die shape, in case the company needs either.
Printing may not have a particular die; they can give a die size slightly above ur measurement or somewhat less by a few mm.
Moreover, if the company lacks the die completely, they will go to the extent of importing it at an extra charge to ensure they have it.
POINT TO NOTE!!
On your journey to learn Everything You need to know about Flexo Printing in Nairobi Kenya, flexo printing is a special type of printing that involve several steps to ensure final execution of the printing, for example if a Flexo designers In Nairobi Kenya, didn’t do the trapping well while preparing Distortion and Plate making process, just know the results will also have an error interns of the quality of the print out . In this article, we also review some of the best flexo printing companies in Nairobi Kenya, to guide our clients who want to source flexo printing services.
Step 5: Distortion and Artwork preparation for plate making
The process of preparing any Label or packaging design is called Trapping.
What’s Trapping!
Trapping in flexo printing is a method used to prevent visible gaps or misalignment between colours. It works by allowing one colour to overlap the edge of a neighbouring colour slightly. Typically, the lighter colour is spread into the darker one, or the darker colour is reduced to extend into the lighter area. This overlap, known as the “trap width,” helps mask minor registration errors during printing and ensures the final print appears neat and seamless.
During distortion, the flexo designer will fit the required artwork into a die and start adjusting the colour to ensure the final print is successful.
Overprints and Traps
Printing inks on top of each other is called overprinting. In flexography, one ink can
be printed on another only after the first has been completely dried or cured. For this reason, flexographic presses use dry Trapping, which requires the printer to allow for drying. For substrates like clay-coated liner or non-absorbent packaging such as polymer film, drying time can be a problem. Overprinting a second colour when the first is not dry creates an unattractive blotchy effect (often called nailheads), especially on large solids. Excessive Trapping can cause such problems and can slow down the printing process.
Step 6 Color separation
Step 6: Overprint
Overprint & Spot Color Printing Guidelines
Overprinting refers to the technique of allowing one color to overlap another. When placing an image over spot colors, always set the stroke thickness between 0.01 mm and 0.05 mm to reduce the chances of misregistration.
When one spot color is printed on top of another, make sure to apply overprint to the stroke. This helps avoid visible white gaps that may appear during printing.
However, if spot colors are being printed on a bright background, do not apply overprint, as it may affect color clarity and result consistency.
When printing labels on shrink sleeve or PP clear material, always include a solid white background layer. Just like painting a house, you begin with a white undercoat before applying the final color. This base layer ensures the printed colors turn out more vibrant, sharp, and accurate.
For PP silver materials, also start with a solid white base. If you want specific areas to reveal the metallic silver effect, remove the white base from those sections to let the silver show through after printing.
Conversely, if you want the PP silver to maintain its shine, avoid adding any white base in those areas. Instead, print the other colors directly onto the silver surface to achieve a metallic appearance.
Flexo Printing and Color Management
In packaging and label printing, the quality of the final output highly depends on the accuracy and selection of colors. Flexo machines can print using 6, 9, or even up to 12 colors. During the artwork preparation stage, the designer selects the appropriate color combinations to ensure optimal results during printing.
White Backup Plate
The white plate is critical because it acts as the base for all colors. Without it, the printed colors may appear dull, flat, or translucent. Applying a solid white backup enhances color vibrancy and opacity.
Reverse-Side Printing
In this technique, the design is mirrored (laterally reversed), and printing starts from the darkest color moving to the lightest. The final product is then viewed from the non-inked (reverse) side of the substrate, resulting in a clean and protected appearance.
Printing and Proofing Process
Once the plates are ready and the material is selected, the operator initiates the printing based on the designer’s specified color setup.
First Printout (Proof)
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The designer reviews the initial print to confirm the color accuracy—especially for image illustrations used in the label.
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Registration is checked to ensure there are no misalignments between colors. If misregistration occurs, white gaps may appear, negatively affecting the final quality.
Color Density & Adjustment
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The designer evaluates the color density—whether it appears too dark or too light.
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If necessary, adjustments are suggested, such as modifying the anilox roller settings to enhance print sharpness and visual appeal.
Final Approval
Once the designer is fully satisfied with the color accuracy, registration, and overall output quality, they approve the proof. The operator can then proceed with the full production run.
Top 10 Company Where You can source Flexo Printing Services In Nairobi Kenya
SKANEM AFRICA
SKYLABEL
PLATINUM PACKAGING
Label Converter
Line Art Solutions
Color Label
Neopack
Shrink Pack
Elgon Printers
Where Label Gurus Comes When its come to Flexo Printing !
Label Gurus design is a design agency specialising in Label and packaging design our range of services include :
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Printing and Proofing
Conclusion
For any entrepreneur venturing into the label and product industry, Flexo Labels and Packaging is your gateway to standing out and outperforming competitors. To begin with, it’s important to research and compare a few of the Best Flexo Printing companies in Nairobi, Kenya, especially in terms of their printing rates.
Next, you should have a direct conversation with Flexo designers in Nairobi, Kenya, as they will guide you through essential adjustments to your label while preparing the artwork for distortion and plate making.
However, before diving into label and packaging design, make sure you fully understand everything you need to know about Flexo printing in Nairobi, Kenya. Venturing into this industry without the right knowledge may lead to costly mistakes and production challenges.
