Everything about Gummed Paper Tape

Gummed paper tape is the preferred choice for shipping a large number of boxes. It is an eco-friendly option that allows customization and provides a higher degree of tamper-proofing than regular plastic packing tapes.

Types of gummed paper tape

Gummed paper tape comes in two major variants. They are available as reinforced and unreinforced versions.

1. Reinforced Gummed Paper Tape

The reinforced gummed tape comprises glass fiber strands embedded into the packing tape. These fiber strands prevent the tape from getting torn along the width. Reinforced paper tapes can only be cut using blades. This makes reinforced gummed paper tape great for heavier items where the tape can actually take the weight of the box.

2. Regular Gummed Paper Tape

The regular paper tape is simply the paper tape. For any packages under thirty pounds, normal paper tape works just fine.

Using a Gummed Paper Tape

Gummed paper tape sticks to packaging similar to the postage stamps that stick to letters. It comes with adhesive, but it must be made wet to actually stick and hold the packaging. Since moistening entire roll of paper tape is cumbersome, it requires special dispensers to work. Gummed tape dispensers are generally quite expensive, but is a good investment for high volume shippers. Paper tape dispensers cost around Rs. 12,000 per piece. These tape dispensers are long lasting and have almost no downtime.‍

Gummed Tape Dispensers

Gummed tape dispensers have a water storage to transfer water for wetting the brushes. These brushes provide consistent and uniform wetting on the activated tape. The dispensers require no electricity to work and can cut the tape according to the preset lengths.

Availability

Gummed tape rolls cost around Rs. 100 to Rs. 120 per roll. However, the tape’s cost varies according to the type (regular/reinforced), width, and size of the roll. Customization adds up to the cost and there is usually a minimum number of units that you need to order.

Customization Options

Gummed paper tape can be customized with your branding just like normal plastic packing tape. Since paper tapes are white or brown in color, you can incorporate this undertone in your design. Prints on your tape will have a repeating nature since the print is made using a roller. So, you need to make sure that your design is seamless. Also, you can use gaps between repeating designs. The paper tape can be printed with multiple colors, but increasing number of colors increases the cost.

Wrapping up

Here are the pros and cons of using gummed paper tape:

• Easy to use: Paper tape is much easier to use as compared to plastic packing tape. The tape dispensers also make it easy to apply.
• Eco-friendly: Paper tapes can be recycled along with the boxes and hence they are a more eco-friendly option. However, it is difficult to recycle reinforced paper tapes.
• Tamper proofing: Gummed paper tape, especially the reinforced variant, can provide better tamper proofing than plastic tape.
• Higher initial cost: Using gummed paper tape has higher initial cost, most of which is the cost of procuring the dispenser.
• Lower availability: Gummed paper tape is not as widely available as plastic packing tape.

‍