In our last post, we discussed the differences between adhseive and non-adhesive candy wrappers. Now it's time to focus on the different types of printers that can be used to create your party favors.

THe most readily available type of printer, and the most widely used by most party favor companies is the ink-jet printer. The majority of ink-jet printers on the market today contain two ink-jet cartridges, one black, and one tri-color. Some of the newer printers contain separate cartridges for each color, but the majority only have two cartridges. This type of printer has been popular for many years because of it's affordable price, and ease of use. The cartridges range in price from $12.00 to $50.00, depending on the make and model of printer. Before you commit yourself to doing business with a particular company, it is important to learn if they use an ink-jet printer. If they do, then there is one question you will need to ask, before making your purchase.

Do you use an acrylic sealant to seal your wrappers prior to shipping?

This is vitally important to ask for several reasons. First of all, wrappers printed with an ink-jet printer WILL SMEAR when touched, unless they are sealed with an acrylic sealant. This is especially true when printed on glossy paper. The ink in an ink-jet printer is applied to the top layer of the paper, and then must have ample drying time before it can be touched. Glossy paper is treated with a special gloss coating, and the ink does not adhere well to this type of paper. It simply lays on top of the paper, and it will rub off onto whatever it comes into contact with. To prevent this from happening, many businesses choose to spray their wrappers with an acrylic sealant once they are printed. In most cases, this prevents the ink from smearing, however, it is important to note that most of these sealed prints will start to turn yellow after several years. If you are planning a wedding or other cherished event, this is an important point to consider.
Some businesses choose not to spray their wrappers, but will include envelopes for you to place the wrapped bars into. While the envelopes will protect the final product, the ink may still rub off on your hands during the assembly process, and you may not like the results.
While we do not personally recommend the use of ink-jet printers, we did use an ink-jet printer and acrylic sealant for many years when we were first starting out, and never had any complaints about the quality of our work.
Over the last several years, laser printers have moved into the forefront of small business printing. They are becoming more affordable for the average small business owner, and, in my opinion, the quality of the final product is far superior to that of an ink-jet printer.
Laser printers use toner cartridges, and most of them contain one cartridge for all four ink colors. This is especially important as it allows the business owner to only replace the color that is needed, rather than replacing all the colors at once like most ink jet printers. This helps the business owner keep their operating costs down, which will help keep their prices lower. We were able to lower our prices by $0.20 per wrapper when we switched to a laser printer last year!
The toner in a laser printer is laid on the paper as it passes through the printer, and then the paper is heat sealed before it leaves the printer. This seals the ink onto the page, and produces a smear-proof print, that is ready to ship as soon as it leaves the printer! Laser printers print on average about 5 times faster than ink-jet printers, so we are able to print and ship most orders in less than 48 hours. When we were using an ink-jet printer, it would take around a week to ship an order. The actual printing process was slow, and the dry time after printing and after sealing was around 2-3 hours per 15 sheets (30 wrappers). This is also important to think about if you are in a rush to receive your order.
These points are just the basics of ink-jet and laser printing, as we have experienced during the course of business. When you are ready to make your purchase, please familiarize yourself with the store and refund policies of whomever you choose to do business with. It is always important to know where you stand, before you begin.