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Adhesive tape is a seemingly simple product, but its effectiveness depends on a combination of factors, including the adhesive quality and, above all, the type of substrate used.

The substrate, i.e. the material to which the adhesive is applied, determines the characteristics of the tape itself, by influencing its adhesiveness, resistance, flexibility and many other properties.
Plastics: polypropylene, polyethylene and polyester
Plastic substrates are among the most common in the adhesive tape industry for their versatility and excellent performance.

Among these, polypropylene (both in mono-oriented – MOPP – and biaxially-oriented – BOPP – versions) is particularly appreciated for its mechanical strength and flexibility. The polypropylene substrate, whether mono- or biaxially-oriented, can be further treated to improve or modify its performance for instance through impregnation with resins or other treatments that affect the material’s properties by increasing its resistance and tensile strength.

Polyethylene (PE) is known for its flexibility and mechanical strength and is ideal for applications requiring high surface adaptability. As a matter of fact, PE-made adhesive tapes do not break or deform even under stress, adapting and stretching to and with the application surface.

Polyester (polyethylene terephthalate – PET), on the other hand, offers excellent chemical, mechanical and thermal resistance, making it perfect for heavy-duty industrial applications. It is particularly suitable for adhesive tapes intended for packaging and strapping as it offers outstanding dimensional stability, high breaking load and high adhesion to the end product.

Paper substrate: natural and performing
Paper, whether saturated or impregnated or kraft, is an environmentally friendly and high-performance alternative to plastic substrates.

Saturated or impregnated paper is treated with resins or synthetic rubbers to improve its mechanical properties and make it suitable for adhesive coating. More commonly known as self-adhesive paper, it is processed by FABO with hot melt adhesive and can come in both smooth and reinforced versions.

Kraft paper, made from cellulose fibres, is known for its strength and resistance, as well as its ability to absorb moisture, thanks to its high breaking load and versatility in a variety of applications. It is a 100% ecological support, composed of natural substances and, consequently, totally disposable in paper. This type of substrate is associated with an adhesive of natural origin that activates when wet with water.

Both paper substrates can also be reinforced with textured and unidirectional processing, which give greater strength to the end product, thus making it ideal for both packaging and reinforcement solutions.

Non-woven fabrics: versatile and durable
Non-woven fabrics (Tessuto Non Tessuto – TNT) are made from woven or needle-punched fibres, without the use of spinning. This characteristic gives adhesive tapes with TNT substrate a high strength and tear resistance, making them more conformable to application surfaces and promoting good adhesion to many types of surfaces.
Choosing the right substrate
The substrate choice depends on several factors, including:

Application: packaging, masking, fixing, sealing, palletising, protection, reinforcement;
Environmental conditions: temperature, humidity, presence of chemicals;
Characteristics of the application surface: smooth, rough, porous;
Required performance: adhesiveness, resistance, flexibility.

FABO offers a wide range of adhesive tapes made with different types of substrates to meet every need. Thanks to our experience and customisation capabilities, we can advise you on the most suitable solution for your application, while guaranteeing maximum efficiency and quality in terms of adhesion, seal and use.

All substrates used for manufacturing FABO adhesive tapes can also be customised with flexographic printing. In fact, 30% of the adhesive tapes produced annually at FABO are tailor-made.

Contact us for more information on customising FABO products, click here: contact us

Our waste becomes a valuable resource: we tell you how
Production waste is a reality common to all manufacturing companies. These are materials, semi-finished or finished parts that cannot be sold because they do not meet the required quality standards, or for other reasons.
Besides generating a negative environmental impact, production waste also entails considerable costs for companies, which have to dispose of it. However,disposing of them can very often be seen more as an opportunity than a real problem, because some of them, through a strategic approach, can in fact be turned into a valuable resource.
Reuse: a concrete choice for protecting the environment
At Fabo we decided to undertake this choice of reusing part of our waste in order to create more material for use.  To do this, we collaborate with Lucy Plast, a company that  regeneratesplastics , produces granules, compounds and injection moulds, regenerated plastic articles. In 2023, we supplied lucyplast with almost 600,000 kg of scrap material that came in presses and reels and was picked up by curtainsiders and roll-offs.
Our scrap is used in production to make regenerated and certified compounds according to  PSV (Plastic Second Life) Certification  and we are provided with the codes of the materials that our scrap is used in.

What does our production waste give rise to?
Thanks to this process of regenerating our waste, plastic crates for agricultural use, reusable pallets, PP moulded flanges, traffic cones and new recycled plastic granules are produced.
Each batch of regenerated compound is accompanied by a REACH dossier, which documents the origin of the waste, the processing and the final characteristics of the product.
The valorisation of production waste is a key element of the circular economy, an economic model that aims to minimise waste and maximise the reuse of resources. By adopting a circular economy approach, companies can generate value both for themselves and for the environment.
We strongly believe that by doing so, Fabo contributes to reducing environmental impact while improving business efficiency by reducing disposal costs and creating value.

For us, customised tapes represent one of the strategic market segments where Fabo is continuing to grow and invest. But we want to explain even better, what lies behind the creation of a customised tape, starting with a fundamental element: colour.

Our colour kitchen is made up of a series of professional tools that together bring our colour printing world to life, such as:

colour construction software,
a tintometric dosing machine,
a spectrophotometer for colour control.

The colour-building software, combined with the experience of the operators, makes it possible to create the colour required by the customer with precision and high definition, on any backing. This passes the colour recipe to the tintometric dosing machine and through the spectrophotometer we proceed to quality control.

Spectrophotometer and tintometric machine for greater accuracy in colour formulation
The tintometric machine is the instrument used to accurately mix and dose pigments and paints used in the colouring of materials. In our case, these are the polypropylene or paper backings and the acrylic and hot melt adhesives that we use to make adhesive tapes.

This machine produces accurate and defined colours, reducing the margin of error in their preparation and output. Thanks to the tintometric machine, we are able to precisely mix the pigments required to obtain the desired colour for the adhesive tape backing, thus meeting specific customer requirements in terms of yield and accuracy.

At FABO, to control the tintometric dosing machine in the correct mixing of standard and non-standard shades, we use the spectrophotometer with digital library, a highly accurate and high-performance instrument that reliably detects the required colour within a tolerance delta. This, in short, measures the colour difference between what is requested by the customer and what is on the machine, through a digital library.

The use of the software, together with the photometer and the tintometric machine, makes it possible to achieve a defined reproduction of the desired colour, guaranteeing consistency and uniformity in colouring as well as an accurate pigment match. Thanks to the accuracy and precision of the tools, we can reduce set-up times, speeding up production.

Not only that: whenever a particular colour is requested, even after some time between jobs, we do not incur inconsistencies or variations of any kind thanks to the precision of software, digital library and low tolerance delta. The repeatability of a precise and particular colour (whether basic or customised), with no margin for error and without having to start from scratch each time in its creation, is fundamental to guaranteeing quality and reliability of output.

In order for each instrument to maintain its proper functioning at Fabo, we strive for constant maintenance as well as regular software updates both monthly and annually, thus renewing certification.

Thanks to our qualified staff and the combination of these tools, we are able to realise multiple solutions on brown, white and coloured backgrounds, as well as on polypropylene or paper backing, on both acrylic and hot melt adhesive, thus becoming a complete supplier for all our customers.

Masking tape is a versatile and indispensable tool in various sectors, from painting and decorating to automotive, construction and DIY. With a variety of types and features available, choosing the right tape can make all the difference in terms of efficiency and end results. This product always has a paper backing and an adhesive which may vary.

In this article, we will focus on the specific needs of the users and how the masking tape can meet them.

Precision and control:

Whether you are painting a wall or repairing a piece of furniture, precision is crucial. Masking tape offers the possibility of making clean, well-defined edges, avoiding smudges and imperfections. The difference lies in the choice of a tape with good adhesion to ensure its hold on smooth or rough surfaces.

Ease of use:

The masking tape should be easy to apply and remove, leaving no sticky residue. It is essential to assess the quality because it must be a product that does not flake off and tear easily, which could result in a poor paint job.

Resistance:

Depending on its use, the masking tape must be able to withstand solvents, paints and high temperatures. Depending on use, it must be a product that is resistant to water and heat, especially high temperatures.

Eco-sustainability:

For a greener future, the ideal is always a tape made from materials that are as environmentally friendly as possible and without the use of harmful solvents.

Within the Fabo range there are 3 products for professionals, dedicated to masking that guarantee the 4 points listed above:

Professional masking tape for outdoor use, made of semi-crepe paper with water-based acrylic adhesive. It is a product that can withstand outdoor paint work. Water and temperature resistant
Professional masking tape for delicate surfaces made of semi-crepe paper and water-based acrylic adhesive. High-quality product that leaves no residue when working and protects the surfaces to which it is applied. Fabo tape is particularly suitable for delicate and sensitive surfaces, which makes it a reliable, quality product.
Outdoor and indoor masking tape made of washi paper, which is a type of smooth Japanese rice paper with a water-based acrylic adhesive. The product is versatile because it can be used both indoors and outdoors, and thanks to its use, it definitely guarantees more precise edges during the work to be carried out

All 3 Fabo masking tapes are manufactured in Italy, are made of paper and have a water-based, absolutely solvent-free acrylic adhesive, making it a tape that moves towards a sustainable choice.

Masking tape is normally used by painters, body shops and construction companies for work involving painting, but it is certainly a versatile product that can be used to make drawings, stencils and decorations on walls or even furniture. It can also be a useful tool for securing a painter’s canvas, wallpapers and light materials. It is also useful for repairing small tears or holes that may occur on materials such as paper and cardboard.

The versatility and ease of use certainly make this product a useful adhesive tape in more contexts and more areas. Ease of use, however, must go hand in hand with application precision and on this point, the quality of the tape is crucial in choosing the best product.

In an increasingly competitive market, customer satisfaction is a key factor for the long-term success of any company. Companies that strive to create lasting relationships with their customers are usually recognised as those that are rewarded with increased loyalty, increased turnover, and a good reputation.

FABO firmly believes that customers are the engine of business growth, which is why we decided to understand their needs and demands even better through a customer satisfaction survey with a few simple questions. We opted for using this tool to understand opinions and feedback on products, services and support.
The results in the customer satisfaction
The results were very encouraging and positive. The data we collected helped us better analyse our strengths and understand how to exploit the opportunities the market offers us. It is essential to listen to the voices of those who buy and use our adhesive tapes on a daily basis and, above all, to welcome the insights they can provide, because some of them can be used in making decisions on aspects of the business, such as developing new products, improving customer service, or optimising marketing campaigns.

FABO has always been a “customer-centric” company, where the customer is a priority.

This is borne out by the results of the survey carried out, which confirm that this is the right direction to take, i.e. to offer a wider range of high-quality, tailor-made products with the aim of satisfying and meeting as many demands as possible. Further, we also prove our customer focus by simultaneously working on innovation and research, thanks to the insights from those who use our products every day.

How well do you know private label?
In today’s market, where competition is often harsh and standing out is important, the private label concept may be an avenue to pursue and to evaluate.

The term ‘private label’ refers to the practice whereby a manufacturer creates a product and markets it under the brand name of a retailer or private label, rather than under its own name. In essence, the brand becomes the emblem of a unique and personalised identity, even if production is managed by a third party.

 
The beating heart of customisation
At the heart of private labels is customisation. This practice offers customers and brands the opportunity to mould a product according to their needs and visions.

Fabo is one of the companies in Italy able to produce a customised PL line.

 
How does it usually work?
We work together with the customer, trying to choose the product range in line with our production requirements and the demands made on us. It is important to take many factors into account when developing a private label: the goal is always production efficiency, so it is important for us to properly evaluate the products we already have available to customise together with the packaging study. To do this we provide all our know-how gained over 50 years in the market.

Our support is provided from the choice of the range through to the final packaging and wrapping. We have an in-house graphics department that develops the graphics and packs according to brand input. We can advise which design may be most suitable for printing and which type of print and colours to use.

 
Private label packaging and wrapping
Packaging is also crucial when it comes to PL because depending on the delivery, the minimum pieces to be contained and also the labels to be affixed must be studied correctly. Finally, we can supply the product in counter and endcap pallet boxes to organise promotions or give your product special visibility.

In summary, private label development goes far beyond simply putting a brand name on a product. It is an experience, as we said, of personalisation and standing out.

Of course, for a product like ours, a preliminary feasibility study is essential, which places the required quantities, production efficiency and logistics at the centre of the analysis. These 3 factors strongly influence the production of a private label and make the difference for the choice of a product range.