Question 1

How much cheaper are polyester tags than aluminium?

Accepted Answer

Substantially. KSh 35 against KSh 50 at the 39 × 13 mm base size, and KSh 5.50 per cm² against KSh 8.00 above that, so at 50 × 20 mm you pay KSh 55 instead of KSh 80. On a 5,000-tag order that is a difference of KSh 125,000.

Question 2

Why would we not just use polyester everywhere?

Accepted Answer

Because it is an indoor product. Polyester and vinyl will not survive sustained UV, outdoor weather, heavy chemical exposure or high heat. Used indoors on furniture, computers and office equipment they perform perfectly well for years. Used on a generator in a yard they will fail, and we will tell you so before you order.

Question 3

Will a polyester tag stick to a curved surface?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and this is its other real advantage. Polyester is flexible, so it conforms to rounded cabinet edges, cable runs, tool handles and cylindrical items where a rigid aluminium tag cannot sit flat. For a lot of organisations the right answer is aluminium on the flat assets and polyester on the awkward ones.

Question 4

How long do polyester tags last indoors?

Accepted Answer

Several years in normal office conditions. They are less durable than aluminium, they can be scratched, and the adhesive is not permanent in the way acetone-activated aluminium is, but on a desk or a cabinet that is not being handled roughly, they do the job for the life of the asset.

Question 5

Can polyester tags be removed?

Accepted Answer

With effort, yes. They are not a security product. If someone might move a tag between assets, use tamper-evident. Polyester is for identification and inventory control, not theft deterrence.

Question 6

Do they work in a kitchen or laundry?

Accepted Answer

Not well. Heat, steam and grease all degrade the adhesive, and daily cleaning finishes the job. Use aluminium, and acetone-activated aluminium for anything near sustained heat.

Question 7

What is the difference between polyester and vinyl?

Accepted Answer

Polyester is stiffer, more abrasion-resistant and holds print better over time. Vinyl is more flexible and conforms to tighter curves. For most asset tagging we recommend polyester; vinyl where the surface is genuinely awkward.

Question 8

Can we print in full colour on polyester?

Accepted Answer

Yes, including your logo, at no extra charge. Full colour actually prints better on polyester than on anodised aluminium, so if brand appearance matters on visible assets this is a point in its favour.

Question 9

Are these the same as the printed labels we can make in-house?

Accepted Answer

No, and it matters. An office label printer produces a thermal or thermal-transfer print that rubs off with handling and fades within months. Our polyester tags are printed and laminated so the code survives cleaning and handling for years. If you have tried in-house labels and been disappointed, this is why.

Question 10

What is the minimum order?

Accepted Answer

100 pieces, the same as every other tag we make. Given the price, most polyester orders are considerably larger, it tends to be the choice for high-volume indoor rollouts where the asset count runs into thousands.

Tag type	From	Best for
Aluminium Barcode	KSh 50excl. VAT	general assets
Aluminium QR Code	KSh 55excl. VAT	QR workflows
Acetone-Activated	KSh 60excl. VAT	permanent bonds
Tamper-Evident	KSh 55excl. VAT	tamper evidence
Polyester / Vinyl Barcode	KSh 35excl. VAT	indoor assets

Up to 200	Same-day production
Up to 1,000	2 working days
Up to 5,000	3–5 working days
Over 5,000	Confirmed on quotation

Specification	Details
Material	Printed polyester or vinyl with permanent adhesive
Flexibility	Conforms to curved and rounded surfaces
Sizes	39 × 13, 50 × 20, 50 × 30, 35 × 35, 60 × 30 mm, custom to 300 × 200 mm
Encoding	Code 128, Code 39, QR Code, Data Matrix
Environment	Indoor and sheltered use
Minimum order	100 pieces

Size	Best for	Price per tag
39 × 13 mmAnchor price	Compact, laptops, small electronics, instruments	KSh 35 excl. VAT
50 × 20 mm	Most popular, general fixed assets	KSh 55 excl. VAT
50 × 30 mm	Larger barcode, easier scanning at distance	KSh 85 excl. VAT
35 × 35 mm	Square, best for QR codes	KSh 65 excl. VAT
60 × 30 mm	Maximum data, logo and text	KSh 100 excl. VAT

	Polyester / vinyl	Aluminium barcode
From price (39 × 13 mm)	KSh 35 excl. VAT	KSh 50 excl. VAT
Environment	Indoor and sheltered	Indoor and outdoor, 9+ years
Surfaces	Flat and curved	Flat only
Durability	Good indoors	Excellent, will not fade or crack
Best for	Budget indoor rollouts	Long-life and outdoor assets

Polyester and vinyl asset labels