Chromo Self-Adhesive Paper & Gumming Sheet — Delhi
Chromo is the workhorse of the label trade — a one-side coated, gloss face stock that takes ink sharply and holds colour density, which is why it carries the majority of printed product labels, price labels, barcode labels and promotional stickers in this market. Internationally the equivalent grade is usually sold as semi-gloss; if you are working from an Avery Dennison or other imported spec sheet, that is the same family of material. Like any self-adhesive stock it is a three-layer construction: the chromo face, a pressure-sensitive adhesive, and a release liner — called release paper or backing paper in most Indian listings. In Delhi the sheet-fed form is universally called a gumming sheet or gum sheet, and the digital print trade buys it in standard press sizes; the reel-fed form is bought as label stock or sticker roll for flexo and rotary label presses. The one limitation to plan around: chromo is a coated paper, not a film, so it is not waterproof. For wet, oily or outdoor service, PVC or vinyl is the correct substitution. Tell us the press, format, quantity and application.
Specifications
- Face stock
- One-side coated gloss chromo paper
- Construction
- Face stock + pressure-sensitive adhesive + release liner
- International equivalent
- Semi-gloss label paper
- Formats
- Label roll for reel-fed presses; gumming sheet for sheet-fed and digital
- Water resistance
- Not waterproof — a coated paper face, not a film
Typical applications
- Printed product labels
- Price labels
- Barcode labels
- Promotional stickers
- Sheet-fed and digital sticker work as gumming sheets
Chromo — what buyers ask
Is chromo paper waterproof?
No. Chromo is a coated paper face, so it absorbs water, softens and tears when wet, and print can lift. It is the right choice for dry goods, retail packaging and general product labelling. Where the label faces water, oil, condensation or outdoor exposure, a film face stock — PVC or vinyl — is the correct substitution rather than a heavier chromo.
What is a gumming sheet?
Gumming sheet, or gum sheet, is the Delhi trade name for self-adhesive material supplied in sheets rather than rolls. It is the same three-layer construction — face stock, pressure-sensitive adhesive and release liner — cut to press sizes for sheet-fed offset and digital printing. Elsewhere the same material is called self-adhesive sheet or sheeted label stock. If a Delhi enquiry says gum sheet, it means sheets.
What is the difference between chromo and semi-gloss label paper?
Mostly vocabulary. Semi-gloss is what Avery Dennison and other international suppliers call the one-side coated paper face stock that India calls chromo, so a converter comparing an imported spec sheet against an Indian quote is generally looking at the same family of material. Coating weight, gloss level and caliper still vary between grades, so match the specification rather than the name.
What is the difference between chromo gloss and chromo matt?
The coating finish on the face. Gloss chromo reflects light and lifts colour saturation, which suits promotional and retail labels meant to stand out. Matt chromo scatters light, reads as more restrained and takes pen and stamp marginally better. Both print on the same presses and die-cut identically; matt is frequently requested for pharmaceutical, premium and information-led labelling.
What is the release paper under a chromo label stock?
It is the backing the adhesive sits on until the label is applied — called release paper or backing paper in most Indian listings, and liner or glassine in technical and international copy. Its job is to carry the label through die-cutting and matrix stripping and then peel away cleanly. Which liner suits a job depends on the press and the application, so state both when enquiring.