What is the difference between digital and flexographic label printing?

The main difference is that flexographic printing uses fixed physical plates suited to high-volume, consistent-design runs at lower per-unit cost, while digital printing works directly from a digital file with no plate cost, making it more economical for short runs, frequent design changes, and variable data.

Flexographic printing’s plate-based process means the design is fixed once the plates are made; producing a five-colour design requires five plates and five print stations, and any design change requires new plates. This upfront cost is what makes flexo more cost-effective at scale, since it is spread across a larger number of units, but comparatively expensive for very short runs. Digital printing skips this step entirely, printing straight from a digital file, which removes the plate cost and setup time but generally carries a higher cost per unit than flexo once a run reaches high volumes.

Beyond cost, the two methods differ in capability: digital supports variable data printing, meaning every individual label can differ, such as unique serial numbers or QR codes, which flexo’s fixed plates cannot do without an additional overprint step. Flexo, on the other hand, more easily supports certain specialty inks, metallic effects, and can integrate in-line finishing processes like foil stamping within the same continuous production pass. The right choice depends on order volume, whether the design needs to vary unit to unit, and how frequently the design itself is expected to change.