Adhesive label

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2009)

An adhesive label is a small piece of paper designed to be affixed to another larger piece of paper or other object, typically by the action of a layer of adhesive on the back of the label.

The most familiar type of label is the postage stamp, which was developed in the mid-19th century. The concept has since been extended into a variety of areas:

• On mail:
  • airmail etiquettes
  • charity labels
  • address labels
  • return address labels
  • postal meter labels
  • certain types of postal labels

• On other kinds of paper objects:
  • revenue stamps
  • savings stamps
  • general markers, notices, or warnings

Almost every imaginable type of paper and adhesive has been used at some point; see postage stamp paper and postage stamp gum for a more detailed discussion. Label may be produced individually, or in sheets, which case they are usually separated by perforations or rouletting, see postage stamp separation.