The Best Pens for Writing on Our Writeable Labels

We tested pens on our Writeable Labels so you will know what works best...

We tested several popular pens on our 1BLW Writeable Laminate Stock to determine which inks perform best in real-world outdoor conditions.

Beginning on February 22, 2022, we conducted an outdoor durability test exposing handwritten labels to sunlight, UV rays, rain, snow, wind, and seasonal weather conditions. Our goal was to identify which pens provide the longest-lasting, most readable results when used on our writeable labels.

The pens tested included:

• Uniball^® Signo 207 Gel Pigment Ink Pen
• Sharpie^® PAINT Oil-Based Paint Marker
• Standard BIC^® Ballpoint Ink Pen
• Standard Sharpie^® Permanent Marker

The standard ballpoint pen and standard Sharpie permanent marker faded quickly during initial testing and were eliminated in the first round fading out within a few months, so we focused our long-term evaluation on the two best-performing options: gel pigment ink and oil-based paint ink.

Original labels before being subjected to the elements.

The Pens

The Uniball Signo 207 uses a gel pigment ink designed for long-lasting, water-resistant writing. We tested the black ink version, but the pen is available in multiple colors sizes.

The Sharpie PAINT marker uses an oil-based paint ink designed for durable marking on many surfaces. We tested black along with several additional colors.

After 5 Months

• The Uniball Signo 207 pigment ink showed slight smearing but remained clearly readable.
• The Sharpie PAINT oil-based ink showed some fading but was still readable. The colored inks faded noticeably more than the black ink.
• The printed portions of the labels continued to maintain excellent appearance and readability.

After 20 Months

• The Uniball Signo 207 pigment ink had some additional smearing but remained readable.
• The Sharpie PAINT oil-based ink was quite faded and barely visible.

(Note: The camera angle cropped part of the label image on the left side.)

After 26 Months

• The Uniball Signo 207 pigment ink had faded but was still readable.
• The Sharpie PAINT oil-based ink had nearly disappeared.
• The printed portions of the label continued to look excellent and showed strong outdoor durability.

Conclusion

Based on our outdoor durability testing, the black Uniball® Signo 207 Gel Pigment Ink Pen provided the longest-lasting writing performance on our 1BLW Writeable Laminate. The inks are still legible over 2 years – not bad for unprotected inks. Labels on a horizontal surface where they are exposed part of the day will last even longer. As there are numerous factors your results may vary.

• Use black pigment ink for maximum durability.
• Avoid standard ballpoint pens and standard permanent markers for long-term outdoor applications.
• Colored inks may fade faster than black ink when exposed to prolonged UV exposure.

Our testing shows that when paired with the right pen, our Writeable Labels can provide durable, long-lasting identification even in demanding outdoor environments.

"Your labels adhere wonderfully and they look great!"

Shino Jacob | Electro-Mechanical Designer Engineer | GOODWAY Technologies

Our digital workflow allows us to efficiently print from 100 to 1 million+ high-quality labels to meet your schedule.

We maintain a 99%+ on-time shipping record.
Expedited services are available for critical deadlines.