Polyester Asset Tag Labels: When They Are the Right Choice

Polyester asset labels and aluminium asset tags both carry your logo, asset number and barcode, but they suit different assets. Polyester is lower in cost and ideal for indoor IT equipment; aluminium lasts longer on furniture, equipment and anything outdoors. This guide explains when each is the right choice and how to combine them in one tagging project.

Polyester vs aluminium at a glance

When polyester labels are the right choice

• Indoor IT equipment: laptops, desktops, monitors and printers kept in offices.
• Large volumes on a budget: tagging every ICT item, not just the expensive ones.
• Short to medium asset life: equipment replaced every few years.
• Smooth surfaces: where a peel-and-stick label bonds well.
• Tamper evidence: VOID labels show if someone removes the label from a portable device.

See polyester asset tag labels printing for options.

When aluminium is worth it

• Furniture and fixtures that stay for a decade or more.
• Workshops, kitchens, labs and hospitals with heat, oils and strong cleaning chemicals.
• Vehicles, generators and outdoor equipment exposed to sun and rain.
• Textured, painted or powder-coated surfaces where acetone-activated adhesive is needed.
• Any asset where re-tagging would be costly or disruptive.

See aluminium asset tags printing and our materials comparison.

Combining both in one project

Most organisations get the best value from a mix: polyester labels for ICT equipment and anodized aluminium tags for furniture, equipment and vehicles. Both can share the same logo, number series and barcode format, so the register stays consistent. A typical split:

1. List assets by class and environment.
2. Assign polyester to indoor IT and aluminium to everything else.
3. Use one numbering scheme with prefixes by class if helpful, for example ICT, FUR, VEH.
4. Order both in one batch so numbering and design match.

Total cost, not tag price

The cheapest tag can be the most expensive choice if it fails before the next audit. Count the cost of re-identifying assets, reprinting and re-applying tags, and dealing with audit queries. Matching material to asset keeps total cost low. Our asset tags price guide explains the cost drivers.