Multiple Ply Label with Adhesive Layers

A stacked label system operable to be adhesively applied to a substrate to carry outer indicia and inner indicia, said label system comprising:

• an underlying label operable to be adhered relative to the substrate;
• and
• an overlying label operable to be adhered so as to overlie the underlying label,
• at least one of said overlying and underlying labels comprising a multiple-ply label that includes unfolded top and bottom label plies, with each ply including top and bottom faces and a face outer edge, with the bottom face of the top label ply and the top face of the bottom label ply being opposed when the label plies are adhered relative to each other,
• said top label ply having the outer indicia printed thereon,
• said bottom label ply including a line of separation located inboard of the face outer edge to present a removable central portion, with the central portion of the bottom label ply having the inner indicia printed thereon,
• said bottom label ply further including a removable border portion defined between the face outer edge and the line of separation,
• said bottom face of the top label ply including a top adhesive region, with a top adhesive layer being applied along the top adhesive region and a top overlying release coating being in overlying relationship with the top adhesive layer when the label plies are adhered relative to each other to permit selective exposure of the top adhesive layer for adhesion of the top label ply.

A label operable to be adhesively applied to a substrate to carry publicly displayed indicia on one side and hidden indicia on a second, opposite side, said label comprising:

• unfolded top and bottom label plies and an intermediate liner ply interleaved between the label plies, with each ply including top and bottom faces and a face outer edge;
• a first adhesive layer applied between the bottom face of the top label ply and the top face of the liner ply, with the top label ply having the publicly displayed indicia printed thereon;
• and
• a second adhesive layer applied between the top face of the bottom label ply and the bottom face of the liner ply,
• said top label ply including a line of weakness defined therein and located inboard of the face outer edge to present a separable central portion, with the top label ply further including an outer separable border portion defined between the face outer edge and the line of weakness,
• said bottom label ply and said liner ply each including a line of separation located inboard of the face outer edge to present a removable central portion, with the central portion of the bottom label ply having the hidden indicia printed thereon,
• said bottom label ply and said liner ply each further including a removable border portion defined between the face outer edge and the line of separation,
• said removable border portions being removable from the top label ply to permit adhesion of the label along the separable border portion to the substrate to cover the hidden indicia,
• said central portions of the label and liner plies being removable from the separable border portion to expose the hidden indicia.

A method of labeling a package that is to contain contents to be delivered to a recipient, the package labeling method comprising the steps of:

• (a) printing recipient address indicia on a top surface of a pressure sensitive label;
• (b) printing return label indicia on an opposite bottom surface of the pressure sensitive label,
• steps (a) and (b) further including providing the pressure sensitive label with the address and return label indicia on the respective, oppositely facing surfaces of the label prior to being affixed to the package;
• and
• (c) affixing the pressure sensitive label to the package so that the top surface is oriented outwardly to reveal the address indicia and to thereby facilitate delivery of the package to the recipient and so that the bottom surface is oriented toward the package to conceal the return address indicia,
• steps (a) and (b) being performed simultaneously such that the opposite surfaces are printed in one pass through a duplex thermal printer.