Printed labels for postal indicia

A mailing piece comprising:

• an envelope or postcard having an addressable face with an upper right corner;
• and
• a label having a first face with permanent pressure sensitive adhesive, and an imaged second face, said imaged second face including as indicia:
• "POSTAGE PAID", as an indication of rate either "BULK RATE" or "FIRST CLASS MAIL", and as an indication of permit authorization "PERMIT NO.";
• and said imaged second face including decorative graphics having one or more colors immediately adjacent or underlying said indicia;
• and wherein said indicia overlays said decorative graphics, and said indicia is black or has a color, and said black or color of said indicia contrasts with said decorative graphics color or colors that it overlies;
• said label first face adhered to said envelope or postcard at said upper right corner thereof by said permanent adhesive;
• and
• wherein said label is approximately the same size as a conventional postage stamp.

A method of producing mailing pieces, the mailing pieces comprising envelopes or postcards having an addressable face with an upper right corner, using labels, the labels having a first face with permanent pressure sensitive adhesive, and an imaged second face which includes as indicia:

• "POSTAGE PAID", an indication of rate, and an indication of permit authorization;
• and decorative graphics immediately adjacent or underlying the indicia;
• the method comprising the steps of automatically:
• (a) moving the envelope or postcard in a predetermined path;
• (b) while moving the envelope or postcard in the predetermined path imaging address information on the addressable face;
• (c) substantially immediately before or after step (b), while moving the envelope or postcard in the predetermined path, tipping or blowing the label on the addressable face so that the label first face is adhered to the envelope or postcard upper right corner by the label permanent adhesive;
• and
• wherein step (c) is practiced using labels that are each approximately the same size as a conventional postage stamp, and the indicia includes "BULK RATE" as the rate indicia and overlays the decorative graphics, and the indicia is black or has a color, and the black or color of the indicia contrasts with the decorative graphics color or colors that it overlies.

A method of producing mailing pieces, the mailing pieces comprising outgoing envelopes having an addressable face with an upper right corner, using labels, the labels having a first face with permanent pressure sensitive adhesive, and an imaged second face which includes as indicia:

• "POSTAGE PAID", an indication of rate, and an indication of permit authorization;
• and decorative graphics immediately adjacent or underlying the indicia;
• the method comprising the steps of automatically:
• (a) moving the outgoing envelope in a predetermined path;
• (b) while moving the outgoing envelope in the predetermined path imaging address information on the addressable face;
• (c) substantially immediately before or after step (b), while moving the envelope or postcard in the predetermined path, tipping or blowing the label on the addressable face so that the label first face is adhered to the outgoing envelope upper right corner by the label permanent adhesive;
• (d) providing a business reply envelope with the outgoing envelope;
• and utilizing second labels, the second labels having a first face with permanent pressure sensitive adhesive, and an imaged second face which includes as indicia:
• "POSTAGE PAID", an indication of rate, and an indication of permit authorization;
• and decorative graphics immediately adjacent or underlying the indicia;
• and
• (e) tipping or blowing a second label on each business reply envelope.