Tag Options – National Band and Tag Company

10 Year Outdoor Fade Test Case Study, Enamel Painted Aluminum Tags

How long will painted aluminum tags last outdoors?

It is one of the most common questions we receive from customers who want to use colored aluminum tags outdoors. To help answer that question with real world data, National Band & Tag conducted a long-term outdoor fade test using our enamel painted aluminum material.

We mounted painted aluminum strips on the roof of our facility in Newport, Kentucky and left them exposed to the elements year after year.

Now, after more than 10 years of outdoor exposure, we wanted to share the results.

Test Conditions

The enamel painted aluminum strips were mounted outdoors on the roof of our Newport, KY facility. Newport experiences all four seasons, including:

Hot and humid summers
Freezing winters
Heavy rain
Snow and ice
Strong UV exposure during summer months
Temperature swings throughout the year

This created a realistic long-term environment for evaluating outdoor durability.

To help measure fading, a 3 inch wide board was secured down the center of the strips. The board protected the middle portion of each strip from direct sunlight while the exposed ends remained fully subjected to UV rays and weather exposure.

This allowed us to directly compare protected versus exposed areas on the same piece of material.

10 Year Fade Test Results

After more than a decade outdoors, most colors continued to perform very well with minimal noticeable fading.

However, two colors showed more significant UV breakdown over time.

Red Enamel Painted Aluminum

Red showed the most noticeable fading during the test. Based on our long-term outdoor observations, the red enamel paint maintained good color stability for approximately 5 years before significant fading became noticeable. After extended UV exposure, the exposed areas gradually shifted toward an orange appearance. By year 10, the contrast between the UV protected center section and exposed ends became very noticeable.

Gold Enamel Painted Aluminum

Gold also showed visible fading over time. Based on our observations, the gold enamel paint maintained good appearance for approximately 6 years before more noticeable fading began to occur. While the fading was not as dramatic as the red, the exposed sections became lighter and less vibrant after years of direct outdoor exposure.

Colors That Performed Well After 10 Years

All of the other colors that were tested, Purple, White, Turquoise, Black, Yellow, Orange, Blue, and Green, all had minimal fading.

While all outdoor materials naturally weather over time, these colors demonstrated excellent long-term durability in direct outdoor exposure.

What We Recommend for Long-Term Outdoor Applications

Based on our outdoor testing, most enamel painted aluminum colors, with the exception of red and gold, have demonstrated strong outdoor durability for 10+ years in direct weather exposure.

However, if your application requires maximum long-term color stability with minimal fading, we typically recommend either:

Plain Aluminum with stamped characters
Black UV Stable Aluminum with laser etched marking

Stamped plain aluminum avoids painted surface fading altogether and remains a popular option for utility pole tags, numbered tree tags, industrial, and outdoor identification applications.

Our Black UV Stable Aluminum is specifically designed for long-term outdoor exposure and has demonstrated durability exceeding 20+ years outdoors. The white laser etched marking on the black background also provides excellent contrast and readability for serial numbers, barcodes, and QR codes.

Real World Testing Continues

The test strips remain outdoors today and the evaluation is ongoing. We believe real world exposure testing provides valuable information that helps customers choose the right material for their environment and expected lifespan.

If you have questions about outdoor tag materials or need help selecting the best option for your application, our team is happy to help.

To request a quote visit: https://www.nationalband.com/ordering-form

Disclaimer: Due to differences in monitor, phone, and screen settings, colors shown in photos may not appear exactly the same for every viewer. The fade test images are intended to demonstrate general outdoor performance and color stability over time.

Celebrate National Lost Pet Prevention Month with Paw Finders

July is National Lost Pet Prevention Month, a reminder for pet owners and veterinary professionals alike to take proactive steps in keeping animals safe and identifiable. With millions of pets going missing every year, one small tag can make a life-changing difference—especially when it’s backed by technology.

That’s where Paw Finders comes in.

What is Paw Finders?

Paw Finders is more than just a rabies tag. It’s a dual-purpose solution that combines rabies identification with a scannable QR code that helps reunite lost pets with their owners.

Each tag is linked to an online profile that includes the pet owner’s name and phone number. If a lost pet is found, anyone with a smartphone can scan the tag and connect with the owner directly—no special scanner or vet visit needed.

For Pet Owners:

Have a Paw Finders Tag? Don’t Forget to Register It!

If your veterinarian gave you a Paw Finders rabies tag this year, take a moment to register it. It only takes a minute, but that small step could be the key to bringing your pet home safely.

Scan the QR code on the back of the tag with a smartphone.
Follow the prompts to enter your contact information.
There is a one-time registration fee of just $2.99.

Already registered? Great! But take this opportunity during National Lost Pet Prevention Month to double-check that your contact info is still up to date. If you need to update a phone number or email, just send your Tag ID number and new contact info to support@pawfinders.com.

For Veterinarians:

Help Your Clients Protect Their Pets with Paw Finders

If you’re a veterinary clinic currently ordering generic rabies tags, consider making the switch to Paw Finders for your 2026 rabies tag order. By offering these upgraded tags, you’re giving your clients peace of mind and adding extra value to their pet’s annual visit.

Paw Finders makes it easy:

Clients are also more likely to put the rabies tag on their pet’s collar.
These tags mean you’ll get less phone calls about lost pets! The tag can be scanned by the finder and the owner can be contacted directly.
Use the Vet Portal to Register Paw Finders rabies tags for your clients.
Paw Finders brings your practice into the modern tag era.

Want to learn more? Visit www.pawfinders.com or share the site with your tag supplier to explore options for next year.

Preventing Lost Pets Starts with You

This month, do your part—whether that means registering your pet’s tag, reminding a friend, or encouraging your vet to make the switch to Paw Finders. Every action brings us one step closer to fewer lost pets and more happy reunions.

Round / Circle Tags – 12 Different Sizes to Choose From!

When it comes to tagging solutions, one shape that consistently stands out for its versatility and practicality is the circle tag. At National Band & Tag, we offer a range of round tags that can be tailored to meet a variety of needs, whether it’s for commercial, industrial, or personal use.

A Size for Every Application

With twelve different sizes available, ranging from 1/2″ inch to 2-7/8″ inches, we have a size to fit your identification needs. Smaller tags are ideal for smaller items, such as tagging pets or small assets, where a larger tag might be cumbersome. On the other end, the larger tags are perfect for items where visibility from a distance is crucial, such as in tree tagging or valve labeling.

Versatile Uses Across Industries

The practicality of round tags extends across various industries and uses. Just a few of the more popular ones we service include:

Tree Tags: Essential for forestry maintenance and research, numbered round tags are used on millions of trees each year.
Valve Tags: Used in industrial settings, these tags help in managing and identifying different valves and pipes, enhancing safety and operational efficiency.
Pet Tags: Rabies tags, pet license tags, or just general pet ID tags. Round tags work for cats and dogs of all sizes.
Asset Tags: Useful in tracking and managing assets in businesses, ensuring that each item can be accounted for.
Promotional Tags: Companies can use these tags as part of promotional materials, giving away branded keychains or identifying their hand-made products.
Crematory Tags: Used to prevent loss and provide 100% traceability. Serial numbered tags are extremely important in this industry.
Survey Tags: Our round tags customized with the hole in the middle for a nail, are made from durable material made to last out in the field.

Customization at Its Best

All our round tags can be fully customized to suit your needs. This includes options for laser etching or stamping, with numbers, names, barcodes, logos, or any other information you require. Material and hole size are also customizable to fit your environment and fastening needs. The flexibility in customization makes these tags not only useful for practical purposes but also excellent for promotional activities, where branding needs to be clear and effective.

You can see in the picture below a few different samples. Styles #116 & #50 are laser etched while the rest are stamped. Style #145 shows white paint-fill. Styles #81 & #95 show our two different stainless steels, #91 is brass, and the rest are plain, black UV stable, or colored aluminum. Styles #93 & #95 show our optional hole size and placement, different than the standard 1/8″ hole at the top. Contact us with any customization questions.

To order your round tags, you can order online here, email us at tags@nationalband.com, or call us at 859-261-2035 to talk with a customer service representative. Our sales reps are here to help whether you need a simple tag with text or a highly customized one with a logo and barcode. We look forward to assisting with your order.

We also have 5 different sizes of round tags with a loop on top where the hole goes (not featured above). See those tags here.

Stamped Logos for Wing Bands

Interested in personalizing your wing bands even more with a stamped logo? Below are a few examples from customers of a custom made steel logo, used to stamp the image into wing bands. There is a one time charge of $200-$500 (or more depending on the detail) to have your stamp block made. We retain the logo for future orders. Logos will last for a very long time when stamping aluminum. However, stainless steel will degrade the life of the logo image, so the logo may need to be replaced over time.

star stamp

The 4 star logos above are available to anyone at no additional fee.
Shown on green aluminum with white paint fill (paint fill is an additional fee).

To get a quote for your custom made logo stamp block, we will need a copy of your logo.

Helpful Hints for submitting your logo artwork.

Black and white line art
PDF or EPS file type
Artwork should scalable (vector file) and as close to actual size as possible
Bold lettering is okay if you are NOT getting Paint Fill
Outlined lettering is suggested if you ARE getting Paint Fill

Email your artwork to tags@nationalband.com to get a free price quote.

Wet Tumbled Stainless Steel Tags with 1 Hole

Wet tumble is recommended for stainless steel tags that are going to be handled frequently. Stainless steel can have a rough edge, and wet tumbling is an extra feature that we offer to remove the sharp edges. If a tag has 2 holes, it is most likely being riveted/screwed onto something. This means it won’t really be handled, and it is ok to have rough edges. But, if a tag has 1 hole, this means it most likely will be dangling from something, where people are more likely to grab the tag. Or, if a stainless steel tag has no holes where it is going to be treated like a coin, or token, this would be another example of where we would recommend wet tumbling. Removing the rough edges from stainless steel tags will help ensure that anyone handling the tags won’t scratch their hands on the rough metal sides of the tags.

While wet tumbling does remove the rough edges on stainless steel, it can cause some scratching. You can see examples of wet tumbled laser etched tags here. Examples of wet tumbled stamped tags can be seen here. If you have any questions, or would like a sample of a wet tumbled tag to test out for your application, please contact us at 859-261-2035 or tags@nationalband.com.

Radial Text

A unique option that National Band & Tag offers is radial text or text that goes along the curve of our round tags. Radial text is helpful for fitting lots of text on a small tag, and for fitting text along the tag when there is a hole in the middle of the tag. Curved text is popular for survey tags, tree tags, power pole tags, dog tags, promotional keychains, and more. Contact us today for a free quote on your radial text tags!

Stamped Radial Text – Text is in all caps.

Laser Etched Radial Text – Logos are available. Different fonts, lowercase, bold fonts can be used.

Custom Laser-Etched Tags. From Text to Logos to Barcodes.

If you are looking for a completely custom tag with a professional look, then laser-etched tags are for you! Tags can be sold in small or large quantities. Whether you need 1 tag or 100,000 tags, we can help! National Band & Tag has 25+ years of experience laser etching tags.

CUSTOM TAGS

You can customize your tags to have text, logos/graphics, barcodes, borders, etc. The laser creates a clean, detailed, image on the tag’s surface. Tags come in all shapes, sizes, materials, and there is virtually no limit to what we can do. Laster etched tags are more durable and will last for years compared to printed tags. National Band & Tag offers quantity discounts, so the more tags you order, the larger the discount! Check out our instructions on how to send us the data for your tags.

MATERIALS

ALUMINUM:

UV Stable (Black), Plain (silver), or Colored Aluminum is available.

STAINLESS STEEL:

Different Finishes are available for stainless steel. This will affect how your tag looks.
Light or Dark etching is available.
Frosted Backgrounds are available to remove the shine from the tag.

BRASS:

Frosted Backgrounds are available to remove the shine from the tag.
Barcodes are not available on brass.

PLASTIC:

Plastic tags are available in multiple colors depending on the style of tag.

LABELS:

Style #3602 – Label material is made from military-grade 3M™ 7847 polyacrylic matte black stock for a heavy-duty label.

USES

Identification Tags
Asset Tags
Serialized Tags
Inventory Tags
Equipment Tags
Brand / Property Identity Tags
and more!

Share your pictures of your laser-etched tags being used for the chance to be featured on our social media!

Increase Your Barcode Readability: NEW “Frosted” Background for Stainless Steel Barcoded Tags

Looking for higher readability in your stainless steel barcoded tags? Our new laser machine allows us to create a “frosted” white background around the barcode that removes the shine from stainless steel, allowing for a higher contrast. Higher contrasting barcodes read better, easier, and faster! All stainless steel and plain aluminum tags that have a barcode with automatically get the frosted background. Frosting is also available around text and logos, or to create a blank square upon request.

stainless steel tag with barcode

These frosted barcoded stainless-steel tags are useful for industries such as food processing, medical, laboratory, chemical, textile, and petroleum. In harsh environments such as these, stainless steel is necessary because of its non-corrosive aspects. Stainless steel tags with frosted barcodes will continue to scan and read for years.

Check out these samples below of how current customers have used frosted backgrounds on their tags:

round stainless steel tag with barcode rectangle stainless steel tag

Wet Tumble Your Stainless Steel Tags

We manufacture all our metal tags here in our factory, which means there are different tag finishes that we can provide for our customers.

For stainless steel tags, we like to recommend wet tumbling for a smooth finish. It will remove any rough edges on your tag. This is an easy way to ensure that if your tag is dangling and someone grabs it, they will not harm themselves on a sharp edge. If your tag is going to be mounted, then you might not need the wet tumble finish. Polishing is recommended for any stainless steel tags that are going to be used as keychains or be handled often. Not sure which finish is right for you? Just request free samples of each finish here!

Direct from Press
Free – By request
Tags have die-cut edges and are covered in an oil residue. engraved tag oily finish

Dry Tumbled (De-Oiled)
Free- Standard Finish
Oil residue is removed, but tags may have a sharp die-cut edge. engraved tag dry tumbled

Wet Tumbled (Smooth Edges)
Special Charge H.
Oil residue and sharp edges are both removed, can cause some scratches to the tag. engraved tag wet tumbled

Polished (Premium Finish)
Call for quote
Tags are smooth and shiny, with no sharp edges. engraved tag polished finish

What Level of Asset Tracking Do You Need?

Every company has its own way of tracking their assets and inventory. Whether it be by paper or electronically, NB&T can provide a tag solution that will work for you and your system. Follow this simple flow chart with a few basic questions to find out what method of engraving (stamping or laser etching) is best for you. From there, you can see all the tag materials available.

What’s on the tag:

Stamped Tag

Laser Etched Tag

Hybrid Tag

What material:

Each material is different and has its own specific benefits. We recommend keeping the environment of the tag in mind while choosing your material. Please note that some materials may only come in certain sizes.

Aluminum: .016” – Plain (silver), flexible, available in limited sizes and up to 6 digits embossed.
Aluminum: .040” – Black UV Stable, guaranteed to last outdoors and in harsh environments for years.
Aluminum: .050” – 1/2 hard temper. (Plain or colored available*)
Aluminum: .064” – 1/2 hard temper. (Plain or colored available*)
Asset Labels: Military-grade 3M™ 7847 polyacrylic matte black stock.
Brass: .014” – Plain, flexible, available in limited sizes and up to 6 digits embossed.
Brass: .036” – Alloy 260 70/30 – 1/2 hard temper
Brass: .040″ – Alloy 260 70/30 – 1/2 hard temper
Brass: .064″ – Alloy 260 70/30 – dead soft temper
Polyurethane: A durable, yet flexible material, will last outdoors better than vinyl.
Stainless Steel: .031” – Type 430 2BA finish (Shiny, attracted to magnet, slightly corrosive)
Stainless Steel: .030” – Type 304 2B finish (Dull, not attracted to magnet, non-corrosive)
Stainless Steel: .048” – Type 304 2B finish (Dull, not attracted to magnet, non-corrosive)
Stainless Steel: .048” – Type 430 2BA finish (Shiny, attracted to magnet, slightly corrosive)
Vinyl: .020″ – A durable, yet flexible plastic material.

*Aluminum Colors: Red, Blue, Green, Orange, Yellow, Purple, Turquoise, Gold, Black, White, Plain (Silver)

****SPECIAL MATERIALS MAY BE AVAILABLE. CALL TO INQUIRE****