Patent ID: 6893717

Claim:
A heat-transfer label, said heat-transfer label comprising: (a) a support portion, said support portion comprising (i) a carrier, wherein said carrier is made of a polymer selected, from the group consisting of polyesters, polyolefins and polyamides, and (ii) a first release coating positioned over said carrier, said first release coating being made of a non-wax, non-silicone, thermoset release material, said first release coating having a total surface energy of about 25 to 35 mN/m, of which about 0.1 to 4 mN/m is polar surface energy, and being made by (A) applying to the carrier in its amorphous or semi-oriented state a composition comprising (1) a functionalized α-olefin containing copolymer and (2) a crosslinking agent; and (B) reacting said composition with the carrier during uniaxial or biaxial stretching and heat setting; and (b) a transfer portion, said transfer portion being positioned over said support portion for transfer of the transfer portion from the support portion to an article under conditions of heat and pressure, said transfer portion comprising (i) a protective lacquer layer, said protective lacquer layer being positioned over said first release coating, and (ii) an ink design layer, said ink design layer being positioned over said protective lacquer layer, and (iii) a heat-activatable adhesive layer positioned over said ink design layer; (c) whereby said first release coating separates cleanly from said transfer portion with no visually discernible portion of said release coating being transferred to the article along with the transfer portion.