ITF-14
Bearer bars, the heavy rectangular frame printed around the symbol, are the defining feature of ITF-14, and they exist to defeat one specific failure mode: a scan crossing only part of a symbol on corrugated board would otherwise return a truncated but plausible number. Framing the bars forces an incomplete scan to fail instead. The payload is exactly fourteen numeric digits, a GTIN-14 identifying a trade item at case or carton level, closing with a Mod 10 check digit. Dimensions are deliberately coarse, with a minimum X-dimension of 0.495 mm and a 32 mm bar height, because direct printing on corrugated substrate cannot hold fine detail. AIM and GS1 standardised the format in 1994. ITF-14 is a GS1 data carrier restricted to digits, and it conveys no batch, date, or serial data.
Ein 14-stelliger Barcode-Standard zur Identifikation von Handelseinheiten auf Verpackungsebene (Kartons und Kisten). ITF-14 verwendet Trägerbalken – einen dicken rechteckigen Rahmen –, um zu verhindern, dass unvollständige Scans falsch gelesen werden, und ist damit weltweit der Standard für Versandbehälter aus Wellpappe.
ITF-14
1D LinearRelated Tools
Check Digit Calculator
Calculate and verify check digits for EAN-13, UPC-A, ISBN-13, ISSN, ITF-14, and SSCC barcodes. Step-by-step Modulo 10 calculation with visual …
Barcode Validator
Validate barcode data integrity across multiple symbologies. Checks format compliance, character set validity, check digit correctness, and data length requirements …
Barcode Print Size Calculator
Calculate the correct print dimensions for any barcode symbology at a given magnification factor. Shows minimum X dimension, height, quiet …
Symbology Recommender
Answer a series of questions about your data type, scanning environment, label space, and industry to get a personalized barcode …
Related Guides
Fixed-Length vs Variable-Length Barcodes
The engineering trade-offs between fixed-length symbologies like EAN-13 and variable-length formats like Code 128.
Barcode Number Systems: GTIN, UPC, EAN & ISBN
How product numbering systems assign unique identifiers — GTIN-8, GTIN-12, GTIN-13, GTIN-14, and the relationship between UPC, EAN, and ISBN.
ITF-14: The Outer Case Barcode for Logistics
ITF-14 explained: interleaved 2-of-5 encoding for GTIN-14, bearer bar requirements, corrugated board printing, and case-level identification.
GTIN Explained: The Global Trade Item Number System
The complete GTIN reference: GTIN-8, GTIN-12, GTIN-13, GTIN-14 — structure, allocation rules, and how GTINs flow through the supply chain.
SSCC & Pallet Labels: Case-Level Supply Chain Tracking
How Serial Shipping Container Codes (SSCC) enable pallet-level tracking — GS1-128 label layout, ASN integration, and warehouse receiving workflows.
Cross-Docking with Barcodes: Zero-Inventory Logistics
How barcodes enable cross-docking operations — inbound scanning, sortation, outbound routing, and hub-and-spoke distribution models.
Pallet & Case Labeling: ITF-14 vs GS1-128
When to use ITF-14 for case identification vs GS1-128 for detailed logistics data — label placement, printing, and retailer compliance.
Barcode Size & Magnification: Getting the Dimensions Right
Barcode sizing rules — X dimension, magnification factors (80%-200%), height requirements, and minimum sizes by symbology and application.
Printing Barcodes on Corrugated Board: Challenges & Solutions
Technical challenges of printing barcodes on corrugated cardboard — flute washboarding, ink spread, flexographic techniques, and verification tips.
GS1 General Specifications for Symbol Production
The GS1 General Specifications for barcode symbol production — target sizes, placement rules, human-readable text, and packaging artwork guidelines.