2016-02-15 09:05:11

Labeling Versatility

2016-02-15 09:05:11

In a packaging “wardrobe,” labels would likely fill the role of the little black dress: appropriate for any occasion and offering unlimited potential for customization. Like a black dress, labels can convey a sense of glammed-up luxe or simple sophistication, depending on the chosen decorative accent. Offset or silkscreen printing, hot stamping, foiling and even finishes such as textured, high gloss, satin or matte effects on a label can transform an otherwise standard looking package into an extraordinarily tailored look.

According to Tim Bohlke, marketing innovation manager at Avery Dennison in Mentor, OH, one of the dominant labeling trends in demand by cosmetic and personal care companies includes labels that add functional value to the consumer, such as those in an extended content format. “Extended content labeling can be a pressure-sensitive solution that affects design and functionality,” he says. “Delivering not only branding and basic product information, these labels provide usage instructions and other critical information right on the primary package each time the consumer uses the product.”

A second trend focuses on label solutions that deliver ultimate product differentiation on crowded retail shelves. “Metallized materials and effects, like foil stamping, are popular right now as brands look for unique aesthetics or very bright ‘pop’ to differentiate the product,” he says. “As a base material, the metallized film can create a unique look in combination with the ink printed over the bright metal. These looks can be seen today in many larger personal care applications and areas where a premium or top shelf look is desired.”

Ellen Bliske, senior brand manager, Neenah Packaging, Alpharetta, GA, adds that a predominant current trend in beauty and personal care labeling is understated elegance expressed through the pairing of neutral tones with texture. “Soft whites, neutral ivories and much more recently, kraft colors, are also common in nature-inspired product labels,” she says. “The tactile feel accomplished with an uncoated textured paper is reminiscent of handmade, homegrown, natural goodness, and fits well with the nature-inspired segment of the beauty and personal care markets,” she says.

Bliske points to No 7 in Neenah’s Estate Label paper range, noting that its unique fiber inclusions and kraft colors convey a distinctly organic and tactile appeal. “This texture draws people to touch the label and pick up the product from the shelf, thus creating a deeper connection with the consumer,” she says. “Research has demonstrated that consumers are more likely to buy a product they have held, so the tactile nature of a label is extremely important.”

And because Estate Label papers are uncoated (not shiny), specialty printing techniques like lithography, foil stamping, embossing, engraving, letterpress, and die cutting can offer many creative and personal dimensions of touch to labels.

UPM Raflatac of Mills River, NC, also offers decorative paper and film products that dovetail with brand owners looking to create labels that dress to impress with the kind of eye-catching and tactile effects that help make the vital difference between products left on the shelf and those that make it past the check-out line. “Silver, gold, brushed metal and mirror-finish products express a high-value appearance or celebratory sparkle, and metallic voids add tamper evidence and an assurance of authenticity for high-value consumer goods,” comments Bruce Ruppert, the company’s Films & Specials product development manager. “Iridescent, tinted and opalescent materials can be subtle yet stunning, and add a touch of class that reflects a superior product with a sense of intrigue. Textured, embossed and smooth label stocks appeal to the dual senses of sight and touch, which often make a compelling sales case.”

Refined Coverage, Enhanced Clarity

In the realm of film labels, coverage and clarity are king. Jonathan Tarantino, vice president of sales for Paris Art Label Co. Inc., of Patchogue, NY, has observed an increased demand in digitally printed and shrink sleeve labels. “Sleeves are growing at an aggressive rate because of the ability to get 360 degrees of coverage,” he says.

For instance, one of Paris Art’s clients was in search of a label with artwork and volume geared toward flexo print, but also needed to be digital at the same time. “We took the label and were able to find a way to flexo print the multi-panel label first with all the copy that was going to remain constant, then finish the label digitally, saving a lot of money in tooling,” Tarantino says. “This turned into a ‘cake and eat it’ scenario.”

One of Paris Art’s latest labeling innovations comes from its sister company TAL (Tuck Automatic Labeler) and focuses on the ability to apply shrink sleeves via a steam tunnel. “This capability affords us to offer our clients a ‘one-stop shop scenario’ where the client will send us components and we will manufacture the sleeve and then apply it,” Tarantino says. “The benefit offered to the client here is more coverage with a sleeve, and now you don’t have to worry about obsolescence with direct printed components.”

When it comes to clarity, the “no label look” continues to be regarded as a mark of quality sought by brand owners.
UPM Raflatac’s Vanish (SY350W) clear label for rigid containers is designed to almost eliminate the visible label edge in comparison to standard gauge products. This is achieved by pairing a 0.92mil PET face stock and liner with a clear, low-ooze, water-resistant adhesive that is 30% to 50% thinner than traditional standard gauge clear-on-clear labels. For semi-rigid and wall-to-wall squeezable application-type packages, the company also offers 1.6mil PP Clear TC RP74 0.92mil labeling film and SY319P, 2.0mil Raflex Plus Clear TC RP74 0.92mil, respectively.

Thinner labels also contribute to improving efficiencies and inventory requirements, helping brands shift from pre-printed packages to pressure-sensitive labeling solutions. “Keeping 50,000 pressure sensitive labels on rolls for each SKU versus keeping 50,000 printed containers takes less space, allows for better control of transitions and reduces working capital of inventory,” says UPM Raflatac’s Ruppert. 

Innovating for Enhanced Sustainability

In lockstep with the ongoing industry trend of improved environmental consciousness, engineering labels to uphold the premise of sustainability continues to be an important trend. “As the label is part of—in most cases—the primary package, it becomes part of a potential solution with sustainable benefits,” Avery Dennison’s Bohlke explains. “[Film] material reduction has resulted in pressure-sensitive constructions becoming increasingly thinner, similar to much of the other packaging.”

The thinning down of films and liners, he says, increases the function and efficiency of recycling liberation/separation streams in a way that is compatible with primary package resins, while still maintaining packaging integrity with respect to stability and tampering. “As with other plastic-based solutions like PET drinking bottles, there is also opportunity to look at non-fossil fuel based inputs as building blocks,” he says. “For example, Avery Dennison has a bio-based PE film available in the EU that uses sugarcane ethanol certified under the Bonsucro scheme. And, it can be recycled in the standard polyolefin recycling stream.”  
 
Avery Dennison recently partnered with Vogue International of Tampa Bay, FL, to provide a sustainable solution for its OGX hair care brand. The company utilized the Avery Dennison Global MDO portfolio with the S7000 adhesive, which the company says is a dependable driver in the personal care space. “Our patented MDO films enable unique bottle design and increase billboard coverage, flexibility in shape and size,” says Kevin Rinehart, director of the Prime Films portfolio at Materials Group North America. “Global brands and regional brands have found the sweet spot for brand label needs.”

Vogue International collaborated with Green Bay, WI-based WS Packaging Group Inc. and Avery Dennison to reduce the environmental impacts of pressure-sensitive labels on packaging. “Improvements in any package require collaboration across the value chain,” says Jaime Kontz, Vogue International’s marketing and product development manager. “Vogue’s leadership in improving the profile of packaging is driving the value chain to work closer together.”

To better improve and reduce its environmental footprint, Vogue International turned to Avery Dennison’s Greenprint methodology, a life cycle-based environmental performance assessment tool. The Greenprint tool, launched in 2010, is unique to the label industry and is designed to help brands make environmental decisions about the labels they select for their products.

The Greenprint evaluation helped guide the packaging team at Vogue International and WS Packaging Group (their converting partner) to the conclusion that using thinner label materials would reduce environmental impact. The decision was made to transition to Avery Dennison’s Global MDO film—a switch that will enable the OGX brand to reduce its environmental impacts by 26% to 34% across the categories of fossil material, water use, energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste generated. That’s the equivalent of saving 65 barrels of oil, the drinking water for 131 U.S. citizens, the annual energy used in 15 U.S. homes, taking nine cars off the road for a year, and eliminating the annual waste of five U.S. households, respectively.

Delivering Extended Content

Label space is valuable real estate and let’s face it, sometimes there just isn’t enough room to say all that needs to be said. Expanded Content Labels (ECLs) do a great job of exponentially increasing the space needed to convey ingredient lists, usage directions and FDA-mandated information (for SPF products) in multiple languages.

Mike Masotti, computer design manager and marketing, New York Label & Box Works, Islandia, NY, a manufacturer of ECLs, says accordion-like booklet formats and “peel and reseal” wafer tabs are key design features for these types of labels. “You often will see [booklet labels] applied to the bottom of lipstick canisters or cream jars that are not intended to reflect any marketing information,” he says, noting that New York Label & Box Works can create proprietary constructions that allow for up to 15 panels of additional copy and can be as small as .625” in diameter.

Resealable labels feature a “hinged” area that connects one panel to the next. “Currently, New York Label & Box Works provides resealable labels in a variety of constructions that include two-, three-, and five-panel configurations (up to 500% increase in copy area),” he says. “As an extension of the primary product label, aesthetics and functionality of resealable labels are paramount.

These labels not only need to maintain good product-resistance and moisture-resistance, but in addition, must be able to peel and reseal for the life of the product.”

Advancements in tech are also helping labels tell a more complete product story than ever before. Earlier this year, Mineral Fusion debuted its newest line of cosmetics, which featured Avery Dennison’s DirectLink near field communication (NFC) technology to provide product information to consumers in a compelling, interactive way. The labels work in unison with at-retail point-of-sale (POS) displays, enabling consumers to use their smartphones to engage with dynamic video content about the products.

Looking for compact container?

The DirectLink labels incorporate NFC technology to wirelessly communicate with nearby smartphones through near field communication (NFC) chips. By tapping an Android smartphone over the labels, consumers can instantly access exclusive content about a specific product or brand. Mineral Fusion installed the labels on POS displays in Whole Foods Market stores and other natural grocery chains across the country. The DirectLink labels connect shoppers to a behind-the-scenes video introducing the new line of cosmetics backstage at last month’s inaugural Whole Planet Fashion Show, a fundraiser of the Whole Planet Foundation established by Whole Foods Market.

Thwarting Diversion & Counterfeiting

In addition to delivering decorative flair, some labels also double as security sentinels.

“The explosion of global counterfeiting and brand diversion (gray market) has created a need for brand owners to protect their goods with an increased sophistication built into their packaging,” says New York Label & Box Works’ Masotti. “This is done with Variable data systems and software, serialization, track & trace, and covert as well as overt technologies [which] allow for monitoring diversion throughout the manufacturing and distribution supply chain and authentication in the marketplace via customized methods.”

Masotti says brand protection options for labels include overt variable codes to track through supply chain (visible bar codes and QR codes that are unique to each label); covert codes that typically correlate to overt codes (hidden human-readable digits and are only visible with proprietary hardware/software); holographic foils to convey authenticity for consumers; security coatings with micro-taggants that can only be verified with proprietary hardware/software; and tamper-proof and tamper-evident label constructions through use of security substrates and special cutting dies.

To up its tech ante, New York Label & Box Works has partnered with Eastman Kodak to deliver additional levels of brand protection technologies. “The Kodak technologies now add extra ‘layers’ of security to New York Label & Box Works’ pressure-sensitive label offerings, including traceless coatings (in both aqueous and UV cured), thermal transfer ribbons, and special CIJ security inks,” Masotti says. “Unlike traditional security inks that are common on the market, that can be read with any UV black light flashlight, Kodak’s technologies can only be detected by using proprietary equipment.”

Though these advanced label technologies are still in their relative infancy for beauty, fragrance and personal care products, inroads made in other market segments are being closely watched and adapted to suit the unique needs of this industry. For instance, Nosco, a full-service healthcare packaging solutions provider located in Waukegan, IL, recently helped a leading U.S.-based skin care manufacturer address a troublesome anti-counterfeiting issue.

The brand initially employed a standard carton seal that provided visible tamper evidence, but found themselves in need of a specialized solution to help pin down and eradicate pesky occurrences of product diversion, explains Heather Hill, marketing manager for Nosco. “They were having a great deal of diversion and they were unable to determine where it was occurring, so they had a desire for a serialized solution that would give a unique identification to each unit, allowing them to have traceability back to where the problem was occurring,” she says. “Also, their present provider for the tamper seal was unable to provide them with an added security solution.”  

Nosco solved the problem by delivering a serialized label using state of the art HP Indigo Digital equipment, providing a solution for each of their SKUs, and allowing them to begin to find their diverted products. “Nosco’s experience with security lends itself here, providing our clients with tracking and tracing capability,” Hill says. “If it is diverted product, they are able to determine from which distribution chain the product originated.”

Like the proverbial little black dress, labels are versatile packaging staples that, when customized for the occasion, are capable of satisfying a wide variety of brand needs.


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