The constantly changing market dynamics also impact the global market for labelling and printing. Due to continuous improvements in printing techniques or innovations such as smart labels, the market is expected to increase its value by 45.22 billion dollars by 2022. In connection to the blog about labelling trends, in which we had a look at the top 3 design trends for you, we felt that it’s only right to also provide you with more information about label materials, printing trends and the newest studies about technological innovations which can help you to protect your brand.

What materials are used for labels?

Have you ever wondered what would be the best label material for your Miron glass? In general, the best choice for your material highly depends on your product and the environment it will encounter. Although your products stored in Miron bottles and jars have guaranteed protection from the influences of sunlight and therefore a longer-lasting shelf-life, your labelling may still experience moisture, heat or cold in the homes of your customers.

A primary label material for your cosmetic & skincare, natural healing, essential oils or "hemp" products is vinyl. Vinyl is not only flexible and moulds easily on bottles and jars in any form but is also able to withstand high heat and is impervious to moisture, oils and low pH or high acid foods. Your luxury products like essential oils or cosmetics will also benefit from labelling materials that are laminated and are made from synthetic materials like polyester. Unlaminated paper as an example could discolour as it absorbs oils easily.

One of the most popular labelling choices however is BOPP (Biaxially-Oriented Polypropylene) which is described as highly resistant to water and oils and is, therefore, an optimal choice for your food & drinks, homoeopathic or essential oils, as well as "hemp" products. An alternative with the same attributes could hereby be Polyester or PET. It won’t lose its quality when exposed to water, oils or other liquids and can withstand very high temperatures.

An interesting option next to those popular choices is textured labels. According to recent neuromarketing studies, textured labels which stimulate the sense of touch & feel greatly impacted the buying behaviour of customers. Textured labels hereby communicate the attributes of high quality and price value, but also portray a sense of authenticity. In relation to buying decisions, studies also revealed that 74% of customers are willing to spend more on sustainable packaging and prefer glass as packaging over plastic. 2021 therefore might just be the year to consider switching to more sustainable solutions, as recyclability has increasing importance all over the world. Consistent technical developments and trends in the label printing market can hereby help you. Hence, your brand might opt to move away completely from traditional labelling materials and instead leverage new printing techniques or the power of technology in form of NFC and RFID.

What are some printing techniques for labels?

As described before, numerous factors need to be considered when choosing the right material for your labelling and the same applies to glass-printing applications. In the blog post about labelling trends, MIRON Violetglass had a look at various labelling designs which could differentiate your luxury products from its competitors. One of those trends describes a need for timeless designs, in combination with bold letters and clear uncluttered layouts.

A primary label material for your cosmetic & skincare, natural healing, essential oils or "hemp" products is vinyl. Vinyl is not only flexible and moulds easily on bottles and jars in any form but is also able to withstand high heat and is impervious to moisture, oils and low pH or high acid foods. Your luxury products like essential oils or cosmetics will also benefit from labelling materials that are laminated and are made from synthetic materials like polyester. Unlaminated paper as an example could discolour as it absorbs oils easily.

A well-suited printing technique hereby is digital prints. Digital prints provide the flexibility of automatization, customization and last-minute changes as all that is needed are digital art files. Digital printing on the glassworks like a regular inkjet printer and is quick and easy, which makes it a great option for prototyping and labels which are market-ready in no time. Light or pastel colours however require multiple layers of paint to achieve a sufficient result of opacity which can ultimately lead to an increased thickness. Digital printing nonetheless allows for multiple different colours to be printed at once and continue to be developed in order to accommodate even more types of inks.

There is no need to worry anymore about the different types of labelling materials with the currently most growing trend in printing techniques: Silk screen printing. Large designs, a variety of ink colours to pick from and infinite design possibilities are a given, with silk screen printing on glass. Rich and vivid labelling results are hereby achieved by applying a direct screen-imprinting process where special-coloured inks are applied directly to the glass surface after which they are dried under specialized UV light exposure. Silkscreen printing on glass offers a high-end premium aesthetic look for any market, reaching from food & drinks, medical bottle labelling, "hemp" products, cosmetic and skincare jars & bottles and many more. Another trend in relation so silk-screen printing on glass are special effects, such as ‘high builds’ which provides your label designs with an embossed, tactile effect.

Is Smart-Labels the solutions for counterfeit?

The fight against the forgery of products has experienced increased demand during the last years. Recent studies revealed that the global market for anti-counterfeit is expected to surpass $208.3 billion by 2023.  The need to prevent the forgery of packaged products has hereby risen due to the rise of E-Commerce platforms and constant technological developments. Multiple industries are hereby impacted, such as the food & drinks, pharmaceuticals or cosmetics & skincare segments, to just name a few. Counterfeit products can hereby dramatically influence the brand revenue, reputation and in the worst-case scenario, even the health of the consumer. It is, therefore, crucial to stay one step ahead with anti-counterfeit solutions which can be provided by new advances in labelling techniques. Your packaging and unique labelling are hereby one of your best options for customers to recognize and verify the legitimacy of your brand. After all, it is of utmost importance that the trust between your customers and your brands' authenticity is protected. Smart labels such as NFC (Near-Field Communication) and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) can hereby act as a solution.

But what exactly are NFC and RFID?

The two acronyms might be confusing at first but simply put, both are global wireless or rather contactless communication techniques. You probably have encountered these technologies in your daily life’s already if you have ever paid with your smartphone or entered a store with an anti-theft proof entrance. RFID was introduced around the 1980s with the goal in mind to improve the usage of printed barcodes, which were herewith used to track the inventory throughout supply chains. RFID’s are very similar to barcodes, as they store and transmit to so-called identifiers.

The RFID systems, therefore, consist out of a ‘reader’ with an antenna, and a ‘responder’ a tag. The difference between barcodes and RFID’s however, is that the one-way transmission of data between the reader and the responder is wireless. Nowadays there are two types of RFID’s that can influence the reading range of the tags: Passive ones which don’t require a power source and active ones which do require one. The RFID tags themselves are cheap, small and flexible and can come in many shapes and forms. In relation to the product life cycle, RFID provides a great solution for inventory tracking and location logistic functions. Meaning, when the product is made, shipped, stored in warehouses and delivered to stores. Moreover, it is a great asset for loss-prevention purposes. Beyond the point of purchase, however, NFC comes into place.

We believe that NFC can become the next generation of content channels. Instead of cluttering your label with information about your product, imagine how your customer could just simply scan the NFC tag and get a direct link to your website or other platforms. NFC, therefore, allows for better purchase and post-purchase experience for customers, through the product itself.

Whether you’re thinking about changing your label or not, as we look into the future together, MIRON Violetglass believes that staying up to date with current innovations and developments is always beneficial. We’re always happy to answer any questions you might have and to connect you with our partners. After all, your unique products deserve the best packaging solutions and labelling there is.