Avery Dennison - linerless

We’re unlocking the possibilities for
a decorative linerless future
 

Avery Dennison - HVS

Vladimir Tyulpin
Market Segment Leader - Premium Solutions

Avery Dennison’s Vladimir Tyulpin, Market Segment Leader - Premium Solutions, discusses how with our full solution approach, we're partnering with converters, applicator OEM suppliers, and other key industry suppliers to further develop the entire decorative linerless ecosystem.

 

Label waste has been a challenge for the labeling industry for decades, with millions of tons of waste sent to landfills and incinerators every year. Through initiatives such as our AD Circular program and industry efforts like CELAB, we can all help reduce label waste. But the best  solution — for our industry and for the planet — is to remove liners altogether where possible.

While linerless labels have been around for a long time in various formats, real growth in decorative linerless has been limited due to the need for significant capital investment in specialized equipment. There have also been concerns about slower application speeds, label placement and detection accuracy as well as limitations in graphic decoration, release coatings, adhesive selection and material choices. This has led to some market resistance to change.

However, more recently, the interest level and adoption of linerless technologies has increased significantly for a number of reasons. The desire to be more sustainable and reduce waste while increasing productivity relative to conventional labels are the primary drivers. And as technology continues to develop, more and more solutions are becoming available. Some of the traditional limitations for both decorative and variable information linerless labels, such as application speed, placement accuracy and compatibility with printing equipment, are being tackled and overcome.

 

Avery Dennison - linerless

 

Introducing decorative linerless technology from Avery Dennison

To address the longstanding challenge of conventional label waste and help move the packaging industry toward a more sustainable future, at Avery Dennison we’ve set ourselves the objective to create linerless decorative labels that are not only more sustainable but also high performing. 


Working closely with our specialist partner converters and applicator OEM suppliers, we’ve taken an innovative yet simplified approach using existing converting equipment and modified application equipment to offer decorative labels with a range of face materials and adhesives that can be applied accurately and at speed to a broad selection of containers.

 

Avery Dennison - linerless

Our pioneering decorative linerless solutions include AD LinrSave™ and AD LinrConvert™, the first generation of decorative linerless solutions enabled by our patented micro-perforation technology. With minimal effort and low to no capital cost, they’re easily integrated and ensure the functionality and shelf appeal of pressure-sensitive labels while significantly improving the CO2 and water footprint. 

Complementing our decorative linerless solutions, we also offer an efficient, high-performing, sustainable alternative for variable information (VI) labels: AD XeroLinr DT™ — our FSC-certified, phenol-free direct thermal label.  Born linerless from start to finish, and with sharp images and excellent resolution for barcode scanning and readability, AD XeroLinr DT can be used for a variety of applications — from logistics and e-commerce to in-store retail. Additionally, as part of our holistic offering, we produce our own hotmelt adhesive (S2045LL) that provides excellent adhesion on a wide range of rough cardboard surfaces. 

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Productivity benefits of linerless labels

Many end users often state their desire to reduce the environmental impact of their operations and supply chain. Our linerless labels do just that — we help customers and brand owners achieve their long-term sustainability goals so that together we can advance the circular economy. 

Benefits include:

  • Reduction of waste
    Less packaging waste goes into landfills or through other disposal methods (which also means less administrative work and less expense)

  • Sustainability
    30–50% less packaging weight means reduction in Scope 3 GHG emissions

  • Efficiency improvements
    Between 50–80% more labels per roll means less changeovers and less downtime

  • Seamless for consumers
    The same functionality and quality of printing

  • Increased safety
    No liners on the floor means less slip risk and hazard 

  • Holistic offer
    Proprietary, industry-leading adhesive technology such as AD CleanFlake and our AD Circular progam to ensure all waste liners are collected help achieve circularity goals

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Together, let’s make the future linerless

We’ve observed that the benefits of linerless labeling and the options available are becoming more widely accepted for a growing selection of market segments and applications — including home and personal care, wine and spirits, food and beverage, and even industrial applications. As the evolution continues, we’re seeing further advances in conversion, application technology and material development — leading to increased versatility, flexibility and, most importantly, more sustainable labeling for the future.

It’s clear that labels with liners are not disappearing right away, but linerless labels are definitely the future. As with electric vehicles, the more people that take the leap to make the switch to a more sustainable alternative, the stronger and more rapidly growing the infrastructure will become. By embracing next-generation decorative linerless technology and establishing a network of linerless applicators, we believe that together we can help drive adoption and facilitate further enhancements and developments that will help lower the carbon footprint. 

For these reasons and more, Avery Dennison is significantly investing in the development of a range of new technologically advanced solutions and capabilities to assist in the transition — and we will closely support all of our customers and end users to make the switch over time to more efficient, less wasteful linerless labels. We’re very excited about these new sustainable developments and are always here to help.

 

Ready to talk about your decorative linerless needs?

Joining the Avery Dennison decorative linerless program is easy. Together with our partners, we aim to make it as effortless as possible.