BY KATIE FORSYTHE
Durable labels present substantial revenue potential for label distributors and converters. Industry experts estimate the global durable label market was valued at $2.5 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a strong CAGR of 6.3%. As demand for resilient labeling solutions rises across industries, converters that focus on innovation, quality, and customer collaboration will be best positioned to secure a larger share of this expanding market.
Durable labels play key roles in product safety, security, branding and tracking. Here are some of the industries that utilize durable labels.
Vehicle manufacturers apply labels to both assembled products and individual components, providing crucial safety instructions, usage guidelines, and essential identification and tracking information.
In industrial settings, labels are essential for tracking equipment and ensuring worker safety. Examples include labels identifying hazardous chemicals, restricted areas, or dangerous electrical equipment.
On construction sites, labels play a vital role in providing instructions, warnings, and equipment tracking. Machinery labels offer essential safety reminders, such as checking for overhead power lines, while also helping monitor equipment maintenance and usage.
Labels manufacturing tools often include UL certifications, product IDs, and consumer safety warnings. Labels also serve as branding and marketing tools.
Utility infrastructure relies on labels for hazard warnings and to identify pipes, wires, and meters.
Transportation companies use labels for legally mandated warnings, equipment identification, and maintenance tracking.
Labels on playground and recreational equipment provide safety and maintenance information. They can also direct visitors, designate parking, and grant access passes.
Outdoor logistics areas depend on labels just as much as indoor warehouses. These include safety and equipment identification labels, along with durable barcode and directional labels built to withstand outdoor conditions.
While not immediately obvious, some consumer goods need durable labels. Products like sporting equipment and sunscreen bottles may face prolonged exposure to solvents, UV rays or temperature changes.
If a label construction isn’t right for the application, it can wrinkle, peel or even fall off. In these cases, it can lead to safety issues, regulatory problems, poor communication and negative branding. Here are some considerations for the environment to ensure your customers label can endure.
Direct sunlight can significantly affect label durability. UV rays break down the chemical bonds in inks, causing fading or bleaching, particularly in bright colors such as reds, yellows, and oranges. This fading is especially problematic for safety labels that rely on vibrant colors for visibility and communication. It can also diminish the quality of logos and branding, impacting brand perception. Prolonged sun exposure can also lead to discoloration, cracking, peeling, or shrinking of label materials, while certain adhesives, like rubber-based ones, may deteriorate when exposed to UV light.
Extreme temperatures, either hot or cold, can cause significant performance issues for labels during and after application. Labels can peel off, curl, or pucker, often due to changes in adhesive properties under extreme temperatures. For instance, high temperatures may cause adhesives to ooze, while freezing conditions can lead to changes in humidity, ice formation, and frost. Temperature fluctuations, such as freezing and thawing, can cause both label materials and the labeled objects to expand and contract, which may result in stretching or puckering of the label.
Water in any form—rain, humidity, snow, or sea spray—can be highly damaging to durable labels. Moisture can degrade paper-based labels, breaking down their structure and leading to tearing or disintegration. Moisture may compromise adhesive performance if it gets underneath the label or also cause smudging or running of printed text. It also can affect unwanted peeling.
In many industries, labels are frequently exposed to oils, alcohols, and cleaning agents. These solvents and chemicals can degrade label materials, smudge or erase printed information, and weaken adhesives. This resistance ensures that critical information—such as safety warnings, handling instructions, and product identification—remains legible and secure over time, even in challenging environments.
Durable labels are susceptible to wear from abrasion caused by direct contact (such as containers rubbing against each other) or by dust and debris carried by the wind. Abrasion can lead to scuffing and scratches that restricts print clarity and can gradually wear down the label's structure over time.
Facestocks
Although there are exceptions, most durable labels do not use a paper facestock. Instead, synthetic materials like polyester, polypropylene, and vinyl are preferred for their resistance to abrasion and flexibility, allowing them to expand and contract with temperature and moisture fluctuations.
Inks
The choice of ink depends on the label's intended environment, with UV, solvent, or fade-resistant inks often necessary for durability. In some cases, applying additional ink layers can help extend the image’s lifespan.
Coatings
Laminates and varnishes can be added to provide additional protection by helping screen out harmful UV rays, create an additional barrier to resist scratching and scuffing and add additional chemical resistance or water proofing.
Adhesives
Durable labels feature specially formulated adhesives built to endure extreme conditions. Permanent adhesives provide a secure bond, ensuring labels remain attached even in harsh industrial environments. For rough or textured surfaces, aggressive adhesives offer superior adhesion, while solvent-resistant adhesives are ideal for applications exposed to oils or cleaning agents.
Some specialized durable labels must comply with outside standards in terms of their materials, information and construction.
UL labels appear on a wide range of consumer and industrial equipment, serving as proof that Underwriters Laboratory has certified the product for safety. Beyond product requirements, the labels themselves must also meet rigorous standards.
UL labels must adhere to strict guidelines for materials, performance, content, and layout. The design and format must be reviewed to ensure compliance, and only UL-approved suppliers listed in the UL database are authorized to print labels featuring the UL Mark.
Participants in the UL Authorized Label Supplier Program have undergone their own testing process with UL to ensure the materials and printing process of their labels will stand up to the end-use conditions. These approved suppliers also undergo ongoing reviews and inspections to ensure that they continue to adhere to UL label standards.
GHS, or the Globally Harmonized System of the Classification and Labeling of Chemicals was developed by the UN beginning in 1992, for workers throughout the world to easily identify dangerous substances in a standardized process. Additionally, GHS labels need to meet certain requirements for quality and durability.
GHS is not a global law but instead includes recommendations that countries can choose to incorporate into their own jurisdiction of chemical management systems and regulations. More than 65 countries have adopted GHS, including the U.S. in 2012, when OSHA adopted their standards.
Companies transporting dangerous goods overseas are subject to International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) regulations, that include labeling requirements for hazardous chemicals.
These requirements include the use of durable labels as defined by British Standard 5609 (BS5609). BS5609 compliant labels include stringent testing and must be able to remain intact and legible after a three-month submersion in salt water.
The testing also involves simulating marine conditions such as: prolonged saltwater submersion, simulated salt spray, changes in temperature, and UV exposure. Compliant labels are subjected to two categories of testing. BS5609 Section 2 tests the durability of the label base materials (such as facestock, adhesive and any additional topcoats), while BS5609 Section 3 tests the durability of the label once it is printed to test the durability of the print process.
In the durable label market, experienced team members and label experts are invaluable assets for converters and distributors. While durable labels share some common traits, they vary widely in size, shape, and appearance—each with unique demands for durability, legibility, and performance.
Success in this market requires knowledgeable professionals who can select the ideal printing method, materials, inks, and coatings. Their expertise ensures labels meet customer requirements before production even begins, reducing errors and enhancing quality.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution for durable labels. For optimal success, converters must have the right equipment and access to diverse materials to stay adaptable.
For some customers, large flexographic runs provide the most cost-effective and efficient option. For others, digital printing offers greater flexibility, precision, and efficiency. Digital production is especially advantageous for small runs and frequently updated designs, allowing for quick, economical customization.
Many durable labels contain extensive information, making high-resolution digital printing essential for sharp, readable barcodes, warnings, and graphics that meet regulatory requirements.
Material flexibility is just as important. To meet evolving customer needs, converters must build strong relationships with multiple material suppliers, ensuring they can provide the right label solution for every application.
The most successful durable label companies are those who take the time to nurture strong partnerships with customers – understanding the specific environments their labels will face and providing the production flexibility to meet those needs.
When considering the best type of label for a job, it's important to ask your customers the right questions about their needs. Do they need labels that offer versatility or temperature resistance? Does the product or environment have a lot of moisture that can damage the label? Is the goal for it to last a long time? Contact us, and our label industry experts can help you answer these questions and choose the materials to build the best and most durable label for your customer's job.
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