The jury is no longer out on sustainability in the business world — in fact, judgement was rendered some time ago. Between government mandates and consumer preferences, companies are scrambling to find new and better ways to lessen their environmental impact.

But instead of thinking big, sweeping changes like an EV fleet switchover, or 100% solar-powered facilities, warehouses and manufacturers can find a much quicker environmental win: linerless shipping labels.

The concept is simple: using self-adhesive shipping labels that don’t come with a liner backing. This does a couple of things immediately. Tons of waste from the liners on the label rolls goes away; more labels can be printed with the same amount of thermal paper, and the operational process becomes more efficient.

A Brief History of Linerless Labels

Linerless labels were introduced in the 1990s as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional pressure-sensitive labels. The appeal was clear: No release liner, less waste and lower shipping and storage costs for manufacturers and distributors.

Early adoption faced challenges from technical constraints, particularly with label curling, inconsistent adhesive control and printer compatibility. Stock availability was also a limiting factor, as major paper companies had not yet jumped in.

In the 2000s and into the 2010s, advances in materials science led to more reliable adhesives that could be zone-coated — that is, only applied where needed. This reduced sticking and jamming in printers.

At the same time, improvements in label topcoats made linerless rolls more durable and printable using direct thermal technology, expanding their use in retail and logistics.

OEM and Paper Company Buy-In

Prior to 2015, only a few specialized, niche label printer manufacturers offered linerless-capable models, often custom or low-volume devices. Adoption was constrained due to concerns about adhesive buildup and an inconsistent feed. 

Major manufacturers then began to invest more in linerless compatibility, producing desktop models, particularly to support food service and retail applications. From 2015 onward, paper giants like Avery Dennison and UPM Raflatac began R&D investment into linerless materials, setting the stage for a mass-market push.

Printer technology also advanced after 2018, with newer models that featured cutter assemblies and anti-adhesive coating to handle linerless media more reliably.

Demand for linerless labels accelerated during the pandemic era e-commerce boom and increasing government sustainability directives. Adoption paced ahead in the EU compared to the U.S., due to the former’s stricter environmental mandates on reducing packaging waste. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is one such example. 

In recent years, printer manufacturers have expanded support across product types, from desktop to mobile and industrial. This has created a virtuous circle: More compatible printers create greater demand, leading to increased production from paper companies, more investment in label technology from OEMs and integrators, broader use cases (including retail, grocery, 3PLs, manufacturing and parcel shipping) and more success stories.

“Ultimately, we need to look after this planet, so that has increased demand, and with it, investments in printer technology,” says Rene Schrama, chief technology officer of Peak Technologies, a supply chain and mobility systems integrator. “Therefore, the overall cost of production has come down to a point where it becomes economically possible for a company to switch from the traditional printing method to linerless.” 

The Benefits of Linerless Labels

The benefits of linerless labels fall into three main categories: environmental, economic and efficiency.

Environmental. This is the most obvious plus of linerless label technology. The ability to eliminate media waste from label liners is a huge benefit for companies and for the environment. An estimated 370,000 tons of liner waste ends up in U.S. landfills each year, according to IPS Packaging & Automation.

“By not having to worry about taking care of the waste on the other side of it, it makes a lot of sense to go the linerless route, and customers are starting to see that,” says Matt Sterner, global customer marketing leader of transportation, logistics and warehousing for Honeywell.

The global technology company has been increasing its investment in and development of industrial linerless printers over the past five years as demand has grown, Sterner says. “Building linerless capability into our printers within the warehouse and manufacturing space is where it makes sense.”

Matthew Hayes, print and media business development manager for Peak Technologies, says many companies that have been looking for big environmental gains have started to realize that going linerless is an easy win that pays immediate dividends.

“That's the key thing,” Hayes says. “All these companies have these sustainability reports, and a lot of them say, we’ll be carbon neutral by 2030. They tend to look at things like electric vehicles and lighting and water capture, but don't think of that little old sticky label.”

Economic. As market dynamics have brought the cost per unit of linerless labels down to near parity with traditional media, the environmental factor becomes that much more compelling. To meet increasing demand, investments in linerless technology have brought the overall cost of production to the point where it becomes economically feasible for a company to switch from traditional labels. “It’s not that the technology wasn't there,” Schrama says. “It’s purely a case of supply and demand.”

Because liners have been removed from the equation, more labels can be produced from the same amount of media stock. “You don't have that liner that the labels are sticking to, so you can get more labels per roll,” Sterner says. “It totally makes sense from that perspective.”

Efficiency. In e-commerce fulfillment, there’s a perennial quest for more and better ways to gain efficiency and thereby cut costs. Even a slight reduction in average order-cycle time flows directly to the bottom line.

In this regard, linerless labels have an operational benefit. Using them takes two to three seconds less per unit through thermal label printers because there’s no liner to peel and handle. Eliminating liner handling mechanisms reduces mechanical steps, increasing labeling speed by up to 25%.

Linerless rolls hold up to 50% more labels per roll, depending on the thickness and die cut. That means fewer roll changes and less manual intervention, a lower risk of misfeeds or errors, and better uptime for labeling machines. This is particularly valuable for high-throughput pick/pack/ship lines, where stoppages cost time and money.

Fewer roll changes and eliminating the need to gather and dispose of the piles of liner waste also increase labor efficiency and lower costs. Hayes says these factors become part of the ROI equation.

How does that labor savings offset the total cost of ownership? “There's always that conversation to help them and demonstrate how they will benefit operationally,” Hayes says. “The efficiency gains and the offset it will have from a cost perspective will only grow as we continue to put more product into the market.”

The Future of Labeling Is Linerless

A few years back, companies that wanted to make a commitment to sustainability using linerless labels faced various headwinds: inferior products, higher per-unit costs and a lack of supply. Now that those issues have been dealt with through technology investments and increased production, the arguments for switching to linerless have become extremely compelling.

Linerless labeling has matured into a practical, cost-effective solution for e-commerce fulfillment. Thanks to hardware advances and increased paper supply, it now delivers both sustainability and speed without tradeoffs. 

Major investments by label and paper manufacturers have stabilized availability and lowered costs, making the switch more appealing. For high-volume operations seeking efficiency and a lower environmental impact, linerless represents a smart, scalable upgrade with measurable ROI.

Resource Links:

https://www.peaktech.com/

https://www.honeywell.com/us/en