If you’ve ordered takeout or delivery food in the past two years (and who hasn’t?), you have likely noticed new methods to demonstrate that your food is “safe.” The most common application is a sticker that seals the bag or container. If your order arrives and the sticker is ripped, it’s a sign that someone may have handled your food after it left the kitchen. In addition to giving you peace of mind, this is a simple example of tamper-evident labels, which are becoming more prevalent and necessary in many industries – not just food service. In this article, we’ll dig into applications for tamper-evident labels and the benefits of using 3M™ tamper-evident materials.

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that there’s nothing more valuable than our health. That’s why products used to deliver medical care deserve special attention. Every component, down to the label on the product, needs to ensure the highest level of safety and performance. For many product teams, healthcare labels aren’t the foremost concern – but they’re a critical feature that must be designed, printed, and applied correctly in order to communicate important (and sometimes lifesaving) information about the medical product.

In the world of product design and manufacturing, rarely is there a one-size-fits-all approach. After all, it’s called custom materials converting for a reason. However, when it comes to creating durable labels, there’s a single product line that is often a great starting point regardless of your application or environment. Here at Tapecon, many of our customers are thrilled to learn about 3M™ Versatile Print Label Material and how it can be used for a wide range of durable labels.

By now, most companies understand the importance of a sustainability plan – the challenge is knowing where to start. Labels and packaging are often a reasonable entry point into sustainable manufacturing since they contribute to a high level of waste. Plus, modifying these items rarely directly impacts the quality or performance of the primary product, resulting in lower risk. Here are three relatively simple ways to improve the recyclability of your labels and packaging through more sustainable materials selection and printing techniques.

When making a product, it’s always important to keep the user in mind. This target audience could be quite specific for a medical device or broad for a consumer product. However, as the effects of climate change continue to emerge, product designers and OEMs must consider a much larger audience – all 7.6 billion people in the world. Improving the sustainability of products and packaging plays a significant role in reducing the environmental impact that will affect us all and future generations. 

When designing a new medical device, you may work with the mindset of, “It’s what’s inside that counts.” Sure, the inner workings and technology are essential to the product’s functionality, but external factors are also important. That includes an often-overlooked feature of medical devices – labeling. Creating medical device labeling is very different – and more challenging – than printing labels for other non-regulated products. However, it’s a critical step in getting your device to market and into the hands of your customers.

When the printing press was invented in the 15th century, it revolutionized the world with the ability to reproduce printed material in mass quantities. However, as the business landscape has become more complex and segmented in the 21st century, a new need has emerged to create unique printed pieces at scale. While this would have sounded impossible a few decades ago, it’s now possible thanks to another revolutionary technology – variable data printing (VDP).

It’s wise not to judge a book by its cover. But it’s also prudent not to ignore important safety warnings found on many products, packaging, and transportation containers.

While developing a product, a label may be the last component you think about – but it is often the first one your user will see or experience. For this reason, and more, creating the right label should not be an afterthought. In fact, with the right partner, a high-quality printed label can enhance your product in many ways.