In short, a Green Label-Audit is a methodology that examines every aspect of your label and tag specifications with the view to improving their green credentials. It can be carried out with a specific objective, like waste reduction, in mind. Alternatively, your audit can focus on improving your carbon footprint more generally.
There are a surprising number of factors to consider when manufacturing your labels, which means there is usually plenty of scope for improvement too! Maintaining the correct balance between sustainability and label performance is vital. Therefore, trialling new label designs and materials before rolling out is paramount.
Here are the key factors that are considered during a Green Label-Audit:
Label Substrate
- Thinner label face materials – increases the number of labels on a roll and reduces external packaging, pallets and transport emissions
- Thinner backing paper – as with thinner face material, increases the number of labels on a roll and reduces external packaging requirements and transport emissions
- Materials from sustainable sources – preserves natural resources
- Materials with recycled content – reduces the use of virgin materials and supports the circular economy. Also minimises Plastic Packaging Tax.
- Recyclable materials – encourages packaging recycling by consumers, aids commercial recycling and supports the circular economy.
Label & Tag Design
- Reduce label size – reduces material usage, cuts label costs, reduces label weight and therefore transport costs
- Design multi-use tags – can reduce material usage and simplify processes
- Coreless label rolls – increases the number of labels on a roll, reduces material usage, label weight and therefore transportation emissions
- Optimise number of labels per roll – reduces use of label cores, reduces down time as fewer roll changes, can reduce external packaging, pallets and thereby transport emissions.
Label Manufacture
- Reduce gaps size between labels – reduces material wastage and cost
- LED cured inks – improved energy usage at manufacturing stage
- Environmentally aware label manufacturer – helps you meet your scope 3 carbon targets and keep costs down.
Green Audit Case Study
Piroto are at the forefront of improving label sustainability and performance. We have pioneered Green Label-Audits for many years. Here is an example of the improvements we have achieved for one food manufacturing customer:
- Thinner backing papers on allergen labels – achieving a cost reduction of 9% as well as carbon reduction
- Reduced tamper seal size plus a reduced gap size during manufacturing – achieving a 5.7% cost reduction, a significant material waste reduction as well as improved recyclability of the product packaging
- Reduced size of vegan product category label – 26% cost saving alongside carbon reduction
- Distribution tag length reduction – 11% cost saving plus material waste reduction.
The total savings
- Saving of 32.45 tonnes of waste per annum!
- Cost savings in the region of 10% per annum.
How does a Green Label-Audit work in practice?
Green Label-Audits are personalised to meet your requirements, time commitment and objectives. We find that the best results are achieved by following these steps:
- Informal chat (usually in person, on the ‘phone or on Teams) to understand your objectives
- In person visit to walk round your operation and understand label and tag usage and scope of the Audit
- Piroto technical team review your label and tag specifications in line with your objectives, then present options
- Discuss options with your team and agree on next steps. Options could range from simple tweaks to your label design to trialling new materials and processes.
- New labels and tags are rolled out. Plus, Piroto calculates the savings to your carbon footprint and any related cost savings.
You don’t need to be a Piroto customer to benefit from a free Green Label-Audit. Get in touch to learn more and see what you might save.