For any product on the shelf at the grocery store, in an electronics shop, or in a hair salon, the label on the container will tell a consumer everything he or she wants to know. From the brand name, to the potential side effects, to how to use the product, the label says it all.

Without a clear label, consumers will be less likely to pick up a can of hairspray or buy a battery for their camera. The reason for this is that consumers are always looking for products that they can trust, as well as ones that stand out to them, both visually and informatively. For this reason, companies go to great lengths to procure the best labels to brand their products.

In mold labeling is rising in popularity in the U.S., and has been part of the European manufacturing industry for a while, but still only comprises about 2% of the world’s labeling industry, according to the Alexander Watson Associates Global In-Mold Label Market Study 2013. The in mold labeling process involves placing the label in the mold before a container is formed, which often saves companies time and money on outsourcing labeling.

Here are few other advantages of using in mold labels.

• Quicker Manufacturing. With any product, the manufacturing time can be lengthy depending on its size. During this time, it is fairly common for companies to produce packaging labels, either using shrink sleeve labels, pressure sensitive labels, or adhesive labels to brand the product, which means the product must be sent to another facility. But this adds to the amount of time it takes for products to hit the shelves. When in mold labels are used, the output is much faster, as every part of the process is handled in one place, reducing the time of distribution.
• Enhanced Graphics. When products are sent in bulk to distributors, they are often shipped in crates, boxes, or large containers to be stocked on store shelves. With adhesive packaging labels or traditional food product labels, there is a higher chance of damage during transport, which can severely hamper the visual quality of the label. With in mold packaging labels, the graphics have already been incorporated into the container’s mold, making it harder for the label to sustain damage. This also allows for the graphics and text to remain bold and bright, which could potentially attract more consumers.
• Green Construction. As compared to pressure sensitive labels, one study shows that in mold labels save up to 50% in materials during production. Also, because the label is placed in the mold from the beginning of the process, it can be recycled at any time along with the container. These containers can then be reused to create other ones, and this can minimizes the amount of petroleum and natural resources used to manufacture more labels.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of using in mold labeling is the fact that a lot of people reuse plastic containers for their own storage purposes. This essentially displays a brand in a consumer’s name for a long time without significant wear to the label. As a result, a company could retain more customers, and attract others who see these reused containers at a friend’s house. Higher exposure could subsequently equal higher profits.