Direct thermal linerless labels

Boost your process efficiency and sustainability by choosing linerless labels.

Sustainable linerless labels with established worldwide distribution network

UPM Raflatac offers you the largest global distribution network for direct thermal linerless products. With our global expertise in conventional and linerless labeling, and close relationships with major OEM’s and other value chain partners, we can increase your labeling efficiency and assist you through the process smoothly. Feel free to contact our experts with any questions about your labeling application, material choices, technical performance, sustainability or global compliance.

Excellent adhesion and clean cut with UPM Raflatac OptiCut™

When excellent adhesion and good guillotine properties are required, the answer is UPM Raflatac's innovative Linerless OptiCut solution. OptiCut combines excellent adhesion with minimum adhesive build-up to an automatic cutting knife in linerless printers and application lines preventing paper jamming and improving print quality. We have developed OptiCut solutions for all major direct thermal linerless end use environments.

Meet end use requirements fully

Enabling excellent adhesion with clean cut to cardboards and in low temperature applications

Minimize service spend

Lengthening weighing scales, printers and application lines service cycle

Maximize uptime

Together with long maintenance cycle and less reel changes

Talk to our experts to learn more about OptiCut solutions

What is Direct Thermal (DT) Linerless label?

Put simply, DT Linerless is a tape with adhesive on the reverse and silicone on top. It is a flexible and sustainable alternative to conventional pressure-sensitive label materials that still offers the same scanning and traceability properties.

DT Linerless is ideal for retail, food and logistics labeling as well as any other applications where optimal thermal printability and adhesion combined with a clean cut is required.

Key benefits of linerless labels

UPM Raflatac Direct Thermal Linerless labels are designed for demanding conditions. They are available in all main core sizes.

Increased efficiency, same performance

Increase uptime, reduce the need for roll changes and minimize storage with up to three quarters more running meters per roll. In addition, these labels maintain the same scanning and traceability properties as linered labels while using less raw materials. This means they can be shipped more efficiently without compromising on performance.

Save in material and processing

DT Linerless labels can be cut to any length, lowering your material costs by reducing your need to stock a variety of sizes while consolidating stock keeping units. Using linerless materials eliminates the handling and processing of the disposal of liner waste.

Always the right size

Products require different label sizes to meet different information requirements. Size needs can vary right up to the point of printing. DT Linerless labels are a flexible alternative as they can be cut to any length, eliminating the need to maintain label stocks of different sizes.

Certified and a part of greener future

UPM Raflatac DT Linerless originates from FSC™ certified sources which have a proven positive impact on forests and their contribution to wellbeing. In addition, they are using around 40% less paper than comparable pressure-sensitive label materials with liner and lacking liner waste handling costs. Sourcing from sustainably managed forests protects wildlife, helps mitigate climate change and improves the quality of water. Our DT Linerless are not only BPA but also Total Phenol free.

Our FSC license code is FSC C012530.

Linerless labels product ranges

UPM Raflatac Linerless SUPER

Great for weighing scales

Linerless SUPER range is designed for general purpose direct thermal labels and it’s available in all main core sizes. The main use areas are in retail weigh-scales and backroom applications as well as in food industry, where good thermal printability, cuttability and initial tack are required. We use clean cut technology that minimizes adhesive residue and lengthens the service cycle of the scales.

UPM Raflatac Linerless LOGISTICS

Great for rough surfaces

Linerless LOGISTICS is a range of direct thermal linerless label products with reliable adhesion designed for logistic industry like rough surfaces of corrugated boards. The labels are available in all main core sizes.

UPM Raflatac Linerless HOT

Great for hot products

Linerless HOT is a range of direct thermal linerless labels used in retail and food industry. They are perfect for products that require high heat resistance, like food package labels stored in hot cabinets, in bain-maries or under the heat source. With the UPM Raflatac Linerless HOT, labels stay white and the EAN code remains crispy for reading and scanning. The labels are available in all main core sizes.

upm-raflatac-direct-thermal-linerless-labeling-food-chicken-1000px.jpg

UPM Raflatac Linerless COLD

Great for low temperatures

Linerless COLD is a range of direct thermal linerless labels used in industrial food packaging. The range’s adhesive chemistry is built for extreme demands and fits with dedicated dispensers used at food packaging lines. Linerless COLD range combines aggressive adhesion even at -20°C with minimal adhesive residue to cutter knives on the application line resulting in maximized uptime. The COLD range is also ideal for labeling prepacked frozen food products in chill environments. The labels are available in all main core sizes.

UPM Raflatac Linerless TO-GO

Great for packaging

Linerless TO-GO range is designed to improve process efficiency and order accuracy in quick service restaurants and other take away sales environments. These direct thermal linerless labels are developed to stick, peel and re-label on different packaging materials. They maintain reliability in various conditions which typically occur in the QSR environment, like heat and moist and are available in all main core sizes.

Boost your sustainability

UPM Raflatac DT Linerless is sold as FSC Mix Credit under our FSC certificate SGSCHCOC-004879. The product is made of material from well-managed FSC certified forests and other controlled sources. By choosing this forest positive product, you are supporting responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC certified forests are managed with attention to maintenance, restoration and conservation of forest ecosystem services, including the forests’ role as net removers of CO₂ from the atmosphere. This forest certification scheme is recommended by WWF and many other NGO’s.

Choose a certified linerless label

UPM Raflatac Linerless products' carbon footprint calculation has been certified by the Carbon Trust

The range demonstrates this by carrying the CO2 MEASURED logo. We can provide you credible and reliable calculations showing a marked reduction in carbon footprint compared to linered alternative. Our calculations are based on UPM Raflatac's LCA study, externally verified, and performed based on the guiding principles laid out in ISO 14040/44 and PAS 2050 standards.

Reach out to us for the carbon footprint calculation and comparison to linered labels!

UPM Raflatac Linerless range is certified as CarbonNeutral® product by Climate Impact Partners

While we continue to reduce our carbon footprint, we also compensate for the unavoidable GHG emissions through projects that reduce or avoid carbon emissions.

Experts in global legislation

The manufacturing sites which are used to make our Direct Thermal Linerless labels are certified to ISO 22000:2018 Food Safety Management System to assure that we meet the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) for Food Contact Materials. UPM Raflatac qualified adhesives used to manufacture various Direct Thermal Linerless labels can be used in compliance with the requirements of U.S. FDA 21 CFR § 175.105 (a)(2) – Adhesives. If you have any questions about your local or international legislation requirements, please contact our experts. We can help you make informed decisions by offering knowledge of global legislature across the globe, including Americas, EU and China. We also offer unrivalled sustainability expertise and quick troubleshooting help.

How to contact or order?

We want you to get the most out of your order. Our experts are eager to help you with any needs or questions regarding our offering and services. Feel free to contact us with any questions about your labeling application, material choices, technical performance, sustainability or global compliance.

We are here to help

News and stories

Read how UPM Raflatac Direct Thermal Linerless labels have helped others boost efficiency, increase cost-effectiveness and raise their sustainability credentials.

News | 11/22/2022 15:00:00 | 3 min

UPM Raflatac helps brands increase efficiency and hit sustainability goals with expanded OptiCut^™ Linerless Label portfolio

News | 05/10/2022 07:00:00 | 5 min

UPM Raflatac extends its CarbonNeutral^® product portfolio – the whole Linerless product range is now certified as a CarbonNeutral^® product

Story | 05/09/2022 10:00:00 | 5 min

Going carbon neutral

Blog | 05/09/2022 08:59:00 | 4 min

To reach carbon neutrality, the imperative is to act now

News | 05/03/2022 15:00:00 | 3 min

UPM Raflatac Qualifies with Epson’s Newest Liner-free Compatible Thermal Label Printer

News | 01/26/2022 09:00:00 | 3 min

The Carbon Trust has certified the carbon footprint of UPM Raflatac’s Linerless products

End-use possibilities of Linerless

When looking at the whole range of our offering, we can provide direct thermal linerless labels for almost any need, but our focus is in retail, logistics, food service and industrial food packing.

Retail

In this environment you can really benefit from variable label lengths. Each linerless label can be exactly the length of printed information. This saves costs and enables the easy application of product specific information. With preprinted labels you can add elements like company logos to the label or use eye-catching colours to grab attention.

Linerless mobile printers for product and shelf marking have become common in the supermarket environment. They are a good way to boost efficiency and improve user experience. UPM Raflatac has a full linerless portfolio with permanent and removable adhesives for all retail and supermarket applications.

Logistics

Linerless labeling is an efficient way to track and trace labels for products in manufacturing industry, logistics and distribution. They are applied either manually or by utilizing automatic dispensers, which are an efficient solution to label large package or pallet flows.

Linerless label printers can easily be connected to current IT systems, replacing conventional label printers. Mobile printers are becoming more popular for their quick and efficient labeling in warehouses and logistic distribution. UPM Raflatac offers a full linerless portfolio from handheld mobile printers to fully automatized high-speed pallet or box labeling with removable or permanent adhesives.

Food service and take-away

The most common linerless point-of-sale applications today are in fast food restaurants, and these are increasing at an exponential rate. Linerless labels bring efficiency, order accuracy and waste minimization to quick service restaurants and for take away sales in general.

Linerless labels function like a receipt with glue, but unlike conventional labels, the length can vary based on consumer’s order. Linerless printers are easy to operate and due to their compact size, they fit easily in the kitchen. Linerless labels also help support brand owner’s sustainability targets.

Industrial food packing

In industrial food packaging applications, DT Linerless is ideal for labeling the product packaging with ingredients, other required nutritional information or additional information like language versions.

While the amount and content of the information may change between labeling jobs, the label roll itself stays the same, enabling efficiency gains on packaging lines by avoiding the need for reel changes.

We serve you globally

UPM Raflatac Direct Thermal Linerless can be distributed around the world through our global distribution network. Our worldwide terminal network can be easily and quickly utilized, and when the material is in terminal warehouse, customer delivery is fast and efficient. Ask us about our cooperation with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) around the world.

Direct Thermal Linerless labels