DataLase has launched a clear-to-white coating for plastic bottles designed to replace conventional labels and reduce overall packaging material use. The development responds to growing industry efforts to eliminate film and paper labels while maintaining required product information, traceability and on-shelf visibility.
The coating is designed for application through spray-coating units integrated into high-speed bottling lines. It is suitable for PET, PP and PC bottles and has been developed for beverage, personal care and pharmaceutical packaging applications. Once applied, the coated bottle surface can be laser-imaged using CO₂, fibre or UV lasers to produce a high-opacity white image on a clear background.
According to the company, the process removes the need for inks, labels and other consumables during imaging, while enabling consistent print quality at production speeds. The laser-imaged surface supports QR codes, nutritional information, regulatory content, brand identifiers and date or lot coding, delivering functionality equivalent to traditional labels.
Ally Grant, chief technology officer at DataLase, said: “Brands are under increasing pressure to reduce packaging waste while maintaining the functionality and quality consumers expect. Our label-free coating enables both. By removing inks, films and paper labels entirely, we’re not only helping manufacturers cut material use and simplify their operations, but also enabling a level of flexibility and personalisation that traditional labelling can’t match.”
The company states that the coating can help reduce the number of stock keeping units, improve equipment uptime and lower warehousing requirements by removing label inventories from the supply chain. This simplification is intended to reduce sourcing complexity and associated environmental impacts.
The coating is heat, water, scuff and rub resistant, supporting durability throughout filling, distribution and handling. It is formulated to comply with regulations for non-direct food contact packaging. DataLase positions the solution as a label-free option that combines waste reduction, operational efficiency and compliance within existing bottling environments.