How do you create a label that sticks perfectly during transit but peels off without a trace when the package returns? The transition from ‘single-use’ to ‘circular’ is the next big shift in global retail packaging. In our latest case study, we dive into our collaboration with Ravioli Logistik, a pioneer in reusable shipping. We’ll show how specialized labels for reusable packaging allowed major retailers like Fielmann to adopt a zero-waste shipping flow without compromising on logistics or speed.
Why Standard Labels Fail in Sustainable e-Commerce Packaging
As e-commerce continues to boom, the environmental footprint of single-use cardboard has become impossible to ignore. Ravioli Logistik stepped in with a revolutionary reusable system, but they quickly faced a critical technical barrier: standard labelling solutions for circular packaging were either too permanent — damaging the reusable boxes — or too weak, causing shipping labels to fall off during transit.
To make the system work, the label solution had to meet a set of contradictory requirements:
- The surface had to provide enough grip for various types of standard shipping labels (AWB) used by different couriers.
- It was critical that the temporary shipping labels could be peeled off without leaving adhesive residue, which would otherwise collect dirt and damage the packaging’s appearance.
- The base label produced by Rottaprint had to stay permanently bonded to the Ravioli reusable packaging, resisting mechanical wear and temperature changes over repeated shipping cycles.
The Solution: High-Performance Labels for Reusable Packaging
Working in close synergy with Ravioli Logistik, Rottaprint developed a tailor-made labelling solution for circular packaging. Our goal was clear: to create a high-performance base label that acts as a permanent interface between the reusable packaging and any standard shipping label.
Through this partnership, we created a label that meets every technical need:
1. Adhesion to reusable packaging – Rottaprint’s experts have developed a label formula that creates a strong bond with the reusable material, ensuring it stays firmly in place even after exposure to various weather conditions or the mechanical friction encountered in sorting hubs.
2. The AWB peels off effortlessly – The top layer of the label features a surface that provides just enough initial grip to keep courier AWBs securely in place, while still allowing them to be removed without any effort — leaving clean, residue-free labels for the end consumer or the warehouse team.
The performance of these labels for reusable packaging was made possible through a close collaboration between Ravioli and the Rottaprint team, built on a detailed understanding of the entire journey the label goes through, the development and testing of the right formulas for the application, and the continuous optimisation of the solution based on results obtained in real-world conditions — all to ensure the functionality and reliability needed throughout every stage of the reuse cycle.
Additionally, the label found inside the box integrates unique variable QR codes, allowing each reusable packaging unit to be individually identified and tracked across multiple shipping cycles.
The Result: Circular Shipping Working in the Real World
By developing the labels for reusable packaging, Rottaprint has made a significant contribution to the functionality and success of Ravioli Logistik’s innovative system. The labelling solution developed ensures the efficient operation of this sustainable logistics model, turning a complex technical challenge into an operational advantage.
The implementation of this labelling solution for circular packaging has led to:
- Decrease in single-use cardboard and plastic packaging consumption across the e-commerce supply chain.
- Faster warehouse operations by minimizing errors caused by failing or unreadable shipping labels.
- Faster refurbishment of the packaging — quick removal of the old label, a clean surface for the new one, and it’s ready for the next customer.
- A lower carbon footprint throughout the entire value chain, supporting long-term sustainability goals.
- Full traceability enabled by unique identification codes printed on the inner label, enabling transparent logistics, accurate return-flow tracking, and efficient inventory management throughout the entire packaging lifecycle.
- A clean, professional look that demonstrates the brand’s commitment to sustainability directly to the end consumer through every unboxing.
Because circular packaging requires unique technical specifications, we treat every project individually. View our product capabilities and contact us so we can find the perfect high-performance labeling solution for your business.
