Iconex combines RFID with linerless labelling

Iconex has launched Iconex Connect, a patent-pending RFID linerless label technology designed to combine automated identification and supply-chain visibility with the material and operational efficiencies associated with linerless labels.

The new format targets logistics, distribution, e-commerce, retail and food and grocery applications where traceability, high-volume labelling and packaging waste reduction increasingly need to be addressed within the same system.

Linerless design eliminates release liner waste

Conventional pressure-sensitive labels rely on a silicone-coated release liner that protects the adhesive before application. Once the label is applied, this backing becomes a separate waste stream that can be difficult to recover.

Linerless labels remove this component entirely. Iconex says the format can therefore reduce material waste while also allowing more labels to fit on each roll, potentially lowering roll changes, storage requirements and transport volumes.

RFID adds automated product identification

The integration of RFID allows labelled items to be identified without requiring direct line-of-sight scanning. This can enable multiple products or packages to be detected automatically as they move through warehouses, distribution centres or retail environments.

For operators, RFID can improve inventory accuracy, automate data collection and provide greater visibility across the supply chain compared with labels that rely exclusively on printed barcodes.

Technology targets logistics and e-commerce

Iconex sees particular opportunities in operations where large numbers of parcels, cartons or products need to be identified quickly. E-commerce and logistics networks increasingly depend on automated tracking as order volumes rise and fulfilment processes become more complex.

Combining RFID with linerless technology could allow these businesses to improve tracking while reducing the amount of disposable label backing generated at packing and shipping stations.

Adhesive design addresses printer reliability

Iconex has developed gap and pattern adhesive configurations intended to reduce adhesive build-up and minimise printer jams, two technical considerations that can affect linerless label performance.

Reliable feeding and printing are particularly important in high-throughput environments where equipment downtime can disrupt fulfilment or distribution workflows.

New platform supports lined and linerless RFID

Iconex Connect launches as a broader RFID product platform rather than a single label format. The company will provide customers with both conventional lined RFID labels and the new linerless option.

This allows businesses to adopt RFID according to specific application requirements while gradually integrating lower-waste linerless formats where equipment and operating conditions permit.

Smart labels increasingly combine sustainability and data

The launch reflects a broader shift in labelling technology as digital functionality and sustainability become increasingly interconnected. RFID, NFC and other connected packaging technologies can improve traceability, authentication and inventory control, while linerless systems target material reduction and operational efficiency.

Integrating both approaches within one label could make smart labelling more attractive for businesses that need measurable improvements in both supply-chain visibility and packaging waste reduction.

RFID moves into more everyday packaging applications

RFID has traditionally been associated with higher-value retail and specialised logistics applications, but falling technology costs and growing automation are expanding its use across mainstream supply chains.

Iconex’s new linerless format demonstrates how RFID can increasingly become part of everyday packaging and labelling operations, combining identification, data capture and sustainability within a single consumable format.