Love it or loathe it, sustainability – the ‘S word’ among some business owners has become a key driver of innovation in the digital inkjet and hybrid technology sector throughout the UK and Europe. For businesses involved in label and print production, embracing greener practices can enhance efficiency and reduce costs, as well as minimise the operation’s carbon footprint. With ‘net zero’ drives being felt in every sector, advances in technology are now making it easier than ever for businesses to reach their sustainability goals. Let’s look at the main sustainability trends shaping the label printing sector and how you can utilise them for your business.
At Focus Label, our conversations with print business owners tend to revolve around the same core questions: Where should we invest next? Which technologies will genuinely add value? And how do we stay competitive as job profiles continue to change? After working closely with label printers across the world, and following the developments shaping the market, it’s clear that 2026 will be less about chasing the “next big thing” in print tech, and more about making smart, future-proof decisions. Production environments are becoming more complex, customer expectations more demanding, and margins tighter. The trends below reflect what we’re seeing first-hand: practical shifts in technology, workflows and investment priorities that are already influencing how successful converters operate today, and how they’ll continue to grow in the year ahead.
For any business relying on a consistent supply of components and consumables, clarity and reliability are essential. In the world of textiles and garment manufacturing, for instance, where a simple textile label can impact production lines, maintaining clearly defined relationships with your customers is an important part of service delivery for a print business. Service Level Agreements, or SLAs, are an important collaboration tool, outlining the specific services a provider will deliver and the performance standards they are obligated to meet. Let’s look at the main advantages of using an SLA in the label printing sector, and some potential pitfalls to avoid.
Adopting new technology is often essential for growth and remaining competitive in the label printing sector, yet each investment comes with a degree of uncertainty. Is this the right investment to take my business forward for the next 5, 10, 15 years? Will the technology become obsolete before it delivers a return on investment? What if interest rate rises increase my cost of borrowing? Can my business afford it?
Colours are indispensable when it comes to designing and printing attractive, memorable, and engaging labels and packaging. However, not all flexographic printing presses have the same capacity to handle multi-colour designs. Flexographic presses are typically available as one to 12 colours, with single-roller presses suitable only for black and white or greyscale printing. How do you determine the best solution for your print requirements?
It’s a big decision to invest in new print production assets, especially when it comes to the high costs associated with some hybrid printing technology. So it’s worth asking whether purchasing used machinery offers a practical path to expansion without the hefty capital expenditure of brand-new technology. Spoiler alert – buying used can be a good strategic decision, yes. However, to deliver the required performance and value, a used machine must be well maintained and capable of either upgrades or integration with newer technologies as they emerge.
