Durable In-Mould Labels for Plastic Injection Molded Products: How to Specify Them

October 26, 2026

TenovisLabels in Maribor, Slovenia, produces IML in-mould labels that fuse with the plastic during injection molding, so the label becomes part of the finished product. The result is durable, full-surface printing with vibrant colours and complex graphics for food, personal-care and consumer-goods packaging. Below is how to specify durable IML for your molded products.

How does an in-mould label become durable?

An in-mould label is inserted into the mold before injection begins. When molten plastic fills the cavity, it fuses with the label, so the label becomes an integral part of the finished product. That bond gives greater resistance to environmental exposure, wear and fading than labels applied after the product is formed.

The sequence matters when you plan production. The label goes into the mold first, and the plastic follows. Because the two materials join during molding, no separate labelling step is needed after the part comes out.

Our IML In-Mould Labels are printed for exactly this process. We produce them at Špelina Ulica 1 in Maribor, and we develop each label around the product it will become part of.

What makes IML printing last?

Durability has two sources: the fusion with the plastic and the quality of the print itself. We deliver both in one label.

• Fusion with the molded part. The injected plastic bonds with the label, so the decoration sits in the product instead of on it.
• Durable printing. Our IML labels carry vibrant colours and complex graphics that are built to hold up against wear and fading.
• Full-surface coverage. The label can cover the whole surface of the product, which gives you more space for branding, product information and attractive design.

A typical case is a food tub or a personal-care container where the brand wants graphics running edge to edge. Full-surface IML lets the artwork wrap the whole molded surface, and the print stays intact through handling.

Which plastic injection molded products suit in-mould labels?

IML suits food products, personal care items and consumer goods made as plastic packaging. These products gain full-surface labelling, which gives more room for branding and product information, and printing that holds vibrant colours and complex graphics through handling and use.

Those three categories are where our IML labels are applied. We also serve pharmaceutical, chemical, automotive and industrial customers with other label formats, so if your product sits outside food, personal care or consumer goods, we can look at which of our label types fits it best.

What should you tell us before we quote IML labels?

Tell us what the product is and how it is used, the shape and surface of the molded part, the artwork and graphics you want, and the performance the finished item must deliver. With those details, our label design and technical development service builds the label around your product and production requirements.

A short brief saves rounds of revision. These are the points we work through with you:

• The product and where it is used
• The molded part's shape and the area the label should cover
• The artwork, including any complex graphics or multiple colours
• The durability the finished product has to show, such as resistance to wear or fading
• The volumes you expect

How IML compares with our other label formats

IML is one of several label types we manufacture. The right one depends on how the label meets the product and how much information it has to carry.

If your molded product also needs a lot of text, pair the IML decoration with a multi-layer peel-off label or a booklet label on the pack. Our earlier guide to what booklet labels are used for covers that side in detail.

Production capability behind our IML labels

We print with flexographic and digital technology, including flexographic label printing with BOBST Master M5 capabilities. Our label processing and finishing options include embossing, hot stamping and lamination.

TenovisLabels holds the BRC Global Standard for Packaging Materials Issue 6 and ISO 9001:2015. We announced the renewal of our BRCGS certification on 29 November 2024, and you can read the details in our news section. The certification matters most to food customers, because it addresses contamination prevention in packaging production.

Our homepage reports 69 years of experience, customers in 100 countries and more than 415 million labels manufactured in 2025. Our manufacturing is based in Europe, and our export business operates predominantly in the DACH market.

Frequently asked questions

Will an in-mould label fade or wear off the product?

Because the plastic fuses with the label during injection molding, the label becomes an integral part of the product. That gives it greater resistance to environmental exposure, wear and fading than labels applied after the product is formed. Our IML labels are printed with durable inks and designed for that long-lasting result.

Can an IML label cover the entire surface of a molded product?

Yes. IML allows full-surface labelling, so the artwork can run across the whole molded surface. That gives you more room for branding, product information and complex graphics than a smaller applied label. We develop the label shape and artwork around your product's geometry and your production requirements.

Do you design the label as well as print it?

Yes. Label design and technical development is one of our services, alongside digital and flexographic printing and label finishing. We build the label around your product and production requirements, so the same team that develops the IML label also produces it at our Maribor facility.

Which markets do you supply with in-mould labels?

We supply manufacturers across Europe, with an export-oriented business that operates predominantly in the DACH market. Our homepage reports customers in 100 countries worldwide. Production takes place at our facility in Maribor, Slovenia, so your orders ship from within the EU.

Send us your product, the molded part's shape and the artwork you have in mind using the short form below this article, and we will come back with how our IML in-mould labels can be built for it.