Plastic Roll Labels: When Waterproof Actually Matters

Paper labels are the right call for a lot of jobs. But the moment a label has to survive a fridge, a bathroom shelf, condensation on a cold bottle, or repeated handling before it ever reaches a customer, paper starts to lose that fight. That's the gap Plastic Roll Labels are built to fill.

Our plastic roll labels are printed on BOPP (biaxially-oriented polypropylene) film, a flexible yet tough plastic material with a glossy finish that holds vibrant colour and fine detail well. The real difference from paper shows up after the label leaves the printer: BOPP is fully waterproof and moisture-resistant, and it stands up to oils, chemicals, refrigeration, and the everyday wear of being picked up, set down, and shipped without smudging, tearing, or lifting at the edges.

Where plastic earns its keep

Paper roll labels are great for short-term, indoor use where the label just needs to look sharp for a while. Plastic makes more sense once the product itself creates conditions paper can't handle:

Food packaging - jars, pouches, and containers that get handled, refrigerated, or occasionally splashed.
Beverage bottles - where condensation on a cold bottle would otherwise soften a paper label within minutes.
Cosmetics and skincare - bathroom humidity, lotion residue, and daily handling all work against a paper label over time.
Bath and body products - similar story: water exposure is part of the product's normal use.
General product labeling - anything that needs to survive a warehouse, a delivery truck, or a shelf life longer than a few weeks.

If cold storage is specifically what you're dealing with, it's worth a look at our guide on labels for cold storage and refrigerated products - BOPP is one of the materials that comes up there for good reason.

What you're trading off

Plastic roll labels cost more than paper, and that's a fair trade when durability is the point. If your product ships fast, stays dry, and gets used up quickly, paper roll labels are still the more budget-friendly option and won't leave performance on the table. The short version: match the material to how the label will actually be used, not just how it looks on day one.

Not sure which of our six roll label materials fits your product? Our roll label material guide breaks down all of them side by side, or you can browse the full lineup in our roll labels collection.