| Labels are essential for product identification, branding and regulatory communication, yet their substrates, adhesives, inks and coatings can influence the recovery of plastic packaging. This review-style article outlines the principal design considerations linking label construction with sorting, washing and mechanical recycling. It discusses polymer compatibility, label coverage and optical sorting, adhesive release behaviour, printing systems, and distinctions among recyclable, bio-based, biodegradable and compostable materials. The article also describes a practical framework for evaluating label-and-container combinations against a defined recycling pathway. The central conclusion is that label sustainability cannot be determined from a single material attribute or environmental claim. It depends on the behaviour of the complete packaging system and on the collection, sorting and recycling infrastructure available at end of life. Design-for-recycling guidance and stream-specific evaluation protocols provide a basis for assessing compatibility; where performance is uncertain, testing under relevant process conditions is necessary. This article is a technical overview and does not report new experimental results.
Keywords: plastic packaging; design for recycling; label adhesives; polymer compatibility; mechanical recycling; optical sorting; circular economy
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