From sensory finishes to sustainability, Premium Label & Packaging Solutions shares how it’s helping both brands and co-manufacturers deliver impact on shelf and in hand.

In the fast-paced world of personal care, labels and packaging do far more than convey ingredients—they communicate brand identity, regulatory compliance, and, often, a commitment to sustainability. At the center of this intersection is Premium Label & Packaging Solutions (PLPS), a mid-size label and packaging manufacturer known for marrying technical rigor with creative agility.

With decades of experience across beauty, wellness, household, and healthcare markets, PLPS brings more than ink and substrates to the table. In this Q&A, the team opens up about balancing speed with customization, supporting indie startups, global giants, and contract manufacturers and packagers alike, and what it really takes to create labels that do more than stick—they speak.

Beauty is tactile. How does PLPS incorporate tactile effects—like embossing, soft-touch finishes, or raised varnishes—into labels without compromising print performance?


The popularity of tactile labels and packaging is on the rise and continues to grow. People are increasingly attracted to packaging that appeals to multiple senses, including touch. As a result, tactile coatings have become a valuable tool for distinguishing products from the competition.


To achieve optimal results, there are three main considerations to keep in mind. First, selecting the right stock is crucial to avoid distortion. Next, utilizing the right balance of ink or coating application is an essential factor, as it ensures the tactile effect is achieved without compromising print clarity or appearance. Lastly, knowing what to use and where to place it on the label can make or break the success of a project.


For example, we recently won an award for a tactile label created by a sun care company designed to evoke elements of the beach. This complex label required multiple steps and incorporated several different printing techniques. We combined an ink laydown, cold holographic foil followed by white. Then a silk screen was strategically placed on the gold ink to achieve a raised tactile finish mimicking the feel of sand.


Creative converters with expertise in this area often develop their proprietary textures and finishes. We recently produced a finish for a client that had the texture of snakeskin.

What is something most people don’t realize about the technical aspects of producing a shrink sleeve or flexible package for a personal care or wellness product?


Many people are unaware that manufacturing quality shrink sleeves or flexible packaging requires specific expertise and years of experience in these formats, as well as a comprehensive knowledge of each stage of the product’s manufacturing process. 


Shrink sleeves present numerous challenges, including maintaining seam integrity, minimizing distortion during the shrinking process, ensuring material compatibility, addressing shrinkage issues, and ensuring workability with various machinery, all of which can impact the final product’s quality and shelf appeal. 


When working with flexible packaging, it is essential to ensure the integrity of the seals and packaging materials. Understanding the barrier properties of these materials is crucial, as they dictate how well the packaging protects the contents. For example, some personal care products come in a cream form, while others come in powder. Each of these products requires different barrier layers. Choosing the wrong materials can lead to the introduction of moisture, oxygen, and other contaminants, which may negatively affect product quality and shelf life.

Trusted converters are keenly aware of any issues labels, shrink sleeves, and flexible packaging can cause on application lines and know how to avoid them, so we are well-versed in all types of packaging equipment and the importance of delivering the specific format to meet the production needs of co-packers and co-manufacturers. Our philosophy is “always begin with the end in mind.”

If your team could wave a magic wand and instantly fix one industry-wide packaging issue, what would it be—and why?


We would wave our wand to deliver a simple, sustainable solution that is easy for all brands and co-manufacturers to understand. Currently, there are many nuances in determining whether a packaging component is genuinely sustainable. Using the latest advancements in materials and technology, we recently launched our own line of recyclable labels, shrink sleeves, and flexible packaging called Earth+. We are proud of this new product; however, sustainable packaging still has its limitations, and each of our customers may require adjustments to our products to meet their specific needs.

Some brands want “instant shelf pop.” What visual or structural tricks do you see working especially well in crowded personal care categories?


What I love most about this business is the versatility and creativity it offers, particularly in the personal care, household, and wellness markets. The best way for a product to “pop” is through specialty finishes and effects. Brands have a wide range of options to choose from to represent the DNA of their brand through packaging. For example, a brand whose target is teenagers might opt for glitter, while a brand aimed at customers aged 40-55 years might go for the more understated, yet sophisticated look of embossing.


This year, some of the most popular design trends include pearlescent finishes, holographic effects, cast and cure techniques, and the use of matte with spot gloss. Cold foil remains a favorite tool for helping brands stand out, as the metallic areas reflect light in retail environments, attracting consumers. Additionally, using a unique container can be very effective, particularly when paired with a shrink sleeve to create 360° branding.

How do you help indie brands tell their story within a budget and/or limited label space?


Forward-thinking brands and their label suppliers are challenging the narrative that achieving visibility through packaging must come with a hefty price tag. We love to partner with indies to find cost-effective solutions without compromising on the product’s aesthetic appeal or perceived value. The secret lies in harnessing innovative label techniques, specialty inks, varnishes, laminations, and unique substrates. Even some of the more minimal looks that indies prefer can tell their story through packaging by incorporating augmented reality technology to enhance consumer engagement with interactive elements. By scanning the physical label with their smartphones, customers can watch videos, access product information, read reviews, and much more.


When brands need extra space to tell their story, list ingredients, display warnings, and provide directions, a wide variety of extended content labels offer space-saving solutions that address product requirements without sacrificing brand goals.

If PLPS had a signature label “style” or calling card, what would it be—and how does that show up in your work with personal care or wellness brands?


Our calling card is that we are a mid-sized company, we like to say we’re big enough to scale and small enough to care.


PLPS is recognized in the personal care industry, and we are widely recognized for our specialty finish work in all packaging formats. Our capabilities in shrink sleeves are particularly noteworthy, and we have received numerous awards for projects that incorporate multiple finishes, including cold foil and UV silk screen. We are also known for our scented labels, which are a very effective tool, especially for the personal care and fragrance arenas.

Our flexible packaging business has grown significantly, particularly in sample-size packaging for beauty brands. Brands and co-manufacturers come to us for flexible solutions because we offer lower minimums on fully formed sachets and stand-up pouches. Instead of the standard 10,000-piece order, our minimums are as low as 2,000 pieces. This is very appealing to small to mid-size brands and big brands looking for lower quantity sample sizes.