How do I calculate the carbon footprint of self-adhesive labels?
Multiply the label stock used, including matrix waste and liner, by your supplier's per-square-metre or per-kg figure. Add printing ink, press electricity and UV curing, die cutting and rewinding, then divide plant energy by square metres of labels passed.
Materials
- Face stock: paper, PP or PE film.
- Adhesive and silicone release liner, which is often thrown away by the user.
- Inks, varnish and foil.
Process
- Flexo or digital press with UV or hot air dryers.
- Die cutting and matrix stripping.
- Slitting, rewinding and cores.
Per square metre
Report per square metre of printed labels; buyers can convert to per label from the label size.
Worked example: label plant per square metre (one month)
- Electricity: 35,000 kWh x 0.710 = 24,850 kg CO2
- Square metres of labels passed: 700,000
- Plant total: 24,850 / 700,000 = 0.0355 kg CO2 per square metre
- Add label stock, liner and ink for the full figure
Inputs are illustrative; use your own bills and production records.
What Senseible does here
Senseible reads the plant's electricity bills (CEA grid factor 0.710 kg CO2 per kWh, CO2 Baseline Database version 21.0) and fuel invoices (IPCC 2006 defaults) into a fingerprinted Scope 1 and 2 record, the plant-level input to a per-unit figure. Bought-in materials go to the supplier evidence trail; product reports are self-declared drafts.
Sources: GHG Protocol Product Standard, ISO 14067:2018, Carbon footprint of products (iso.org), IPCC 2006 Guidelines, Volume 2 Energy (fuel defaults), CEA CO2 Baseline Database, version 21.0
Last reviewed 2026-10-20.