DinoLabelDigital rewrites premium labelling for short runs — The Noel D'Cunha Sunday Column

A label order lands quietly. Artwork is uploaded. Material and quantity are selected. A digital proof is reviewed and approved online. Payment is completed, and the job moves into production on a Konica Minolta (KM) dry-toner digital press configured for CMYK plus white label printing. Within days, the labels are printed, finished, and shipped. There are no plates to sign off, no primers to apply, and no minimum volumes to negotiate. The absence of friction is deliberate.

For Neha Jain, director at Great Eastern IDTech (GEIPL), this is not a reinvention of printing so much as an extension of a way of thinking shaped over decades.
 
GEIPL has operated since 1983, building identification and traceability systems across industries where failure is not an option. Barcodes must scan. RFID tags must perform. Processes must repeat with precision.

“That discipline carries directly into how we approach labels,” Jain says. “Brands want speed, but they also want certainty. They want to know exactly what they are ordering, approve it digitally, and move to production without delays caused by manual processes or repeated interventions.”
 
DinoLabelDigital emerged within this context as a specialist arm of GEIPL, focused on digital brand labels. Its web-to-print platform reflects the group’s systems-led heritage. Customers upload artwork, select substrates and quantities, review proofs, and place orders through a single interface. Payments are integrated, allowing jobs to move straight into scheduling.
 
At the backend, the KM dry-toner digital presses print without primer coating. This removes an entire preparatory step from the workflow and allows DinoLabelDigital to work with standard label stocks from suppliers such as Avery Dennison and UPM. “Not needing a primer gives us material freedom,” Jain explains. “It simplifies the process and allows us to respond faster, especially for short runs and urgent requirements.”
 
Finishing follows through digital plotters, flatbed systems, or semi-rotary die-cutting equipment, depending on label geometry and volume. Because tooling and plates are not part of the equation, changeovers remain quick and economical. Low minimum order volumes are therefore embedded in the system rather than treated as a concession.

 

“For us, quick turnaround and low MOVs are not features,” Jain says. “They are fundamental to how the business is designed.”
 
Redefining premium printing
The moment DinoLabelDigital’s work tends to surprise first-time customers is when foil appears to disappear. Premium shine, metallic depth, and contrast are present, but the familiar signs of foiling are absent. There are no foil rolls, no metal dies, and no secondary passes.
 

This effect is achieved through CMYK plus white digital printing combined with substrates such as PP silver. White toner is used strategically, controlling opacity and reflectivity so that the metallic base becomes part of the visual outcome rather than something to be covered. The effect is built during the print pass, not added later.
 
“CMYK plus white allows us to print on premium materials like PP silver and clear films without any setup cost or additional process,” Jain says. “We can achieve opacity and transparency within the same design, in one pass, without foiling or embellishment.”
 
A Cosmoprof 2025 award-nominated project illustrates this approach. Traditionally, achieving a metallic premium label would involve multiple stages: printing inks, applying adhesive for cold foiling, transferring foil, and often adding varnish or lamination. DinoLabelDigital condensed that workflow into a single digital printing action. CMYK plus white was printed directly onto PP silver, producing a foil-like effect without the associated material and energy overheads.
 
The role of resolution is often understated in these discussions. With output levels reaching up to 3600 by 2400 dpi, the press supports fine detail and smooth tonal transitions. This matters when metallic effects rely on subtle gradients and controlled contrast rather than bold coverage.
 
Yet the decisive moment occurs before printing begins. Pre-press decisions determine where colour will sit, where white will be applied, and how the two interact. “Magic happens at the pre-press stage,” Jain notes. “It is the choice of CMYK and the percentage of white that determines how the substrate behaves visually.”
 
This digital control also enables variable data printing. Each label can carry unique text, graphics, QR codes, or barcodes without affecting speed or consistency. Brands use this for authentication, traceability, and loyalty programmes, turning labels into active interfaces rather than static identifiers.
 
Luxury without waste
At DinoLabelDigital, sustainability is framed less as an add-on and more as a by-product of disciplined production. Digital printing eliminates plate making, removing associated material waste, chemical usage, and setup rejects. Production runs are matched to demand, reducing overproduction and dead stock.

“Our idea of luxury without the waste comes from making practical choices,” Jain says. “If we can achieve the same visual impact with fewer materials and fewer processes, that is a better outcome.”
 
Material selection plays a central role. PP silver allows metallic finishes without foiling. Clear films enable no-label-look applications where the packaging itself becomes part of the design. Kraft papers offer tactile and textured effects aligned with sustainability narratives. These substrates perform consistently within digital workflows and often replace the need for embellishment.
 
The Cosmoprof-nominated PP silver job highlights the environmental implications of this approach. By eliminating foil, glue, and multiple production stages, material inputs are reduced. Energy consumption falls. Waste streams narrow. The label achieves its intended appearance through print intelligence rather than additive processes.

The production facility is FSC certified, enabling chain-of-custody compliance for brands specifying FSC-certified substrates. ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications govern quality and environmental management systems, allowing waste, efficiency, and compliance to be monitored at every stage.

Adhesives are selected with similar intent. Permanent water-based acrylic adhesives offer reliable bonding across a range of surfaces while producing lower VOC emissions than solvent-based alternatives. They integrate well with digital printing workflows and support cleaner production environments.
 
Alongside operational measures, DinoLabelDigital runs the Label for Tomorrow programme in partnership with Grow-Trees, planting one tree for every order. The initiative is positioned as a complement to waste reduction rather than a substitute for it, reinforcing the link between responsible production and environmental restoration.
 
Built for agility
The practical advantages of digital production are most visible in how DinoLabelDigital works with startups and fast-growing brands. New businesses often need labels before they need volume. Designs evolve quickly. Regulations change. SKUs multiply.
 
Digital-first production supports this reality. Brands can prototype designs, test substrates, and evaluate finishes without committing to large minimums. Labels are printed on actual materials, allowing decisions to be based on physical outcomes rather than screen assumptions.
 
“Our prototyping services allow startups to experiment without blocking inventory,” Jain says. “They can test designs, materials, and finishes, and make changes while staying aligned with market and regulatory requirements.”
 
The absence of setup costs allows labels to be revised without penalty. Seasonal editions, limited runs, and compliance updates can be implemented quickly. For brands managing multiple SKUs, this agility reduces risk and improves responsiveness.
 
Variable data printing extends this flexibility. Unique barcodes and QR codes can be printed within a single run, enabling authentication, traceability, and customer engagement initiatives. Each label can be different, yet production speed remains unchanged.
 
This approach shifts labels from being a fixed cost to a strategic tool. Inventory is reduced. Decisions are informed by real-world testing. Packaging keeps pace with the product rather than lagging behind it.

 

Scaling with intent
Despite these advantages, DinoLabelDigital continues to operate in a market where premium labelling is often equated with foiling, varnishes, and scale. Digital printing is still widely perceived as a short-run or cost-driven alternative.
 
Bridging this perception gap requires demonstration rather than assertion. By showing how digital processes can deliver comparable shelf presence while offering speed, flexibility, and waste reduction, DinoLabelDigital reframes the conversation around premium value.
 
The company supports brands across India through sales and support teams in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Pune. This pan-India presence ensures consistent service levels and turnaround times across major manufacturing and consumption hubs. Expansion into Tier-2 cities is underway, aligned with the growth of regional and heritage brands seeking agile production models.

Internationally, the approach remains selective. Rather than rapid expansion, the focus is on partnerships in markets that value sustainability, short-run premium labelling, and operational discipline. Quality and consistency take precedence over footprint.

For DinoLabelDigital, the future of premium labelling is not about adding more processes, but about removing unnecessary ones. It is a model built on control, restraint, and digital intelligence, where premium outcomes are achieved through precision rather than excess.