n response to rapidly evolving distribution models, rising regulatory demands, and the growing complexity of product portfolios in the beauty and makeup sector, Sleever and Avery Dennison (NYSE: AVY) have announced the launch of INVENTRA®, an intelligent packaging solution that integrates RFID technology directly into shrink sleeve labels.
Unveiled as a preview at Paris Packaging Week, INVENTRA® reflects a shared belief between the two partners: packaging is evolving into a strategic data carrier, enabling traceability, performance optimization, and regulatory readiness—without compromising brand aesthetics or industrial efficiency.
Addressing a Transforming Retail and Beauty Landscape
The beauty and makeup category faces mounting operational challenges driven by the rapid multiplication of SKUs, precise shade management, seasonal launches, and heightened exposure to theft and counterfeiting. The industry currently loses around 10% of inventory annually, including 6.2% due to overproduction and 4% from spoilage and expiry, placing significant pressure on margins and sustainability goals.
RFID technology—already widely adopted in sectors such as apparel—enables item-level identification, delivering near-real-time inventory visibility, improved on-shelf availability, and reduced stock discrepancies. For makeup products, this represents a powerful lever for enhancing availability, protecting high-value items, and improving supply-chain performance.
Shrink Sleeves as the Gateway to Intelligent Packaging
Unlike add-on RFID solutions, INVENTRA® embeds RFID at the core of the shrink sleeve label, turning packaging itself into an intelligent interface. This approach allows brands to:
- Preserve visual impact and brand identity
- Protect the RFID inlay from manipulation
- Enhance tamper evidence and security
By combining decoration, information, and traceability into a single component, INVENTRA® integrates seamlessly with existing packaging designs. The solution is engineered to remain compatible with industrial production speeds, complex container geometries, and diverse material and content requirements common in beauty packaging.
Designed for Future Regulations and Digital Product Passports
INVENTRA® has been developed with long-term regulatory evolution in mind, including growing global requirements around traceability, transparency, and circularity, as well as forthcoming Digital Product Passport frameworks.
At full maturity, the solution enables item-level digital identification, supporting:
- Regulatory compliance and reporting
- Anti-counterfeiting and product authentication
- Recyclability and circularity tracking
- Future consumer-facing applications such as enhanced product information and assisted purchasing
A Strategic Industry Collaboration
The collaboration between Sleever and Avery Dennison was supported by AB Agency, a consulting firm specializing in strategic business development and innovation.
Avery Dennison contributes its RFID inlay design, testing, and large-scale manufacturing capabilities, while Sleever brings its deep expertise in industrial sleeve label integration, tailoring the technology to the specific functional and aesthetic demands of beauty and makeup brands.
“The beauty industry is currently losing nearly USD 5 billion annually to supply-chain inefficiencies and waste—something brands can no longer afford,” said Maryna Grytsenko-Nénon, Business Development Global, RFID Beauty & Personal Care at Avery Dennison. “INVENTRA® integrates RFID intelligence directly into the sleeve label, delivering up to 99% inventory accuracy without altering the product’s aesthetic.”
Philippe Morel, Sales & Marketing Director Europe at Sleever, added that the solution “opens new perspectives in security, traceability, inventory management, self-checkout, and consumer experience—while retaining all the advantages of sleeve label technology.”
Toward a New Standard in Beauty Packaging
INVENTRA® is designed to evolve in close collaboration with brands and retailers. As major international retail players increasingly move toward mandatory item-level identification, Sleever and Avery Dennison anticipate a structural shift in how beauty products are packaged, tracked, and managed.
Positioned as a foundational technology platform, INVENTRA® aims to support the emergence of future industry standard aligning intelligent packaging with beauty’s dual demand for aesthetics and responsibility.
