RFID Labels and Smart Labels: Complete Guide for Business

An RFID label (or 'smart label') combines a traditional printed label with an embedded RFID inlay—an antenna and a tiny chip. It can be printed and encoded in a single pass on an RFID-capable printer, then read by radio waves without line of sight.

RFID labels vs. standard barcode labels

Barcodes require line of sight and one-at-a-time scanning. RFID labels can be read in bulk, through packaging, and at a distance—ideal for fast receiving, cycle counts, and pallet-level reads.

Choosing the right inlay

• Match the inlay to your tag size and surface material
• Consider read range and environment (metal, liquids, cold)
• Place inlays per the printer's media guidelines for reliable encoding
• Standardize on EPC Gen 2 V2 / RAIN RFID for interoperability

Need help selecting RFID media that encodes reliably on your printer? Our labels and pre-printing team can spec and supply the right inlay for your application.