The "Croatian Island Product" (HOP) Program, which includes the designation of island products with the same name quality label, recognizes that the potential of Croatian islands as a unique geographical entity is not solely in tourism but also in originality, tradition, and socio-economic and production activities. This label is awarded by the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds to promote the production, placement and promotion of authentic and high-quality products from Croatian islands, along with their heritage and tradition. The objective of this study is to identify the role of the HOP label in fostering the integral development of Croatian islands, with a focus on local, island communities. The research employed various methods, including an analysis of relevant scientific and professional literature, statistical and graphical methods, cartographic visualization using GIS tools, a survey conducted with a sample of 78 respondents - island producers who received the HOP label between 2007 and 2023, four semi-structured interviews with representatives from the Department for Islands of the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, and a SWOT analysis. The study found that labeling island products with the HOP designation contributes to all aspects of local island development, with particular emphasis on preserving island tradition, identity, and heritage. The promotion of the islands as tourist destinations also emerged as a significant benefit of the HOP labeling. The most important features of HOP-labeled island products are their quality and authenticity - the island identity.