This buying guide will help you to choose the best label
construction for your client’s needs.
Custom Label Buying Guide – What You Need to
Know
Custom labels are critical to your clients business
whether there using labels for product packaging or warehouse shelves. This
basic buying guide will help you to advise your customer on the right labels to
use.
Label Shapes
Standard Shapes –
Every shape of label requires its own “die.” The die is what we use to cut each
label from the material used for printing. We keep a wide variety of dies in
inventory and we add to that inventory regularly.
Standard shapes include rounded corner rectangles,
squares, circles and ovals. If you want to avoid the cost of creating a custom
shape, stick with a standard shape. Just
make sure you aren’t diminishing the effectiveness of your customers packaging just
to avoid a distinctive shape.
Custom Label Shapes –
Custom shapes are most often used for product packaging. A label with a unique
shape can set your product apart from your competition. You customer product
must differentiate itself form the competition on the crowded marketplace
shelves.
Label Sizes
Choosing the best size for your labels should be done
considering both the application and the printing process. For example, we can
print custom labels up to 12”x24”. If you designed a label that was 13” x 8”,
we couldn’t make the best use of the material, and the cost would be higher
than if your label was 12”x6” where two labels could be printed side by side.
We provide a wide variety of standard sizes that will
ensure that you’re getting the most for your investment. If you are designing a
custom label, it’s always a good idea to finalize the size of the label after
talking to our experts. In that way, you’ll be sure to pick the size that does
the job well without being unnecessarily expensive.
Materials
Materials for labels are chosen based on the application.
You may need matte, semi-gloss or gloss finish paper. Or, film could be better
for your use, in white or clear. Or you may need a specialty material to meet
your needs. The decision here depends on where the label will be used and how
long it needs to last.
Adhesive
Custom label adhesives also need to be matched to how the
label will be used. In general, there are two types of adhesive, permanent
removable. But, there are ranges within those two categories and your choice
will depend on whether you need a label to stay in one place, to be
repositioned easily or to be simply easily removed.
Coating/Finishes
Using a finish on your labels will protect them during
use and prevent ink from rubbing off or smearing. The finish you choose will
depend on how the labels will be used and your preference on how you want the
labels to look. Our most popular laminate gives a gloss finish, but some people
prefer a matte finish. If you need something with a bit of scuff resistance,
you should choose a varnish. And, if you need outdoor-safe labels, a laminate
is definitely called for.
Roll
Direction
Roll direction refers to how the labels are positioned on
the roll itself. You’ll also hear this referred to as the unwind or rewind
direction. It’s something you need to consider whether you’re going to apply
the labels by hand or by machine. There are eight different ways the roll
direction can work, and you’ll need to determine which one will be the easiest
for you, or which one will work with the equipment that will apply the labels.
If you’re currently applying the labels by hand, it’s a good idea to think
ahead and set the roll direction as it needs to be for machine application.
That will avoid reworking the labels should you change how they are being
applied.
Quantity
Like all printing, the cost per label will vary depending
on the quantity you order at one time. When labels are printed, the job
requires the same set up time whether we’re printing one label or 3,000.
Therefore, for larger quantities we can pass that per-piece savings along to
you. When you quote custom labels, we can provide you with pricing on multiple
quantities. You can review those
quantities to determine how the price per label changes as the quantity goes
up. Whenever printing is concerned, quantity has a big influence on cost. For
example, it’s better to order a three- six- or twelve-month supply as opposed
to once a month. Increasing your understanding of the things you need to keep
in mind when ordering custom labels will help save you time. But, don’t feel
like you’re completely on your own. Our New Dimension Labels CSR’s have the expertise to guide you through all
the decision-making process for your next custom label order.