3 Big Cannabis Label Design Trends in 2018

Labeling for the cannabis industry can be difficult. Marketing marijuana and marijuana-infused products is a tricky balancing act that forces you to consider both the legal requirements for cannabis packaging as well as your business’s brand. There’s also plenty of competition in an industry that’s growing fast.

A great label plays a big role in making sure that your products succeed. If you’re trying to make your cannabis labels stand out, we’ve identified three growing design trends that can give you the inspiration you need.

Reinvent the Leaf

The marijuana leaf may be a way to make it clear that your product contains cannabis, but it can also make you blend in with the crowd. According to Slate, “44 percent of logos registered as trademarks for marijuana-related businesses feature the familiar cannabis leaf.” The leaf may be instantly recognizable, but you need to be careful that potential customers recognize your brand instead of just the same old leafy imagery.

The key to turning a cliché into an eye-catching part of the label design is to give it a twist. Packaging Digest recommends utilizing ways to “modernize the design while still playing on this familiar theme.” Stylizing the pot leaf imagery can help you reinforce the cannabis connection without being too similar to your competitors’ packaging. A designer can work with you to modernize the leaf, while digital printing companies can offer special printing techniques like hot foil stamping that will add a whole new dimension to an iconic image.

CBD product with cannabis labels for bottles.

Market Through Minimalism

You don’t need to turn to psychedelic designs to sell products with psychoactive substances. Just take Medterra CBD for example. A good minimalist design makes it easy for consumers to identify exactly what your brand is all about without having to cover your labels in endless marijuana motifs and other design elements.

Just imagine that you sell a line of health and beauty products infused with cannabis. A simple, clean design lets you put the focus on what your product is meant to do, tying the themes of cannabis and health together is an elegant package. Not only will this make your products look stylish, it also exudes a level of professionalism that can intrigue both cannabis veterans and consumers who are new to the marijuana market.

Cannabis product label with minimalist design.

Showcase Sustainability

A good cannabis label can help your consumers go green in more than one way. Sustainable labels are a popular trend for many different types of products, and the cannabis industry isn’t any different. In fact, an “all-natural” look makes a lot of sense for product made with something that grows out of the ground.

According to an international study by Unilever, more than a third of consumers choose “to buy from brands they believe are doing social or environmental good.” This growing trend has led more businesses to market their products as sustainable, which includes adorning labels with muted browns and greens, natural imagery, and, if certified, the organic seal. Of course, it also helps if your packaging does more than just look like it’s sustainable. An investment into a stock made from recyclable materials can set the tone that your cannabis products are truly green.

Custom Cannabis Labels

Regardless of whether your cannabis label follows the latest trends or not, it’s important that you have the right printing partner to make sure that your finished labels don’t turn out to be a buzzkill.

Blue Label is a digital label printing company with the expertise and technology to provide to cannabis companies to print high-quality labels that makes products stand out and stay compliant with government regulations. Contact us today to talk to one of our experts about how we can help you with your next label printing project.