Back to all

4 Common Mistakes for CBD Labels

According to Forbes, the CBD market could reach $20 billion by 2024, which is great news for people in the cannabis market. However, that rise also invites more competition.

As the CBD market grows, more products will flood the market. This growth means that your CBD your products need to stand out from the rest of your competitors. That’s where a good CBD label can help. Proper packaging can be the difference from your product being just another item on the shelf or a big success. However, it’s easy to make a few notable label mistakes during the process. Here are four issues you should avoid for your CBD labels.

Some CBD Labels Don’t Include Legally Required Information

What’s tricky for CBD labels is that the federal government isn’t quite clear about the exact guidelines for these types of products. However, it’s a good idea to list out the following details to provide your audience with the right information.

The amount of active CBD per serving
A supplement fact panel that includes all ingredients
Net weight
The manufacturer or distributor name
Whether the CBD used is full spectrum, broad spectrum, or an isolate
A batch or date code
The suggested product use

Of course, there may be more to your labeling requirements than just that. CBD products may require some other information depending on how you classify the product. For example, a food product needs to follow the the regulations found in the FDA Food Labeling Guide. However, a healthy and beauty product needs to adhere to the FDA’s rules on cosmetic labeling. Once you take note of how your product is classified, you can then apply those labeling guidelines to your product in addition to including general compliance information for CBD.

Certain CBD Labels Deal with Font Issues

It’s hard to get your product’s message across when there’s something wrong with the type on your CBD labels. Text and font issues can prove problematic for any product. For CBD labels, a wrong font can not only muddle the look of your label, it can also land you into some compliance trouble.

When you deal with labeling requirements set by the FDA or some other administration, there are occasions where you need to use a certain font size or style. These rules are in place to ensure that certain details are easily read, so it’s best to abide by them. However, they may not be as simple as following a set font size.

For example, the FDA requires labels to use “a print or type size that is prominent, conspicuous and easy to read” for information panels. Seems simple right? Just wait, there’s more! The labeling guide also states that labels should “use letters that are at least one sixteenth (1/16) inch in height based on the lower case letter ‘o,’” except in the case of “very small food packages as discussed in 21 CFR 101.2(c) & (f).” Finding the exact type rules for your exact product may require some digging, but it’s still preferable to having a federal organization confiscate your products and fine you for improper labeling.

There are also occasions when the type used isn’t necessarily a legal issue, but does pose some design issues. This problem is especially true for CBD products sold in small containers that only provide a few inches of labeling space. At this point, you’ll need to balance both compliance and design to find a typography compromise [link to new typography tips post when it’s live] that showcases your brand without coming off as busy or boring. Take the label from Limitless CBD pictured below as an example. Despite not having much space to work with, Limitless’ design establishes a clear identity with legible text, all while meeting regulations.

Two Limitless CBD labels for premium CBD hemp packaging.

Other CBD Labels Get Caught Making Health Claims

There may be a lot of studies that suggest that CBD has significant health benefits, but there isn’t enough existing information to convince the FDA of them. The amount of documented information required makes it tricky to legally make a health claim on a label for any product. For CBD products, it’s nearly impossible.

As of now, the FDA’s stance is that “there are many unanswered questions about the science, safety, and quality of products containing CBD.” This position means that federal law does not recognize CBD as a dietary supplement or as a substance that can help prevent, diagnose, treat, or cure serious diseases. The only exception to this is a single prescription CBD product that has been approved to treat rare forms of epilepsy.

Aside from that very specific breakthrough, the FDA will crack down on CBD labels that make health claims about cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, or any other conditions. As such, it’s best to avoid these claims altogether on your packaging if you want to avoid potential legal intervention.

However, the potential dangers of health claims doesn’t mean that you can’t highlight other beneficial features. For example, it’s completely fine to state that your product is organic, GMO free, or something similar as long as your product meets the legal guidelines for such terms, such as the label for Ritual’s Nighttime Tincture pictured below.

Ritual CBD tincture featuring a label with an organic claim.

They Showcase CBD Too Much

As we mentioned eariler, the CBD market is booming at the moment. This has led to scores of new consumers trying to find the appropriate CBD product for them. That increase in potential customers is great if your product meets their needs. However, you have to be careful that your consumers see you as more than just another CBD product.

While a big ol’ “CBD” on the front of your product may attract the random customer, there’s something to be said for subtlety. If a consumer only knows you as “that CBD product I use,” what’s to prevent them from seeing you as interchangeable if a bigger, shinier CBD product emerges? Instead, it’s important to focus on designing your CBD label to focus on your brand and developing a relationship with your intended audience. This way you become a name to them, and it’s easier to create brand loyalty if they remember you as “ABC CBD” than “that green bottle that says CBD on it.”

CBD Social is a great example of establishing an identity that goes beyond the use of CBD. The label pictured below places the emphasis on why the product matter to consumers – extreme relief is awful enticing for someone dealing with pain – and uses CBD to supplement that message in an eye-catching design.

Invest in Professional CBD Labels for Your Products

In a fight for CBD supremacy, the products with the best labels have a massive edge. This is why investing in professionally made, custom product labels can help give your product the boost it needs to tell your story and build a loyal customer base.

At Blue Label, we have the digital printing technology and expertise necessary to create stunning CBD labels for your products. We work with you to determine the best materials and printing capabilities required to meet your performance and budgetary needs without sacrificing on style. If you need one, we can even refer you to our designer directory to find a professional who can balance the creative and legal aspects of your label design.

In a booming market, your CBD products deserve to look as good as they possibly can. Contact us today to talk to us about printing custom CBD labels for your products.

Back to all

Bottle Labels for Essential Oils: What You Need to Know

The essential oil business is a multi-billion-dollar industry in the U.S. While that means there’s plenty of opportunity, it also means that there’s quite a bit of competition. That’s why it’s important to make sure your essential oil packaging makes a good first impression.

Of course, not just any essential oil labels will do. Not only do you need to make sure your labels look great, you also need to consider a few potential issues. From selecting waterproof labels that can stand up to the oil-based ingredients inside to making sure all labeling requirements are met to creating an eye-catching design, we break down a few considerations for investing in new bottle labels for your essential oils.

Fit Your Label to Your Bottle Size

Bottles come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Whether you distribute 5 ml roller bottles, 8 oz. bottles, or any size in between, you want to make sure that your label fits well on your container.

When it comes to proper label sizing, you should consider more than just how much your container can hold. You also need to plan for the specific dimensions of your bottles. Tall, thin bottles and short, wide bottles are going to require different label shapes, regardless of if they contain the same net quantity of essential oils.

The same label size won’t work for every container, but there’s an easy trick to give you a good idea of the right label measurements for your essential oil bottles. Cut a rectangular piece of paper and wrap it around your bottle. If it’s too big in either direction, trim it down until it fits, then measure your piece of paper. This will give you an approximation of the right dimensions when it comes time to ordering labels for your products.

Another important note about label sizing is that essential oil bottles can be rather small compared to packaging for other products. This means you’ll need to plan your design in a way that both fits the space allowed on your label and differentiates your products from your competition.

You will also need to use an aggressive adhesive. The small circumference of the container makes the label want to ‘pop off’ the bottle. This is because the natural rigidity of the material makes it want to return to its original shape. Be sure to ask about adhesive aggressiveness when you select materials.

A professional examining labels for essential oils.

Don’t Forget About FDA Regulations for Essential Oil Labels

There was a period when essential oils were largely ignored by the FDA. That came to an end in 2014 when the FDA sent warning letters to dōTERRA and Young Living, two notable essential oil companies, that their products were in violation of certain labeling regulations. As a result, you should consider whether your products fall under FDA guidelines and what that may mean for your labels.

Whether you consider essential oils to be a household item, cosmetic, food ingredient, or drug, the FDA regulates essential oil products based on the intended use. The FDA weighs a couple of factors to determine a seller’s intentions, including “claims made in the labeling, on websites, and in advertising, as well as what consumers expect it to do.” This means the FDA can have different expectations for label compliance.

Drugs

If your label makes some form of health claim, the FDA is going to consider your product as a drug even though oils are derived from plants. These claims include indicating your essential oils are meant “for a therapeutic use, such as treating or preventing disease, or to affect the structure or function of the body.” If you make these claims, you’ll need to get FDA approval through the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) before you can legally put them on the market.

Cosmetics

Essential oils can also fall under the guidelines for cosmetic products. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) defines cosmetics as a product that is somehow applied to the body for the purpose of “cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance.” That means even something that’s only meant to make you smell nice can be considered a cosmetic.

Essential oil products classified as cosmetics aren’t subjected to the same rigorous reviews as drugs. As a result, you don’t need to clear your products and labels with the FDA before you sell them. However, the FDA does provide a step-by-step labeling guide for cosmetics compliance and can act if a product’s labeling is false or misleading, or doesn’t include the following:

The name and address of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor
Net quantity of contents
A prominent statement of required information in terms that it is easily read and understood by consumers under customary conditions of purchase and use

A Combination of Both or Something Else Entirely

Depending on your scenario, you might have a combination of compliance concerns. For example, if you claim that your essential oils can both cleanse the skin and relax muscles, you’ll need to follow labeling guidelines for both cosmetics and drugs. However, the FDA shouldn’t have reason to classify your essential oils under the same guidelines if you don’t make any such claims.
In addition, the specific plants you use shouldn’t matter too much to the FDA aside from establishing a direct connection between an ingredient and a claim. Despite that, it’s always good to include an ingredients list along with the name and total contents of your product, even if you don’t make any claims.

There’s also one notable ingredient that will require some additional compliance consideration: cannabis. Any essential oils using cannabis extracts will also need to comply with additional regulations, which are documented in our post on cannabis label compliance.

Customize Your Essential Oil Labels to Stand Out in a Crowded Marketplace

Whether you sell your essential oils online or offline, the quality of your packaging makes a difference. Your packaging should make your essential oils stand out in a crowd, not blend in with everyone else.

Just because your label is tight on space or you don’t have a big budget doesn’t mean that you should skimp on style. Different label materials and special printing techniques can help your products appeal more to your audience, whether you want to add an eye-catching metallic shine through hot foil stamping or use a matte black stamp to emphasize certain aspects of your design.

Professionals checking a new run of essential oil bottle labels.

Protect Your Label Design Against Oily Contents

A great label is a perfect way to make a good impression on consumers. However, it’s important to take some measures to make sure your label stays great.

A damaged label is a serious issue for your products. One survey found that “58 percent of consumers stated that packaging damage would deter them from buying a product” and can even harm your brand’s reputation. This means that even small scratches pose big problems for businesses.

One potential threat for your essential oil labels is exactly what you’re trying to sell. Oil, along with water and other damaging substances, can wreak havoc on your label. Fortunately, label lamination and materials like waterproof synthetics will help your labels withstand interaction with everyday substances. Lamination also provides scratch resistance, so your designs don’t get scratched off over time. This will help ensure that your packaging looks great long after you apply your labels.

Order the Perfect Labels for Your Essential Oil Bottles

Good packaging is practically essential for making your products stand out from the competition. However, it’s important to work with a good label printing company to make sure your packaging brings out the best in your essential oil labels.

When it’s time to commit to custom essential oil bottle labels, Blue Label Packaging Company is here to help. Our digital printing technology and expertise allows you to invest in high-quality labels with a fast turnaround time of three-to-five days. While creating your essential oil labels, we know you won’t limit yourself to just one scent, so we can print different SKUs of the same product on the same order with variable data printing to avoid costly setups and delays.

Ready to invest in essential oil labels? Contact us today to talk to one of our experts about your labeling needs.

Back to all

Shrink Sleeves: Storage and Shipping

Shrink sleeves are an increasingly popular labeling option for a variety of businesses that want 360-degree coverage for their products. However, shrink sleeves are more delicate than other types of labels, which can pose some problems during shipping and storage.

The special materials used for shrink sleeves makes these labels more susceptible to potential damage, especially when they’re being transported or saved for future use. Fortunately, a little preparation can help you protect your shrink sleeve labels ahead of application, especially when it comes to environmental concerns and handling.

Maintain Temperature Control

One of the challenges involved with shipping and storing shrink sleeves is that these labels are very sensitive to environmental changes. If the shrink sleeves get too hot, cold, wet, dry, or anything else, it can cause the material to react and distort the labels or worse, make them completely unusable. It’s important to make your shipping and storage areas as climate controlled as possible to keep your investment safe.

A warehouse with shrink sleeves and other product labels.

These environmental factors can be a major concern when it comes to shipping. If it’s a hot month, it can get be sweltering in an unprotected truck bed. In the winter, the opposite can happen. In some cases, companies will even used temperature-controlled shipping to transport shrink sleeves to protect against any damage that can happen during transit. Some applicators will also require temperature gauge labels that will display if a shipment got too hot or cold. This way they’ll know that a shipment was compromised right away and won’t waste production time trying to apply warped shrink sleeves on containers.

Storage can also be an issue without some planning. Warehouses or other storage facilities can undergo fluctuating temperatures and humidity levels. Both of these can affect the ink on the shrink sleeves or warp the label material over time. As such, its encouraged that you or your applicator have climate-controlled storage area if you plan to have any extra shrink sleeves on standby or if there will be a delay between delivery and application.

Handle Shrink Sleeves with Care

Environmental factors aren’t the only potential danger to shrink sleeves. Improper handling can also cause scrapes, scuffs, and other unsightly damage.

One advantage of shrink sleeves is that the ink is printed on the inside of the label. This process protects the ink from scratches after the sleeve is applied to a can or some other container. However, the ink isn’t protected until after application – remember, heat will make the sleeves warp prematurely – which means there’s not a lot protecting that ink until that step. As a result, it’s important to delicately handle sleeves before application.

Of course, shrink sleeves can require a lot of handling after they’re printed. Depending on your vendors, your printer may need to send the rolls to a converter to seam them into sleeves. After that, the sleeves are shipped to an applicator, also known as a decorator, that apply them to your containers.

Since shrink sleeves need a little extra protection before application, it’s important to take steps to help limit the potential of damages caused by improper handling. Some label printing companies have converting equipment in house, which will cut down on the number of times your labels are shipped and handled. Your printer can also put labels on boxes containing shrink sleeves so that everyone knows the contents are delicate.

A woman carefully handling shrink sleeves for new products.

Work with a Printing Company that Takes Care of Your Shrink Sleeves

Shrinks sleeves can help you achieve a special look for your products, but it’s important to work with a label printing company that gives you the labels you need to succeed. At Blue Label, we’ve invested in both state-of-the-art digital printing presses and shrink sleeve converting equipment. That means we can not only print quality shrink sleeves, we can also help you cut down on the number of vendors you’ll need, the amount of times your shrink sleeves are handled, and the length of production time.

Ready to invest in quality shrink sleeves for your products? Contact Blue Label today to talk to our experts about your next label project.

Back to all

What is a Shrink Sleeve Label?

When you want to brand your product from top to bottom, shrink sleeve labels give you a way to create 360-degree coverage for your products. Shrink sleeves have grown in popularity over the past few decades after making an initial splash when Tylenol used them to combine attractive labeling with tamper-evident sealing.

Shrink sleeves are now growing in popularity for cans, bottles, and other containers, but there are still many people in need of quality product packaging who don’t know how these labels work. Here’s a quick breakdown of what a shrink sleeve label is and what makes it different from other labeling solutions.

What is a Shrink Sleeve?

Shrink sleeve labels are full-color, 360-degree printed labels that utilize heat in the application process to conform the label to the shape of the container. The labels are typically printed on either plastic or polyester film material and are commonly used on aluminum cans and glass or plastic bottles.

The opening of a shrink sleeve label used for various containers.

Benefits of Shrink Sleeves

One of the greatest advantages of using shrink sleeves is that it allows you a 150 percent increase in label real estate compared to pressure sensitive labels. This additional space can be used to help tell your brand story, add more imagery, or make room for all of the regulatory information that needs to go on your label.

Beyond branding, shrink sleeves can function as more than just a label. Like in the Tylenol example, shrink sleeves can double as tamper-evident sealing to give your products the extra security they need with a perforated shrink cap. Shrink sleeves can also be used to package multiple items together for the purpose of offering it as one product. Because shrink sleeves are form-fitting, you can package different sized and shaped containers, like free samples or two-for-one deals, together easily.

Another benefit of using shrink sleeves is that they are very made of very durable materials. This makes them an excellent labeling option for products like hair care products and beer that are often in humid or moisture-heavy environments like showers and refrigerators.

How Do Shrink Sleeves Work?

Like regular labels, shrink sleeves give you a means to add branding and product information on a container. The process of applying a shrink sleeve involves shrinking a film sleeve with steam or heat so that it conforms to the shape of your container instead of laying on the surface with an adhesive. However, before you can apply the shrink sleeve there are a few different steps that have to happen.

Creating the sleeve

As the name suggests, one of the key differences between shrink sleeves and pressure sensitive labels (i.e. sticker-like labels) is that they come in “sleeves.” Like pressure-sensitive labels, shrink sleeves can be printed on flexographic or digital printing presses. Unlike traditional labels, the ink is printed on the inside of the sleeve instead of on top of the label material. This allows the film to naturally protect the ink as it adheres to the container.

Once the sheets are printed, they need to be converted into sleeves. Some print shops, like Blue Label, do this step in-house to limit the number of times people handle these delicate products before they are applied. Other printers may need to send the sheets to shrink sleeve converters, which results in more opportunities for someone to mishandle the shrink sleeves, obstruct the ink, or cause some form of damage to these labels.

Regardless of who completes the process, the converter will seam the ends of the sheets together to leave openings at the top and bottom of the newly created sleeve. This is done by taking the ends of the film and sealing them together with a specific type of glue to create a loose cylinder. These seams are then inspected to ensure that the sleeves won’t break open as they’re applied. Once done, the film is inspected and shipped as either rolls or individual sheets depending on your application needs.

A shrink sleeve slipped over a beer can.

Adjusting the design to the sleeve

One of the big draws of shrink sleeves is that it conforms to the shape of your container: every angle, curve, or unique shape. However, this also means that your label design needs to be properly prepared to conform to this shape as well.

Due to the shrinking process, your label design will warp as the sleeve is heated and conforms to your container. Similar to how you need to adjust your design for tapered pressure-sensitive labels, you’ll need to pre-distort your design based on the shape of your container. As such, you’ll want to work with a label designer and label printer who can pre-distort designs for custom container shapes before your sleeves are printed.

Applying the sleeve

Once your sleeves are ready, it’s time to apply them to your containers. In addition to printers – and sometimes converters – you may also require an applicator if you don’t have the right equipment in house. Either way, the sleeves are slipped over your containers and sent through a heat or steam tunnel, where the intense heat will shrink the film around the container.

It’s important to note that since the film is made to react when exposed to heat, it’s vital that they don’t get too hot or cold before they’re applied to your containers. Excess temperature in either direction can cause pre-shrinkage or affect the ink on the labels, which can impact the quality of the label and even render them unusable. As such, proper storage and shipping is a must, especially since you may require multiple locations to create and apply shrink sleeves.

How Do I Work with a Shrink Sleeve Label Company?

Ready to cover your containers with quality shrink sleeves? First, you’ll need a good designer if you don’t have one already. Check out our designer directory to find a professional that can help you achieve the perfect look for your products.

Once your design is ready, you’ll need to find the right shrink sleeve label company. At Blue Label, we have the experts and equipment to guide you through the shrink sleeve printing and converting process. Our hands-on team will work with you to identify opportunities, such as testing barcodes that may be skewed from the shrinking process. We can then carefully ship your shrink sleeves to your applicator of choice to help you get your products to market.

Contact Blue Label today to talk to one of our experts about investing in shrink sleeves for your products.

Back to all

How Labels are Made: Digital Printing from Design to Finished Product

Ever wondered what it takes to print your labels? Whether it’s a minimalist design or an ornate construction, each label goes through a specific process to produce an eye-catching finished product. Here’s what it takes to turn a label design into a finished product label.

Step 1: Label Quotes and Prepress

The very first step of the digital printing process involves gathering information and putting together a quote. As a digital label printing company, the first things we’ll need are: the size of your label, the material you want your labels printed on, and some quantities of your total label order. With that information, we’ll send back a quote for the project. If everything looks good, we’ll then need your artwork so we can send a digital proof for final approval before print.

With all the approvals confirmed, your artwork gets sent to our prepress department to review your print ready file. The prepress process essentially acts as a last line of defense before anything goes to the printer. This team reviews various elements of your art file to make sure that your artwork is prepared for printing. This includes making sure that the fonts are outlined, spot colors and Pantones are correctly labeled, images are embedded, and any other key details are addressed before we print your labels.

A prepress expert examinging barcodes on a product label.

The prepress team will also look for any label elements that may be improved. For example, if your label has a barcode, they may do a test print of your label to see how well the barcode scans. If it doesn’t grade out well, they will double check with you to see if you want to modify the barcode or surrounding areas to improve the scan-grade.

Whether they discover an opportunity for improvement or issues with the art file, the prepress team will alert your account manager and send back your file so that your label is perfectly prepped for the printers. Once that’s done, it’s time for the next phase.

Step 2: Printing

When the art file is good to go, it moves to our state-of-the-art HP Indigo digital printing presses. Unlike traditional printing methods, digital printing doesn’t require the use of plates to transfer images onto labels. Instead, the HP Indigos read the digital files and use electronically charged particles in the inks to apply designs directly onto the label material. By cutting out the need for plates, digital printing not only saves you money on plate costs and setup fees, but also provides quicker turnarounds to save you precious time.

The process during the printing phase is simple: to print. The label material comes in long rolls that are fed through the printer, where the machine will print your design onto your material of choice. Once the rolls are printed, it’s time for them to get any finishing treatments and be cut for use.

Product labels going through a finishing machine.

Step 3: Finishing and Die Cutting

Once the labels are printed, they go through a finishing machine. This machine can apply many different treatments to a label, ranging from aesthetic elements like embossing or hot foil stamping to protective top layers like laminates and UV varnishes.

Another important purpose of the finishing process is to die cut each label and slit down the large roll into manageable, multiple rolls. To minimize waste and printing costs, we’ll lay out the labels to print side by side. After being die cut, the labels roll through a slitting portion of the finishing machine, the rolls are slit by little razors so that there are two or three rolls at the end of the press. This prepares them for the final stage of the label-making process.

Product labels being rewound to exact counts.

Step 4: Winding and Shipping

Now that the rolls are finished and slit to a manageable size, it’s time to rewind each roll. The labels come off the finishing machines with large quantities on each roll, but that can be an issue for certain applicators. That’s why rewind machines re-roll your labels with exact quantities to break them up into more manageable amounts for your business.

After rewinding, the packaging department conducts a final quality check to review and ensure that your labels are good to go. Once everything is clear, your labels are packed up and shipped out so that you can use them for your products.

Simplify the Label-Making Process for Your Business

It takes multiple steps to produce a quality product label, but that doesn’t mean the experience has to be difficult. At Blue Label, we guide you through the process from start to finish. This collaborative approach allows us to understand what you and your labels need. Contact Blue Label today about your next label project.

Back to all

See-Through Strategies: Considerations for Clear and Transparent Product Labels

Sometimes a see-through label is the perfect way to make sure people notice your products. Clear and transparent product labels create a striking look that emphasize your container – and potentially everything inside of it. When done right, see-through or transparent labels can give alcohol, beauty products, and other types of packaging a clear advantage over the competition.

Of course, the key phrase here is “when done right.” There are some issues that can occur without proper planning. However, planning ahead for these factors can help you attain a stunning look for your labels. Here are some things to consider when investing in clear or transparent labels.

Be Careful with Colors on Clear or Transparent Product Labels

Both the container and the contents of that container can impact the colors on your label. Let’s say you use a bold red color for a bottle label. If the liquid in your bottle or the bottle itself is blue, your ink may end up looking more purple than red.

Since the label is clear, the colors behind it can completely change the look of your label. To avoid this, you’ll want to put a layer of white behind the individual elements of your design. This can even take a couple of layers of white ink to shield your design from the container or its contents. You may also want to consider test printing just to confirm how your label will look when applied to your container. For a small fee, printers can give you a physical proof so that you can make sure your brand colors are perfect for your standards before you make a full investment.

A single beer can made with a clear can label.

Pay Attention to Clear Label Placement

When you want to use some form of see-through label, you need to consider exactly how people will look at your product. If you want to put a transparent label on a clear bottle, do you want people to read your label from the back of the bottle or the front – or both?

Clear and transparent labels can be utilized in many ways. A clear label placed on a white container can create the appearance of a screen-printed container, such as the Fernson Brewing Co. cans seen above. You can use a single clear or transparent label, such as a solo front panel or something that full wraps around your container. Or you can also have dual see-through labels on the front and back of your container, leaving a minimalist label design that highlights your branding and product.

You can also pair a see-through label with a solid label so that customers can see different designs, images, or messages on the interior of the container. In this case, you’ll want a double-sided label with a layer of white in-between the inside and outside designs. If you don’t, you’ll see both transparent designs directly on top of each other, which makes for an illegible mess. Also, don’t forget to mirror the interior design. Interior designs are inverted when applied, so mirroring these elements will make sure your design isn’t backwards when it’s place on your container.

An example of a clear product label with different designs on both sides.

Choose Materials Based on Your Container

If you want clear or transparent labels, you’ll need to use some type of film material, such as a BOPP – after all, there is no see-through paper label material. Since you’ll need a film, you’ll also want to add a laminate or varnish to protect your label from scratches and other damage. In terms of what type of film is best, it largely depends on your container.

Identifying the right clear label material really comes down to what your container is meant to do. If you need a label for a squeeze bottle, you’ll want a material like MDO that’s meant for flexible containers. More rigid containers like glass bottles may lead you to crystal clear films so that you can showcase your product, such as labels for spirits and other higher-end products. These details can help a label printing company identify which material is best for your specific situation.

Make Sure Your Application is on Point

One of the great aspects about clear labels is that they can show off everything in your container. One of the downfalls is that they can show off every imperfection from the application process. Common label application issues like air bubbles, wrinkles, or other faults are magnified on clear and transparent films since there’s no color to hide them. As such, it’s important to have a clean, tight application process that won’t result in accidental fingerprints, dust, or any other foreign objects under the label.

Find the Right Printing Company for Your Clear Product Labels

Now that you know how to prepare for clear or transparent labels, you still need the right company to help you pull off your see-through vision. At Blue Label, we have the tools and expertise to develop high-quality labels and see-through packaging with your specific needs in mind. You know your products and we know label printing. Together, we can make sure that your labels compliment your products and make people notice your brand.

Ready to wow your customers with eye-catching product labels? Contact Blue Label today to talk to one of our experts about clear printed labels or your next label project.

Back to all

3 Key Considerations When Designing Labels for Bottlenecks

A good bottleneck label can help set your product head and shoulders above the competition. Like a good tie for a nice suit, a bottleneck label adds an intriguing element to the overall look of a bottle. As such, it’s important to devote enough time to designing these companion labels. Here are some key factors to consider when designing bottleneck labels.

Use Your Extra Space Wisely

Bottleneck labels provide you with a very important gift: more design space. Once you have more design space, you need to figure out what you want to do with that space to showcase your branding and attract consumers. You could use it to showcase your logo, add additional information that couldn’t quite fit on your main product label, or use it as a decorative seal for spirits and other classy products.

Want to add a show-stopping pop to your bottleneck? Hot foil stamping makes your logo stand out on the bottleneck in a whole new way, or simply mirror the design on your main product label. You can also opt for a new twist on your branding, such as an alternate logo or variable bottleneck labels catered to specific versions or flavors of your products.

When it comes to adding information, you can utilize the bottleneck to showcase certain messaging. Have a company motto, saying, or some other language to intrigue buyers? A bottleneck label is a perfect spot for these types of branding efforts. You can even use the extra space to make intriguing health claims for food or dietary supplements, as long as they comply with FDA guidelines.

You can also use the bottleneck as a place to include certain regulatory info to free up space on your body label. This is particularly useful for alcohol and other heavily regulated products, although you need to make sure you follow the rules for mandatory label information placement. Whether it’s decoration or compliance, bottlenecks give you the space you need to do what you want to showcase your bottled product.

A spirits bottle featuring a bottleneck label.

Taper Your Bottlenecks (if Necessary)

The shape of a bottle plays a major role in how you design a label. That same philosophy extends to bottleneck labels as well.

The neck and body of a bottle can have different shapes. For example, a standard beer bottle has a cylindrical body, but the neck has a slight taper to it. Other containers, such as spirits or wine bottles, may have cylindrical necks as well as bodies. As a result, you’ll need to measure both the body and the neck to see if you should taper one or both labels.

If the neck of your bottle is tapered, you’ll need to adjust your design. A standard label shape placed on a tapered container will look uneven and can cause the label itself to crease or bulge. The tapering process is a bit tricky, so we’ve provided guidelines on how to taper labels in another blog post for you, just in case.

Factor in Bottle Conditions

Sometimes designing labels is like picking out an outfit – a snazzy dress shirt with no jacket isn’t going to help if it rains. If you want that design to shine, you better consider potential environmental factors so that you can protect it from damage. Water resistance is one typical consideration for bottle labels, but everything from sunlight to scuffs and scratches pose future problems for all parts of your bottle.

Protective coatings like laminates and varnishes help shield your design from outside factors that will cause your labels to warp, scratch, or fall right off the bottle. This extra level of defense can help you ensure that your label design stays looking great. A varnish can double as a decorative effect as well. For example, a spot varnish can add a gloss sheen to a specific element of your design, helping your bottle neck label stand out even further.

A digital label printing expert looking over labels for bottles.

Find the Right Printing Company

A great label still needs a printing company that can do your design justice. Not only is it important to find a printer that has all the technical capabilities required to bring your design to life, it’s also key that this company works with you to identify any specific issues and potential solutions to make sure your labels both look great and perform as expected.

Blue Label is ready to work with you to print the perfect bottle labels for your products. Contact Blue Label today to talk to one of our experts about your next label project and how we can help.

Back to all

Common Labeling Mistakes to Avoid: Application Issues

Before your labels can wow anyone, you need to apply them to your products. However, improper application can make your labels stick out for all the wrong reasons.

Application issues come in many forms and lead to a range of problems. Misapplication could lead to tearing, wrinkling, flagging, or peeling. Other factors can wreak havoc with the actual application process itself. No matter the problem, you can take measures to prevent each problem ahead of time. Here are some notable reasons why you’d encounter label application issues.

Your Label isn’t Right for Your Container Surface

What you apply your labels to can play as much of a role in label issues than the application process itself. Each surface has its own challenges, which can call for a different adhesive or label material. For example, a glass wine bottle has a different surface energy and adhesive needs than a polyethylene pouch for candy. This means that you need to identify potential surface issues to ensure that your labels stay on your products during – and long after – the application process.

Custom product labels printed out for rolls.

The Applicating Environment Poses Problems

Even if you have the right label material and adhesive for your container, they may not be a good fit for your applicating environment. There are a variety of factors that impact label application. Certain adhesives won’t work nearly as well at different temperatures, which can be a major issue if application is performed in a hot or cold environment. As a result, you’ll want to take these conditions into consideration when selecting the right label adhesive.

There’s also potential for contaminants like dirt, dust, and moisture to prevent proper adhesion. The product itself can even pose a problem for the application environment. Spilled oil or soap won’t make it any easier for an adhesive to take hold. No matter the potential problem, it’s important to try and keep your containers and environment as clean as possible for application.

The Unwind Direction is Wrong

Even if you have the right label adhesive and your applicating environment is clean, you can still have major issues if your rolls aren’t oriented correctly. Since your labels are printed on rolls, it’s crucial that you consider both how those labels are printed on the substrate and how they’ll be applied to your container. If you don’t, you’ll likely end up with an incorrect unwind direction that results in improper label placement.

Simply put, the unwind direction is the orientation of your labels as they come off a roll. Depending on your container or application equipment, you will need a specific unwind direction. For example, one machine may dispense labels on the left side first or require your design to be turned 90 degrees for proper placement. It’s key that you take the application process into account and visualize how your labels are applied to your product. That way you can communicate the correct unwind direction to your printer so that you avoid issues before they happen.

Spirit bottle labels printed with the right unwind direction.

Your Label Rolls Aren’t Right for Your Equipment

Unsurprisingly, your applicating equipment could be the source of application issues. Certain machines only handle certain roll sizes. That means equipment designed to use 8-inch rolls won’t accommodate larger sizes. As a result, improper roll sizes can cause your application process to come to a complete stop.

Incorrect roll sizes are fixable, but it still requires your printer to resize and rewind them. In turn that costs you more time and money for an entirely preventable problem. Whether you use your own equipment or work with a co-packer, make sure you know what size rolls your equipment can handle. This size issue is typically referred to as “maximum outer diameter” or “max OD,” That way you can communicate these sizes to your printer and be proactive in preventing issues.

Work with the Right Label Printing Company

No matter the application issue you want to avoid, a good printer can help you find potential solutions to your label problems. That’s why Blue Label develops a collaborative relationship to work with our customers so that we understand their needs and identify ways to avoid issues ahead of time.

Ready to talk about your next custom product label project? Contact Blue Label today to get in touch with one of our experts.

Back to all

The Shelf Life of Labels: 6 Factors That Impact How Long Your Labels Last

Nothing lasts forever, and that includes your product labels. Even the most attractive packaging can lose its luster over time, whether it’s because of a preventable accident or an unavoidable change. Damaged or outdated labels won’t help your business, so it’s important to know the factors that can impact the lifespan of your labels so that you make sure you get the most out of your investment.

Sunlight

You may enjoy a sunny day, but long-term exposure to the sun is a problem for your labels. Ultraviolet rays break down the chemical bonds found in inks over time, which essentially has a bleaching effect. As a result, exposure to sunlight causes your label designs to fade.

While you can’t completely protect you labels from sunlight, you can delay its effects. Label laminates and UV coatings add a layer of protection that lessens the effect of sunlight, like how sunscreen shields skin. While fading will still occur over time, these solutions notably slow down the process so your labels stay vibrant for as long as possible.

Bottle labels protected from sunlight by a UV coating.

Water and Other Fluids

Paper labels don’t play well with water, which is a serious problem for any labels that are refrigerated, encounter water during the application process, or interact with any other slippery situations. Even paper stocks with higher wet strength will absorb water and other fluids over time. This can cause them to distort and even fall off eventually. For this reason, it’s strongly suggested to use film stocks and laminates for any labels that need some degree of water resistance.

Scuffs and Scratches

The quality of your product packaging says a lot about your goods. A big scratch or scuff on your labels won’t send the right message to potential customers. Instead of dealing with damage when it happens, there are ways to shield your labels from unwanted friction that can occurs during shipping and handling. Laminates and varnishes add a layer of protection so that your product labels can endure more wear and tear and customers pay attention to your branding instead of unsightly damage.

Adhesive Material

No company wants to get stuck with labels that don’t stick to its products. There are a variety of factors that can impact the long-term success of a label adhesive. Some adhesives are better suited for use with water, whether it’s for a product that’ll sit in a steamy bathroom or get submerged in a cooler full of ice. Sometimes the containers you use are better suited for a strong acrylic-based adhesive. No matter the environment, it’s important to work with a label expert who can identify which adhesive makes sense for your products.

Label Regulation Changes

Depending on your product, you’re not the only person who has a say in what goes on your label. Various government organizations have specific compliance standards for a wide range of products, covering everything from food and drink to beauty products and vape juice. These regulations can change over time, which means what were once completely compliant cannabis product labels could become obsolete after new legislation. As a result, it’s important to stay up to date on label compliance and to work with a label printing company that provides order flexibility.

Rebrands or Other Label Changes

Change isn’t always an unexpected development. At some point, you may decide that your business is due for a rebrand, or you may simply refresh your product label designs. In this case, you’ll need to transition from your old labels to new ones to show off your new logo, color scheme, or other design change you’ve made to the aesthetic of your packaging. Fortunately, you can plan for these changes and work with a printing company to have new, eye-catching labels ready when it’s time to update your labels.

Three variations of a product labels with different materials and varnishes.

Prepare for the Future with Long-Lasting, Durable Labels

Whether you need to guard your packaging or prepare for the unknown, it’s important to work with the right printing company to get the most out of your labels. Thanks to an investment in state-of the art digital label printing equipment and technology, Blue Label offers both protective label capabilities and order flexibility to help you prepare for long after your product labels go out to market.

If you need quality, cost-effective product labels that are made to last, we can help. Contact Blue Label today to talk to one of our experts about how we can help you get the most out of your durable labels.

Back to all

The Benefits of 7-Color Printing for Labels

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that color is crucial for packaging, but it may be even more important than you expect. The right use of colors is a signal to buyers about your brand’s personality. There’s also the fact that 90 percent of consumers make snap judgments about products solely based on their color. Your product labels communicate with buyers before people even read any of the words, so it’s imperative that they look great for that important first impression.

Unfortunately, your perfect color scheme may not make the impact you want without the right color printing process. Certain printers may not have the technology or range of inks to recreate your specific colors. Fortunately, 7-color process labels allow you to avoid many of these issues without having to pay extra for spot colors. Here’s how.

A digital printing machine making 7-color process labels.

7-Color Label Printing Gives You Access to More Colors

Digital printing uses four base colors, also known as CMYK – cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (key). These original four colors can only account for 55 percent of the Pantone Matching System (PMS) colors. That’s not a comforting number if you’re set on a specific hue, which is why the 7-color process adds violet and orange or green to the original four. These extra three ink colors allow printers to achieve up to 98 percent of the Pantone spectrum.

7-Color Label Printing Makes Your Colors Look More Vibrant

Another advantage of the 7-color process is that it gives you access to Extended Gamut color formulas. Essentially, this means that you have access to colors that are cleaner, brighter, and more saturated than what you may be able to achieve through the standard 4-color process. This is very important for if you want that extra-vibrant green, purple, or some other shade to really pop on your label without having to spend extra on spot colors.

7-Color Label Printing is Digital

Since the 7-color process is done digitally, it means that you can still take advantage of all the benefits of digital printing while improving your color options. Not only does 7-color printing allow you to achieve more vibrant labels, you can also get them quicker than you would with printing methods that require plates. That lack of plates means no setup and better turnaround times for label proof or finished products. Digital color printing also gives you additional flexibility for your orders, whether you only want to commit to a smaller run or want to combine multiple SKUs into a single order.

Multiple custom 7-color process labels on a table.

Make Your Labels Stand Out Through 7-Color Printing

You should never have to settle for bland colors that don’t fit your brand. Thanks to our investment in the 7-color process and state-of-the-art digital printing technology, Blue Label can work with you to make sure your labels look just right for your products. Contact us today to talk to one of our experts about you next label project.