The Benefits of Variable Data Printing for Cannabis and CBD Labels

When you operate in a thriving industry, sometimes you need an edge to help your products stand out from the crowd. As more cannabis and CBD products make their way online and in stores, it’s critical that people notice your products. Fortunately, digital label printing technology can play a key part in showcasing your goods.

Variable label printing is a powerful promotional tool that utilizes data to revamp the way you approach your labels. By utilizing spreadsheets and other file formats, this technology allows you to be creative in brand new ways to personalize your products and keep track of important information. These new capabilities can open your cannabis and CBD labels up to a whole new range of possibilities.

Flexible Label Design Modification

One of the wonderful advantages of variable data printing is that it can help you diversify your label design without recreating that design every single time. Essentially, variable data printing allows you to modify various elements for different labels. These elements can include features like:

  • Illustrations and images
  • Product names, quotes, and other text
  • Batch numbers
  • QR codes

Thanks to your data spreadsheet or other file format, you can create rules that allow you to customize these elements to add variety to your labels. For example, if you make CBD gummies and have a wide variety of flavors, you can utilize the same label design template and modify the color and text on those labels to match each flavor. This process allows you to turn a single design into personalized pieces for multiple SKUs with a little creativity and some beneficial technology.

Multiple product labels with different colors made using variable data printing.

Adjustability for Required Product Information

No matter whether you make something edible or topical, there’s a good chance that you’ll need to include certain product information on your label. Between the FDA, TTB, and any other regulatory acronym, different types of product labels need to include certain details to remain compliant with governmental standards. The existence of cannabis, CBD, and THC can add even more required information. Depending on your product, that can include the following:

  • The amount of active CBD and/or THC per serving
  • A supplement fact panel that includes all ingredients
  • Net weight
  • Manufacturer or distributor names
  • Whether the CBD used is full spectrum, broad spectrum, or an isolate
  • Batch or date codes

While necessary, these bits of info are a pain when they can change depending on your product. If your trying to consolidate your order or use the same base template, variable data printing allows you to customize each of these elements as you see fit. Does one hand cream contain more active CBD than another? Digital printing can help you modify that and other information as necessary to save you some time and frustration.

The Freedom to Be Unique

While variable data printing is great for modifying individual elements to customize base designs, it can also help you go a bit wild with your design. If you don’t want to limit your options to a few set choices, full variable printing can help you create a unique look for every single label.

Want to use a psychedelic, tie-dye background that’s different every time? Variable data printing can do that. Have a ton of photos, quotes, or other design elements available and want to randomly assign them for each label? That’s definitely doable. When you want to embrace being different, variable data printing gives you the means to do it without manually creating every single label.

Product Tracking

While a bit of chaos is fun, there are some aspects of your label that demand careful organization. Variable data printing can help you serialize barcodes to help you track products. It also can number labels systematically so you don’t need to tally everything by hand, which will save you plenty of time and hand cramps.

Three versions of cannabis product labels printed in the same order.

Multiple Designs in One Order

Another big advantage of variable data printing is order flexibility. Whether you can’t justify hitting certain minimum label requirements for a dozen different SKUs or you prefer smaller orders to stay ahead of any regulatory changes, digital technology gives you the ability to combine multiple label designs in a single order. This way you don’t need to sacrifice quality in order to reach certain quantities.

Not only does variable data printing allow you to churn out several label variations in one batch, it doesn’t slow down the process either. Once you have the data and design files ready, digital printing can get your labels ready right away so you can get your labels within three to five days, even if you utilized variable printing for multiple designs.

With the right equipment, technology, and experts in place, Blue Label can help you create the best possible labels for your cannabis and CBD products. Contact us today to talk to us about your label needs.