Custom Labels

What custom labels are for

A label does three jobs at once: it identifies the product, carries whatever the law requires, and convinces someone to pick it up. Most label problems come from optimising one and ignoring the other two — a beautiful label that peels in a fridge, or a compliant one that looks like a warning sticker.

We print labels to your artwork in short and medium runs, on stock chosen for where the product actually lives.

Choosing the material

Material	Best for	Watch out for
Coated paper	Dry goods, cartons, short-life packaging	Condensation and oil will stain it
Uncoated paper	A matte, tactile, “natural” look	Less water resistance than coated
PP (polypropylene)	Squeeze bottles, chilled food, cosmetics	Slightly stiffer hand-feel
PET	Durability, premium clarity, chemical resistance	Costs more than paper
Clear film	Containers that should show through	Needs white ink for opaque graphics

If you are unsure, tell us the container and the storage condition — fridge, bathroom, freezer, warehouse — and we will recommend a stock rather than leave you to guess from a swatch.

Printing and finishing

Small and medium runs are printed digitally, which keeps setup low and makes short runs economic. Larger runs can move to flexographic printing, where the setup cost is higher but the unit price falls once the volume is there.

Finishes change both appearance and durability. Lamination adds protection against scuffing and moisture; a matte finish photographs well but shows fingerprints; gloss is more forgiving on shelf. Foil and spot UV are decorative and are quoted separately because they add a pass.

Size, quantity and what moves the price

Four variables decide a label price: the printed area, the material, the finishing, and the quantity. Doubling the print area roughly doubles the material cost but barely changes the setup, which is why small labels at high volume are cheap and large labels at low volume are not.

Our minimum is 50 units per design. Multiple designs can share an order when the material, size and finishing match, with the total counted toward the minimum.

Artwork and proofing

Send a vector file (AI, EPS, PDF, SVG) at final size with fonts outlined, 3 mm bleed and CMYK colour. If you only have a PNG or JPG, send the highest resolution you have — we will tell you whether it prints acceptably before you commit. Our artwork guidelines cover the details.

Every order includes a digital proof. Approve it in writing and it becomes the production specification: spelling, size, barcode data and legal text are all your responsibility at that point, which is why we ask you to read it slowly.

Ordering

Send the size, quantity, material (or ask for a recommendation), destination country and artwork. You will get a quotation with unit price, setup, shipping and lead time — usually within one working day.