Custom labels do more than make products look good. They help goods move through factories, warehouses, and retail with fewer delays. This guide walks through the practical steps that teams use to design, proof, print, and apply labels that hold up in the real world.
Custom Labeling 101
Think of each label as a tiny data carrier. It must tell people what the product is, how to use it, and how to move it from point A to point B. If your team sets the rules early – size, placement, materials, and data – you will avoid constant rework.
Start by mapping where your product goes. List every handoff from the filling line to the pallet to the store shelf. Each stop may need a different label, so plan families of labels that share a look but serve different jobs.
What Needs To Be on The Label
Most industries expect a core set of details. The exact mix varies, but the logic is the same – a buyer must understand the item, and a worker must route it correctly.
- Product name and variant
- Net contents and units
- Ingredients or materials
- Safety or caution statements
- Regulatory symbols were needed
- Date, lot, and location codes
- Machine-readable data like barcodes or QR codes
Build your content model once, then apply it to each SKU. Keep a master list of required fields and who owns updates for each field.
Fit To Package and Form Factor
The shape of your container or shipper should guide your label layout. Your label should not crease on curved bottles or wrap over seams on cartons. This cuts misreads and peeling. Choosing the right sticker sizes and shapes can reduce waste and keep key info legible. Test a few templates on the actual packaging. Take photos after application so your team can spot tight radii, corners, and edges that may lift.
If you use multi-panel labels, place the primary data where it faces the shopper or operator. Secondary data can sit on side panels as long as scanners can reach it.
Design for Readability and Scanning
Labels live in harsh places – fast lines, dim stockrooms, bright store lights. Make text large enough for quick reads and use clean fonts that print well at small sizes. Keep a minimum of 2 to 3 mm for body text and hold solid contrast between text and background.
Barcode and QR tips
Use at least 80 percent magnification for UPCs unless space is tight. Leave quiet zones around every code so scanners can lock on. For QR codes, avoid glossy hotspots near corners and keep dark modules on a light background.
Materials, Adhesives, and Durability
Paper is fine for dry indoor use. Film stocks like BOPP or PET handle moisture, oil, and flexing better. Choose a face stock that matches the container and the journey – cold chain, outdoor storage, or long-haul pallets each change the spec.
Adhesives matter as much as the face stock. Permanent adhesives suit shipping labels and retail primes. Removable adhesives help when parts need rework or when containers are reused. Always test on the real substrate for at least 24 hours to watch for lift, ooze, or residue.
Regulatory Shifts To Watch
Rules change, and label programs must keep pace. In May 2024, the U.S. agency for workplace safety finalized changes to its hazard communication standard, with an effective date in July 2024. A recent regulatory notice highlighted that teams should review chemical labels and safety data sheets so updates flow through to packaging and training materials.
North of the border, Health Canada set a long runway for natural health products to meet new label rules. Government guidance noted that companies have until June 22, 2028, to bring these products into compliance, so brands can plan artwork, inventory burn-down, and printer setups without last-minute scrambles.
Printing and Application at Scale
The best artwork fails if print and apply are not tuned. Run print tests on the actual press or thermal device you plan to use. Check small text, hairline rules, and barcode grades, then lock printer settings so they cannot drift.
- Standardize label roll specs like core size, wind direction, and outer diameter
- Calibrate print darkness and speed to avoid barcode washout
- Train operators to clean printheads and rollers on a set schedule
- Use jigs or guides so labels apply straight and at the same height
- Verify a sample from each roll before a full run
Apply labels to clean, dry surfaces. If the line is cold, keep label rolls at room temperature before use so adhesives flow and bond well.
Data, Version Control, and Traceability
Treat labels like software. Use version codes on artwork files and on the printed label. This helps teams trace which lot carried which label version if a recall or audit happens. Store approved PDFs or native files in one place and limit who can edit them.
Add dynamic data fields that your line systems can populate at print time. Lot codes, dates, and serials should flow from a single source of truth. After each change, print a proof, grade barcodes, and get signoff before mass printing.
Packaging, Pallets, and the Wider Supply Chain
Do not stop at the unit label. Carton and pallet labels are the bridge between your plant and the buyer’s system. Use larger fonts for human reads and place machine codes where scanners can hit them on racks and docks.
- Put labels on two adjacent pallet sides for easy scans
- Keep carton barcodes away from seams and straps
- Include ship-to and purchase order data if your trading partner needs it
- Align label placements with warehouse slotting and conveyor rules
Ask distribution partners for their label guides. A small tweak to size or placement can cut chargebacks and speed receiving.
Testing, Inspection, and Feedback Loops
Pilot your labels across the full journey. Chill, heat, and rub a few samples to see how they hold up. Scan codes with different devices – handhelds, tunnels, phones – to confirm grades and readability.
Set up routine checks on the line. Inspect the first-off, mid-run, and last-off from each roll. Keep a defect log with photos so you can spot patterns and fix the root cause fast.
Final step – build a feedback loop from customer service, warehouse teams, and retail audits. Their notes on peeling, smearing, or misroutes will tell you where to fine-tune art, materials, or processes.
Good labels make products easier to sell and safer to ship. Start with clear rules, test on the real thing, and keep your data clean. When design, materials, and process work together, your labels will move smoothly from factory to shelf without getting in the way.
