How To Setup Your Files for Custom Labels

Melissa
Melissa
  • Updated

So you have new products that you want to see on the shelves at your local market, or even better, in the hands of your customers after a purchase! The design of your custom labels will speak directly of your brand and the quality of your products. Let’s take a look at some of the choices you have for choosing and setting up your custom labels!

Choose The Right Size Label

The first step to getting your labels set up perfectly is to make sure you're designing your art file to the correct size. Always measure your product using a ruler to determine the best fit. If using a bottle with a beveled top or bottom, make sure the height of the label stays within the flat edge. Otherwise, your label may bubble and not lay flat! 

Measuring For The Inset

Once you have found the best size and shape for your custom labels, you will want to consider the size of the safety inset you can have, based on the size you are planning to print. The inset in your custom labels is the space between the important elements of your design and the outer edge where the shape of your label is cut. For labels larger than 1"x1", we can cut your labels with a 1/8 or 1/16 (narrow) inch inset. For sizes under 1"x1" we will always need to print your labels with a 1/8 inch inset. Our team will automatically proof with a 1/8" inset unless "narrow insets" are requested during the proofing process, so if you prefer narrow insets, make sure to let us know in the Special Instructions field during checkout! 

Choose The Right Font Size

Once you have an idea of where your insets are, it's time to think fonts and design! If your labels will be printed with a white background or no coloring in the background, your fonts can be as small as 4pt. When you plan on having your labels printed with color in the background, we recommend bringing the font size up to 5pt, to make sure it can be read clearly. Be sure to check on any industry standards you may need to follow. Depending on your industry there may be some specific requirements for the size of font and size of any icons or graphics included in your design. Make sure to pick a font that connects to your overall brand, and that catches your customers' eye! 

To make sure your text stays true to size and that your font is not altered during the printing process, we recommend outlining your fonts before uploading your files. Check out this resource on how to outline fonts to see how easy it is to outline your fonts in Adobe Illustrator.

Embedding Images

If you designed your labels in Adobe Illustrator and linked in any graphics from outside this program, be sure to embed any of the images you used in your design so they travel with the art file. After linking your art files in your design, select the Window menu, and choose Links.

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From here, select the images you want to embed in your design and click the menu button in your Links window to reveal the Embed option. Select embed and all the files you have selected will be embedded into your image.

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Now you are ready to send your art files over to be printed into high-quality product labels.

PROTIP: Create A Template For Your Custom Labels

Now that you’ve created and set your first custom labels to be printed, it is a good time to save a template file of your work! Chances are you will have more fabulous products to package and sell in the future, and with a template, you can keep everything you create in the same brand style. Having a working template will save you time if you ever need to update ingredients or any messaging in your packaging.

If you are designing your labels in a design software such as Adobe Illustrator, save an extra copy, and rename it as your template. Now you can always go back to your template and make updates, change copy, or adjust images in your designs, without having to create a new label from scratch for all of your new products you will create.

Ready to place an order? Let's get started! 

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