Three errors to avoid when printing product labels

Everyone wants their new product labels to come out looking awesome. However, most small businesses will attempt to design and print their own labels. More often than not, this will result in a lot of wasted time and money. The best outcome will be an unprofessional looking product, which is unappealing to the consumer. Ensure you don’t make these three mistakes, and you will have a much more professional result.

Mistake 1: Label Stock

So many people think it will be fine to print off labels with their office printer, then stick them on with glue-stick or PVA. Firstly, printer paper will dull your lovely, vibrant design. The colours will simply not stand out like professional-grade label stock. Secondly, glue-stick will not last very long, and PVA will warp the paper it is applied to. Thirdly, cutting out labels by hand will make them uneven in size and shape.

The way to avoid these issues is to use a professional label printing service. A local printer will be the easiest to work with, as you will be able to see examples and discuss your needs in person. A printing service in China will usually be significantly cheaper, but any errors will not be seen until the full batch of labels arrives on your doorstep, and you may have to pay for a reprint out of pocket.

There are many different types of label stock available. If you have a product that will only be stored in a dry place, you can use paper labels. You can choose a matte or gloss finish, and you will have no worries about the durability of the labels.

If your product will be stored in a damp environment, such as a fridge or freezer, or if your products is oily, you need to consider using special labels. You can choose laminated paper, or the more durable vinyl labels. Vinyl is a type of plastic, so there will be no problems with the labels becoming discolored, disintegrated or delaminated.

Mistake 2: Colour Matching

Have you ever created a design on the computer, only to see it print totally differently? This is because computer monitors cannot replicate printed colours, due to monitors generating colour with back-lit pixels, and printed colour being created by mixing different inks.

So how do you ensure you get the colours you want? You need to select colours from a specially printed colour chart before printing. The industry standard is the Pantone Colour Matching System. This system has a special code for every shade in both matte and gloss paper stocks. These numbers can then be given to a professional printing company, so that the colour you want will be replicated accurately.

Mistake 3: Proof Reading

This may seem obvious, but proof-reading is incredibly important. Even big companies sometimes have typos on their product labels due to a failure in the proof-reading process. The best way to avoid this error is to have someone who is not involved in the design process do the proof-reading. This is because you know what the text is supposed to say, so your brain just glosses over even the most ridiculous typos. However, after taking a break from the project to wait for the printing process, you will get your fresh new labels and IMMEDIATELY see the typo! You will kick yourself for not reading more carefully. If you cannot get someone else to read it for you, read it backwards. This will help you find errors, even if it takes a little while to do so.

If you are feeling a little worried about getting your new product labels right, then visit grafix.co.nz for professional help. We can help ensure that your labels look just the way you dreamed they would. We take out the stress of worrying about typos, we have Pantone colour charts for you to choose from, and we only work with professional label printing services. If you fancy a chat about your next project, email [email protected] for friendly advice.