Designing a Label That Prints Well

What are bleed and safe area?

Labels are printed on a large sheet or web and then cut. The cut can move very slightly, a fraction of a millimetre either way. If a background colour stops exactly at the cut line, a thin white sliver can appear at the edge. If text sits right at the edge, it can be trimmed.

Bleed solves the first problem: extend any background colour or image 2 mm beyond the cut line on every side. The safe area solves the second: keep all text and important detail at least 2 mm inside the cut line, or 3 mm on small labels. We draw both on your proof.

Borders deserve special care. A thin border running close to the edge of a label shows every fraction of a millimetre of movement in the cut, so one side can look thicker than the other. Either make borders at least 3 mm wide, or keep them well inside the safe area where small movements are invisible.

Quick reference for label artwork

How small can text be?

Ingredients lists, warnings and directions push text sizes down. Around 6 pt is the smallest we recommend for body text in a clean sans serif font, and around 5.5 pt only for very clear fonts printed black on white. Thin scripts, light weights and fonts with fine serifs need to be larger, because their thin strokes can break up when printed small.

Reversed text, meaning white or pale text on a dark background, needs to be a little bigger and bolder still, because ink can spread slightly into the gaps. If text will not fit at a readable size, move some of it to a back or base label rather than shrinking it further.

Line spacing and letter spacing matter as much as size. Text set very tight to save space becomes a grey block at small sizes. Give each line a little room and keep paragraphs short, and the same words will read far more easily on a small label.

Which file types work best?

Vector files keep logos and text sharp at any size: PDF, AI, EPS and SVG. A PDF saved from your design software, with fonts embedded or outlined and bleed included, is ideal. High-resolution PNG and JPG files work for photos and illustrations, as long as they are 300 dpi at the size they will print.

Avoid logos saved from a website or a social media profile. They are usually small and soft, and they look blurred when enlarged. If that is all you have, send it anyway: we will tell you whether it is usable or whether a simple logo can be redrawn.

Word documents and slide files are best avoided for print, because they shift fonts and spacing between computers. If that is where your design lives, save it as a PDF first and check that the PDF looks exactly as you expect before sending it.

How do colours change from screen to print?

Screens mix light; printers mix ink. Very bright screen colours, especially vivid greens, blues and oranges, cannot always be matched exactly in print, and they come out a little duller. Setting your file up in CMYK gives a fairer preview of what will print.

The stock matters too. The same colour looks brighter on white gloss than on matt paper, and warmer and darker on kraft. If a brand colour matters, send its reference and a printed sample you are happy with, and we will tell you how close each stock can get.

Black deserves a mention too. Large areas of black print best as a rich black, a mix of black with a little of the other inks, which looks deep rather than grey. Small text, however, should be plain black only, so it stays crisp.

When do I need white ink?

White ink is printed under other colours on clear, kraft and silver stocks. Without it, the stock shows through the ink. Pale colours on clear film over dark contents almost disappear, and pastels on kraft look muddy.

In your file, put any areas that need white ink on a separate layer, or simply tell us which parts should be opaque. Our clear film labels page shows how white ink changes the result on glass.

Preparing artwork for foil and varnish

Foil and spot varnish are applied only where you ask for them, so they need their own layer or a clearly named spot colour in the file. Keep foiled lines at about 0.3 mm or thicker and foiled text at about 7 pt or larger, and leave about 1 mm between separate foiled areas so they do not join up.

If your design includes a shape cut to the outline of a logo, draw the cut line as a separate path too, and name it clearly. If you cannot, describe the shape you want and we will draw the cut line on the proof.

Spot varnish works best on bold shapes: a logo, a pattern or a block of colour. On very fine type it can look blurry, because the varnish sits slightly proud of the print.

Barcodes and small print

• Print barcodes black on white or a very pale background
• Do not stretch, squash or recolour a barcode
• Leave clear space either side of the bars
• Keep barcodes away from the cut line and away from curves
• Check the barcode size your retailer or scanner expects
• Make sure allergens are emphasised the way you intend

We place barcodes where they will read and flag anything that looks too small, but always test one printed label with your own scanner.

What should I check on the proof?

1. Read every word aloud, especially names, weights, allergens and contact details.
2. Check the size in millimetres against your container.
3. Look for text near the cut line and colours that should bleed.
4. Check which areas have white ink, foil or varnish.
5. Confirm the material, finish, shape and whether you ordered rolls or sheets.
6. Print the proof at 100% on paper and hold it against the product.

Approving the proof starts printing, so take your time. Changes before approval are free; after printing starts, a change becomes a new run.

How do I keep files easy to update?

Keep a master file with each element on its own layer: background, logo, product name, variable text, white ink, foil and cut line. When a flavour, a weight or a recipe changes, you edit one layer and save a new PDF.

Name files clearly, with the product, the size and the date. When you reorder, send the same file and tell us what has changed, and we will send a fresh proof before anything is printed.

Keep a simple text document alongside the artwork with the wording for every variant: names, weights, ingredients and dates. It is far easier to check text there than in a design file, and it means anyone in your team can update the copy without opening the design software.