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  • How Many Custom Labels Should You Order? — Custom Labels Co

    Home › Blog › How Many Custom Labels Should You Order?

    Ordering

    How Many Custom Labels Should You Order?

    07/02/2026

    Ordering custom labels for the first time, most brands either overbuy on a design they’ll tweak or underbuy and miss the volume price — and both cost money. Because printed labels carry a setup cost, the per-unit price drops sharply with quantity, so the right order size is as much about economics as it is about how many bottles or jars you’ll fill.

    Here’s how to size an order once you separate your program into its real needs.

    First run: order to a real tier

    For a first product run, don’t order the bare minimum — setup dominates at low volumes, so the per-label price at 250 can be several times the price at 2,500. If the design is final, ordering up one tier usually costs only marginally more total while cutting your per-unit cost sharply. If the design might change, order a small proof run first.

    Replenishment: base it on fill rate

    Tie your quantity to how fast you fill product — order 8–12 weeks of labels and reorder at about 3 weeks of cover so a reprint lands before you run out. Because we keep your dieline and stock on file, reorders are fast and match exactly.

    Multi-SKU: consolidate to share setup

    If you run several SKUs, order them together. Combining designs into one production window shares setup and hits a higher combined tier, which lowers the price on every label at once.

    StageStarting quantityWhy
    Design finalOrder to a real tier (often 2,500+)Setup cost dominates at low volume
    Design uncertainSmall proof run firstValidate before scaling
    Replenishment8–12 weeks of fill rateReorder at ~3 weeks cover
    Multi-SKUCombine designs in one runShare setup, hit a higher tier
    Key takeaway

    The single biggest lever on per-label cost is quantity: once your artwork is final, ordering up one tier usually pays for itself immediately.

    Tell us your product, size, and volume and we’ll show you exactly where the price tiers fall — with a free mockup, within one business day.

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    Roll vs. Sheet Labels: Which Should You Choose?

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  • Roll vs. Sheet Labels: Which Should You Choose? — Custom Labels Co

    Home › Blog › Roll vs. Sheet Labels: Which Should You Choose?

    Buyer Guides

    Roll vs. Sheet Labels: Which Should You Choose?

    06/18/2026

    Labels come two ways — wound on a roll or laid out on flat sheets — and the right choice comes down to how you apply them. Get it right and your labeling is fast and clean; get it wrong and you’re fighting a format that doesn’t fit your process.

    Here’s how to choose by application, not by default.

    Choose rolls for machines and volume

    If you apply labels with an applicator or bottling line, you need rolls wound to your machine’s core and orientation. Rolls are also the most economical format at volume and the standard for high-throughput food, beverage, and cosmetics packaging.

    Choose sheets for hand application and short runs

    If you apply by hand, run short or variable batches, or juggle many SKUs, flat sheets are simpler — they store flat, peel easily, and let you combine several designs in one order with no plate cost.

    A quick decision rule

    Machine application or high volume, choose rolls. Hand application, small batches, or lots of SKUs, choose sheets. Many growing brands start on sheets and move to rolls as volume and automation increase.

    FactorRollsSheets
    ApplicationMachine / applicatorBy hand
    Best volumeMedium to very highLow to medium
    Multi-SKUOne design per rollSeveral per sheet
    StorageWound rollsFlat sheets
    Key takeaway

    Rule of thumb: if a machine applies your labels, order rolls; if you apply by hand or run small batches, order sheets.

    Tell us how you apply your labels and we’ll recommend the right format and mock it up — free, within one business day.

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    Ordering

    How Many Custom Labels Should You Order?

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    Product & Care

    Are Your Labels Waterproof? Durability for Bottles & Jars

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  • Choosing a Label Material: BOPP vs. Paper vs. Clear — Custom Labels Co

    Home › Blog › Choosing a Label Material: BOPP vs. Paper vs. Clear

    Buyer Guides

    Choosing a Label Material: BOPP vs. Paper vs. Clear

    06/04/2026

    The material is the most important label decision you’ll make, because it determines whether the label survives its environment and how the product reads on the shelf. The three common families — durable BOPP, coated or kraft paper, and clear film — each fit a different job.

    Here’s how to match the stock to the product.

    BOPP for anything that gets wet

    White or clear BOPP is a waterproof, tear-resistant film that survives the fridge, the ice bucket, and the shower without wrinkling. It’s the right call for beverages, bath and body, and any product exposed to moisture or oils — the durable default for product labeling.

    Paper and kraft for dry goods and a natural look

    Coated paper prints bright and crisp for dry-goods packaging, and uncoated kraft gives an artisan, matte, hand-finished look that eco and small-batch brands want. Both cost less than film, but neither is built to get wet — reserve them for dry environments.

    Clear film for the no-label look

    Clear BOPP makes your design appear printed directly on the glass, which reads premium on bottles and jars. It needs a white underprint behind opaque colors to stay true, and it’s waterproof like white BOPP.

    MaterialDurabilityBest for
    White BOPPWaterproof, oil-proofBeverages, beauty, wet goods
    Clear BOPPWaterproof, no-label lookPremium bottles & jars
    Paper / kraftDry-goods, matte lookArtisan & dry packaging
    Key takeaway

    Rule of thumb: if the label will get wet, choose BOPP; if it’s a dry-goods or artisan product, paper or kraft is cheaper and warmer.

    Tell us your product and container and we’ll recommend the right material and mock it up — free, within one business day.

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    Roll vs. Sheet Labels: Which Should You Choose?

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    Are Your Labels Waterproof? Durability for Bottles & Jars

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  • Are Your Labels Waterproof? Durability for Bottles & Jars — Custom Labels Co

    Home › Blog › Are Your Labels Waterproof? Durability for Bottles & Jars

    Product & Care

    Are Your Labels Waterproof? Durability for Bottles & Jars

    05/21/2026

    The most common label failure is a lifted edge or a smeared print on a bottle that got cold or wet — and it almost always traces back to the wrong material or adhesive. A waterproof label is a spec, not luck, and it’s worth understanding before you order.

    Here’s what actually makes a label survive moisture and cold.

    Film, adhesive, and laminate together

    A durable product label is a waterproof BOPP or polyester film, a cold- and moisture-rated adhesive that resists edge-lift, and a protective laminate over the print. All three matter: the film keeps water out, the adhesive keeps edges down in the cold, and the laminate protects the ink from scuffing and oils.

    Match the adhesive to the environment

    A label headed for the freezer, the ice bucket, or the shower needs an adhesive rated for that condition. A standard adhesive that’s fine on a dry box will lift on a cold, wet bottle — so always tell us the environment and we’ll spec the right one.

    Laminate protects the print

    Even a waterproof film will scuff if the ink is exposed. A gloss or matte laminate seals the print so it survives handling, ice, and oils — essential for beverages, bath products, and anything that gets handled wet.

    EnvironmentMaterial + adhesiveResult
    Fridge / ice bucketBOPP + cold-rated adhesiveNo edge lift
    Shower / bathBOPP + moisture adhesive + laminateStays crisp
    Dry goodsPaper, standard adhesiveFine indoors
    Key takeaway

    A label that survives the fridge and shower is worth far more than a cheaper one that lifts and smears on the first cold bottle.

    Tell us your container and environment and we’ll spec a waterproof label and adhesive — with a free mockup within one business day.

    More posts

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    Choosing a Label Material: BOPP vs. Paper vs. Clear

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    Roll vs. Sheet Labels: Which Should You Choose?

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  • Foil, Emboss & Specialty Finishes: Making a Label Look Premium — Custom Labels Co

    Home › Blog › Foil, Emboss & Specialty Finishes: Making a Label Look Premium

    Design & Artwork

    Foil, Emboss & Specialty Finishes: Making a Label Look Premium

    05/07/2026

    Two products can have the same shape and the same price, and the one with a foil-stamped, embossed label will feel more expensive every time. Specialty finishes are the most reliable way to raise a product’s perceived value — if you use them with restraint.

    Here’s what each finish does and how to deploy it.

    Foil stamping for shine and status

    Metallic foil — gold, silver, rose, or custom — reflects light and instantly signals premium. Use it on a crest, a wordmark, or a thin border rather than the whole label; a little foil reads refined, while a lot reads gaudy.

    Emboss and spot gloss for touch

    Embossing raises an element off the surface and spot gloss adds a wet shine over a matte background, both creating tactile and visual contrast. On a soft-touch matte stock, a spot-gloss logo feels expensive the moment it’s picked up.

    Restraint is the strategy

    The premium look comes from contrast, not quantity. Pick one hero element to elevate — usually the logo — finish the rest cleanly, and let the special effect carry the weight. We’ll help you place finishes so they lift the product instead of cluttering it.

    FinishEffectUse on
    Foil stampMetallic shine, statusLogo, crest, border
    EmbossRaised, tactileLogo or seal
    Spot glossWet shine on matteHero element
    Key takeaway

    Restraint is the whole strategy: one foiled or embossed hero element on a clean label reads premium; covering the label in effects reads cheap.

    Tell us your product and we’ll mock up a premium finish that fits your brand — free, within one business day.

    More posts

    Buyer Guides

    Choosing a Label Material: BOPP vs. Paper vs. Clear

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    Ordering

    How Many Custom Labels Should You Order?

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  • How to Set Up Label Artwork & Dielines for Print — Custom Labels Co

    Home › Blog › How to Set Up Label Artwork & Dielines for Print

    Design & Artwork

    How to Set Up Label Artwork & Dielines for Print

    04/23/2026

    A crisp label starts with a correctly built file, not with the printer. Setting up artwork and a dieline right takes a few minutes and avoids a round of revisions — and if you’d rather not, our designers will handle it for you free.

    Here’s the short prepress checklist we use.

    Start with vector art

    Vector files (AI, EPS, SVG, or PDF) scale to any size with sharp edges and give a clean cut. If you only have a raster image, provide it at 300 DPI at final size — or send whatever you have and we’ll recreate it print-ready at no charge.

    Set the dieline and bleed

    A dieline is the exact cut shape of the label, drawn as a separate vector path. Extend your background about an eighth of an inch past the dieline (bleed) so no white slivers show after cutting, and we’ll cut precisely to the line.

    Keep a safe margin and mind the wrap

    Keep important text and logos about an eighth of an inch inside the cut so nothing critical gets trimmed, and for cylindrical containers, account for the curve and overlap seam so your design lands where you expect on the bottle.

    ElementSpecWhy
    File typeVector (AI/EPS/SVG/PDF)Sharp at any size, clean cut
    DielineSeparate vector pathExact cut shape
    Bleed~0.125 in past dielineNo white edges
    Safe margin~0.125 in inside cutNothing important trimmed
    Key takeaway

    No print-ready file? Don’t worry about any of it — send what you have and our designers will build the dieline and set it up free before you approve.

    Send your artwork and container in any format and we’ll return a print-ready, proofed mockup within one business day — revisions always free.

    More posts

    Buyer Guides

    Choosing a Label Material: BOPP vs. Paper vs. Clear

    Read more →
    Buyer Guides

    Roll vs. Sheet Labels: Which Should You Choose?

    Read more →