Label printing uses a four-colour process, also known as CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and “key” black), with the option to print Pantone spot colours. RGB (red, green, and blue) is used for web and video applications because it is the colour scheme associated with electronic screens. Do not create your label in the RGB color space, as the color will shift when converting it to CMYK.

Bleed refers to when the artwork extends beyond the edge of where your label will be cut (also known as “die line,” “die cut,” or “knife”), ensuring that there will be no white spaces around the label’s borders. If you require assistance creating a bleed, a 2mm bleed is generally the most appropriate option.

Images on the Internet tend to have low resolutions so it’s essential that you use find high-res images of at least 300 dpi (dots per inch) so that the print quality of your label will be good. Please note that PNG and GIF files can’t be used for high quality printing.

Choose vector graphics over raster when possible. Vector and raster are two types of graphics that are used for different reasons. Vector graphics are preferred for printing text on labels because they can be enlarged or reduced without it losing its quality or becoming pixelated like raster. See what other differences exist between vector and raster graphics so the design process won’t be unnecessarily delayed because of poor quality graphics.

Converting your text to outlines or paths will allow design software to recognise it as a wireframe object instead of a font. This ensures that no “missing” font errors or substitutions occur when our art department opens your files in Adobe Illustrator. However, if you have the fonts used and supply them with your artwork files, the artist can easily amend any type errors. This saves time and eliminates the need for resubmission of files.

Certain products are regulated more than others, so it is essential to determine which labelling regulations apply to your product. For example, Food labels Country of Origin is governed by the Food Standards Code and usually demands a nutrition fact table to be present on the principal display board for customers to clearly view.