19+ Label Examples, Templates & Design Ideas in Illustrator

labels in publisher

A world without labels is beyond imagination. When you are not familiar with the product, you will never know what it is for, what company is manufacturing the product, what are the contents of that product, or what precautionary measures would you take while using the product. You see, labels are about branding and, at the same time, having important information regarding the product.

Thus, because a label features your brand name, it is important that you do well in your labels. You must make sure that you are making a label that is not only more visually striking than your competitors but also containing an effective branding appeal to your target market. In this article, discussed are some important details as regards labels as well as label templates and examples.

Important Elements of a Label

As stated previously, a label carries the brand of the company while also displaying the important information that a customer must know regarding the product. Simply stated, a label must be an eye-catcher and functional. What comprises a good label? What elements must be present in order for your label to be an eye-catcher and functional? Here are the mandatory features of a label that must be incorporated in your label:

1. Brand name: Firstly, your brand name must be placed on your label for your customers to be aware of the brand. It must appear on the front of the container and must be readily legible. It must also be positioned in a way that it is separate or be substantially more conspicuous than the explanatory information. Note that it must also appear on a contrasting background so it would be easily noticeable.

2. Class and type designation: The class and type of the product, its specific identity, must also be present in your label. Similar to the brand name, it must appear on the front of the container, must be readily legible, and must appear more conspicuous than the descriptive information. You may also see bottle label examples.

3. Name and address: For domestic products, the name and address of the producer or packer must appear on the label. You may also include an explanatory phrase, such as “brewed by,” “packed by,” or “bottled by.” For imported products, on the other hand, the name and address of the important must appear on the label along with an explanatory phrase, such as “sole agent” or “imported by.” It is a must for the trade name or the corporate name to be identical to that shown on the company’s basic permit. For the address, you can include the principal place of business of the manufacturer or the actual location where the product is packed or produced. Again, it must be readily legible and must appear separate from the descriptive information.

4. Net contents: The contents of the product must also be included in the label which is usually found at the back of the label. The measurements for each content must also be included as some people would really want to know the content of the product especially when it comes to food labels and when they are allergic to something or they are on a strict diet. You may also see luggage label examples.

5. Alcohol content: Unless otherwise prescribed by the state law, the alcohol content of a product must be disclosed on its label. This is especially applicable to those products containing alcohol such as beer and wine. It must be expressed in the nearest 0.1% or 0.01% for products containing less than 0.01% alcohol. You may incorporate the terms “low alcohol,” “reduced alcohol,” “non-alcoholic,” or “alcohol-free” apart from the alcohol percentage. It can appear anywhere on the container—front, back, or side. All portions of the alcohol content statement must be of the same size of lettering and must be of equally conspicuous color.

6. FD&C yellow #5 disclosure: Also known as acid yellow 23, food yellow 4, or tartazine, this product content is a synthetic lemon yellow azo dye that is primarily used as a food coloring. This must be disclosed in the product label because it is said to cause the most allergic and intolerance reactions of all the azo dyes especially those with asthma and aspirin intolerance. It may appear anywhere in the container, must be readily legible, and must appear on a contrasting background.

7. Saccharin disclosure: If a product contains saccharin, a disclosure must be included in the label. It must incorporate on its label the statements “Use of this product may be hazardous to your health. This product contains saccharin which has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals.” Similar to many other elements in a label, it may appear anywhere in the container, must be readily legible, and must appear on a contrasting background.

8. Sulfite declaration: If a product contains 10 or more parts per million (ppm) sulfur dioxide, a disclosure is required to be placed on the label of the product. The phrase “contains sulfites” or “contains sulfiting agents” must be incorporated on the products. This is so because sulfites are said to scavenge the vitamin from food. Again, it may appear anywhere in the container, must be readily legible, and must appear on a contrasting background.

9. Aspartame disclosure: If a product contains aspartame, the phrase “PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE” must appear on the label of the product. Note that it must be rendered in capital letters, must be readily legible, and must appear on a contrasting background. You may also see wine label examples.

10. Health warning statement: The words “GOVERNMENT WARNING” must appear on the product label in capital letters and in bold type. The statements in addition to the above may not appear in bold type but must appear as a continuous paragraph. It must be readily legible under ordinary conditions, appear on a contrasting background, and appear separate and apart from all other label information. It must not exceed the maximum number of characters per inch which are as follows: for 1mm, the maximum number of characters per inch is 40; for 2 mm, 25 characters; and for 3 mm, 12 characters.

11. Country of origin: The country of origin of the product must also be disclosed using an explanatory phrase “product of,” “brewed in,” “bottled by,” or “packed by.” There are no specific requirements as to the type size and legibility. It may appear anywhere on the label.

10+ Label Templates

Fall Wedding Label

fall wedding label

Nautical Wedding Address Labels Card

nautical wedding address labels card

Burgundy Floral Wedding Address Labels Card

burgundy floral wedding address labels card

Vintage Wedding Address Labels Card

vintage wedding address labels card1

Pink Floral Wedding Address Labels Card

pink floral wedding address labels card

Printable Wine Label

printable wine label

Template Details

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Vintage Wine Label

vintage wine label

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Birthday Bottle Label

birthday bottle label

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Medical Pill Bottle Label

medical pill bottle label

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Mother’s Day Wine Label

mothers day wine label

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10+ Label Examples

Ariel Automatic Power Gel Label

ariel automatic power gel label

arielarabia.com

Coco Mademoiselle Chanel Perfume Label

coco mademoiselle chanel perfume label

chanel.com

Dove Hair Fall Rescue Shampoo Label

dove hairfall rescue shampoo label

dove.com

Downy Liquid Fabric Conditioner Label

downy liquid fabric conditioner label

downy.com

Johnson’s Baby Bath Label

johnsons baby bath label

johnsonsbaby.com.ph

Modess All Night Pads Label

modess all night pads label

modess.com.ph

Nature Spring Water Bottle Label

nature spring water bottle label

naturespring.com.ph

New Yorker Virginia Hotdog Label

new yorker virginia hotdog label

virginiafood.com.ph/virginiahotdogs.html

Sour Cream and Onion Pringles Label

sour cream and onion pringles label

pringles.com

Vienna Beef Brand Labels

vienna beef brand labels

viennabeef.com

Types of Labels

You can typically see a square-cut one-sided label anywhere. However, there is more to labels than what you basically know. Unique label types make your label appealing and striking to customers, especially your target market. Labels come in different types. Know when to use these different types as discussed below:

  • Dry peel label: This is a type of label that can be easily peeled away or be removed from the package or container. The label can easily be peeled off because an adhesive can only temporarily hold the label in place for a short time. Despite that, some people would prefer this type of label because you can place another label underneath them, so when they are peeled off, there is still content that remains the package.
  • Fold out label: These are labels that can be folded out to provide additional content. This type of label is said to be constructed of a single substrate that is then folded and stacked. Similar to an accordion card, the label then unfolds revealing an additional copy. It is used in addition to the primary label which is attached to the container. You may also see wine label examples.
  • Reseal label: As the term suggests, this type of label is able to reseal its container or packaging. Typically, you can find this type of label in a packaging where the opening of the package or container is placed under the reseal label. These are suitable for adding convenience to a multi-use product. Lunch meats, snack foods, or ready-to-use wipes are among the examples of that use reseal labels.
  • Expandable reseal booklet: This type of label is a combination of two labels, the fold out label and reseal label. When combined the expandable reseal booklets can expand out for more content but can also be adhered back to the container or packaging. You can use this when your label is so small or when you want to add extended content to a label. These are often used when you want to expound your explanation in the details of your content especially regarding warning about health and safety, providing directions, or having multiple languages.
  • Specialty die-cut labels: These are labels with a unique shape or outline that are often used to showcase uniqueness in the label branding as well as aesthetic purposes. These are typically used when working with a unique container shape, packaging type, or label panel. These are also used for interior purposes or for removable labels. You may also see bridal shower label examples.
  • Tag and board packaging: This type of label is more of a package than a label, but this can still be categorized under label as it still provides information regarding the product and it can often be printed in a similar way as a label. You can laminate, foil, and die-cut this type of label for maximum protection against moist and extreme weather conditions.
  • Prime labels: This type of label refers to the primary label on your container or packaging which consists of the label on your product at the front and center. Enhancements can be used on this label in order for them stand out from the rest of your packaging.

Label FAQs

These are the answers to the most common questions regarding labels:

What is the difference between product labels and stickers?

These terms are commonly used interchangeably, but there is a subtle difference between labels and stickers. The difference mainly lies in their function. A label “sells” something while a sticker “says” something. Labels contain information related to the product, while stickers usually make statements like “Nice Job!” or “Well Done!” Another difference is that labels are typically produced on rolls, while stickers often come on sheets.

What should be the size and shape of a label?

The size and shape for a product label entirely depend on the type of product you are packaging, the regulations needed to be taken into account, the amount of information you want to include, and the image that you want to display on your label. You may also see vintage label examples.

What does bleed mean in a label design?

In a label design, a bleed pertains to the extension of a background color or design beyond the edge of the product label so that a label will not be inadvertently cut off during the die-cut process. Usually, the bleed for the labels is 1/16 inches, but for circles, ovals, and unique shapes, the bleed is 1/8 inches.

What does clear space in a label design?

While bleed pertains to the extended background color or design, a clear space refers to the space between the die line and any image or text. This is important so the edge of the design would not be inadvertently trimmed off during the die-cut process.

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