Ordering labels for a new product or updating the packaging of an existing one can feel surprisingly complicated.
What material should you use? Which adhesive is best? Does it matter if the product will be refrigerated? How many labels should you order? And what happens if you don’t know the answers to all these questions?
The good news is: you don’t have to be a label expert. That’s our job.
At Rebsons Labels and Packaging, we believe great labels start with asking the right questions. The more we understand about your product, packaging and how it will be used, the better we can recommend a label solution that doesn’t just look good, but performs as it should.
Here are eight things that are helpful to know when requesting a label quote:
1. What is the label going onto?
Glass bottle? Plastic tub? Cardboard box? Flexible pouch? Metal container?
The surface your label is applied to is important because different materials can require different adhesives and label constructions.
Even the shape matters. A flat surface is very different from a tightly curved bottle or an unusual container.
Don’t know the technical name for your packaging material? That’s okay. Show us the container or tell us about the product and we can help guide you.
2. What size does the label need to be?
If you already have label dimensions, that’s a great starting point.
If you’re developing a new product, however, don’t assume that you need to have everything worked out before speaking to us.
Consider where the label will sit, how much information it needs to carry and how it will work with the shape of the packaging.
Sometimes a few millimetres can make a significant difference to both appearance and application.
3. Where will the product be used or stored?
This is one of the most important questions and one that’s easily overlooked.
Will your product be:
- Refrigerated or frozen?
- Exposed to condensation or moisture?
- Stored Outdoors?
- Exposed to sunlight or heat?
- Used in a bathroom or shower?
- Exposed to oils, chemicals or cleaning products?
A beautiful label isn’t much use if it starts lifting, fading or deteriorating once the product reaches the customer.
Tell us about the real-world conditions your product will experience so we can help specify the appropriate materials, adhesive and finish.
4. How many labels do you need?
Quantity affects far more than price.
Tell us approximately how many labels you require and whether this is a once-off order, a new product launch, a test run or something you expect to reorder regularly.
Modern digital label production can provide greater flexibility for shorter runs, multiple variations and changing product ranges.
If your volumes are expected to grow, tell us that too. We can consider both what you need today and what may make sense as your brand develops.
5. Do you have different flavours, sizes or product variations?
One product may actually mean ten different labels.
For example, a food producer may have several flavours. A cosmetics company may offer the same product in different fragrances or sizes. A beverage range might have seasonal or limited-edition variations.
Tell us how many SKUs or variations are involved and approximately how many labels you need for each.
This allows us to look at the complete project rather than treating every label as an isolated job.
6. How will the labels be applied?
Will someone apply the labels by hand, or will they be applied automatically on a production line?
This is important.
Machine-applied labels may need to meet specific requirements relating to roll direction, core size, spacing and other production specifications.
If you’re working with a contract packer or automated labelling equipment, share those details with us early in the process.
If you’re applying labels manually, tell us that too.
The label needs to work with your production process, not against it.
7. What do you want the finished label to look and feel like?
This is the exciting part.
Do you want something clean and understated? Bold and colourful? Luxurious? Natural? Industrial? Highly tactile?
Depending on the project, there are numerous ways to enhance the appearance and performance of a label through materials, finishes, varnishes and other production techniques.
But premium doesn’t necessarily mean adding everything possible.
Sometimes the most effective packaging is about choosing the right finish for the brand, product and budget.
Talk to us about the impression you want your packaging to create and we can explore suitable options with you.
8. Is your artwork ready?
If you already have professionally prepared artwork, send it through with your enquiry so that the specifications can be reviewed.
If your artwork is still being developed, that’s perfectly fine too.
It’s often beneficial to involve your label printer before the design is completely finalised, particularly when you’re working with unusual shapes, specialist finishes, multiple layers or specific production requirements.
A technically beautiful design still needs to become a label that can actually be manufactured and applied successfully.
You Don’t need to Know Everything Before you Contact us
Perhaps the most important thing to know before asking Rebsons Labels and Packaging for a quote is this:
You don’t need to have all eight answers.
You may simply have a new product, a container and an idea of what you’d like the finished packaging to achieve.
That’s enough to start the conversation.
With more than 60 years of experience in labels and packaging, Rebsons Labels and Packaging understands that every product brings different requirements. Our role isn’t simply to print what we’re given. It’s to ask the right questions, understand the application and help find a solution appropriate for your product.
From your initial enquiry and material considerations through to production and the finished label, we’re here to help you every step of the way.
A great label shouldn’t only look good on the day it’s printed.
It needs to work where it matters most, on your product.
Contact Rebsons Labels & Packaging to discuss your next label project.
Send an email to: sales@rebsons.co.za
