Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Whole Foods Packaging Requirements
Thursday, September 9th, 2010
As of September 1, 2010, Whole Foods has fully implemented its plan for responsible packaging in its bath and body products segment. Over the last year, Whole Foods has worked closely with its top 25 personal care producers to create packaging guidelines that will reduce waste and rely on recyclable or glass containers when possible.
The new packaging guidelines require suppliers to reduce the use of plastic in packaging, and use post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials when available. Basically, you need to find an eco-friendly packaging solution that will still work for your product. Glass bottles are great, but not ideal for a shampoo bottle that could easily slip out of someone’s hand.
In terms of the product labels, we would recommend opting for a label size that will fit all your required information, but doesn’t have a lot of wasted space. Also, investigate using PCR or corn-based label stocks. These are considered more “green” and given the higher demand for these types of stocks, the prices have come down. Additionally, you may want to inquire about soy or low voc inks. Many label printers have environmentally safe materials available, so be sure to ask, especially if you want your product on Whole Food’s shelf.
Lastly, while Whole Foods doesn’t require this, we would recommend inquiring about your label printer’s recycling and waste reduction practices. At InTouch Labels, we follow strict recycling standards, which should be important to any marketer aimed at selling an eco-friendly product or promoting eco-friendly packaging.
If you need more information about Whole Food’s new requirements, please visit their packaging guidelines.
Does Your Label Bleed?
Wednesday, September 8th, 2010
No, we aren’t asking if your label was injured in an office-related accident. We want to know if the ink runs all the way to the edge of the label. If a label doesn’t bleed, it will have a small white border around the edge. If your label artwork is setup so the ink goes all the way to the edge, filling the entire label, then the label will bleed. In our opinion, having your artwork bleed will look much better than leaving the small white border. So, what is a bleed?
In simple terms, bleeding just means the art will run beyond the edge of the label. If you can visualize it, the ink will actually “bleed” off the paper. If a label does bleed, you have to ensure you or your designer setups the artwork to allow for the bleed. Generally, any color that will need to bleed should be extended 0.125″ beyond the label’s dieline. When the label is printed, the extra ink around the edges ensures when it is die cut, there will be no unintended white borders. Since label presses can shift slightly from label to label, the bleed area also guarantees there is enough ink around the edges to compensate for small shifts, while still keeping the same look from label to label.
In addition to setting up the bleed area in your artwork, you must also work with your label printer to ensure they have a die that will allow for a bleed. There does need to be enough room between each label to allow for the bleed, without the ink running onto the next label. Let’s say you have a label that is purple on the left side and fades to blue on the right. If there isn’t enough space between the labels, the purple ink could potentially run into the blue area, creating a disaster!
Setting up the correct bleeds and working with your label printer to ensure they have the right die for your label will make sure your labels are printed to your exact specifications. Custom labels look great when they bleed, but only if it is done right!
QR Codes on Car Labels
Tuesday, September 7th, 2010
The EPA recently proposed to have all new cars equipped with stickers outlining the car’s fuel efficiency. The window decals will provide grades, ranging from A to F depending on the car’s overall impact on the environment. Additionally, the stickers will indicate the average savings or cost in terms of fuel. Obviously, less fuel efficient cars will cost money, while a hybrid may have a significant savings.
While this is all interesting and could certainly help consumers, the really cool part about the label is the QR code. The code would allow consumers to save the information and use it for comparison in terms of other vehicle’s fuel efficiency and price at different dealerships, all through their smart phone. This is probably one of the first mainstream QR code applications that has been proposed in the US. Yes, Google and Facebook have been using QR code decals to promote local businesses, but this would be a major milestone for QR codes.
Placing a QR code on a label that almost all consumers would encounter at some point could provide a real turning point. QR codes have had a hard time taking off in the US because many businesses have had difficulty figuring out what content to provide. This type of application is a great example of how QR codes will be the wave of the future. Imagine standing in a dealer’s lot and being able to quickly research other vehicles and price compare in a matter of seconds? This would empower consumers when purchasing an automobile, which is something many people would love.
While we are still a while away from seeing any type of label like this, it is a great example of how QR codes can work and the tremendous value they can provide to consumers when executed correctly.
Design Corner – Dual Purpose Labels
Friday, September 3rd, 2010
Today is Friday, which means we take some time to focus on label design. I came across this great label design by Matt Braun for “Tuned Pale Ale”. Aside from being a nice label layout and clearly identifying the product, the label also doubles as a musical instrument! The designer cleverly placed a scale on the side of the label, and when the liquid reaches certain levels, different notes can be played when blowing across the top of the bottle. This is a great example of how a custom label design can be both functional and fun.
This got me thinking, how can a label become more than a label? Without getting too philosophical, there can be opportunities to create labels with dual purposes, not only providing added value to their product, but also giving people “something to talk about.” Obviously, an idea like Braun’s wouldn’t work on all products. If you think about your product, could there be an underground use for the product that has been embraced by the masses but neglected in your marketing and branding strategy? The beer bottle is a great example. We all know the original intent of beer bottles, but we also know it can double as a fun noise maker. I bet most people reading this blog, who are of legal drinking age, have tried to make music with a beer bottle.
The genius behind Braun’s idea is he centered his design around a secondary use of the product, while not taking away from the primary focus of the beer. He also fit his concept into the “normal” realm of beer labeling. He didn’t extend the scale past the neck, which would have been too gimmicky and distracting. The key to designing a dual purpose label is to promote the product’s best selling proposition (beer taste, flavor, etc.), while creating a secondary use that enhances the overall experience.
In terms of the actual label design, just one critique. The overall layout is nice and I like how he incorporated music notes into the text, but the white text against a light blue background is difficult to read. Granted, I’m viewing this on a computer screen, which could be diluting the color, this is good to keep in mind when designing your own product label. All in all, this is a great label with a dual purpose that could certainly drive sales.
Die-Cutting Custom Labels
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010
If you have ever peeled a label off a roll in a clean and easy manner, the label was probably die cut. The labels you purchase at an office supply store on sheets that neatly peel off are die cut. In fact, most custom labels are die cut. Die cutting is one of the most important, and often overlooked, aspect to custom label printing.
A die is essentially a sharp metal tool built to a customer’s specification based on the label size and shape. Additionally, dies can be built for efficiency, making it possible to run more labels across a roll at one time, resulting in faster production and reduced cost. The key to any label printing die is to make sure there is enough force to cut through the face of the label stock, but not too much so it cuts the liner, making it almost impossible to easily removed the labels from the roll.
In addition to ensure the cut through the label is correct, we also have to be extra careful that the die doesn’t shift too much during production. Generally, there is very little room to move, and most small shifts will go unnoticed, but if there is a border around the label or part of the design bleeds, even the slightest shift could be noticeable.
In terms of making dies, most label printing companies have a large library of available dies, in a variety of shapes and sizes. In some cases, a job may require a new die because the custom requires a specific shape or size. In these cases, the label printer will need to build a new die, which often requires a one-time die charge. Once a die is made, the customer will enjoy having their labels printed to their exact specifications.
There is much more to label printing then creating artwork and turning on the press. The whole process has various steps which must be executed near perfection. If done right, the end result will be beautiful!
Label Re-Branding – Can it hurt?
Monday, August 30th, 2010
I came across an interesting article in Inc. magazine, a magazine for small businesses, about a California-based tea company. The owner formulated her own organic tea blends, and put her likeness on the outside packaging. The full-color packaging design was oozing with wild colors, stars and other “earthy” graphics. The owner noted, “We did whatever we thought looked good. We used as many fonts as we wanted.” While the end result was certainly unique, the majority of product sales came from California, where many consumers could relate to the product’s “hippie” vibe.
Since the company want to grow, they needed to re-brand themselves for the masses, which meant re-designing the packaging to appeal to a larger market. Instead of marketing the product around a California lifestyle, they opted to revamp the entire brand, focusing on fashion and luxury to gain market share. As their marketing guru stated, “They’re not tea bags, they are couture sachets.” Each line of tea would be targeted to a specific audience, and the packaging would to convey a more luxurious feel.
In order to achieve the desired look for the packaging, the designers opted for more modern tins, and toned down the previous design and logo with muted colors and softer tones. The main focus of the design was now on the product type, not the logo. While all of this is interesting, the really fasinating part of the article was the owner’s fear about losing her base consumers by trying to reach a larger group.
This fear drove me to think, can a label re-design hurt your brand? It may be scary to say, but in some cases, yes, drastic changes to a brand can hurt business with your core supporters. Some may be angry due to price increases (which often happens when changes are made due to more expensive packaging or printing costs, etc.), while others might simply not realize the look has changed, and therefore don’t recognize the product. We have written in the past about updating designs without losing the general feel, so this is about weighing the risks and potential gain of re-branding your product.
In the case of the tea company, 80% of their business came from local sales. They were missing a huge market segment because their product wasn’t speaking well to consumers outside of California. They did experience some growing pains and slow sales as the new packaging was introduced. By implementing a marketing strategy that included a PR campaign and launching a Facebook page, sales began to soar from 30% to 300%. Additionally, east coast sales surpassed west coast sales, a true milestone for the company. There overall sales grew from $3.5 million in 2008 to $6 million in 2009.
Clearly, the risk of re-branding paid off. Even the owner was skepical about changing her original vision, but she understood that reaching more consumers meant finding a design that they liked, not forcing her design idea on them, hoping they “get it”. This is the key concept to designing or re-designing a product label. It takes more than a good idea or a nice design to sell a product. There must be a broader understanding of the marketplace and consumer needs in terms of the product your are selling. Interestingly, the tea company didn’t change their product offering, they simply changed their packaging and branding, which lead to almost a 100% increase in sales.
If you are considering changing your label design, enlist the help of professional designers and branding experts within the product label industry to ensure the changes you are making will have a positive impact on sales. Incorrectly executing a product re-design can be brand suicide, but if done right, you can be rolling in success.
Design Corner – Vector Art for Labels
Friday, August 27th, 2010
If you are creating artwork for your custom labels, or if you are working with a designer, one of the most important design concepts is using vector files. In complicated terms, vector art uses lines lines with coordinates, beginning and end points, to create images. As opposed to a jpeg or other pixel based creations, vector art is a more precise and mathematical design technique. If you examine the example, the vector art on the right is much more clear and crisp than the pixelated bitmap image.
Using vector artwork for your labels is important because:
- The art can be re-sized without loosing quality or clarity
- The colors can be changed or edited by simply clicking the path and selecting a new color
- It can be placed over other images, and the object below will show through (no background block)
- Any shape can be drawn depending on skill level
Vector artwork can be created using a few different design softwares. Some of the most popular are Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw. At InTouch, we often use Illustrator, which is the preferred choice of many design and printing professionals. In terms of the actual label printing, using vector art will ensure a high quality output, regardless or size changes or color edits. Additionally, if your design requires spot colors or close lines, vector art allows the colors to be separated, ensuring the correct color will print in the correct path, without registration issues.
Creating vector art can be difficult. It does require a certain amount of skill, which is generally found in a professional designer. If you are learning to create vector art, it may take a few tries, but in time, you will see the vast benefits of creating this type of crisp design.
Laura Worthington – Font Designer
Thursday, August 26th, 2010MyFonts has a great interview with Laura Worthington, one of their font designers. We always talk about how important it is to use unique and creative fonts, and Worthington’s creations are wonderful!
Machine Label Application
Thursday, August 26th, 2010
Whether you are a small business with a few products or a large company moving millions of units, the issue of machine application for your custom labels can become a crucial part of your manufacturing and packaging operation. When a product is entering the marketplace, the quantities are generally low, making applying the labels by hand the most cost effective option. While this can sometimes be time consuming, it quickly becomes unbearable if you are regularly packaging and shipping product in quantities over 1,000. The easiest fix is machine applying the labels to the product or packaging.
If you are thinking about incorporating machine label application into your manufacturing, there are a few questions to ask yourself:
- How much time will be saved by using machine application for your labels?
- Is hand label application currently accounting for more than 20% of your time and utilizing more than two employees?
- Will you purchase label application equipment or will you hire a packinghouse with machine applicaticator abilities?
- Is your product packaged in a warehouse that has label application capabilities?
- Does your warehouse/packinghouse have the space for a machine labeling equipment?
- Will your packaging require a customized application system due to the unique shape or contours of the packaging?
Examining your answers to the questions above will help you to determine if having your labels machine applied as opposed to hand-applied will make sense for your business. Chances are, if you are thinking about machine application for your labels, then you probably need to do it.
Once you have determine that machine label application will be a smart move, there are some important label printing factors you must know:
- What is the required spacing for the labels? Typically, most machine applicators require 1/8″ space between each label. This gives enough time for the label to be applied to one product, and then the next product to move down the line for application. If there is no space between the labels, or if the spacing is incorrect for your applicator, it could result in disaster.
- What unwind is need for the applicator? The unwind (see chart above) referrers to the direction the label comes off the roll. Does the copy need to come from the left or right? Does the bottom or the top of the copy come first? Knowing the correct unwind will ensure the labels are placed in the correct position and direction. There is nothing worse than an upside down label! Most printers use the same unwind chart, so providing the unwind number is the easiest way to communicate the correct direction.
Machine application for your custom labels can save time and increase productivity. For many new or growing businesses, machine application will become a reality at some point, so it is important to start considering your plan for creating a label that can be easily machine applied.
Setting Dielines for Custom Labels
Tuesday, August 24th, 2010
A dieline around a label tells the printer where the label should be cut, indicating the label size and shape. Setting the correct dielines will ensure your labels are printed correctly and no important information is accidentally trimmed.
There are a few general guidelines to remember when setting dielines:
- Set any text or graphics at least 0.125″ from the edge – this is a good safety zone to protect the artwork during the die cutting process.
- If the label bleeds (the color extends beyond the edge), set the dieline and increase the bleed at least 0.125″ beyond the dieline. This will ensure the bleed is trimmed correctly, without any white space around the edges.
- If you have a border around the edge of the label, thicken the border to extend past the dieline. If you have an inset border, be sure it is at least 0.125″ in from the edge.
- Use a bright color to mark the dieline. Printers can easily confuse a black outline with a border, as opposed to a dieline, so opt for a bright color that is clearly not part of the artwork.
- If you artwork file is in layers, create the dieline on a new layer and name it “dieline”. This will eliminate any questions about where the dieline is set.
Setting and indicating the correct dieline will make your custom label printing experience much easier. Additionally, it will ensure the finished product is the correct size and shape for your product or application. Setting a dieline only takes a few moments, but is well worth the time.
