During the coronavirus outbreak it became clear, how very often we take ordinary, everyday items for granted. Many of them are difficult to get at the moment. Numerous industries are working very hard to respond to higher demands.
We are working very hard to make sure our clients in essential industries receive their plain and printed labels, as there is no product without them!
No labels? No gin! No coffee, no peanut butter. No hand sanitiser.
So you stay home and stay safe while we will keep up the good work!
During these trying times small businesses will suffer a lot of damage. We can do our best to support them by buying their products directly from them via online shopping and delivery services. Please see what is available to buy and order online.
We have have check amongst our clients and here are a couple of ideas:
We are working very hard to maintain our normal production schedules under current trying circumstances. We are regarded as an essential service, therefore we remain open for business.
Despite our best efforts – we will encounter delays in material deliveries from our suppliers, which will in consequence have impact on our lead times. Please bear this in mind while ordering in the near future. We are doing our best to remain helpful and we hope we can all support each other in these challenging times.
We usually can easily and fairly quickly distinguish between high and low-quality products. From cheap socks and toys to tech gadgets and cars – we know what to expect from a product by the way it is presented to us. It might not be always beneficial, but we do judge a book by it’s cover!
That’s why when designing a label, you have to imagine it on the product, and on the shelf. The competition is fierce.
There are several aspects of quality in the design you can analyze, that will help you to achieve to best results:
Quality illustration/images. This might sound a bit obvious but… use good images. If you are unsure what images are good – do a bit of research, talk to potential customers about it, check what your competition is up to. Does your illustration/image stand out? Is it aesthetically pleasing? is it original? Is it in harmony with your brand/logo? (We’ll discuss logo itself in a separate article) The image above is an exaggerated example of this dilemma. Whilst the funny-looking aliens are not a bad idea in itself – the level of skill used here is clearly very low, there is little attention to the background and overall impression is that the product isn’t very good. The other label has been composed using free elements and free fonts (I rely on Google fonts and Graphic Burger a lot) but you can get ready to use graphical elements in very reasonable prices from many online creative markets.
Quality font. We have discussed how font matters in another post (please have a look) but we have not mentioned font pairing – it’s another thing to tackle. The simple solution is to use one type of font, just use different weights or caps to keep the design visually more dynamic. Test different font side by side before you make your final decision. You can also use the pairings suggested by Google fonts.
Image resolution. Image resolution is the detail an image holds. Higher resolution means more image detail. If you are unfamiliar with this topic – it’s probably something worth looking into. It simply means that you can take a small picture and make it large by stretching it. If you are using a low-resolution image it can ruin the label no matter how beautiful it is. It will be pixelated and will look very unprofessional and amateur.
Quality of print. If you’re planning on printing the labels yourself use good quality paper and check your printer settings are set to the highest quality print available. Depending on the quantities of labels required you might want to get in touch with a reliable label printing company. In general, you can choose digital labels for smaller quantities and flexoprinting for large runs. They have higher origination cost but are cheaper long term.
There is plenty more to say, but following those 4 basic rules will undoubtedly improve your design.
If you are having doubts about it and would like a professional expertise, you can contact us here at Etiquette on 01978 664544 or email sales@etiquette.co.uk.
We have just finished printing those great-looking labels for Viaderm for an antibacterial hand gel. As we all know, sanitising products are now in uncommonly high demand and many companies are working non stop in response to that demand.
We are doing our best to remain fully operational, we are monitoring the ongoing situation and we wish all of our customers the very best in this difficult period!
Do you know that feeling you get while travelling on a bus full of people or trying to swim in a crowded swimming pool? When you try very hard to pretend that you’re comfortable but you’re really, really not?
Well, in my opinion, some labels look like the elements are uncomfortably close to each other. Space is good.
Depending on what type of label you are designing, the rules will change. If it’s a warning label or list of ingredients – the aesthetic aspect will play a smaller part. If it’s the main product label – for more important. You might be tempted to use all the space to give your customer all sorts of information – from the opening times of your business to the source of your organic papaya smoothie. The label is not necessarily the best place for that.
If you haven’t seen our previous posts about fonts and balance, read those first!
Here are a few pointers, on how to avoid the most common mistakes:
Try to limit the information to the absolute essentials and design a rough version of your label. Then if you think you can add a bit more – go ahead.
Less is more. Just because you have a great logo or a beautiful image it doesn’t mean it has to take up all the free space. Just think about Apple products – the apple logo on the back of a MacBook has a lot of room around it, it’s not huge – you still notice it just the same. Leave some room to let it breathe.
Group your information. Try to see how you can position them. Maybe placing them in a different order will create more room? Can you make them smaller or bigger? Sometimes it helps to print the text out to see how it will look like.
Improve legibility. Check font size, the spacing between the lines and between letters (leading, kerning and tracking).
Think of whitespace as an element on its own. Use it to create order, flow, grids and hierarchy. The more space there is between elements, the easier it will be to treat them separately
You can very often have to little empty space within your design. You rarely hear about to much empty space!
There is still plenty to be said, so if you’re interested – visit this blog post by Vanseo design and look at some designs on Pinterest for inspiration.
If you don’t think this is something you’ll be able to handle – please remember that we can help you out with any labelling issues, including design. Give us a call on 01978 664544 or email sales@etiquette.co.uk.
They say: “We supply thousands of bags a year to events and companies countrywide.
We cater for many types of customer and our quality service offers flexibility for all our client’s diversified catering needs.
We have over 15 year’s experience in the catering industry and draw upon our expertise to ensure that our client’s needs are always catered for. We are constantly checking all aspects of our business from its operation through to all our suppliers enabling us to evolve the business and guarantee quality at all times.
Our sandwiches and rolls are handmade with great care and attention to detail, to ensure we maintain consistency and quality in all of our products.” We can certainly say the same about our labels!
They are produced on a semi-gloss paper with environmentally-friendly UV inks, using a flexographic press. The labels have a special shape, suitable for a sandwich pack application and a perforation for easier access. You can find out more about our “special shape” labels here and also on our website
Balance is crucial in any type of design – from furniture to websites, from a beer bottle label to a sports car.
In this paragraph, we want to cover the basic concept of composing your label with a balance in mind.
This is an intro to an interesting article by Shutterstock, describing quite well why balance is important: “Humans naturally seek out symmetry and, according to Gestalt psychology, we tend to perceive objects as symmetrical shapes that form around a centre point. That’s why balance is one of the key principles of design. Visual balance is essential because it provides a sense of unity, order, and equilibrium. Your design needs to visually “hold together” in order to feel complete and harmonious.
But to be clear, balance doesn’t mean everything should be perfectly symmetrical. It just means that the visual weight of objects, space, and colour is equally distributed across the page. Without balance, a design feels off-kilter, inconsistent, and unsettling. ”
There are many ways to achieve balance. It is not the same as symmetry, although using symmetry is often the easiest way to achieve balance.
“Asymmetrical balance creates tension through contrast and is much more visually interesting. Because it’s abstract, there is no symmetry; there are no perfect mirror images. Instead, you’re arranging elements of all different visual weights in such a way that each side is still balanced out. The “heavier” elements will jump forward and catch the eye more than the “lighter” ones, which will recede.
Large items seem heavier than small ones. Dark items feel heavier than light items. Warm, bright colours are more eye-catching than cool or neutral, muted ones. Red is considered to be the “heaviest” and yellow is the “lightest.” Objects with texture appear three-dimensional and feel physically heavier than objects without texture. A few small objects can balance out a single large object. “
There is also a matter of using negative space but I think it is a topic for a separate article.
We realize of course – it’s easier said than done. If you need advise on a label design or help designing it from scratch – we’re here to help! Give us a call on 01978 664544 or email sales@etiquette.co.uk.
We have been digitally printing those great-looking synthetic labels for one of our regular customers, PF Concept.
PF Concept is a part of the Polyconcept Group and offers a uniquely comprehensive portfolio of promotional solutions. Established in 1984 and with its headquarters in the Netherlands, PF Concept is the European leader in this market.
As we have mentioned before – there are many things to consider when choosing a printing method for your labels. If you are after flexibility, low origination costs and you only need small quantities of labels – digital printing is definitely something to look into. As you can see above – you don’t have to worry it will be a low-quality product!
If you need advice about printing methods or labelling in general – give a call on 01978 664544 or email sales@etiquette.co.uk.
We have recently printed those fantastic looking labels for Nakasero’s Giardiniera. You are probably wondering what Giardiniera is – we didn’t know either (unless of course you are familiar with “Chicago’s best-kept secret”).
It is a type of preserve, made out of chilli and bell peppers, carrots, celery, cauliflower, onion, olives, garlic and other fresh ingredients.
This is what Gita, Nakasero’s founder, has to say about her product: “We love to throw it on top of salads to add a fun boost of flavour. It is an ideal accompaniment to steak, chicken or fish as well as being great for vegan meals and exciting addition to any cheeseboard. “
The self-adhesive, printed labels we have produced to accompany her product are reflecting it’s sophisticated character. Modern and bold design is achieved by combining an intriguing and crisp looking font with vibrant colours and minimalistic logo. The flexographic method used remains the most cost-effective way to produce larger volumes of labels. The labels are printed with two parts, perfect for semi-automatic front and back labelling machine, that applies the labels in register with each other.
We realise that it is so much easier to spot a bad design than it is to spot a good one. There is a famous quote from William Morris, a famous textile designer: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” A good label should be both. We have decided to say a few words about different aspects of designing with a label in mind, that you might find useful or informative.
We thought that a good point to start was to discuss the font choice. There will be more blog post, each relating to a different issue. This is our School of Labelling.
When you know exactly what information needs to be on a label (and don’t start designing before you do!) you can start playing around with your options. Depending on the software/website you are using you might have different fonts available. There is a massive library of free fonts from Google Fonts and many other websites, so you usually have some decent choices.
The image above is illustrating the concept of “bad font choices” in a slightly exaggerated way, but all the pitfalls are quite common:
choosing an unsuitable style ( comic sans, papyrus etc. are usually not the best choice!)
distorting the font (squeezing or stretching to fit the space)
using drop shadows or effects too eagerly
There are many more things to mention, but those are the most important in my opinion. If you would like to learn more about typography and design you can visit CreativeLive (loads of tutorials and courses to choose from) and Typewolf (independent typography resource).
Also don’t forget, that should you need it – our design team can create the artwork for you and bring out the best in your product and your brand. Give us a call 01978 664544 or email sales@etiquette.co.uk.
We have recently printed those fantastic looking, printed, self-adhesive labels for Westminster Cheese. Highest quality packaging for the highest quality cheese.
Joseph Heler’s cheesemaking story dates back over a century when Joseph’s grandmother started the family tradition by making one whole Cheshire cheese every day in the family’s farmhouse – Laurels Farm. This cheese-making expertise was passed down through the generations to Joseph Heler himself. The company still produces all their cheese by hand, on open tables. They still use only the finest local milk, sourced from specially selected dairy farms. And they still treat each individual block of cheese we make with the same care and attention as when the Heler family’s cheese-making tradition began over a century ago.
We applaud their craftsmanship, as we pay just as much attention to labelling. Our labels are produced on the finest flexographic presses, by experienced operators. We use high-quality materials and UV inks, including beautifully rich golden, silver and metallic inks. They are quality checked, carefully packed and shipped, to reach customers in the quickest turnaround times. To find out more call us on 01978 664544 or email sales@etiquette.co.uk.
This will affect many different aspects of our lives. Within the labelling industry, there will be some things that will require your attention – to make sure the labels are reflecting all the changes in the law.
All the information you need is gathered neatly on this website. Here are some of the important points:
EU organic logo
You must not use the EU organics logo from 1 January 2021 unless:
your UK control body is authorised by the EU to certify UK goods for export to the EU
the UK and the EU agree to recognise each other’s standards (called ‘equivalency’)
Polyethylene is the most common plastic, with polypropylene in the second place. Both have been around for a very long time. Polyethylene was first synthesized by the German chemist Hans von Pechmann, who prepared it by accident in 1898 while investigating diazomethane. First industrial production started in 1939. Propylene was first polymerized in 1951.
They are both widely used in the packaging and labelling industry due to their hard-wearing qualities, their resistance to water and chemicals and their flexibility for squeezable packaging.
But while the practical aspects of using synthetic materials are unquestionable – what about the esthetics? When do you go for a clear synthetic label?
I have been curious to see how popular this type of packaging is at the moment and what is the deciding factor for using it. Is there a rule that applies? What content silently screams for a see-through label? How can you be sure this is for you? I looked at many different products and here is my conclusion:
Show off the colour. If you have a range of beautifully coloured drinks or paint bottles that is a fantastic way to take advantage of it. While beautifully designed, printed labels can be very eye-catching – transparent label with bold, vivid colours behind it truly draws attention to itself. Here are some Raw Press and Eaten Alive Smoked Sriracha examples of that. :
Show off the glass. Shape, texture – whatever it might be – a transparent label will not create a distraction from it. Here is a good example.
Show off your style. Sometimes it just makes sense – clear label corresponds with the brand, name or with the idea behind it. It certainly does for the Sea Glass bottles, where the matt transparent label brings to mind the sea glass pebbles to mind.
Show off your modern or quirky design. Sometimes you just want to be different. Here is a great example of how can this be achieved.
I’m sure there are many more examples and reasons, but those were the main trends I have noticed. If you can think of other examples, please comment below – I would love to see them.
For any labelling advice or enquires – give us a call today on 01978 664544 or email sales@etiquette.co.uk.
Etiquette Labels can help you with any labelling issues. Whether it’s the design, the layout, the materials, the positioning or even the barcode specifications – we can help you figure out and answer important questions.
What information is necessary and is it displayed the right way? How to present your branding properly? Is the barcode big enough? What can you do to spruce your label up even more? Do you have the right type of adhesive?
We have a great team of people – from experienced press operators, designers to materials and machinery specialists to help you with the most troubling decisions. Why not give us a call today on 01978 664544 or email sales@etiquette.co.uk.
Februdairy campaign has been born two years ago to support the dairy industry and promote dairy products on social media.
It has been also a way to fight back against the attacks: “There’s been a lot of bad press around the dairy and meat industry,” says Abi, a supporter of the Februdairy campaign who works for an agricultural supplier in Sussex. “People tend to read things online and generalise farmers into the idea that they all run farms in an intensive factory way.” For her, the movement is needed to “make people see that there is so much propaganda.”
It seems that the trending hashtag has now been hijacked and used mainly by animal activists as a way to discourage people from using dairy products by including “shocking” facts and videos. Some of them emphasise cruelty and inhumane conditions, some undermine the nutritional value that dairy products provide.
Farming community responds with myth debunking articles. “Some myths relating to dairy production are difficult to refute because they contain a grain of truth, others because they are so ridiculous it’s difficult to take them seriously,” says Jude Capper, livestock sustainability consultant.
Whether you are a supporter of Ferbrudairy or stand against any animal products – we can help with your labels! We offer you a wide range of materials to choose from (100 % vegan) and environmentally friendly UV inks. If you would like to find out more about label printing, give us a call on 01978 664544 or email sales@etiquette.co.uk.
We’re presenting today brand new labels from Wigwig Spring Water. Very refreshing indeed!
Wigwig is a brand new initiative from a small Shropshire based family farm. It will soon be available to buy, so look out for it!
The labels are produced on a semigloss paper material using UV inks, helping to achieve vibrant colours and remaining cost-effective. They are produced with the use of traditional flexography type press, which allows for the print to have a remarkable quality and definition.
If you would like to find out more about label printing methods, give us a call on 01978 664544 or email sales@etiquette.co.uk.
We wanted to find out what colour trends will be style in 2020. We have done our research and wanted to share that with you! We have looked into different aspects and navigated across a variety of platforms to see what their predictions are for the upcoming year.
First place we turned to was The Pantone Color Institute. They have recently announced PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue as the colour of the year 2020.
What they have to say about this choice is: “Instilling calm, confidence, and connection, this enduring blue hue highlights our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era. As technology continues to race ahead of the human ability to process it all, it is easy to understand why we gravitate to colours that are honest and offer the promise of protection. Non-aggressive and easily relatable, the trusted PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue lends itself to relaxed interaction. Associated with the return of another day, this universal favourite is comfortably embraced. “
We have also checked what Shutterstock’s predictions are. In their opinion “Lush Lava #FF4500, Aqua Menthe #7FFFD4, and Phantom Blue #191970 shades will dominate 2020 and showcase the trend towards maximalism and saturated hues.” Shutterstock also have very interesting tools available if you are having problems match your colours and finding the right one.
We also look at a blog post at 99designs platform, and they seem to think, that glowing neons, as well as futuristic and bold designs will still be a strong favourite. Vintage-inspired colours enhanced with modern elements are a good choice. Dark colour schemes, monochromatic colour palettes and meaningful colour associations will remain popular as well.
They also say: ” First impressions are everything, and colour can often make an impression even before a shape, a word or a spelled-out message. In a consumer-driven culture, colour can make or break a brand persona.”
So choose wisely and if you have any trouble making your design decisions give us a call on 01978 664544 or email sales@etiquette.co.uk.
Real craft requires attention to detail and patience. It also requires knowledge and experience. Let’s not forget the need for development. Definitely requires passion and commitment.
This comes together to create the right state of mind, that lets us achieve true craftsmanship. We believe Etiquette Labels gives you all that. We will produce bespoke labels according to your requirements with the highest level of skill.
We can also help you with difficult decisions and tough choices, as this is our area of expertise – let us worry about it, so you can focus on the thing that YOU do best.
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