Product labels do more work than most small business owners realise. They’re not just stickers with your name on — they’re the first thing a customer reads when they pick up your product, the thing that communicates ingredients or care instructions or compliance information, and one of the strongest signals of whether your brand is professional or amateur.
Here’s how to design product labels that look premium, meet legal requirements, and actually help you sell more.
What Information Must Be on a Product Label?
The legal requirements depend on your product category and country, but for most small business products sold in the US, UK, or EU, you’ll need:
- Product name or description
- Net weight or volume (required for food, cosmetics, and most physical products)
- Ingredients or materials (required for food, cosmetics, textiles)
- Country of origin (required in most markets)
- Contact information (business name and address, or website)
- Any required warnings (allergen info, flammability, age restrictions)
If you’re unsure what’s required for your specific product, consult a regulatory checklist for your category before printing labels. Getting it wrong costs more than getting it right the first time.
Label Shape: Match Your Packaging
The shape of your label should complement your packaging, not fight it.
- Round labels — ideal for jars, candles, bottles. Elegant, classic, works at any size
- Rectangle labels — most versatile. Works on boxes, bags, flat packaging, bottles
- Oval labels — slightly softer than rectangle. Great for food products and bath goods
- Custom die-cut — shaped to your logo or product. High-end look, higher cost
Typography: Three Levels of Hierarchy
A well-designed product label has three levels of text, each with a clear visual weight:
- Primary — your product name, large and immediately readable
- Secondary — variant, scent, size, or short descriptor
- Tertiary — ingredients, contact info, legal copy — small but legible (minimum 6pt for print)
Don’t try to make everything the same size. Hierarchy is what makes a label readable at a glance.
Choosing the Right Label Material
This is where many small business owners make an expensive mistake. The material needs to suit the environment your product will live in:
- Matte white paper — best for dry products (candles, stationery, soap wrapped in paper)
- Glossy white paper — more vivid colors, better for products displayed under lighting
- Waterproof vinyl — essential for anything near water (bath products, outdoor items, drinks)
- Kraft paper — organic, handmade feel. Perfect for food, natural products, artisan goods
- Clear labels — “no label” look. Works beautifully on glass and clear packaging
Printable Labels vs. Commercial Print
Printable label sheets (available from TagPrintly and printed on your home or office printer) are perfect for:
- Testing a new design before committing to a commercial run
- Low-volume products (under ~200 units)
- Etsy shops where each order is packed individually
- Events, markets, and pop-ups where you need labels quickly
Commercial print runs make sense when you’re consistently producing 500+ labels of the same design and have the storage space for the stock.
FAQ
What font size is readable on a small product label?
8pt minimum for any text the customer needs to read. 6pt absolute minimum for legally-required small print. Anything smaller than 6pt is effectively invisible at arm’s length. Test-print at actual size before finalising.
Do I need a barcode on my product label?
If you’re selling through retail stores or Amazon, yes. If you’re selling direct-to-consumer (Etsy, your own website, markets), you generally don’t need a barcode. Check with any retail stockist before assuming.
