Your product is tough. Your label should be, too. Whether it's a bottle of cleaning spray stored under a leaky sink or a component bolted under a...
QR codes and linear barcodes are both machine-readable labels, but they serve different purposes — and choosing the right one can shape both...
Labels work harder than you think. They aren’t just stickers; they’re mission-critical tools. Whether you're a small-batch distillery, a global...
If you’ve ever wondered why the price of your labels fluctuates from one order to the next, or why two similar-looking labels can have vastly...
“How much will our custom labels actually cost?” No matter how amazing your vision for your custom labels, at some point, it’s going to bump up...
When we talk about sustainable products, we usually picture the product itself—what it’s made of, how it’s used, and whether it can be recycled. But...
Somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean floats a gigantic mass of plastic litter covering approximately twice the area of Texas and weighing as...
Consumers want sustainability. And according to a recent McKinsey report, they’re willing to pay for it. About 60% said they’d be willing to pay...
More and more brands are making the switch to sustainable packaging—and for good reason. It’s not just about helping the planet; it’s about...
Who is responsible for ordering custom labels at your organization? Is it an engineering team that understands the role the label must accomplish...
Consumers are exposed to thousands of brand messages daily as they move about their homes, and virtual spaces. All the while, their attention spans...
Lately it seems like "the pinch" is just getting more and more painful. It can feel like you're being asked to spend more and more for smaller and...
When you’re buying labels, you’re probably looking for quality materials and a color that matches your brand standards. But those terms mean...
If you ask how much your label might cost without describing your needs, there’s only one answer we can give you: It depends. Like so many things,...
When shopping for labels, you obviously want to get the best value for your money. But you might be surprised that the lowest price is not always...
The beauty and personal care industry is growing rapidly. Beauty buyers’ values and shopping habits are changing just as quickly. Your beauty...
This might seem like an unexpected statement coming from a business called The Label Printers, but here goes: Sometimes it might make more sense to...
Earlier this year, it was reported that the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) filed a regulatory petition asking the Food and Drug...
When we talk about “smart” technologies, we don’t just mean clever ideas. This designation refers specifically to products and tech that connect to...
While there’s no question that cosmetics companies must follow federal guidelines, those rules and regulations are not always simple. The labeling...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s regulatory requirements for drug labeling aren’t exactly intuitive. Even after consulting the labeling...
The world has changed quite a bit in the past couple of years. Big societal changes often mean big changes in design as well. You may be wondering...
Can something as small as a product label make a significant impact in the face of the climate crisis? And if so, can switching to eco-friendly...
If you haven’t refreshed your food product labels in a while, 2022 is the year to do it. Events of the past few years have reshaped the global...
The era when just a few brands dominated liquor sales in the U.S. is rapidly coming to an end. Craft spirits represent just a small percentage of...
When it comes to enduring the weather, a label is like a person: It sometimes needs assistance to thrive in the great outdoors. When the...
(image source) The craft beer industry has endured a lot of setbacks since the beginning of the pandemic. Now, another challenge: Minimum order...
Clear labels seem to offer the ultimate in simplicity. In fact, a clear label can give the appearance of no label at all. But achieving that simple...
The cannabis and CBD industries are both more mainstream — and more competitive — than ever before. Currently worth $5.3 billion, the American CBD...
Believe it or not, there is a science to choosing the right label adhesive. The chemistry of an adhesive will react differently to the chemistry of...
Water and product labels don’t always get along, to say the least. This can present a major challenge to companies like beverage brands, beauty...
When buying labels, you might see references to “pressure sensitive labels.” But what are pressure sensitive labels, exactly? As it turns out,...
Coffee was once viewed as a simple commodity in the American market. But over the past several years, American coffee drinkers have become more...
Eco-friendliness isn’t a nice-to-have anymore. Today, manufacturers have an urgent responsibility (and are facing increasing consumer pressure) to...
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, household cleanliness was one of the few factors we could control. So, people around the world ...
A “perfect storm” of converging factors has transformed previously plentiful raw materials into rare commodities. Combined with shipping bottlenecks...
The life of a label is rarely easy, with labels enduring a ceaseless barrage of attacks. If it’s not temperature extremes assaulting the adhesive,...
Bad news, readers: None of us are getting any younger. But while the quest for eternal youth may ultimately be fruitless, there is an upside – for...
Just when it was starting to feel like the economy was finally getting back to something resembling normal, the global supply chain has been hit...
Motivated by a quest for wellness, openness to new experiences, and appreciation for natural ingredients and traditional cultures, consumers...
No matter how carefully you plan, sometimes you just run out of things. And if it’s items like basic office supplies like pens and paperclips,...
After over a year of obscuring ourselves behind masks and computer screens, people are showing their faces to the world again. And that means...
Product tampering is a significant problem for brands and consumers worldwide. Nearly every product category can fall prey to tampering, from luxury...
Innovation can come in small packages. Such is the case with piggyback labels. These little marvels of engineering are surprisingly useful for a...
Whether it’s designer handbags, premium vodka, or top-end electronics, luxury products are aspirational and desirable. And it’s not just because of...
It’s easy to get deeply invested in the look of your custom label. After all the technical decision-making and arduous work that goes into launching...
There comes a time when every small business owner thinks, “Why not just buy our own label printer and do our own labels? How hard could it be?” ...
Ask your label printer for “thermal labels,” and you’ll probably get an immediate follow-up question: “Do you know which kind of thermal label you...
Shoppers make decisions in split seconds. Anything that breaks the monotony of row after row of similar packaging can also break into a potential...
It may seem silly to sing the praises of a piece of packaging, but bottles allow us to enjoy some of our favorite products. From craft beer to...
Prices vary widely across the custom label printing industry. And it’s not always clear to buyers why such a tiny slip of material costs what it...
If you’re considering switching to more eco-friendly labels for your products or business, you’re riding a growing wave of public sentiment. A...
You wouldn’t wait until your house was on fire to purchase insurance. So why would you wait to invest in brand protection until after a counterfeiter...
Beer label design has always been important. But in 2020, most craft beer businesses had to let their branding do their talking for them. By the end...
What business doesn’t want to be more efficient? Efficiency, after all, is one of the keys to business growth. No matter what industry you’re in,...
Industrial labels and industrial equipment have at least one thing in common: They both exist to do a job. Industrial labels aren’t designed to sell...
An industrial environment is replete with hazards: Heavy machinery can exert crushing forces, high-voltage electricity can incapacitate, extreme...
In a world of plastic, metal signifies tradition, heritage, and craft. And certain metals like gold, silver, and platinum denote luxury and elegance.
Editor's note: An earlier version of this post was published in May of 2018. We've updated the post with additional information and resources. When...
In addition to doing the things all product labels must do – attract consumers, provide usage instructions, look great – electronics labels have...
Everyone loves end-of-year lists. There’s something both captivating and somewhat revealing about looking back and revisiting those things that held...
Everyone makes mistakes, so the old saying goes. But while to err is human, sometimes you can save yourself a world of headaches by avoiding errors...
As consumers, we become so accustomed to scanning food and beverage labels while choosing products that we rarely stop to think about what all the...
Lean manufacturing is all about doing as much as you can with as little as you need. Lean means stripping away wasteful processes, unnecessary...
Have you ever looked closely at the label on a cosmetics product? We mean, really closely? Once you get past the product description and all the...
Seen any good product labels lately? While brick-and-mortar retail sales took a COVID-induced plunge this year, label design innovation kept going...
While cannabis is still considered a controlled substance at the federal level, it’s clear attitudes about marijuana are changing throughout all...
This has been a crazy year to be in the food and beverage business. Most restaurants, pubs, bars, and cafes throughout the country are just now...
When it comes to some products, consumers are spoiled for choice. Often, whichever product gets noticed first will have a major advantage. Which...
You’ve got a fantastic product, fun and functional packaging, and a captivating brand image. Now all you need is a label. Do you know how to choose...
Looks aren’t everything. But when you’re a craft beer brand looking to stand out on the shelf, win over new customers, and inspire lifelong loyalty?...
Never have brands had so many options for creating attention-grabbing custom labels. And the stakes have never been higher. Consumer attention spans...
In the beginning, there was just “wine.” That’s no surprise, considering people started drinking fermented grape juice sometime around 6000 B.C.,...
Pharmaceutical manufacturers have always, by necessity, been at the forefront of label innovation. After all, pharmaceutical labels protect...
At this moment in history, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that consumers choose products based on more than price, features, and flashy design....
Compliance is about keeping people safe: your customers, your employees, our communities. It’s not about begrudgingly checking off some boxes to...
Why does your brand matter? Your customers consciously and subconsciously make decisions based on the strength of your brand. Think of your brand as...
They say you can’t judge a book by its cover. Wise words, but most of us ignore them when choosing products off the shelves of stores and...
When we think about sustainability in custom label or package design, we often think about the physical components of the label or packaging. Is the...
As many of our friends and family members have found themselves confined at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, employees of the Label Printers...
We love custom labels. Who doesn’t? When it comes to your product, a well-designed, beautifully performing custom label can completely elevate your...
What do almost all your customers have in common? They probably have a smartphone within arm’s reach. The Pew Research Center says 81% of Americans...
There’s more to a custom label than meets the eye. While the average label is hair-thin, it’s made up of a surprising number of layers. Many of...
A shift away from traditional retail has been underway for a while now as consumers of all generations embrace the convenience and savings of...
“How are we going to make this happen?” Every creative idea has eventually bumped up against this question. You can see the finished product in your...
In the craft brewing business, the operative word is “craft.” A craft beer reflects the expertise, passion, and artistry of its maker, with...
“The past is never dead,” wrote William Faulkner in an oft-quoted line. “It’s not even past.” Nostalgia is among the most powerful and universal...
Norma Ruacho works with one eye on the production schedule and one eye on the labels. Norma’s slitter/rewinder is the last stop for many orders at...
When you read the phrase “covert security,” product labels don’t immediately jump to mind. The words conjure up images of illicit meetings, shadowy...
What are you not thinking about when you think about product labels? Eye-catching design features get all the glory. But when you’re planning a new...
In part 1 of our series on brand protection labels, we wrote about how your brand is one of your business’s most valuable assets – if not the most...
Water: Cool, refreshing, essential … and very, very destructive. The rain that falls from the sky nourishes crops, keeps rivers flowing, and shreds...
If you don’t spend every hour of the workday thinking about product labels (like we do), you may not realize they’re more than just sticky pieces of...
(This blog is Part 1 in our ongoing series on brand protection.) Your brand is more than a name. It’s more than a logo, more than colors, and more...
The end of the 2010s is almost here, and to many of us, it’s as if the decade was just getting started. Maybe it’s because the pace of change these...
In business, clients and customers commonly entrust their partners with sensitive assets. As printers, our customers routinely rely on us to handle...
Everybody loves a sticker. As kids, we plastered our favorite cartoon characters over our lunchboxes and binders. A few years later, we decorated...
As often as we write about printing on this blog – sometimes diving into centuries of history – we rarely mention the original written-word...
The holidays are a fun label design challenge. Can your brand convey the warmth and joy of the season without dipping too far into cliché and...
At The Label Printers, we’re not just proud of the work we do for our clients – we’re proud of our people, too. When you place a custom label order...
The days of Gutenberg – when printing presses were straightforward, hand-operated devices – are long behind us. In the modern era, the typical...
Before you start planning the look of your next custom label, take a moment to think about where it will ultimately reside, whether on a bottle,...
It’s not easy being a custom label on a household product. Items such as cleansers, dish soap, laundry detergent, and air fresheners are subjected...
“Why do you ask so many questions?” We admit it might be a little disorienting to experience for the first time the questions that a label sales...
With some products, you may need or want to put a large amount of information on a small label. But how do you make it work without reducing your...
While browsing your favorite retailer’s website, you see a pair of boots you’d love to have. But your foot shape is tough to fit, so you prefer to...
As the expression goes, a picture says a thousand words. If that picture is on your product label or packaging, it says everything. Ten years ago, a...
If you’ve been following our series on the history of printing presses, it’s been quite a ride. We started in China way back in the 800s A.D. We...
The way we eat is changing, and with it, the information we look for on product labels. Many Americans are no longer content to remain in the dark...
Here at the Label Printers, we think about custom labels a lot – not just because labels are our business, but because we’ve seen how the right...
A new generation of innovative brewers usually – and deservedly – gets the glory for expanding the palates of beer nerds and everyday consumers with...
When thinking about the history of printing, the Gutenberg Bible often comes to mind (or China, if you’ve read Part 1 in this series). But what...
On Jan. 1, 2020, Illinois will officially become the next state in the nation to legalize the sale of marijuana for recreational purposes. The...
The globalization of agriculture has its advantages. For one, it allows us to eat strawberries year-round. It also helps farmers reach far-flung new...
Social media is fertile ground for the rapid spread of fake information – and it’s also become a hotspot for buying and selling counterfeit goods.
Ask anyone in the western world what they know about the history of printing, and it’s a sure bet that – if they know anything at all – they’ll...
When it comes down to it, most energy drinks do the same thing: deliver a caffeine-powered jolt of stamina. But the way brands truly stand out in...
What’s in a food product label? A product with any other packaging would taste just as good, right? Well, not exactly. Taste, touch, sight, and...
It’s hard to imagine (and easy to forget) that there was ever a time civilization functioned without printing. By making it easier, cheaper, and...
Vintage, retro, throwback, old-timey – call it what you want, but people have been looking to the past for as long as there has been a past to look...
Remember when you were a kid and you plastered stickers of your favorite cartoon characters all over your lunchbox? Even as an adult, you may...
A memorable craft beer isn’t just about taste. With so many craft beers lining store shelves, it takes a certain visual flair to stand out. Some of...
Chicagoans have been innovating with food and drink since the day it occurred to someone to put the sauce on top of a pizza. The nation’s...
Having been in customer- or client-facing roles throughout my career, I’ve lost track of the number of times that I have been asked some version of...
There’s a feeling of satisfaction when you submit a file to a printer and receive, “That’s perfect – thanks!” as a response. Unfortunately, some...
If nearly $2 billion in sales on Etsy (and growing) is any indication, the market for handcrafted goods is only gaining momentum. In the age of...
If you’re launching a new brand (or refreshing an old one), the look of your logo isn’t merely a decorative decision. Your logo is the encapsulation...
No one who works for a small business holds just one role. Chances are, everyone’s necks are sore from supporting the weight of multiple hats. But...
From windshields to storefronts, windows present prime opportunities for labels, stickers, and signs. Windows draw the eye naturally — we want to...
Maybe your product label design hasn’t changed since your company used rotary phones and it’s time for a new look. Or, you might be creating a...
Maybe you need labels for a new product release, or you want to refresh the look of an existing product. Maybe you need warning labels or...
Marketing experts will tell you that a brand isn’t something you own. A brand is the sum total of people’s perceptions of a product or company,...
Is your supply chain leaking? No, we’re not talking about shipping containers dripping with unknown substances. We’re talking about products, raw...
Compared to million-dollar MRI machines and DNA sequencers, custom labels may not seem like consequential healthcare investments. But labels are...
A great beauty product label doesn’t just say, “Our product will make you look beautiful and smell nice.” It’s about connecting to consumers on a...
Your brand is much more than your logo, font, or colors. Your brand is the totality of your customers’ experiences with and expectations of your...
Is it December already? The end of the year always seems to come with an explosion of activity. But if you can find the time, it can be rewarding to...
When you buy groceries, the question is “paper or plastic?” At a fast food counter you’ll hear, “For here or to go?” When you order custom labels,...
As you think about the labels that will bring your brand’s children’s products to life, the first things you might think about are the slobbery,...
To a printer, a color is not just a color. The colors we perceive from printed material are the result of the interplay between the ink, the...
The stores have put away their spider webs and witch hats and are pulling out the tinsel and wreaths. Holiday marketing is both fun and inescapable...
When it comes to custom labels that show off the originality of their brand, revel in irreverent and even ribald humor, and experiment with color,...
Peek down any grocery aisle. As you watch the shoppers considering their choices, you’ll notice an interesting phenomenon. While many of the...
Who doesn’t want to save money on their custom labels? Every penny you can shave off of the cost of your labels is a penny you can reinvest into...
From the smartphone in your pocket, to the lamp above your head, to all the microchips, transistors, and wires that provide power, movement, and...
There is a lot of great beer out there, thanks to the revival in craft brewing. Brewers are getting increasingly creative, with their...
We often talk about the technology-driven methods brands use to put their marks on their products and engage with consumers. But as we look to the...
When you’re in the label printing business, you think a lot about color. To a layperson, a yellow is a yellow, a blue is a blue, and a purple is a...
Among the many challenges blind or visually impaired people overcome every day is how to identify products at the grocery store, at the pharmacy,...
Beauty is booming. Everybody from your grandmother to the kid next door is having fun contouring, highlighting, and tinting — and cosmetic brands...
We’re living in a golden age of wine bottle label design, thanks to innovations in label-printing technology, a new generation of creative graphic...
It’s 10 p.m, do you know where your inventory is? For many brands, the answer is a resounding “yes,” thanks to the common technologies – and some...
You have beautifully designed label graphics ready to go, and you’ve chosen your label supplier. Now it’s time for your printer’s prepress team to...
Launching a new product means a lot of excitement, and a lot of tasks on the to-do list: Development, manufacturing, and marketing and distribution...
You’re at the store to buy soap and your regular brand isn’t available. Staring at the wall of unfamiliar, but similar products … which do you...
Nearly any brand can fall victim to counterfeiters, whether it’s the clothes and accessories we wear, the food and drinks we consume, or the...
The right label not only looks great, but stands up well to its environment. The wrong label, however, can fall off, crack, crumble, or lose color....
What are the ingredients of an amazing beer experience? Barley, hops, and yeast are essential. But for Noon Whistle Brewing Company, it’s not just...
As shelves crowd with competition and options abound online, product marketers are discovering that branding matters just as much as the features...
From large safety warnings to tiny UL marks, industrial labels cover a range of sizes, but they all have one thing in common: They need to be tough.
When people think of “counterfeiting,” they tend to think of counterfeit money. However, there is a hugely lucrative market for counterfeit goods,...
Like anyone, we always feel good when we hear people saying kind things about us. This story about us is especially gratifying as it not only...
In our Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration post, we launched our celebration of The Label Printers 50th year in business. As noted in that piece, during...
Inside the pressroom and offices at The Label Printers, there is a strong sense of pride in being part of something great. Right now, there is a...
Do you love shredding down a slope that’s been groomed to perfection? Maybe you are more of a powder skier. Perhaps you love the snow as much as any...
Located in North Aurora, Illinois, the owners of Hardware restaurant describe their establishment as a “sustainable gastropub and brewery, complete...
One of this past Christmas’ “hot toys” was the hoverboard. As is often the case with “hot” anything, products are rushed to market to meet that...
The Label Printers’ Chief Executive, Bill Kane, and Chief of Operations, Lori Campbell recently returned from Buenos Aires, Argentina where they...
The Chicago Cubs make the playoffs – and counterfeit playoff tickets hit the market Chicago media have published articles recently about fake...
Eaton has an interesting video/infographic on Fire Safety – 4 Things You Should Know About Counterfeits – thatthey were sharing earlier this month...
Consumer Reports, the Associated Press and the New York Times have all featured recent articles about the products that counterfeiters “fake” – the...
Think That Counterfeits Are Only High End Goods? How About Table Salt? China National Salt Industry Corporation (CNSIC) is China's largest...
Interpol’s Turn Back Crime Campaign Wins the 2015 Global Media Award Europol’s IPCrime Unit Wins the 2015 Global Anti-counterfeiting Awards The...
Counterfeit cigarettes 'high in heavy metals' A study of counterfeit cigarettes seized in the US supply chain has found that are almost always...
[An article by Chief of Operations, Lori Campbell, appearing in FTA's April 16 FLEXO Prepress] I think it is safe to assume that I’m not the only one...
Lori Campbell Accepts the Eugene Singer Award The Label Printers has once again won TLMI’s (Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute, Inc.) Eugene...
The Label Printers is pleased to once again sponsor a FIRST robotics team organized by Geneva High School, Geneva, Illinois. The ROBOVIKES have...
The Label Printers' Chief of Operations, Lori Campbell, will be a presenter at the FTA Forum 2015 this coming May in Nashvile. The Forum will...
Below is an article about counterfeit goods that really struck a chord. There are so many products being counterfeited and so many ways that...
We've recently found an excellent and thought-provoking essay on iBeacons and QR Codes. Well, really, the article isn't about those technologies,...
Someone asked me the other day who our top competitors are in the area of anti-counterfeiting/brand protection. As a business professional I should...
Did you know that there is a Crime Museum in Washington, D.C.? I didn’t – but I received a Google Alert (subject anti-counterfeiting) about it...
We focus a lot of our time working with customers and prospective customers who are looking for anti-counterfeiting solutions. And so we focus a lot...
Autoline is a PBS show that discusses all things automotive. This week, the show is about “Manufacturing’s New Generation” – a really interesting...
The Label Printers has once again won TLMI’s Eugene Singer Award for Management Excellence. Bill Kane, The Label Printers Chief Executive said, “We...
The Label Printers has been a FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) sponsor for six years. It's an outstanding program....
The Label Printers has won two prestigious awards for their efforts in making the company’s operations more environmentally sound and sustainable....
The Label Printers’ Chief Executive, Bill Kane, and Chief of Operations, Lori Campbell recently returned from Dublin, Ireland where they attended...
An excellent article from Ron Romanik, contributing editor at Packaging World - August 9, 2013 From this seat in the auditorium, his key factors -...
Unless you're a history buff (or a label geek!), the first few paragraphs of this article might not be of much interest. For me, the real interest is...
Taggants are a “chemical barcode” – uniquely encoded, microscopic materials or chemistries that are incorporated into a product to give it a...
This recent article in Label and Narrow Web magazine summarizes the March Pharma Labeling Compliance Conference. The comments from some of the...
Click on this link to read some great strategies for engaging consumers. The sales and customer service staff at The Label Printers can help you with...
This article reinforces what visual creatures we consumers are. The emphasis on creating that visual "stamp" of your brand's message is so very...
Below is some excerpted information on a “Proposed Rule” relative to anti-counterfeiting measures required of DOD suppliers that has recently been...
This is a great post on the problems inherent with simply slapping a QR code on a package and calling it a day. QR codes can be a powerful tool for...
Excerpts from: Greenwashing: Sustainability's Dirty Little Secret A very thought provoking, and well researched, article from My Print Resources...
You can’t turn around these days without someone making an announcement.And I’ve got one of my own:I AM NO LONGER THE POLLYANNA OF BRAND...
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) began 22 years ago in New Hampshire – and the competition drew less than two dozen...
November, 2012 The Label Printers has won two prestigious awards for their efforts in making the company’s operations more environmentally sound and...
