How to Choose the Best Custom Label Provider For Your Business

March 3rd, 2012

There are many variables in custom label printing, because… well, every job is custom. Maybe you are a startup company and need good pricing on a small quantity and need consistency with small runs that only happen on an as needed basis. Maybe you are a corporation who distributes millions of labels to franchises or retail operations. Both of these types of companies and every business model in between will have a different set of label needs.

Not only are your labels custom, your needs are custom as well. We get that. It really is all about you.

  • Is your label company providing expert advice regarding best practices and new technology for achieving your desired result?
  • Can your label company produce both small runs and mass quantity?
  • Are you able to ask for recommendations on material types and product testing prior to ordering?
  • Do you feel comfortable that the company is financially solid and will be available to serve you in the future? Does their facility reflect your expectations?
  • What about overall value proposition, including price, quality, timing, delivery and customer service?
  • Would you feel comfortable referring your label company to others?

Often product labels are the “make or break” factor for start-up companies, and can be the bread and butter for branding, creating top of mind awareness and recognition for your audience. Labels are the first and often only form of communication you have with your customer. As with most competing products on the market today, many conditions come into the decision making process for consumers. Factors such as effectiveness, taste, quality and overall value often override price.

Next time you are running errands, look at all the choices you have as a consumer. What determines the purchases that you make for your family? Would you rather have the pasta sauce that tastes like Mom’s, or the sauce that is on sale but that no one will eat? Most people will vote for the sauce that tastes like Moms even if it is a little more expensive because as my Mom used to say “A sale is no sale if it ends up in the trash.”

We know that your time is valuable. Not only do labels need to look good and convey your unique message, they need to stick when they are supposed to stick, have the right material for the application and exposure and be a good overall value, leaving you more time to concentrate on what you do best- growing your business.

  • Is your label company making it easier to achieve your branding and sales goals?
  • How do you know that you are getting the best value for your money?
  • How does new technology affect your labeling options?
  • What makes the most sense for your individual situation?
  • Does your label company deliver consistent product and stay on top of industry trends?

Sometimes, the answer lies in the question. Call us with any of your specific questions or to request a custom label quote and we will ask you the right questions in order to figure out the best solution for you.

Tips for Printing Custom Labels for Unique Containers

March 1st, 2012

Columbine Label Company can take your very own custom design and artwork and create custom labels and stickers that work perfectly for your product.

How to print custom labels for unique containersWe specialize in unique shaped packaging and will be certain to create a label that is as specific and unique as your product.

An attractive package, with a proper fitted custom label or sticker, creates a sense of security and trust, in a consumer. How often have you purchased a product, based solely on the packaging?

While a main goal is for a consumer to fall in love with your product, your first goal is to get them to notice your product and then purchase it; they will then be able to judge your product first hand. First impressions are extremely important. You want your product to stand out with a label or sticker created to fit.

If your packaging has a special shape (other than square or cylindrical) chances are you may need a special shape custom label or sticker so it will fit properly. Unique shaped packages are often eye catching, which is a good thing, but once you have caught your consumers’ eye, the label must be professionally sized and placed to keep their attention and to gain their trust. Allow Columbine Label to engineer a custom label with a custom fit for your product. A special shape label combined with the proper material will result in a beautiful custom labeled product.

Many containers require special shaped labels that are not rectangular, square or round.

For instance, typical deli containers have a wider mouth and taper off towards the bottom. The tapered design of a deli container will prevent a rectangular label from being applied straight.

Columbine Label can engineer a custom label to fit your tapered deli container or other unique shape perfectly. If your packaging is new, your safest bet is to provide Columbine Label with a container so we can engineer a label that fits your packaging.

You’ve spent an enormous amount of time developing your product, choosing its’ unique packaging, and creating the design for its label, it is now time to have your label or sticker professionally manufactured. A properly engineered label that fits great on your container and works well with your application process will save you time and money.

A label that does not properly adhere to and fit your container will not only be a nightmare in your production but will also send an unprofessional message to your consumer. A perfectly fit label will enhance the overall appearance of your product.

Digital Printing Is the New Black: When Can It Benefit You Most?

February 26th, 2012

When it comes to custom label printing, digital printing is quickly becoming the new standard for many applications.  Technology in the digital arena seems to be blazing forward with lightning speed.  So why is everyone talking about digital when flexo printing has been the stand-by for decades?

When we think of digital printing, we may tend to think about quality similar to a home office printer and wonder if the end product will be a suitable representation for your product.  Like any technology, digital presses come in many shapes, sizes and calibers to be sure.

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What is “Unwind Direction” and why does it matter for custom labels?

February 26th, 2012

We all can agree on the importance of the label in branding the product, communicating the product benefits, and catching attention of consumers.

Numerous decisions must be made in order to design and print a label that will work with the product packaging or bottle, as well as correlating the label with the brand image of your company and product.

If you want people to know that your brand is quality, the label needs to be printed with as much quality and precision as possible to help relay that message.

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How to Choose the Right Face Material For Your Custom Product Labels

January 25th, 2012

Even your best product won’t be successful if it doesn’t stand out from the crowd.  The quality of your product is self-evident- but will your potential customers agree when they see it nestled among your competitor’s offerings? A custom and professionally printed label is a great tool to get your product noticed and differentiate it from the crowd.

A primary consideration for creating the best label for your product is choosing a face material for the label.  This will either be a paper or film material.  Paper face materials include uncoated papers, gloss- and matt-coated papers, colored papers and paper labels with wet-strength capacity.  Filmic facing materials include polyethylene (for materials that might be squeezed), polypropylene (more durable and less stretchy), and polyester (this resists water, oil and chemicals.  Other more specialized facing materials are available including foils and holographic materials.

Just like when requesting removability for a label, we tend to ask lots of questions and then ask the customer to test our recommendations for suitability in that particular application. To get you thinking about everything that goes into play, here are a few of the main considerations for choosing the proper material  face product.

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Custom Label Adhesives: Basic Classifications and Main Pros/Cons

January 20th, 2012

After finishing the detailed process of designing a products packaging and custom label, some businesses may tend to rush the last steps to printing. However there are a lot of important considerations to make sure you’re choosing the label features that will work best for your product. One of these main considerations is the adhesive, because choosing the wrong adhesive could extremely hurt the presentation and shelf life of the product packaging.

When requesting removability for a label, we tend to ask lots of questions and then ask the customer to test recommendations for suitability in that particular application. There are many things to take into account to choose the right adhesive, here we will explain the main items to keep in mind.

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7 Uses for QR Codes on Product Label and Packaging

December 18th, 2011

QR code for custom labels

Perhaps you have seen those blocks of what look like garbled pixels on labels, with directions instructing you to scan them with your smartphone. Those two-dimensional squares are called QR codes and they are starting to become widely popular worldwide as well as providing other benefits for businesses.

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Have You Thought About Special Holiday-Edition Product Labels?

November 29th, 2011

There are many ways to go about showing your company’s holiday spirit through your product labels. This is a fun and festive way to show everyone, even potential clients and customers, your true spirit while helping you grab attention with something unique and relevant. Columbine Label Company is the exceptional label print provider, capable of sufficing all of your holiday printing needs and special-orders.

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Custom Labels Give Your Products a Distinctive Identity

November 29th, 2011

Customers shopping for products might not realize it, but, labels will be a deciding factor of either buying something or shelving it.

That’s why your business already uses custom printed labels and designs for a unique, eye-catching, and distinctive identity that customers easily recognize.
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What Do You Do When Your Competitor is An Inch Away?

November 23rd, 2011

On a typical grocery store shelf, dozens of competitive products are residing in close quarters, inches apart, vying to be selected and put in the shopping cart. Competition is fierce.
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