How to Use Chemical Labeling to Increase Supply Chain Safety and Efficiency

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The chemical manufacturing industry faces innumerable challenges, and many companies’ day-to-day struggles revolve around supply chain efficiency. It’s essential to streamline the supply chain without sacrificing end product value or jeopardizing important professional relationships with suppliers, distributors, and buyers. One of the most surprising yet effective methods a manufacturer can use to boost supply chain efficiency is to rethink chemical labeling.

Why Focus on Labeling?

Chemical manufacturers provide products that can pass through multiple parties until they reach their final destinations or end users. Traceability is extremely important for many chemicals, especially those beholden to federal regulation. The only reliable method of tracking a chemical product from its origin through various distribution channels to its ultimate destination is labeling.

The information that must appear on certain products’ labels is growing more complex, and labeling operations need to be tightly connected to manufacturers’ business processes. Creating an effective and efficient labeling system built upon best practices can help chemical manufacturers manage the constantly changing demands of the chemical manufacturing industry and the regulatory bodies that oversee their products.

Develop Dynamic Labeling Practices to Futureproof Your Operation

Cutting manufacturing costs is one of the best ways to streamline a manufacturing process, but it’s vital to do so in responsible ways that do not diminish traceability or the quality of the final product. A dynamic labeling system that allows a manufacturer to adjust labels as new regulations and compliance requirements appear is one of the best ways to stay ahead of the curve while ensuring long-term compliance with the regulations.

RELATED ARTICLE: 4 Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Label and Packaging Partner

Failing to develop a dynamic labeling system that can change with the times will lead to all types of issues. A distributor may not be able to use a recent shipment due to fresh compliance requirements and will send the product back to the manufacturer for relabeling. Some distributors or buyers will simply stop purchasing chemical products with outdated labels to streamline their own operations. These hiccups can cause significant strain on a chemical product manufacturer.

An enterprise-level labeling solution that offers the ability to automatically adjust labeling content in real time can be a tremendous asset for any chemical manufacturing organization. A proper labeling system should be able to retrieve data from multiple sources, ensuring complete compliance with all applicable regulations and compiling labels that satisfy those requirements in an intuitive format.

Work With an Experienced Labeling Provider

Chemical manufacturing companies need reliable labeling solutions to meet the ever-changing demands of a fast-paced industry. Business relationships are crucial to the chemical manufacturing industry, and an effective, dynamic labeling system can have a tremendous impact on any chemical manufacturer’s supply chain efficiency.

Century Label has more than 40 years of experience providing professional labeling solutions to partners across various industries. We can help chemical manufacturers meet their demanding labeling requirements to develop more effective supply chains. Contact Century Label today to learn more about how our labeling services can help you streamline your operations and ensure total compliance with industry regulations.

6 Cosmetic Labeling Tips You Should Know

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If your company sells cosmetic products, you are selling items that help your customers look their best. It’s only natural to invest in product labeling that makes your products look their best as well. In the cosmetics industry, it is essential to convey quality, class, and performance to your customers. Century Label offers custom cosmetic line product labeling to capture customers’ attention and increase your sales.

When you want to develop new labels for your cosmetic products, follow a few simple tips for more successful results.

1. Research before You Start Designing

Take time to look at the cosmetic products available in your market. Which brands are the most successful? Do you notice any similarities or trends when it comes to how they label and market their products? Which demographic are you targeting with your products? Use these questions to inform your strategy when it comes to developing eye-catching cosmetic product labels.

2. Know the Latest Trends

You might be looking at selling to a target market or within a target area, but, even if you’re not planning on marketing your products nationwide or worldwide, you should have a finger on the pulse of the latest cosmetic industry trends. Look outside your target market and at which products are selling the most and what design trends you can spot when it comes to their labeling and packaging.

3. Carefully Consider Every Design Element

Your brand likely has a color palette of two or three colors used in your branded imagery and logo, and you have also probably decided on a typeface for your labeling and packaging as well. Before committing to a design, look at every possible configuration, different color schemes, and consider how your different layouts will look on different types of products. For example, you might have a design you really like for a pouched product, but that design may not translate well to a tubed product like lipstick or a tube of eyeliner.

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Use Your Label to Tell a Story

4. Choose the Right Packaging

Cosmetics need to stay fresh and ready to use, so offering portability is a great selling point. Most women who use cosmetics like to take some wherever they go to reapply and touch up as needed. Choose packaging that not only offers portability and ease of use, but that is also attractive to convey high quality to your customers.

5. Choose a Focal Point for Every Product Label Design

While it’s essential to include all regulatory information, ingredients, and other essential product details, it is also important to devise a label design that clearly draws the eye to the package.

6. Choose the Right Label Partner

Choosing the right labeling partner can make a big difference in the outcome of your product labels and their effectiveness as marketing tools. Century Label has more than 40 years of experience providing professionally designed labels to customers working in various industries, including cosmetic product manufacturing.

RELATED ARTICLE: 4 Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Label and Packaging Partner

To create truly stunning cosmetic product labels with sustainable material options and attractive visual design, find our team. Century Label has the experience and skill to make your vision a reality. Contact us today to request a quote or for more information about our labeling and packaging options for cosmetic products.

How to Choose the Right Label Size for Your Bottle

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Once you’ve found the perfect bottle for your product, it’s time to add a custom label to make your product stand out on the shelf. Bottles come in various shapes and sizes. While many bottles may share the same fluid capacity, actual label size can vary widely. This guide will help you determine the correct bottle label size.

RELATED ARTICLE: Labels vs. Stickers: What’s the Difference?

Round Bottles

Round bottles make up a large majority of bottles on the market today and provide some flexibility, as you can choose whether you want your label to overlap or leave a gap between label edges. To find the correct label size:

• Measure the entire circumference of the labeling surface with a flexible tape measure. If a tape measure isn’t handy, simply wind a piece of paper around the labeling surface and mark the spot where it overlaps; then, measure from the edge of the paper to your mark with a ruler.

• Measure the height of your bottle from just above where it curves towards the bottom to just below where it curves into the neck.

• Clients often prefer to subtract ⅛” to ¼” to give plenty of leeway for curvature and avoid error in lining up your label edges.

Square Bottles

Square bottles can provide your product with a unique, modern look. First, determine whether you want a label that wraps around your entire bottle or whether you want to label only one or two panels. To find the correct bottle label size:

• Measure the height and width of a single panel with a ruler.

• If you prefer a label that wraps completely around your bottle, you’ll need to measure the height, then the entire width of the bottle with a measuring tape or using the paper method described above.

Tapered Bottles

The term tapered refers to any bottle that steadily changes widths along the bottle’s height. Unfortunately, applying a traditional rectangular label to a tapered bottle can cause wrinkling, lifting, bubbling, and creasing. To address these issues, we often use smaller, curved labels, or even shrink sleeves instead of a traditional adhesive label.

Unusual Bottles

Unusually shaped bottles can make your product stand out on the shelf. Unfortunately, these bottles are often tricky to label. If your bottle has a flat surface, you can provide your label printer with its dimensions. Alternatively, if your bottle has a large number of curved or bumpy surfaces, consider a shrink sleeve instead of a traditional label.

RELATED ARTICLE: Custom Label Options: How Should I Label My Craft Beer for Sale?

For All Your Bottle Labeling Needs

Century Label has more than 40 years’ experience providing custom bottle labels of all shapes and sizes. If you need more information regarding label sizing or have additional concerns, please contact us today. We will be happy to assist you in finding a custom label solution for your unique bottle.

Labels vs. Stickers: What’s the Difference?

Century Label provides a wide range of custom labeling services to clients who manufacture, distribute, and sell various types of products, from nutraceuticals to specialty foods. Some manufacturers face specific labeling and packaging requirements per federal regulations. When it comes to deciding on the right type of custom printed label for a product, many of our clients ask us what the difference is between a sticker and a label.

What are Stickers?

When you label something, you affix a printed piece of paper to it that remains in place with an adhesive. While this may sound a lot like a sticker, the difference lies in how each is used.

Stickers are generally intended for outdoor surfaces or products that come into contact with the elements. Stickers are great for advertising your brand on customers’ vehicle bumpers, camping trailers, coolers, outdoor equipment, and countless other items intended for outdoor use. Stickers generally have a finished layer over the printed graphic that allows water to bead and roll off without damaging the graphic and easy cleanup from mud, dirt, and other outdoor substances. Other types of stickers are colorful kids stickers featuring superheroes or gold stars placed on homework.

To advertise your brand, stickers are the best option. They allow your brand imagery to travel to unexpected places, piquing the interest of many potential new customers who will see your sticker and start researching your brand. This curiosity is natural and one of the best ways to drive brand awareness organically; your customers who use your stickers can essentially advertise your brand to others without saying a word.

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Use Your Label to Tell a Story

What are Labels?

Pressure sensitive labels are designed for indoor use and generally serve many other functions aside from marketing your brand and showing off your brand imagery. Labels should be attractive and enticing, but they generally focus more on product information than marketing. Your products’ labels should clearly convey all relevant and required product information to the consumer. Depending on what types of products you sell, this information could include manufacturing specifications, a list of ingredients, dietary warnings, instructions for use, expiration dates, or any combination of different types of information required by local, state, or federal laws.

Labels generally cannot withstand outdoor exposure. Most labels will start to tear and deteriorate when exposed to excessive precipitation or moisture, but they can withstand the typical moisture levels and oils many products come into contact with during shipping, storage, and placement on store shelves. The main purpose of labels is to make your products stand out on the shelf while providing consumers with all the information they need to make an informed decision about purchasing your products.

Contact Century Label today to learn more about the custom labeling services we offer.

Custom Label Options: How Should I Label My Craft Beer for Sale?

Thousands of Americans try craft brewing their own beers each year, and some of them find their homemade brews so delicious they want to bottle and sell them to local taverns and other retailers. A craft brewery can become a wonderful side gig for some or transform into a new full-blown business for others. If you’re interested in trying to create your own craft beer, you should know what to expect if you develop a brew you want to commercialize.

Labeling Your Craft Beer

If you want people to buy your craft beer, develop an eye-catching label that not only provides consumers with all the product information required for your beer, such as alcohol content by volume and dietary restriction warnings, but also an attractive and unique design that sets your craft beer apart. Decide whether to bottle your beer or can it, and then choose an appropriate labeling format. Here are some things to consider when thinking about craft beer labels.

• Cut-and-stack labels are the most common and the most versatile. While this option provides lots of room for creativity in terms of paper and film choice and neck and body wrapper sizes, it does require a large upfront investment in the specialized machinery required to apply the labels.

• Pressure sensitive labels are essentially stickers, available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. This is a great entry-level option for new craft beer brewers that allows them to quickly and easily apply labels to their bottles. However, they sometimes wrinkle and bubble and generally require very smooth bottle surfaces. Pressure sensitive labels also require specialized machinery.

• Shrink sleeve labels have a higher price point than other labeling varieties, but they can offer stellar results that look great. This is also the only suitable option for labeling aluminum cans. Craft brewers who want 360-degree branding on their beverage containers may want to consider shrink sleeve labeling.

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Use Your Label to Tell a Story

If you plan to commercialize your new craft beer, consider your labeling options carefully and find something that fits your budget as well as your vision for your new beer line.

Additional Considerations for Your Craft Beer

When you consider your options for labeling your new craft beer, you need to think about more than just the style and type of label you want. It’s also vital to consider how your ideal graphics will look on different labeling substrates, the environmental impact of your labeling process, where you will be shipping and selling your craft beer, and the overall cost of labeling.

RELATED ARTICLE: What’s Ahead: Custom Labeling Trends for 2020

Century Label has extensive experience providing professional labeling services for all types of products, including craft beers. If you are stuck when it comes to deciding on a labeling system for your new craft beer, contact Century Label for more information about the different types of labels we offer and find out how our team can help.

Organic Label Guidelines

Organic products are gaining hold of the U.S. market as consumers are becoming more aware of their impact on the environment and the health benefits associated with organic food and beverages.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for the regulation of labels for organic products in addition to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandates on food labeling. There are various labels and phrases a product can contain, but these are often subject to approval by the USDA. Also, there are key differences between 100% organic products and those containing organic ingredients.

In order for a product to bear the USDA Organic symbol, the product must contain a minimum of 95% organic ingredients with the exception of water and salt. These products must be raised under organic management. Specifically, livestock cannot be raised with growth hormones or antibiotics and must be fed a 100% organic diet. The land the livestock is raised on must be free of petrol-based fertilizers and sewage.

Products with greater than 70% organic ingredients can bear a label reading “Made with Organic” and then list the specific ingredients which are organic. The organic ingredients must be produced in compliance with the USDA’s regulations on producing such products. Any product with less than 70% organic ingredients can only be listed on the information panel. As outlined by the USDA, it is unlawful to affix the USDA Organic label if the product contains less than 70% organic ingredients. There are strict penalties and fines for failure to comply with the USDA regulations or improper use of the USDA Organic symbol.

USDA Organic seal artwork to include on applicable product labels is available for download. Questions regarding organic labeling should be directed to the United States Department of Agriculture.

What CBD Labels Tell the Consumer

CBD is a super popular ingredient in literally thousands of products, but because these products are not regulated, many companies try to get away without labeling them properly. Labeling is important because it helps people keep themselves safe when they are taking CBD. Here are some tips to look for on a product label in order to make sure you know exactly what—and how much—you are taking.

What Should Be on a CBD Product Label?

CBD Dosage

You should always know how much CBD is in the product you consume. While there are almost no negative responses to taking too much CBD, you will still want to see how much you are using and how it is helping. Most CBD product labels show how many milligrams of CBD are in the entire product, not necessarily in the serving size.

THC Content

In order to be legally sold, any product with hemp or CBD in it must have the THC concentration on the label. The concentration of THC must be under 0.3 percent in states where recreational marijuana is illegal, but in states where it is fully legal, you can get any range of THC levels in your product.

Other Ingredients List

If your CBD product has any other ingredients in it, those should be listed on the label just like they would be for any other supplement. This is helpful for those with allergies to other products. It is especially important when CBD is included in food, drinks or any sort of vapable product, as those are often the products that include other allergens.

What Shouldn’t Be On a CBD Product Label?

The one thing that should never be on the label of a CBD product is medical claims. CBD is still being studied and thus, nothing has been proven in a scientific capacity. Because CBD products are not FDA approved, these claims are actually illegal to include. Please be wary of any company that includes medical or scientific claims on its product label, as they may not be truthful about other things.

What Should You Watch Out For?

CBD can help a lot of people with all kinds of issues, but it can also cause issues for you if you aren’t careful. Before taking CBD products in any form, you should absolutely talk to your doctor.

Like with anything you put in or on your body, it has the possibility to cause medical issues where you wouldn’t expect them. CBD is derived from industrial hemp, a type of grass, which means that it can cause issues on its own for those with grass allergies.

Anyone who takes medications for seizures, sleep issues, or anxiety might also find that they see changes to the way their medications affect them. This can be hugely problematic because many of those medications are lifesaving. To make sure that you know exactly what could happen if you take it, clear it with your doctor first and do your own research.

Article written for Century Label by Mary Linden

Types of Shrink Sleeves for Product Packaging

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Custom shrink sleeves are one of the most popular types of product packaging. Using a shrink sleeve for your product has several benefits:

• 360 degree artwork, which maximizes your promotional and branding opportunities

• Flexibility, with the ability to conform to almost any glass, plastic or metal container

• The ability to bundle multiple items together as a promotional or bulk packaging tool

There are four main types of custom sleeve packaging. Knowing the differences between the four types will help you choose the right one for your project goals.

Standard Shrink Sleeve

Partial Sleeve Labels

Standard shrink sleeves partially cover the product packaging, but do not have a tamper-evident seal to cover the cap. These sleeves work for virtually any product type and any container made of metal, glass or plastic and can include a full-length zippered perforation for easy recycling. Custom shrink sleeve labels can help you save in warehousing costs, particularly when it comes to labeling different varieties of the same product. For example, rather than warehousing several different containers, custom shrink sleeves allow you to house just one type of container and add different labels as needed.

Full-Body Shrink Sleeve

Full Sleeve Labels

As the name implies, full-body shrink sleeves fully encompass the entire surface area of the product packaging, including the cap. This creates the opportunity for businesses to showcase their branding in full HD style with vivid graphics and color management. Full sleeve labels provide a tamper-evident seal for consumer safety and can also include a full-length zippered perforation for easy recycling and simplified removal of the shrink sleeve product packaging.

Shrink Bands

Tamper-Evident Neck Band

The smallest type of shrink sleeve label, shrink bands work to create a tamper-evident seal around the cap to ensure customer safety and security of purchase, sometimes utilizing zippered perforation. Businesses can put their logo, instructions, or other graphics on custom printed shrink bands, providing an additional branding opportunity.

Combination Packaging

Multi-Pack Sleeves

Combination packaging shrink sleeves allow you to bundle several different types of the same package together. They are beneficial for running multi-pack promotions or for letting a customer save money by buying in bulk. Other potential applications include adding free samples of products, including “bonus gift with purchase” items or bundling less popular items from the warehouse to sell them faster.

RELATED ARTICLE: Pressure Sensitive Labels, Shrink Sleeves and Flexible Packaging: What’s the Difference?

No matter which type of sleeve you end up going with, it’s crucial you have the correct equipment to apply the shrink to your product. Unlike traditional pressure sensitive labels that have an adhesive backing and are applied to your product via pressure, sleeve labels don’t use adhesive and are instead shrunk onto containers using mechanical shrinking equipment such as a heat shrink tunnel or steam tunnel. The shrink sleeve application process can require a significant in-house cost investment up front, so finding a co-packer that specializes in applying shrink sleeves is another option if you want to outsource the shrinking process instead.

Century Label provides all four different types of custom shrink sleeve options, complete with high definition graphics and vivid colors. Our sleeve labels compliment and conform to the shape of your container. Contact us or request a free quote for your next shrink sleeve packaging project.

Century Label Wins Pewter Award in the 2019 Gold Ink Awards Competition

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Printing Impressions magazine, producer of the annual Gold Ink Awards, announced that Century Label has won a Pewter Award for the Hella Cocktail Co. Founders Collection Eucalyptus label in the Packaging (Labels) category. 

Hella Cocktail Co.'s Founders Collection Eucalyptus is part of a line of super premium cocktail bitters that stands apart from the competition and complements their core portfolio of craft cocktail ingredients. The most notable features of the award-winning label include the classy overall appearance, matte finish and use of metallic detail.

The award is the latest milestone in the partnership between Century Label and Hella Cocktail Co.

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Use Nostalgia in Your Label Design

This year’s Gold Ink Award winners were chosen among nearly 600 entries submitted within 47 different categories, including digital printing, commercial printing, catalogs, packaging and many more. 

Winning pieces were chosen based on print quality, technical difficulty and overall visual effect. To see the other award-winning pieces, view the full list of this year’s winners.

How to Use Your Label to Tell a Story

Every company has a story to tell, and that includes your own. While you may not have realized it yet, storytelling is a tremendously powerful marketing tool when leveraged correctly. If you’re investing in high-quality labels and packaging for your products, why not incorporate your own story into your label design and try to connect with your customers on a deeper level?

People love stories, and human beings are the only creatures capable of learning from the experiences of others through retellings of those experiences and applying those lessons to their own lives. When you connect with a customer through a story, you resonate with them on a personal level, leaving a stronger impression than basic marketing and a snazzy logo can ever achieve.

Are Words Necessary?

Humans are visual creatures, and you can convey so much with the right imagery and colors without saying a single world. Of course, the labels for your products may need to include information required by law, depending on the types of products you sell, but that doesn’t mean the story you tell with your label must include words, too. Bold use of color, stellar photography, and countless other possibilities can convey your story without saying a word.

Leverage the Power of Technology

A simple yet effective addition to any label to help tell your story is a QR code. Virtually everyone has a smartphone today, and QR reader apps are easily accessible. The customer scans the QR code, and it takes them to a specifically designed experience that tells your story in a meaningful, memorable way.

RELATED ARTICLE: Bringing Packaging to Life with AR

Experiment with Unique Labeling Techniques

You have many more options than just standard matte finish or glossy labels. Embossing, foiling, and other forms of texturing create interest in your labels and provide customers with something unique and enjoyable. This also helps convey your company’s story. Do you want to make your products feel more unique, vintage, or handcrafted? Textured labels or other modern labeling techniques can help you achieve these results.

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Use Nostalgia in Your Label Design

Find the Right Professional Labeling Partner

Telling a story requires a great deal of thought and planning, but you also need a professional label printing partner to help you achieve your goals. Find a labeling partner that understands what you are trying to achieve when it comes to storytelling through your labeling. The partner’s design team should be able to collaborate with your own design and marketing teams to help you devise new product labels that convey the story you want to tell your customers.

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Choose the Right Private Label Manufacturing Partner

Century Label has almost 40 years of experience printing custom labels and packaging for a wide variety of consumer products. We understand that successful modern marketing requires making a memorable impression on your customers, and the right label can make a tremendous difference.

If you want to tell a story with your new product labels, contact Century Label today to learn more about our modern labeling technology and innovative printing processes.

Generic Brands, Premium Label Upgrades

When most people think of the term “generic,” other, less-pleasant terms come to mind. “Off-brand,” “second-tier,” and “cheap” are hardly the words most retailers want potential consumers to use when they think of store brand products. Still, these terms have long been used to describe generic products across many sectors of retail, from food and beverage to personal hygiene, and more.

Some Generic History

Historically, in every industry except perhaps pharmaceuticals, generics have been viewed as products that are similar to the national brand, just a little bit less. Only in times of economic downturn have consumers turned to generics en masse, then to abandon them again for national brands once times were better. However, today’s retailers are broadening the selection offered by their in-house brand labels and experiencing unprecedented growth in the process.

Today’s generics are no longer so generic; now promoted as “private label,” these products are no longer recognizable as a store brand. Grocery retailers in particular have found success with creating an in-house brand with premium ingredients and a premium feel – and sharing that label among a variety of products. It follows, then, that if these products are seen as “not your father’s store brand,” neither is their packaging.

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Choose the Right Private Label Manufacturing Partner

Premium Products with Premium Labels

Gone are the days of generic, inexpensive-looking packaging; today’s private label brands are giving consumers a reason to make the trip to their respective retailers. With good reason – one in every four products purchased within the US is now a private label product, so competition for the share of inexpensive, quality market share is fierce.

Recent trends in private label packaging include several premium upgrades, such as:

• Elegant simplicity. While generics have traditionally relied on simplicity in packaging, modern private label brands do it much better. Simple elegant designs provide a direct contrast to the stark, cheap-looking labels of the past.

• Category-specific. Retailers are giving products within the same category a unique, cohesive labeling scheme that serves to unite the category while introducing a more premium feel. In this way, private brands feel specific to the category, lending an air of expertise and quality.

• Artsy vibes. Packaging as art is a trend that has infiltrated a number of different brand types, but, in 2019, it is providing private label brands with a fun, premium-looking aesthetic. Private label products with these artsy labels now have the personality needed to attract a consumer searching for a new brand.

Upgrade Your In-House Brand

While it’s true every brand can benefit from employing beautiful, trendy, modern labeling, private label brands need to pay extra attention to packaging to stand out among the sea of national and competing house brands.

Ready to explore the variety of custom labeling options available to upgrade your in-house brand? Call us at 800.537.9429 or request a quote today!

What’s Ahead: Custom Labeling Trends for 2020

2019 was a year of contrasts on the packaging and label front – not that you’d expect anything else from an industry that regularly devotes itself to fine-tuning the precise shade that will really make a label’s text stand out.

Among 2019’s custom labeling trends were:

• Vintage. This aesthetic was adopted by brands from haircare to food and beverage giants, and showcased fonts and graphics that have been described as everything from nostalgic and retro to careworn and weathered.

  RELATED ARTICLE: How to Use Nostalgia in Your Label Design

• Modern. From sleek black text to stark white or translucent labeling, the modern aesthetic reigned supreme on many major packaging designs throughout the year.

• Natural. Industries from cannabis and CBD to personal hygiene went with a more rugged, neutral colored design for both packaging and labeling.

• Bright. Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2019 was Living Coral, inspiring an array of this and other bright colors for many rebrands and limited edition packaging designs.

RELATED ARTICLE: What Does Your Brand Color Palette Say About Your Business?

What’s Ahead for Custom Labels and Flexible Packaging in 2020?

Though we can expect trends like vintage, modern, and natural to persist into the next year, what other trends are likely to arise once 2020 begins? So far, 2020 promises to usher in a whole new era of contrasts in packaging and labeling. 2020’s emerging trends include:

• Bold eclecticism. Eclectic simply means “deriving style from a diverse range of sources”, and that’s exactly what 2020 will mean for many industries. Expect to see a combination of a few of 2019’s trends when more and more packaging features clean, stark backgrounds with a pop of bright colors and die cuts.

• Sustainability. The demand for more sustainable packaging is at an all-time high as consumers want to lessen their impact on the environment. In addition to using actual recycled materials, consumers want their packaging to look sustainable, promoting the rise of natural cardboard and rustic colors.

• Personalization. Limited-run shrink wrap and label printing for special events, seasons, and many more occasions promises to be big in 2020. This trend capitalizes on the nostalgia market from last year, providing a source of collectible memorabilia for many brands moving forward.

• Transparency. The clean label movement aims at disclosing and removing artificial ingredients from food and beverage by 2020. For the labeling industry, this means a shift to highlighting desirable ingredients on the front of packaging. Innovations such as responsive labeling give consumers a better picture of the lifespan and factory origins of the product.

While these will certainly not be the only trends that arise as 2020 elapses, they’re some of the major shifts occurring at the end of 2019. Stay tuned to this blog for more details as more information emerges.

If you’re interested in applying some of the newest trends to your brand’s labeling, reach out to Century Label today for more information about our custom label printing services.

7 Reasons to Consider Custom Printed Stand-Up Pouches

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Product packaging can affect customer perception, convenience, and even whether a prospective consumer will give a brand a shot. Stand-up pouches, or self-standing pouches are becoming a popular way to package products—here’s why.

Why Stand-Up Pouches?

Anyone who has been in a grocery store recently may have noticed that everything from applesauce to beef broth has gotten a pouch makeover. Flexible packaging is gaining steam in the packaging industry because it’s resealable, features a sleek design, provides a sense of novelty, and stores in pantries more effectively.

Some possible applications for custom printed pouches include: dried fruits and nuts, chocolate and candy, protein and supplement powders, gourmet pet treats, potpourri, cannabis edibles, baby food or pureed fruits or vegetables, and broth, bouillon, or soups.

The possibilities for using custom printed stand-up pouches and flexible packaging are endless—and are continually becoming a reality.

RELATED ARTICLE: Answering Consumer Challenges in the Flexible Packaging and Labeling Industry

Benefits of Flexible Packaging

Using customized pouches for product launches or repackaging initiatives has several benefits, from cost to convenience.

1. Faster speed to market times. Compared to other forms of printed packaging, flexible packaging like pouches have a faster time to market. Roll film lead times range from 7-14 days on average, while converted packages are from 12-20 days (keep in mind that these may vary depending on changes in the supply chain).

2. Stand-up pouches have a lower minimum quantity, which makes them ideal for short-run or limited products.

3. High print quality. Like all of Century Label’s products, pouches can be expected to feature high-definition quality, impeccable color management, and perfect registration.

4. They’re cost effective. Flexible packaging saves money on plate charges and is able to be printed on demand, preventing waste or excess inventory.

5. They’re customizable. Packaging designs can easily be varied to target any niche demographic or promotional opportunity.

6. They’re sustainable. Compared to other forms of conventional printing and packaging, flexible pouch printing has a lower environmental impact.

7. They’re trending. Consumers are naturally drawn to pouches because they are convenient and easy to store. As companies begin to realize their consumer appeal, expect to see even more products hitting the shelves in pouches.

Whether preparing for a limited product run or just looking to repackage your products, flexible packaging pouches may be the perfect answer. With limitless applications, from fruit to laundry detergent, pouches are sustainable, high quality, durable, and easy for consumers to store.

For more information on our pouching and flexible packaging programs, contact us today!

What Does Your Brand Color Palette Say About Your Business?

Color choice is an extremely important marketing decision for virtually any brand. The colors chosen for branded logos have a direct psychological impact on potential customers, so taking the time to select the optimal color scheme for branded imagery can have a direct impact on a company’s bottom line. Every color has a meaning and a personality behind it. Leveraging these facets in branded imagery can have a massive effect when it comes to customer engagement, attracting new business, and standing out in a specific market.

Meanings Behind Different Colors

Most companies choose branded color schemes of only one or two colors. More than two colors can look busy, but that doesn’t mean it cannot work. Consider the logos of major companies like Google, eBay, NBC, and Microsoft for great examples of how multicolor branded palettes can work. However, most companies find the best results with one or two colors for their logos and other branded marketing materials.

Consider the meanings behind different colors:

• Red evokes feelings of urgency, danger, passion, and energy.

• Yellow is a calmer color that also translates to high-energy and positivity.

• Orange blends the effects of red and yellow, extolling fun and youthfulness.

• Green can convey wealth and prestige, but also natural beauty and serenity.

• Blue tends to convey reliability, wisdom, and responsibility.

• Purple often correlates with luxury and high quality, but also nostalgia and spirituality.

• Brown conveys durability, natural simplicity, and earthiness.

• Black can send a message of high quality, luxury, professionalism, and sophistication.

• White conveys feelings of cleanliness, purity, and softness.

Once there is a firm understanding of the meanings behind different colors, it should be decided what aspects of the company culture, brand values, and core concepts will be conveyed to the market base through the branded imagery. In the end, the colors that are selected should resonate the most with the company’s culture and values.

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Use Color Psychology in Your Favor

Determine the Colors That Resonate With Company Values

Once the implications of different color options are understood, brand owners should start asking a few important questions to determine the ideal color scheme:

• Does the brand tend to convey a more masculine or feminine image? 

• Does the brand appeal to a younger or older consumer base?

• What timeframe does the brand resonate with the most? Is it a classic or modern brand?

• Is the brand message loud and energetic or more subdued and sophisticated?

• Does the brand image convey luxury and high class or affordability?

• What is the tone of the branded messaging? Is it something playful or something more serious?

These questions can help businesses determine the ideal color schemes for their brands. Of course, the best color palette will not have the desired results without reliable and effective printing services.

If you’re interested in applying your branded color palette to your product packaging with the most reliable, sustainable, and highest-quality printing services available, reach out to Century Label today to learn more about our color management and custom label printing services for your business.

Tips for Creating a Memorable Craft Beer Label

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The craft beer market is exploding. In fact, according to the Brewer’s Association, craft beer makes up nearly a quarter of the $114 billion beer industry in the United States. Brewers who are looking to get into the business stand to get a piece of a potentially lucrative pie, but quality marketing is just as important as an outstanding product. Here are a few simple tips to inspire the creation of a successful craft beer label:

Keep Brand Personality at the Forefront

Who is the target audience? For most local breweries, it’s the fellow community members. Research supports this, as 22% of craft beer drinkers are interested in supporting their local businesses and breweries. When creating a craft beer label, the brand’s personality should be considered, as well as how it will appeal to the community. For example, Arbor Brewing Company in Ann Arbor, Michigan created a label based on a beloved cultural icon, the “Violin Monster,” who serenades community members with violin concertos dressed as a werewolf.

Choose the Right Color Scheme

The right color scheme will appeal to the target audience and will align with the brand's personality, but it should also reflect the intent of the beer itself. IPA labels, for example, may include bright greens, yellows, or oranges to reflect the intense hoppiness and citrus notes that often accompany them. Stouts, on the other hand, may have browns or darker shades of reds on their labels to reflect the deeper malt character. Label colors may also reflect the season or even the hues of a beloved local sports team.

RELATED ARTICLE: Market with Custom Specialty Beverage Labels

Consider Label Shape and Size

First, will the beer be bottled or canned? If canning, will the design be kept minimalistic with an affixed paper label? Or will a design that wraps all the way around the can be printed? There’s no right or wrong way to do this, but the main considerations should be budget, brand personality, and how much information (such as ABV, IBUs, and the variety of hops and/or malts used in production) will be included on each bottle or can.

Also worthy of consideration is the font choice – sans serif fonts tend to be more modern and require less label space, so more information can be included. Serif fonts may be appropriate for some labels and styles, especially for those trying to appear classic or traditional (Samuel Adams, anyone?)

As always, local laws and regulations should always be followed when it comes to packaging and labeling. These rules can vary greatly from state to state, so it’s best to err on the conservative side, especially if wider distribution is part of the plan. 

Century Label has years of experience in creating craft beer labels for businesses. Contact us to learn more.

4 Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Label and Packaging Partner

The nature of a product’s packaging will make a first impression—and it is important to make it a good one. The relationship between brand owner and packaging partner can have an effect on customers. If a design is not sized properly or packaging is not received in a timely fashion, customer relations could suffer.

Not all label and packaging companies will be a good fit for every brand. Here are a few important questions to ask when finding a partner for labeling and packaging:

What Industries Do You Specialize In?

Some labeling companies cater to a specific niche. One of the first things to determine is if a potential partner has the capability to produce a particular packaging or label.

What Are Your Printing Processes Like?

A good specialty printing company should have modern printing equipment that is continuously updated to reflect shifts in technology. Ideally, a printing company will have the capability to handle a wide variety of projects. Century Label, for example, has 40 years of custom label printing experience and serves brands both large and small with its award-winning digital and HD Flexo printing technology.

What Type of Color Do You Use?

Not all color technology is the same, and older processes can lead to color that bleeds or does not translate well from schematic to actual printing. Century Label is capable of producing vivid colors in the exact shade of the brand owner’s vision, thanks to a state of the art color management system.

Can You Share Samples of Your Previous Work?

In the printing business, flexibility and reliability are essential. Companies should ask for references and scan the website for testimonials to ensure that the labels will arrive on time and within budget. It’s also important to make sure that labels will match the brand’s artistic style, vision, and standards for quality. Looking through samples of a company’s previous work can help make more informed decisions. Check out some examples of Century Label’s past work.

RELATED ARTICLE: A Few of Our Favorite Labels

The right packaging and labeling company for your brand will feature flexible and reliable service and the ability to bring your vision to life using the latest color and printing technology. Century Label has been producing labels and packaging for a variety of industries for four decades. To learn more about how we can help you, please contact us.

How to Create the Perfect Wine Label

Wine making is a niche industry. Winemakers planning to make an impression with modern wine enthusiasts need the kind of marketing and brand image that appeals to a crowd that demands quality, originality, and value. That kind of top shelf marketing necessitates a type of thoughtfulness that other kinds of alcoholic drink marketing techniques don’t require. Because of this, wine labels need to be about more than just a logo; they need to both stand as something unique and as something that exemplifies the maker’s understanding of this product.

When it comes to designing a wine label, several crucial decisions need to be made that will eventually impact every potential customer’s relationship with that brand. Winemakers also need to make several decisions solely for the safety, quality, and shelf life of the product.

Visual Design for A Wine Label

For newly developed wines, it is imperative to design a new label that conveys the brand’s identity as well as the personality of the product.

Hip, younger brands looking to develop a more sophisticated wine may need to dial back on the usual visual flair for something more polished, but do so without sacrificing brand image. Similarly, something new and lighthearted added to a more high-end line of wines might feature bolder color choices and unconventional design elements—as long as it stays consistent with the overall brand aesthetic.

RELATED ARTICLE: Why Millennials Are Changing the Future of Wine

Ultimately, the visual design of a wine label comes down to brand identity. It is important to develop something that will resonate with the type of wine enthusiast the brand owner is trying to attract. Font, color palette and stylization all come down to the brand owner’s preferences for their unique brand identity.

Functional Wine Label Design

Wine labels do more than display brand imagery and report product information to the buyer. When it comes to wine, labels and bottle quality can help protect the product. For example, red wines require darker bottles to prevent oxidation from sun exposure. White wine makers bottle with clear bottles so buyers can see the purity and transparency of the product inside. A label design should flow with the type of bottle being used for the wine. For example, labels for red wine work well with darker bottles.

Request a quote today to get started on your own quest for wine label branding success.

4 AR Labels That Shook the Industry

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AR-enhanced living wine labels from 19 Crimes

The idea of using augmented reality (AR) to boost a product was, until recently, something only found in the world of Harry Potter. Now, businesses using AR for their labeling is a fairly common practice—and something that shows a real return on the investment.

How Does AR Work on a Product Label?

Current AR technology is possible with most modern smartphones. Using the device’s camera, an AR reader app scans the surrounding environment and enhances the display for the user. This technology has evolved tremendously in just a few short years; AR is making incredible strides in fields outside of marketing like medical training, education, public safety and product development. Today, AR labels can provide customers with real-time product demonstrations, supplemental information, previews of how products will look and function.

RELATED ARTICLE: Augmented Reality vs. QR Codes

AR Labeling Success Stories

Companies considering AR-enabled labels for their branded products should look at some of the most recent successful AR campaigns. Four of the most impressive AR label examples from recent years include:

• Buffalo Wild Wings. Everyone knows that Buffalo Wild Wings is a great place to enjoy good food and a game with friends and family. It’s also a great place for customers who enjoy tableside competitive games. Buffalo Wild Wings recently took tableside competitive games to the next level with an AR-enhanced viewing experience with the Big Shot Challenge for the NCAA Final Four.

• Lego. Kids of all ages have enjoyed building with Lego for years, and the company just took their experience to the next level with AR-enabled viewing screens in their brick-and-mortar store locations. When a customer carries a box over to an AR screen, the screen starts playing a real-time AR display of the Lego set coming together on top of the box.

• Red Bull. The Red Bull marketing team created the Red Bull Augmented Reality Racing game to provide customers with the unique experience of crafting their own digital racetracks using Red Bull cans, which they could then race using a smartphone or camera-enabled touchscreen device like an iPod Touch.

• 19 Crimes. Think of this as Pokémon Go for adults. The name of this wine refers to 18th century Britain and a list of crimes that were punishable by “transportation”—offenders were sent to live in Australia in lieu of suffering the death penalty. Some of these infractions include impersonating an Egyptian, stealing letters, and bigamy. Now, these “criminals” come to life and tell their side of the story through inventive AR labels. 

AR can offer surprising, memorable, and valuable experiences in countless ways. Virtually every modern smartphone has a camera, and developing an AR-enabled app is easier than one might expect.

RELATED ARTICLE: 3 Features of AR Packaging You May Not Be Considering

Capture Your Audience’s Attention with AR-Enabled Product Labels

Century Label has nearly 40 years of experience helping customers create beautiful, memorable labels for various industries and applications, and we can help you transform a traditional label into a living experience.

Our label design team will work closely with you to determine the best applications for AR technology in your product labels, taking you through every step of the process, preserving the integrity of your brand and using high-quality printing techniques. Contact us today to learn more about AR-enabled labels and start thinking of the possibilities for your brand.

How to Use Nostalgia in Your Label Design

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Old Fashioned Extraction from Sun King Brewery and Founder’s Collection from Hella Cocktail Co.

From television series like GLOW, Stranger Things and the reboot of Twin Peaks to the the “throwback” versions of Mountain Dew and Dr. Pepper to the ‘80s and ‘90s dance parties that are popping up in cities across the country, the nostalgia marketing industry has seen a lot of success in the past few years.

Nostalgia can be used as a temporary change or promotional motif to suggest a special edition/limited product or i can utilize colors, fonts, and styles of the past to create a unique label for an entire product line. Companies that are interested in a retro-themed product line or just want to shake things up temporarily with a bit of nostalgia-driven marketing should remember—it all starts with the label.

How Does Nostalgia Marketing Work?

The businesses who see the greatest success with nostalgia marketing are those that successfully capture the essence of the past with an eye toward the future. It’s essential for marketers to find a good balance between pulling at heartstrings and maintaining a campaign that sells. Some parts of the past are better left in the past, so it’s vital for any brand hoping to capitalize on nostalgia marketing to do so tastefully.

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Use Color Psychology in Your Favor

Best Practices for Nostalgia Marketing

• Know your audience. Marketers that attempt to make nostalgic emotional content aimed at tugging at their audience’s heartstrings should know their audience. Nostalgia is very different for a Gen-Xer than it is for a baby boomer, and older millennials will likely have very different ideas of what makes good nostalgic content.

• Plan ahead. The past cannot be successfully romanticized through marketing without a plan for the future. Some of the most successful nostalgic content in recent years only succeeded because it resonates with progress toward the future.

• Leave room for growth. Brand identity should be the cornerstone of every marketing campaign, and nostalgia marketing doesn’t require an entire overhaul of a brand image. Ideally, nostalgia marketing or a nostalgic redesign of a logo or website should be a temporary change, and brand message and tone can be maintain while still capturing a nostalgic flair with just a few subtle tweaks to the content structure.

Custom Labels for Nostalgia Marketing

Interested in launching a limited-time product promotion with a nostalgic theme?

Century Label has helped many clients develop unique, functional, and sustainable product packaging with nostalgic themes. A retro marketing campaign could generate renewed interest in your products or cultivate stronger bonds with your customer base.

The Century Label team will work with you every step of the process to ensure your nostalgia marketing campaign stays on-message with your brand values and hits the right notes with your audience, so contact us today for more information.

A Few of Our Favorite Labels

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Amoretti Artisan Natural Flavors Black Cherry

Featuring a beautiful soft gradient in the background and behind the nutrition panel, the label for Amoretti Artisan Natural Flavors Black Cherry conveys the message that a delicious product awaits the consumer. The matte finish sets off the stark color, while the detail on the image gives the impression that the black cherries could be picked clean off the paper.

“The graphics really pop on the label. The matte lamination is one of my favorite looks and gives the product a great modern look.” - Susan Ramos

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Amoretti Flori di Scilia

The Amoretti Floria di Scilia piece pairs the use of silver BOPP with white accents to produce the metallic border and the accents on the letters in the Amoretti logo. With the digital press, we were able to achieve an impressively smooth gradient on the image in the center of the label. The glossy finish gives the label a clean, classy look.

“The use of the silver and the subtle drop shadow enhance the overall look of the final product. With our digital printing we are able to hold a 1:1 registration, making for a beautiful finished product.” - Susan Ramos

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Sun King Brewery Electric Reindeer

Now in its second year, the Winterlights festival, held on the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, has quickly become a popular Christmastime destination. This year, Indianapolis-based Sun King Brewery partnered with the festival to create Electric Reindeer, a seasonal brown ale that was available exclusively to attendees. The shrink sleeve reflects the visual aesthetic of the festival, employing a contrast of neon colors on a dark background and depicting the actual light displays. The reindeer is especially impressive in the way that it appears almost illuminated. A light gradient in the background and the out-of-process red add to the dramatic impression that the sleeve makes.

“This was a new can layout for us and we loved the way that the graphics fit the can. It is a great use of the shrink sleeve product.” - Susan Ramos

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Sun King Brewery Old Fashioned Extraction

The Sun King Old Fashioned Extraction label was created for Sun King's limited King's Reserve line. The customer requested the metallic element and we achieved this by simulating Pantone 7599 C (orange) and 7562 C (gold) with our silver BOPP material. The contrast between the orange and gold colors gives the label a worn, aged look that is not only visually pleasing, but also perfectly represents the barrel-aged beer inside.

“The creativity of the design showcased a great use of the digital process. The metallic print along with the perfect registration from the digital press made for a dynamic label.” - Susan Ramos

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Hella Cocktail Co. Founder’s Collection

Hella Cocktail Co.'s line of super premium cocktail bitters stand apart from the competition and also complement their core portfolio of craft cocktail ingredients. For the Hella Bitters Founder's Collection piece, we were able to create an alluring label that has since earned placement in the nation-wide demo kit of the HP Indigo Business Development & Brand Management team. The classy overall appearance, matte finish and use of metallic detail on the buildings in the lower-right corner are the most notable points of the label.

“This was for a custom private label project. The metallic imprint combined with the matte lamination, make this product really stand out on the shelf.” - Susan Ramos

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Fort Nonsense Brewing Great Falls IPA

Fort Nonsense Brewing Company is a craft brewery located in Denville, NJ, offering a variety of ales and lagers. This label was created for Fort Nonsense's Great Falls IPA, a West Coast style, brewed and dry-hopped with Cascade and Amarillo hops. This is Fort Nonsense's lone canned beer; due to the complexity of many of the colors used on the label, ensuring proper press calibration to hit color targets was critical.

“The creativity of the design on the artwork was perfect for our HP Indigo presses. The label is an excellent alternative to a shrink sleeve and the colors really stand out well.” - Susan Ramos

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Olive Packaging Specially Selected Garlic Stuffed Olives

The label employs 4-color process plus two spot colors (Pantone 258 C and Pantone Black 6 C), as well as two UV varnishes: matte textured UV scuff-resistant and a gloss UV. The P5 press enabled us to achieve these textures, which can present a challenge when being printed flexographically.

"Our ability to print two different varnishes enabled us to print this label, which conforms to the brand standards that Olive Packaging requires for their nationally-known grocery customer." - Mark Dally