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4 Unexpected Uses for Custom Die Cut Labels

July 23, 2018 By Doug Danosky

Labels come in many different shapes and sizes—but with custom die cut labels, the sky’s the limit!

Truth is, when your label fits, it blends so seamlessly with your product that your customer won’t even think twice about the packaging. When a label is the wrong size or fit, it sticks out like a sore thumb and causes all sorts of issues.

A poorly sized or misshapen label can interfere with the usage of your product, detract from your packaging’s appearance—or worst of all, fall off! When your label size and shape don't fit, your product appears sloppy and less than professional. When it comes to medical labeling, a poorly fitted label could be quite dangerous!

Fortunately, with custom die-cutting, your label’s size, shape, color, and more are all completely customizable. At T&L Graphic Systems, we create and print all kinds of custom die cut labels—from precision medical labels to large drum labels. We can print in almost any size or shape, up to 16” wide (with custom-shaped blank labels available in sizes up to 20”). You’re only limited by your imagination.

Considering custom die cut labels? Here are four unexpected uses for custom labels you may want to consider.

For Promotion & Events

If you’re visiting a tradeshow or hosting an event, it’s all about the labeling. Connecting with new customers means getting your logo on promotional materials and packaging…and right into their hands. Labels tell a story—they convey important information. In many ways, labels and packaging are just as important as the products inside them.

Labels may list ingredients, share important instructions, and give details about the contents of a package. Adding a custom die cut label to your giveaways, gifts, and promotional items helps your brand appear cohesive and consistent. Every item a customer or client receives from you should tell them exactly who you are. Think of your custom die cut labels as business cards that fit right on your packaging and products!
To Fit Unique Packaging

The strongest draw of custom die cut labels? They fit your unique packaging shape and size. Are you hoping to fit a label on a curved surface? Do you need to cut a label so it doesn’t hide the product beneath it? When it comes to custom die cutting, labels are made to fit nearly any item!

As you design your packaging, your label should fit smoothly and seamlessly. Your label should enhance the overall look of your product and never hide important features or details. Custom fit labeling is especially important when it comes to food labeling and medical labeling, where information is vital to the use and safety of packaging contents.
To Stand Up & Stick On

Does your label hold up under pressure? With custom die cut labels made to fit any-shaped package, rest assured your label will stay on. We offer a variety of special adhesives, materials, and finishing for all our custom die cut labels. These labels will stand up to temperature, water, chemicals, and other situations where the wrong label could fail.

Liquids and labels often don’t mix. If a label isn’t cut to fit the product properly, moisture can seep in and the label will slide off. A custom label cut ensures your label will fit your product like a glove! You won’t face any loss of revenue due to packaging or product defects simply because a label doesn’t fit or stick on as expected.
To Catch the Eye of Your Customer

You can’t judge a book by it’s cover, but customers certainly judge a package by the label. We’re so accustomed to seeing labels in everyday life, we hardly notice them. Your label should stand out—get your customers eye and hold their attention.

Custom die cuts allow you to create labels in unique shapes that speak to your customer. Add to the aesthetic appeal of your product with a beautiful label to share your message with all those who view it.

It may not seem the shape of a label would make much of a difference, but in reality, the shape is as important as the size, color and other factors. At T&L Graphic Systems, we’ll help you design a beautiful custom die cut label to fit your packaging needs.

Contact us today to learn how your product label can really stand out!

Design a Label That Gets Noticed!

April 17, 2018 By Doug Danosky

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but business owners know: customers certainly judge a product by its label!

It turns out customers often buy a product simply based on the outside packaging. In fact, in a study of beer drinkers, almost none of them could identify a brew without the label. Consumers often buy simply because they like the look of a label or sticker.

Your product label needs to be eye-catching. It needs to grab your customer, convey a message, stand out, and effectively get noticed. That’s a lot of work for a simple label! Yet, we see examples of effective, beautiful labeling every day, with almost any product we handle.

So if you’re wondering how to design a label that gets noticed, there are a few basic graphic design elements to understand. Here’s what you need to know to ensure your product label conveys exactly the message you want customers to receive!

1. Shape (Including Label Size & Cut)

The shape of label helps to draw in customers’ attention. You should select a shape to complement your packaging, but you aren’t limited to shaping to fit just one product—using variable printing, you can ensure one label design will work across several different items. With a few simple changes to the product style name and UPC (for more on obtaining a UPC visit GS1US.org), a similar label design and shape will make your entire line appear cohesive.

Design your label with the product packaging in mind—how much of the product do you want to show through? Size, shape and cut play an important role in helping your product stand out.

2. Color

Bold colors grab your customer’s attention with a splash. Color graphics and photos are an important addition when you want your label to pop. Follow your company’s branding guidelines of course. Full-color (also known as process or CMYK printing) will ensure you’re able to match your brand PMS (Pantone) colors exactly on your label.

Your base label color is also important—choosing a clear, white, cream or even foil background will have a huge impact on the look and feel of your label. It will also change the way the colors appear on the final product. Basic color psychology teaches us neutral, calm colors convey peace, luxury and comfort. Bright, crisp colors on the other hand, keep your product looking modern and fresh.

3 Style

Much of what we remember about a label comes from the style and design (it’s also much of what can go wrong when you design a label). The design of a label makes appear memorable and distinctive. Of course, you’ll want to include your logo, but you also need to include important product details, measurements, instructions and other important pieces of information (including the UPC barcode).

Font plays into the style of your label as well. Serif fonts convey your brand is classic, stalwart and trust-worthy. Sanserif fonts are often used to convey a brand that’s sleek, modern and hip. Using typography parings will also catch consumers’ eyes, but limit yourself to no more than three fonts to avoid looking too busy. Striking, bold images and graphics will help you maximize your message, but don’t shy away from using whitespace as well.

4. Finish

Your label finish is the final touch to packaging a great product. Use touches like metallics, foils and embossing for extra special labels where your design will appear to leap right off the package. Matte or glossy finishes are available for almost any label.

UV curing will add a layer of protection to keep your label from smearing, fading or getting damaged. Laminations help resist moisture and stand up to harsh environments. Label protectants are available to help your label hold up anywhere your product goes—from the microwave to a garage to the outdoors.

Knowing how to design a label and choosing the right label for your product is a big job—we can help! If you have custom printing label needs, T&L offers great label solutions for any product.

10 Medical Label Features That Help You Run Your Practice Better

February 13, 2018 By Doug Danosky

Have you ever had to stick a label on a bag or chart with scotch tape? Ever had print text too small it could barely be read? Resorted to using a sharpie to convey important messages? Had to put up with labels that slide off easier than an old band-aid?

Medical labels aren’t very important until they’re a problem. When you can’t write on a label at a critical moment, when a label is too small to read, damaged or doesn’t work for an application, it’s more than just frustrating - it's infuriating! Not only do poor quality medical labels waste your time, all those label malfunctions result in missed information or instructions.

Functional medical labels are a requirement—it’s a matter of patient protection and safety.

At the heart of it, medical labels are a communication tool. Nowhere is communication more important than when it ensures patient wellbeing. Whether you need medical labels that stand up to environmental stress—heat, water and chemicals—or simply wear and tear, T&L has you covered.

When selecting a healthcare label, it is important to consider what you need your label to withstand. Here are 10 important medical label features and options to assess as you select your medical labels.

Permanent Label Adhesive
Whether you need medical labels to adhere to plastic, metal, glass or even cloth, we know how to make your label stick—for good. The adhesive needs to stay strong under various temperatures, whether indicating your autoclave process is complete or when used for freezing, cryogenics and refrigeration. Nothing’s more confusing (or dangerous!) than a missing label!
Thermal Sensitivity
Do you need thermal printer compatible medical labels? Printable labels are a staple in the medical world—and thermal medical labels need to stand up to smearing and fading. Need custom thermal healthcare labels? You got it. Convey any and all important patient information and instructions on your label. Thermal and laser printed labels are also scannable—for easy tracking, ensured patient privacy and fast communication.
Clear Graphics
Clear, easy-to-read graphics featuring common, understandable signs and symbols are important for patient and practitioner communication. In a busy office, you rely on labels—whether you’re looking at a healthcare chart or medical equipment. Medical labels in bright colors can serve as a warning, an easy way to sort and organize, and a clear way to communicate important messages like allergies and hazards. Clear, easy-to-apply, easy-to-read and understand medical labels are vital.
Smudge-Proof Labels
Medical labels need to stand up to water, heat, chemicals and rough handling. If a label is smudged, the message is lost. Smudge-proof coating and lamination are important for protecting labels from moisture. Heat and chemical-resistant coatings are used in laboratories, phlebotomy, pharmaceuticals and infusion therapies. UV coatings offer yet another layer of label protection with ultraviolet light used to cure varnish to protect the label.
Easy-to-Dispense Pull-Tabs
Nurses, doctors and office personnel juggle handfuls of tasks at once. The LAST thing you need to wrestle with is a label that’s hard to access. Easy-to-dispense pull-tab healthcare labels ensure you’ll get the label you need without dropping the ball. Apply easy-to-dispense labels with one hand so you can quickly communicate the message and move on. Not only does this prevent confusion and mix-ups but it boosts patient safety.
Drug-Class Color Coding
Medical practitioners and pharmacists need to know as much as possible about a drug at a glance. With restrictions on dispensing drugs based on classification, using an easy color-coded system helps clarify drug types fast. We offer medical labels with standard drug-class color coding so you know exactly what’s prescribed to your patient.
Writable Labels (for Specimens & Charting)
Any nurse or lab tech who’s struggled to write specimen information on a label knows: writable medical labels are a sanity-saver. Nothing’s quite as aggravating as searching for a pen or marker when you’re charting or labeling a sample. Easy, writable labels (that work with a variety of inks) for charting and specimen samples are an office staple for every medical practice and lab.
Laser & Dot-Matrix Compatibility
Laser printing and dot-matrix printers are everywhere in the medical world. Dot-matrix printing allows labs, radiologists and even claims specialists to print carbon forms. With laser printer compatible labels, you get clear, scannable barcodes—so critical to tracking and patient privacy. Laser and dot-matrix compatible labels means easy printing for your practice.
Chemical-Resistant Numbering
Chemical resistant labels are used most often in pathology, surgery and clinical applications. Often specimens are tracked with number systems and tools are marked with color-coded tape. When chemicals like xylene and tissue marking dyes like Shandon are used in your lab, you need marking tape and labels that will stand up to chemicals and solvents for slides, containers and bottles.
Consecutive Barcoding
Blood banks and laboratories use consecutive barcoding on their medical labels to track samples and ensure the privacy of patients and donors. From the moment a sample is drawn until it’s delivered to a bank, supplied to patient-in-need or processed by a lab, you need to know where that sample is. Consecutive barcoding label systems allow you to apply labels and track blood with ease.

What do you need your medical labels to withstand and communicate effectively? We can help you assess, select and receive the medical labels that will help you provide even better patient care. Let's Chat.

What’s Color Got To Do With It?

December 5, 2017 By Doug Danosky

There is no denying that color is an important influencer in the products we buy, the opinions we form and the choices we make. Up to 90 percent of people base their buying decisions on color... so businesses feel the pressure to get their label colors right. If you're not sure where to start when it comes to selecting the perfect colors, we can give you a hand.

Colors Have Meaning

People exposed to particular colors have physiological reactions that can imply certain perceptions, moods and feelings. We'll review a few common color associations to get you started in understanding the proper use of color. Here are a few common color associations:

Red: Raises people’s blood pressure and heart rate, and is often associated with movement, excitement, passion and danger.
Orange: Stimulates areas of the brain that trigger feelings like enthusiasm or anxiety, and is considered a confident, warm and cheerful color.
Yellow: Increases mental activity, is often used to highlight important points for memory, and is associated with happiness, caution and energy.
Green: Promotes harmony and balance in the brain, and is synonymous with health, nature, peacefulness and envy.
Blue: Associated with security, logic, and a calm mind, but can feel uninviting.

Don’t Rely on Color Stereotypes Alone

While it’s helpful for you to understand typical associations people have with colors, you also must consider the context of your audience. Before selecting a label color, think about the industry, cultural, competitive or gender perceptions that could impact the effectiveness of your marketing or communications. Take yellow, the “happiness color,” for example. While this may seem like the perfect uplifting hue for hospitals, there are industry-specific use cases for yellow, such as prevention protocol, care instructions, and fall-risk notifications, that might deter its use within a medical setting.

Eye-Pleasing Color Combinations

Color Wheel Businesses today have access a whole spectrum of color choices and combinations for their labels. When harnessed properly, color combinations can quickly become your most powerful design element. Consider these basic techniques when combining colors:

Complementary: Colors located on opposite sides of the color spectrum, like blue and orange, are defined as complementary colors. They are effective at highlighting contrast or making a bold statement, but can be overwhelming in large doses.
Analogous: Neighbors on the color wheel, analogous color combos coexist nicely and evoke feelings of harmony and serenity, making them ideal for grouping related components, text, or visuals.
Triad: This color scheme uses any combination of three evenly spaced colors from around the color wheel, such as shades of green, violet, and orange. To ensure your information stands out, leverage one dominant color against two supporting accent colors.

Let’s talk about color for your project

Just because your color choices work well with one medium, doesn’t mean they will translate to your custom label. We are well-versed in the psychology of color, design, and label best practices, let’s chat about your project.

Sometimes You Need to Blow Their Minds with a “Wow” Label

September 29, 2017 By Doug Danosky

When a simple one-sided label won’t do the trick, you need a “wow” label. Here are our favorite unique labels, that will elevate the functionality and appeal of your product.

Instant redeemable coupon labels

Whether you want to reach customers with direct mailings or at a point of purchase, instant redeemable coupon (IRC) labels are an eye-catching alternative to traditional clip or tear-away coupons. Using an intuitive, dry peel-off card design, IRC labels provide consumers with an interactive and immediate way to access promotional offers, coupon codes, barcodes, sweepstakes, rebates and more.

Ensure that your IRC label functions properly by using an ultraviolet (UV) coating to protect and secure the print below the peel-off layer and a residue-free adhesive that holds without the mess.

Scratch-offs

Scratch-off labels are another creative and interactive solution for delivering information or promotional offers. Scratch-off labels use a tear-proof film material, topped with a scratch-off primer and metallic ink layer, to create an engaging, hands-on customer experience.

High quality, fresh ink is a must. If you’ve ever encountered a poorly functioning scratch-off, it’s likely a result of low-quality or expired ink. The ink, which only has a three-month shelf life, is specially formulated and must be mixed to order, so plan on about eight to 10 days for order completion.

Piggyback labels

Piggyback labels are the ultimate convenience labels, providing users with a handy pre-printed or blank label that can easily be removed and applied anywhere. As the name implies, a piggyback label consists of two labels, where one label piggybacks, or sits atop, another label. A middle layer is used to adhere the top layer, or face of the label, to a bottom liner that sticks to the surface to which it’s applied.

Piggybacks have seemingly endless customization options, so think through the features and use cases that will help you reach your goals and a positive return on your label investment.

Variable image labels

Often utilitarian, variable image labels pack the ultimate punch for manufacturers, supplier, distributors and direct mail advertisers. Have you ever checked the status of a package to find that it’s at a particular pre-shipping location? Well, that detailed tracking was likely made possible by a scannable barcode printed on a variable image label.

These truly one-of-a-kind labels contain barcodes, personalized text, images or other information that changes from one label to the next, which allows companies to scale their operations while maintaining control over things like inventory, marketing messages, routing and complex workflows.

Thanks to advances in printing technology, variable printing is a cost- and time-effective way to customize individual labels. However, mistakes can be costly, so remember to carefully proof your data, such as sequential numbering logic or copy variations.

Self-Laminating Labels

If you’re looking for a resilient label that will withstand everyday wear and tear, dirty, or even extreme outdoor conditions, self-laminating labels stand above the rest. These durable and customizable labels typically consist of a smudge-free layer for writing and an overlying, clear laminate layer that can be self-applied by the user.

Selecting the best materials for your use case is critical to the success of your self-laminating label, so carefully consider your end users’ requirements for durability, adhesive strength, pliability, colors, pre-printed fields, permanence, and other factors.

Conclusion

Finding a trusted label supplier that can help you find the best label - no matter how unique - can be challenging. At T&L Graphic Systems, our experienced team works to understand your needs and find a solution that’s right for you. Check out our latest white paper, How To Create The Perfect Label.

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