Label guide
Water Bottle Label Printing: Complete Guide
A good water bottle label is decided long before it reaches the printer: in the artwork, the colour setup and the material. This guide walks through the whole process so your first order goes right.
The printing process in plain language
- Design: you create the artwork at the size of the label
- File check: the artwork is checked for print-readiness
- Print: the labels are printed to order on your chosen material
- Cut: each label is cut to its shape, standard or custom
- Pack and ship: labels are packed and delivered
Preparing your artwork
If any of this is off, our file check flags it before production.
- Resolution: images should be sharp at the final label size, usually around 300 dpi
- Colour mode: design in CMYK where you can, since screens show brighter colours than print
- Bleed: extend background colour slightly past the label edge so a tiny cutting variation shows no white edge
- Safe area: keep text and logos a small distance inside the edge
- Fonts: convert text to outlines or embed fonts so it prints as designed
Colour and proofing
Colours on a screen are lit from behind and print is not, so print always looks a little less vivid. If your brand colours matter, order a small first batch and compare it with your brand reference before scaling up. White film and paper also change how a colour looks, so check on the material you plan to use.
Materials
Waterproof PET film in white or clear is the choice for chilled, wet or handled bottles. Paper, kraft, gold and silver paper suit dry bottles. The material changes the look as well as the durability.
Die-cutting and shapes
Labels are cut to shape after printing. Standard shapes (rectangle, rounded corner, square, circle and oval) come in set sizes, while a custom shape is cut to the outline of your artwork. Make sure the cut outline is clear in your file for a custom shape.
Applying labels to bottles
Apply labels to a clean, dry bottle and press firmly from the centre outwards, especially at the edges. Keep the label inside the flat part of the bottle and away from ribs and seams.
Common mistakes
- Choosing paper for a bottle that will be chilled
- Using a low-resolution logo that prints soft
- Putting text too close to the edge
- Forgetting that white on clear film is transparent
- Ordering a size larger than the flat label area
A before-you-order checklist
- Material suits how the bottle will be used
- Size fits the flat label area with a margin
- Artwork is sharp, in CMYK and clear of the edge
- Colours checked on the material you chose
- Quantity matches what you will really use
Frequently asked questions
What resolution should my artwork be?
Images should be sharp at the final label size, usually around 300 dpi. Low-resolution images print soft.
RGB or CMYK?
Design in CMYK where you can, since it matches print better. Screen colours in RGB can look brighter than the printed result.
What is bleed?
Background colour extended slightly past the cut edge, so a tiny cutting variation does not leave a white edge.
Can I apply labels by hand?
Yes. Apply to a clean, dry bottle and press firmly from the centre outwards.
Ready to order your labels?
Choose your shape, size, material and quantity, upload your artwork and check out.