What Size Label Do I Need for a Water Bottle?

The short answer

Measure the flat label area of the bottle, not the whole bottle. The label should sit inside that area with a small margin all round, clear of seams, ribs and the curve of the shoulder.

How to measure, step by step

• Find the flat or gently curved band on the bottle where a label should go
• Measure its height from the lowest to the highest point where the surface is still smooth
• Measure its width across the front, or around the bottle if you want the label to wrap further
• Subtract a small margin from each measurement so the label does not touch ribs, seams or edges
• Choose the standard size closest to, and not larger than, your measurements

Shapes and standard sizes

Our labels come in rectangle, rounded corner, square, circle and oval shapes, each in a range of standard sizes, or as a custom shape cut to your artwork outline. The configurator lists the available sizes for the shape you pick, so you can match one to your measurements.

• Custom water bottle labels →

Curved bottles and avoiding wrinkles

A label applied across a strong curve wrinkles or lifts at the edges. On a rounder bottle, choose a narrower label, or a circle or oval, so the label follows a smaller part of the curve.

Artwork margins

Keep important text and logos away from the label's edges so nothing is lost if the label is applied slightly off-centre. Our file check looks at this before production.

• Preparing artwork for label printing →

What to do if you are unsure

Measure two or three bottles from the batch, since bottles of the same type can vary slightly, and choose a size that fits all of them. If the bottle is an unusual shape, request a quote and tell us about it.