Product label sizes: jars, bottles, rolls and sheets
Product labels have no standard sizes: the right size is whatever fits your container, so measure it. A wrap label is the distance around the container (π × the diameter) less a small gap so the ends don’t meet unevenly, by the height of the flat area between the shoulder and the base. A jar 3 in across is about 9.42 in around, so with a 0.25 in gap the label is about 9.17 in long. Common front labels are 2 or 3 in rounds and 3 × 2 or 4 × 3 in rectangles. On sheets, an Avery 5160 label is 1 × 2⅝ in, 30 to a sheet.
Product label sizes: dimensions, bleed and pixels
Bleed is 0.125 in on every side for inch sizes and 3 mm for metric ones. Pixels are rounded to the nearest whole pixel.
| Size | Inches | Millimeters | With bleed | Pixels at 300 ppi (with bleed) | Notes and template |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in round | 2 × 2 in | 50.8 × 50.8 mm | 2.25 × 2.25 in | 600 × 600 px 675 × 675 px | Free template |
| 3 in round | 3 × 3 in | 76.2 × 76.2 mm | 3.25 × 3.25 in | 900 × 900 px 975 × 975 px | Free template |
| 3 × 2 in rectangle | 3 × 2 in | 76.2 × 50.8 mm | 3.25 × 2.25 in | 900 × 600 px 975 × 675 px | Free template |
| 4 × 3 in rectangle | 4 × 3 in | 101.6 × 76.2 mm | 4.25 × 3.25 in | 1,200 × 900 px 1,275 × 975 px | Free template |
| Wrap label, jar 3 in across (example) | 9.17 × 2.5 in | 232.92 × 63.5 mm | 9.42 × 2.75 in | 2,751 × 750 px 2,826 × 825 px | 9.42 in around, less a 0.25 in gap Free template |
Sheet labels (Avery)
Labels printed at home or in the office come on letter sheets in fixed layouts. Three common Avery formats, as Avery lists them (height × width):
| Avery product | Label size | Labels per sheet | Pixels at 300 ppi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5160 (address) | 1 × 2⅝ in | 30 | 300 × 788 px |
| 5163 (shipping) | 2 × 4 in | 10 | 600 × 1,200 px |
| 5164 (shipping) | 3⅓ × 4 in | 6 | 1,000 × 1,200 px |
Sheet labels sit close together, so there is little or no room for bleed: keep the design inside each label with a small margin, and use Avery’s template for the exact positions on the sheet.
How to measure a container
Measure the flat part of the container, where a label can lie without creasing: on a jar, from just below the shoulder to just above the base; on a bottle, the straight section of the body. Make the label a little shorter than that flat area, so it doesn’t ride up onto a curve. A label for a tapered surface, such as a cup or a cone-shaped tub, needs a curved (fan-shaped) dieline drawn from the container.
For a label that wraps around, multiply the diameter by π (3.1416), or wrap a strip of paper around the container and mark where it meets. Take off a gap so the ends don’t butt up unevenly, or add an overlap if the design should join; printers and labelling machines differ on how much, so ask, and test a paper print-out on the real container before ordering. Containers of the same volume differ between makers, so measure the one you’ll actually fill. The usual sizes for common containers: wine bottles, beer bottles and cans, water bottles, candle tins and jars, and mason and spice jars.
Roll labels and the file
Labels applied by hand in quantity, or by machine, are usually printed on rolls. Besides the size, the printer needs the shape and corner radius, the gap between labels, the core size and the unwind direction, which sets which edge of the label comes off the roll first and must match the way you apply them.
Set the file up at the finished size with 0.125 in (3 mm) of bleed, the cut path on its own layer as a named spot color, and text 0.0625 to 0.125 in inside the cut. Clear and metallic stock needs a white ink layer under anything that should look solid, and barcodes need their quiet zone and enough size to scan: see barcode won’t scan. Food, cosmetic and supplement labels also have legal rules on content and minimum type sizes; check the rules for your product and country.
Questions
- What size label do I need for a jar?
- Measure it. Multiply the diameter by π for the distance around, take off a small gap, and use the height of the flat area between the shoulder and the base. A jar 3 in across is about 9.42 in around, so a full wrap is about 9.2 in long; a front label covers only part of that, sized to the side that faces out.
- What size is an Avery 5160 label?
- 1 × 2⅝ in (25.4 × 66.68 mm), 30 labels on a letter sheet. At 300 ppi that’s 300 × 788 pixels. Avery 5163 is 2 × 4 in, 10 to a sheet, and 5164 is 3⅓ × 4 in, 6 to a sheet.
- What size is a label in pixels?
- At 300 ppi, a 3 × 2 in label is 900 × 600 pixels (975 × 675 with 0.125 in of bleed), a 4 × 3 in label is 1200 × 900 (1275 × 975), and a 2 in round label is 600 × 600 (675 × 675).
- Are there standard bottle and jar label sizes?
- No. Container sizes and shapes vary between makers, even for the same volume, so a label that suits one 8 oz jar may not fit another. Measure the container you’ll fill, or use the supplier’s drawing of the label panel.
If the printer sends the file back
Terms on this page: Dieline, White ink (white underbase), Bleed, Quiet zone.
More print sizes, or all of them on one page:
Cards, paper and stationery: Business card · Postcard · Paper · Envelope · Letterhead · Greeting card · Presentation folder
Flyers, brochures and handouts: Flyer · Brochure · Rack card · Door hanger · Menu · Table tent · Bookmark
Stickers, labels and tags: Sticker · Hang tag
Bottle, can and jar labels: Wine label · Beer label · Water bottle label · Candle label · Jar label
Boxes and packaging: Mailer box · Shipping box · Tuck box · Stand-up pouch · Pizza box
Posters, books and calendars: Poster · Book · Calendar
Signs, billboards and vehicles: Banner · Yard sign · Car magnet · Billboard
T-shirts and apparel: T-shirt
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