Premium finishes such as foil, embossing, spot UV, soft-touch lamination and peel-and-reveal labels can make a product stand out on a shelf or as a gift. We don't print these in-house, but you can have them printed by a specialist label printer and send them to us to apply. This article explains how that works and when it's worth doing.
How our standard printing works
Most clients have their labels printed by us in-house on Epson ColorWorks D6000 printers, on white gloss film. We print as orders come in, with no minimum per label, apply the labels automatically to the products you order, and dispatch within 5 working days. It's quick and economical, but it doesn't include special finishes. You can read more in Why we've upgraded our label printers, and what it means for your labels.
How premium finishes work
Premium labels are supplied to us as free issue labels. You order them from a printer of your choice and pay the printer directly, they deliver the finished rolls to us, and we store them free of charge and apply them to your orders in place of our standard print. You no longer pay our in-house label charge for those products.
Your labels need to meet the same specification as any free issue label, which is set out in full in Can I supply my own printed labels? (free issue labels). In short: on rolls with a 76mm core, at our standard label sizes for your bottle, with your product barcode on every label. Other sizes can be used as long as they suit the bottle, so please check with us before you order. We don't commission premium labels on your behalf, and quotes and invoices come straight from your printer.
Recommended printers
You're free to use any UK or international printer that meets the specification, but these are the printers we recommend:
- Vale Labels for foil, embossing, spot UV and soft-touch lamination. Vale already holds our label specification and cutters for our sizes.
- Reel Appeal for peel-and-reveal labels, also known as fold-out or extended content labels.
We're happy to make an introduction. Just email hello@nutribl.com.
What it costs
There's no minimum from us, but there is a practical one. Premium finishes involve setup costs such as foil dies, embossing tools and plates, and those costs are much the same whether you print 100 labels or 5,000. Spread over a small run they make each label expensive, so most premium runs are several hundred to several thousand labels per product. If several of your products share a label size, asking your printer to quote them as one combined run can bring the price per label down.
When premium finishes make sense
They work best for hero or gift products, products sold in physical retail, and established lines with steady sales and a retail price that can carry the extra cost. While you're launching, testing or selling mainly online, our standard labels are usually the better choice, as the extra cost per label can take a large share of your margin at low volumes.
Consistency
Foil registration and emboss depth can vary slightly within a run and between runs. Before a large order, ask your printer about their tolerances and request samples, so you know what to expect across the whole run.
Getting started
- Choose your finish and which products you want it on.
- Email hello@nutribl.com with the product SKUs, the finish and your planned run size. We'll confirm the label sizes, send print-ready files of your approved artwork if you need them, set your products up for free issue labels and make an introduction to a printer if you'd like one.
- Brief your printer with the label sizes, the 76mm core, your barcode and your artwork. Ask for a proof, and for samples on larger runs.
- Ask your printer to deliver to: Nutribl, Unit 22 Brough Park Trading Estate, Brough Park Way, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2YF, with each box marked with your company name, the product SKU and the number of labels. Let us know when they're on the way.
- Once your labels are booked in, place your orders as usual and choose free issue labels at checkout.
Common questions
Are fold-out, peel-and-reveal and extended content labels the same thing?
Yes, they're different names for multi-layer labels that peel back to reveal more information underneath. Reel Appeal specialises in them.
Can you add foil to labels you print?
No. Foil and other finishes have to be part of the specialist printer's run.
How long does it take?
Premium runs typically take a few weeks from your printer, depending on the finish. Once your labels are with us, orders follow our usual dispatch time of up to 5 working days.
Can I mix finishes across my range?
Yes. Finishes are set per product, so you can have premium labels on some products and our standard print on others.
Do you charge to store my labels?
No, we store free issue labels free of charge.
How many should I order?
Order around 5% more than you need, and at least 10 extra per design, as our labelling machines use a few labels at setup. We'll let you know if an order doesn't have enough of your labels before it goes ahead.
Can I go back to standard labels?
Yes, at any time.
For advice on finishes, sizes or printers, email hello@nutribl.com.