Custom Jar Labels

Paper or Film for Printed Jar Labels

Uncoated or textured paper gives a warm, handmade feel that suits jams, marmalades and honey. It takes a pen well, so you can hand-write batch dates or best-before details. Its weakness is moisture, so it is better for jars stored in a cupboard than ones kept in a fridge door.

White or clear film labels stand up to chilling, condensation and the occasional wipe with a damp cloth. Clear film gives a no-label look where the printed design seems to sit directly on the glass, which works beautifully with golden honey or brightly coloured chutney. Metallic film adds a premium touch for gift ranges.

Adhesive matters too. A standard permanent adhesive suits most jars. If your jars go into a fridge straight after filling, or are labelled while slightly cool, ask for a chill-resistant adhesive so corners do not lift. Our water-resistant BOPP film labels are worth a look for jars that live in the fridge.

What to Put on a Jar Label

Food labels in the UK must carry certain information, and it is your responsibility as the producer to check what applies to your product. Typically that includes the product name, ingredients with allergens highlighted, net quantity, a best-before or use-by date, storage instructions and your name and address. We will print what you supply exactly as approved on the proof.

Beyond the essentials, use the space to tell buyers something useful: which fruit variety went in, where the honey was gathered or what to eat the sauce with. A short line like that often does more for sales than a bigger logo. Keep body text no smaller than you can comfortably read at arm's length, as tiny print on a curved surface is hard to read. Makers selling candles alongside their food often use printed custom candle labels with the same layout.

Sizing Labels to the Curve of the Glass

Measure the jar's flat label area, not just its overall height. Most jars have a shoulder near the top and a slight curve near the base, and a label that runs into either will crease or lift. Measure the straight section with a tape and subtract a few millimetres top and bottom for clearance.

For a wraparound, measure the circumference and decide how much glass you want to leave showing. Leaving a gap at the back lets customers see the colour of the product, which helps with preserves and honey. If you are unsure, send us the jar size or a supplier link and we will suggest label dimensions that fit.

Hexagonal honey jars and tall sauce bottles each have their own quirks, so a quick photo of the jar beside a ruler is often the fastest way to get the fit right first time. Labels that must wrap the whole jar can be printed as clear wrap-around labels for glass, which let the contents show through.

Designing a Range That Sits Well Together

Once a maker has more than three or four flavours, the label system matters as much as any single label. Shoppers scan a shelf quickly, so the jars should look like one family at a glance and then differ clearly when someone leans in. The easiest way to do that is to fix the layout, logo position and typeface, then let one element change: a colour band, an illustration of the fruit or the lid topper.

Colour coding works well if you keep it logical. Reds for berry jams, greens for herb jellies and darker tones for chutneys help customers find their favourite again without reading the label. Avoid relying on colour alone for important differences, such as a sugar-free version, because some customers cannot tell certain colours apart; use a clear word as well.

Think about what happens when a new flavour arrives mid-season. If your design has a set space for the flavour name and a set space for ingredients, adding a new label is a quick artwork change rather than a full redesign. We keep your files on record, so a new flavour can be printed to match the rest of the range without starting from scratch. If your range spreads to bottles, tins or boxes, general custom product labels can carry the same design across every format.

Rolls or Sheets, and How Ordering Works

Labels can be supplied on rolls for applicator machines or hand dispensers, or on sheets if you apply them by hand at the kitchen table. Small producers often start on sheets and switch to rolls as volumes grow. Tell us how you label jars now and we will set up the format to match.

A range of flavours can usually be printed together, with each design counted separately. Send your artwork or ideas and we will reply with a custom quote by email within one working day. Minimums are low and quoted per job, and labels start from £0.25 each depending on size and quantity. After you approve the free proof, production takes 4–7 working days and free tracked UK mainland delivery takes 2–3 working days. Misprints or damage reported within 10 days are reprinted or refunded. Producers applying labels by machine should look at custom roll labels on cores, wound to suit most applicators.