A Guide to Properly Labeling Hand Sanitizers for Your Business

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Keeping your hands clean is key to preventing the spread of germs and disease. Washing them thoroughly with soap and water is the most effective, but when that’s not available or convenient, using hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol is the next best choice.  In this article, we discuss hand sanitizer label and what guidelines you need to follow.

What Is Hand Sanitizer?

Hand sanitizer is an aqueous solution containing at least 60% alcohol designed to kill some germs and bacteria. It’s meant to be used as a sanitizer when your hands are generally clean (with no visible dirt), but soap and water isn’t available.

Given the recent increase in hand sanitizer use over the last several months, the FDA has given it some attention to ensure the ingredients used in these solutions are safe. While the FDA agrees with the CDC’s recommendation to use soap and water whenever possible, hand sanitizer is acceptable as an alternative when there’s no sink in sight.

FDA Guidelines for Making Hand Sanitizer for Your Business

At the height of the hand sanitizer shortage, many businesses were trying to fill the gap by producing their own sanitizer. The FDA issued guidelines for the manufacturing of hand sanitizer to ensure consumers would receive a safe, effective product. Only ethanol or isopropyl alcohol, food grade glycerin, hydrogen peroxide, and sterile water can be used as ingredients, and the product must follow the formula as outlined by the World Health Organization:

  • Ethanol (80% v/v) or isopropyl alcohol (75% v/v) in an aqueous solution.
  • Glycerin (1.45% v/v)
  • Hydrogen peroxide (0.125% v/v)
  • Sterile water

The alcohol must be denatured by one of four FDA-recommended formulas. The preferred method is to add 1/16 avoirdupois ounce of denatonium benzoate and 1⁄8 gallon of tert-butyl to every 100 gallons of alcohol.

No other ingredients may be added. Businesses creating this product must abide by a variety of production requirements and follow hand sanitizer label requirements.

Hand Sanitizer Label Requirements

There are three primary elements that must be present on a hand sanitizer label:

  • Principal Display Panel: This is the front of your package. It should cover at least 40% of the front side of the bottle and must include a statement of identity (what the product is and what it’s for) and the net weight of the product in mL. Many companies also include their name or logo on the display panel.
  • Drug Facts Section: This should look familiar: it’s on the back of all FDA-approved over-the-counter drugs. It must list the active ingredients and their purpose (for hand sanitizer labels, it would say “alcohol” or “isopropyl alcohol” and “antiseptic”), uses for the product, warnings against improper use or potential risks, directions for use, additional information, and other inactive ingredients present in the formula.
  • Manufacturer’s Label: As the producer of the product, this is your name, address, and contact information.

Label Quality Matters to Help Products Stand Out

As with any other product, a carefully designed, high-quality label will help your hand sanitizer stand out and draw attention to your brand. At Star Label Products, we offer a variety of printing methods so you can achieve the look you want:

  • Flexographic: The high-speed rotary printing process is fast and efficient, whether you’re placing a large or a small label order. It’s great for metallics, pastels, and opaque whites.
  • Digital Label Printing: Flexible and low-cost, you can easily change the design if you need to. It’s best for small runs.
  • Embellishment: This is where it gets really fun! Raised finishes, laminates, glitter, and more are eye-catching and inviting—people want to touch them, which puts your product in their hands.
  • Extended Content: These are common on small products, like cosmetics or personal hand sanitizer bottles. We create a label with a second layer that can be peeled back to reveal more information.

Before you decide how to print your custom hand sanitizer labels, you need a great label design. If that’s not in your wheelhouse, we can help. Our graphic services department offers a full range of options to help you create the design you want.

What Are You Waiting For? Get Started With Your Hand Sanitizer Label Today!

Star Label Products creates eye-catching labels for a range of products using the latest technology and highly skilled craftsmanship. Our custom labels for hand sanitizer bottles will help your product stick out, and we strive to ensure you enjoy a positive label-making experience with us. We offer free sample packets so you can get a better idea of what we can do for you; when you place your order, we have a 3-5 day turnaround time—the fastest turnaround for custom labels in the industry. Contact us for more information about personalized hand sanitizer labels.