Frequently Asked Questions

We follow the industry standard. When you send us artwork, we would prefer that it is sent in either Vector line format or Adobe Illustrator. These file types work the best with our internal systems.

Yes. You are never locked into your artwork. For digital printing, we can make most art work adjustments on the fly. If the changes are small in nature and don’t require a lot of time, our graphics department handles this at no extra cost. If there is additional art time that is needed, we charge at a rate of $75.00 per hour. In the digital world, these changes translate over very easily, which is why we often do not need to charge for this. If you are printing your labels flexographically with us, then you will need to pay for new plates when you change your artwork. Producing a new printing plate requires a different level of labor and raw material usage when it comes to making art changes, which is why we charge for this service.

We don’t offer a full-blown graphic design service, but our graphic artists can help you get from concept to finished product label. Sometimes, our team has to change a lot in the customers artwork and other times they don’t have to change anything at all. Our artists don’t only design labels, they also prepare the art files in such a way that they translate over properly to our printing presses. This process is more involved than most would expect, but it’s what is required to turn a computer screen concept into a real-life product label.

Digital: Full Color (CMYK + OVG) 4 Primary Colors get mixed to create ANY color. 3 additional colors can be added to expand options.

Flexographic: Up to 12 colors. This is as custom as it gets.

Cyan – Magenta – Yellow – Black: These 4 colors create what is known as 4-color process. Utilizing these 4 colors, an extremely wide gamut of color options and variations can be achieved. CMYK is how our digital printing process operates. We also have the added capability of expanding that color gamut even more by using extended colors such as orange, violet, and green. Rest assured, we will be able to get extremely close to any color using CMYK and if that’s not perfect enough for you, we can get an exact color match on our flexographic printing presses.

Yes! We can get extremely close to any color using the CMYK + extended colors breakdown that we offer and if that’s not perfect enough for you, we can get an exact color match on our flexographic printing presses. Do not worry—there’s a fit here for you!

Our proofing process is simple. We request artwork from you and our graphic artists review the file(s). Any changes that need to be made will be communicated to you. In most cases, our graphic artists can make these adjustments. They can also enhance your label design if you would like. Once there is an agreed upon label design, our graphic artists will email you a PDF proof of your label. You review this proof, sign the document and send it back our way. We will begin producing your labels once we receive this signed proof. Easy and thorough!

Ask a label guy for a sticker quote and it’ll be the biggest mistake that you’ve ever made! That’s just some print sales humor for you. But really, the differences are pretty significant. A sticker is designed to promote a name, logo or event and is more often than not slapped onto something that people will look at time and time again. A label is very different. Labels are used to sell a product. A label will truly encompass your brand and any information that you want consumers to have. Labels are also designed to grab the attention of consumers and entice them to pick the product up off of the shelf. An additional difference is that stickers are usually provided as sheets or cut & stacks while labels are supplied on rolls. We offer every option.

Once we receive your artwork, our graphic artists will review your art file(s) and communicate any necessary changes that need to be made. Most adjustments can be made in-house by our artists. Within 1-2 days, a PDF proof of your label(s) will be sent to you for approval. When we get back the signed approval, we immediately begin producing your labels. Depending on run size, production and finishing, times can range between 1-3 days. Once your labels are produced, quality checked and packed, we ship your labels out UPS and FedEx for smaller orders and use a variety of freight services for larger orders. Shipping time varies but is usually within 2-3 days. These times are generous; however, we almost always beat these standard times that we have set for ourselves. Your dedicated customer service representative will keep you updated throughout this process and will be ready to answer any questions that you may have.

There is no standard size. The size of your label will depend on many factors. The type of product you are labeling, the shape and size of the container, the amount of information you need to fit, regulatory standards, room to fit images, and much more. We have a large library of different sized cutting tools that can work for you. If we don’t have a tool that is the exact size that you need in our already existing library of tools, we can order you a custom tool at your desired size. We would love to be able to provide a standard size for your product type, but there are far too many considerations to account for. However, with some baseline information, our team is prepared to offer you guidance and provide a recommendation. With 50 years of label printing, we’ve seen it all!

Sometimes customers have a very specific size label that they need. In order to get any desired size or shape, a cutting die is required. If we don’t have a tool that is the exact size that you need in our already existing library of tools, we can order you a custom tool at your desired size. This is a one-time charge. On any repeat orders at that size, you will not have to pay this tooling charge again. We even replace the tool once it is worn and no longer effective. This is truly a one-time charge.

A “plate charge” refers to the cost of adding a printing plate in our flexographic printing process. Different from digital, flexographic printing presses require a printing plate for each color that you want to print. For example, if your artwork includes blue, yellow, green and red, you will need a printing plate for each one of these colors. A plate charge is a one-time charge. Over time, these plates do wear down, however, we take care of any new plates that need to be made. This is never an additional cost to you. The exception to this is when something changes in the artwork. Once artwork is changed, an entirely new art file needs to be built and therefore new plates will need to be made. Our digital process does not require any plates so you will never see a plate charge if you order your labels digitally. The nature of the job will determine which process is best for you.

There is none. There is only a minimum order dollar amount. Our minimum order is $285. Due to the nature of both the digital printing and flexographic printing processes, there are always up-front costs. Our digital printing process will have significantly lower set-up costs, and in many instances, there will be none. Flexographic printing comes with costs such as printing plates, screens, additional colors, etc. and tooling (die cutting tools) charges. However, flexographic printing is almost always more economical at higher quantities. We want to talk to you no matter your order size.

When you are ready to place an order, you have a couple of options. You can submit a request for quote through our website and one of our customer service representatives will reach out to you and begin to get you pricing. Another option is that you can call our number at 800-394-6900 and place an order over the phone. We will need to get some up-front information from you in order to get the ball rolling. Depending on the nature of your project, this process could be very quick or it may take a little extra time to get all of the details just right. Either way, you will be absolutely satisfied with your finished product labels. We guarantee it.

You choose! More often than not, we provide our customers with labels on rolls. Roll labels are usually put onto labeling equipment and will not dispense properly if they are sheeted. We follow the industry standard and provide roll labels to our customers on 3” paper cores for stability and machine application purposes. You have the option to get your labels sheeted as well. We can accommodate most requests regarding how many labels are wanted per roll. Just ask your customer service representative about this and they will make note of your request.

We can print on a variety of materials. We offer standard materials or we can choose a material that will be specific to your product’s exact application. We really prefer to do things the latter way. Our team will ask some baseline questions to get an understanding for your project. It’s important that we find out how the labels get applied, where the product is stored, how the product is used and if the product faces any harsh environments. Based on your answers to these questions, our team will make a recommendation for what will work best for your product. Standard materials include white/metallized paper, white/metallized/clear film, vinyl and some eco-friendly options. We can get whatever material you need. Ask us anything!

Yes! We offer a variety of eco-friendly label stock options.

Unwind direction represents the orientation in which the labels will come off the roll. There are 8 unwind directions. See our “Unwind Direction” chart here or find it on our resources page on our website. It’s important that you select the correct unwind direction for your application so that your labels dispense in the right fashion. Label applicators vary and each can require a different unwind direction. The shape of the container and label will also determine your unwind direction. Our team will help you with this!

Yes! We can accommodate most requests.

Yes! We can accommodate most requests for alternating label rolls.

Yes! We accept all major credit cards except for American Express. We require credit card pre-payment for all new customers. We also accept checks and ACH payments. We would like to set terms with any high-volume purchasers that work with us. Please request a term sheet if you believe you qualify for payment terms.

We ship your labels out UPS and FedEx for smaller orders and use a variety of freight services for larger orders. Our delivery timeline and accuracy has been EXCELLENT over the past 50 years that we have been in business and we promise to always stay that way.

Prior to receiving an order, we can give you an estimated timeframe based on the nature of the job. Once we receive the order and begin producing, your customer service representative will provide you with a delivery date. After our team has shipped your order, you will be notified and receive tracking information. You will be able to track your order from our plant to your door.