Making labels more readable: practical tips for your products
- Alkam
- Mar 27
- 8 min read
In an era where product labeling has become more important than ever, we must not overlook the need to make our labels as visible and easily decipherable as possible .
Intuitively understandable information on ingredients , expiration dates and allergens is a key requirement for any food or pharmaceutical business.
In this post we will give you practical advice on how to make labels well defined and clear to read: from using the appropriate graphics to optimizing the size of the font associated with the text printed on the packaging.
Read on to discover all the useful tips to improve the quality of your label printing.
Summary
Use large and light fonts
To make a label more readable, you can start by choosing large and light fonts. Choosing large fonts will ensure that consumers can easily read what is written on the label.
While there are some exceptions, such as larger fonts for titles and subtitles, it's best to start with fonts no smaller than 10 points . If you plan to use even larger fonts, make sure they're not too large - otherwise the label will look cluttered.
Additionally, it is best to select lightweight fonts for labels . Fonts like Arial, Helvetica, and sans serif are lightweight fonts that stand out better on the surface of the product than heavier fonts like Times New Roman or Garamond.
Lightweight fonts are easier to read and give your label a professional, yet modern and elegant look. There are also a wide range of free lightweight fonts you can access online (always consider the relationship with your brand identity).
These options offer endless design possibilities and allow business owners to fully customize their label, making it attractive and original. If you decide to use free downloaded fonts, make sure to respect the font's terms of use to avoid legal problems.
The readability of a text depends on the clarity of the text, so choosing a suitable font is essential.
A font that has a lot of details or styles is not recommended, as it will make it harder to read. Fonts with rounded corners are considered easier to read fonts, as they attract less attention.
In general, when it comes to choosing a font for your products and print texts, simpler is better. A simpler font will be more legible and will help everyone read your texts easily, regardless of age and visual ability.
A bold typeface can create a greater visual impact, but it can also be difficult to read. A simple font should be supported by sufficient spaces between letters and words, be clearly structured, and not be difficult to read.
Also remember that your readers must be able to read your text without pauses or difficulty, regardless of how far away they are from the product or message .
Create sufficient contrast between the text color and the background
To obtain an easily readable and effective label, it is important to create sufficient contrast between the text color and the background.
Adequate contrast allows the eye to distinguish the text and label from the background without requiring any effort. Most of the time, designers opt for a combination of strong colors such as white on black or vice versa; even a saturated yellow on a dark blue is a great combination in many cases.
Selecting flashing colors can be useful in more creative contexts, but always taking care not to overdo it. The choice of colors also depends on the type and material of the label.
If your label uses pastel shades , it is advisable to select darker colors for the text. When printing on dark or particularly complex backgrounds, it is best to choose a light colored text font to ensure optimal visibility.
If you work with reflective materials , you may need to use special inks to ensure that the text stands out sufficiently from the background. In addition to color, font size and style choices can affect the readability of the label.
Be careful not to use text that is too small or difficult to read, opting for fonts that do not need to be too small. By pairing a properly sized font with adequate color contrast, you will ensure that your labels remain easily readable by anyone, anywhere.
Keep the label clean
One of the most important tips to follow when thinking about product label design is to keep the labels clean.
All information should be written simply and clearly, without adding unnecessary details .
To ensure that the information remains neat and legible, prepare a checklist with all the details you want included on the label.
Review this list every time you add or change your labels to ensure they are kept clean and efficient. In addition to order, keeping your labels clean helps shoppers quickly double-check any information they need to check before making a purchasing decision .
For multi-page labels , make sure you have a clearly visible visual indicator to allow the reader to move from page to page without further confusion and to make it clear that this is a “foldable” item of packaging.
The solution of adding the legal content or any languages in a multi-page section applied on the main label is a very functional and legal trick to keep the labels clean and at the same time provide all the necessary information.
Always check the overall appearance of your labels and be as aware of the space they occupy as their content. Make sure there is enough space between lines and sections to help your label visibility and provide a good look to the overall graphic.
Color is important
Color is one of the most important aspects of designing readable labels. Designers have many color options that can influence how the audience understands them.
Color can also help distinguish your product from other products and help consumers express their personality with their purchases (here is a more in-depth look at shelf label visibility ).
A common design strategy uses primary colors such as red, blue, and yellow. These colors can be used as highlights or as a background or simply as a decorative element.
Additionally, you can incorporate the use of shades of all these colors into your design to give more depth and create a contrasting effect between the words, images, and colors.
When using multiple colors on the label, make sure there is enough blending between them so that the reader can clearly distinguish the words and displayed elements.
Choosing the right color can have a significant impact on the readability of your label.
Another thing to consider when choosing a color is how it appears to older people or those who are blind . Since most people do not have good color perception, it can be difficult to recognize subtle shades of colors from a distance.
It is advisable to prefer more vivid colors because they will be easier to read and distinguish from a greater distance than the more muted tones. Contrast is also essential when it comes to making the label visible and readable.
Black or white can be used to create nice effects with other colors, but also with other elements such as fonts, images or lines that can be additionally used to improve the readability of the label.
If you want to adopt innovative color choices, it is important to make sure that the colors you choose are easily identifiable and easily distinguishable from the surrounding color on the store shelf.
If the color is not visible enough, your label may not be read well by in-store customers.
Finally, when designing a label, make sure that the color reflects the personality and identity of the product so that it stands out from other similar products on the store shelf.
Choose the right size
Choosing the right size is not only important for readability, but also for creating a good design for your labels.
The size of labels is often influenced by the size of the product, location, or package where it is applied. Sometimes, label size is limited by the area on a product and a certain shape or size of label results from the area next to the product to which it is applied.
It is important that customers can easily read all the information on the label without having to get too close to it.
Again: fonts should be chosen according to the size of the label. Small fonts will be difficult to read when the characters are smaller than 2 mm in height.
Too large a font may not have the professional look desired. We recommend using 3 - 4 mm font for standard label sizes . If you need to print a lot of text on a small label then consider using a larger font or possibly resizing the text or using a multi-page label .
You can also include graphics or images on the label to help readers easily locate key information. The right design should include using a font that is appropriate for the environment in which the label will be used and choosing the right printing to maximize the volume to be printed quickly with the least amount of ink.
Consider all elements before producing your high resolution print labels to ensure they are sharp and legible.
Use more space between lines to improve readability;
Use more space between lines to improve readability; it is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to make labels more readable.
High text density can be difficult to read, especially if no visual structure is provided.
The general rule is that a line of text should have at least one blank space between the top and bottom lines.
Additionally, you should be aware of the font size, and make sure it is large enough to read comfortably. A font that is too small or has insufficient contrast makes it even more difficult to read.
Another way to improve the readability of your labels is to use tables, lists, and headings . These elements can help provide a clear structure to the page and make it easier to scan the label content.
You can also use different color schemes and fonts to emphasize important keywords or titles. When you combine different fonts with enough contrast between them, you get a well-organized text that is pleasant to read and easy to understand.
Try before you print
Printing is one of the most important ways to convey product information. But before you print labels, it is important to do a test print.
Designers should never skip this step , as proper testing before printing ensures the desired quality of product labels and brand success.
A preliminary proof allows marketers to ensure that all the necessary information/labels are present to share product details and allow for easy identification by the public.
Good design and proper printing are the best way to make a product truly successful in the market. Here are some useful tips for the preliminary test of printing labels:
Always use professional graphics programs . Make sure you use the most appropriate formats and accurate print settings, using a professional program such as Illustrator or Photoshop. These programs allow the use of barcodes and features such as optimized lettering or cleaner lines, necessary when trying to achieve optimal labeling.
Define clear and specific dimensions. Label sizes should be appropriate to fit all types of containers, packaging and cases. Be sure to consider the position and layout of the whole when setting label dimensions.
Use darker tints for printing. The shades that work best depend on the substrate you choose as your printing medium, but the darker the color, the more readable the final result will be.
Print samples on adhesive paper. Before printing your final labels on adhesive paper or any other substrate, be sure to print samples on standard paper so you can check how your labeling will look. This also allows you to make any necessary adjustments before the final batch is printed.
Carefully test your labeling using scanners and barcode readers. Failure to do so can cause issues with lightness and very uncomfortable situations for your brand when merchandise is brought into the warehouse, retail stores, or direct sales outlets. By working to these careful guidelines, designers can ensure that label printing is always flexible, water-resistant, and clear to the touch.
Basically, proofing before printing is very important in the overall definition of the product, so always take enough time to do a thorough check!