One of the most common mistakes I see business owners make is getting excited about their product and jumping straight into designing the label. While I understand the excitement, this one mistake can cost you time, money, and unnecessary frustration.
Before you choose colors, fonts, or start arranging graphics, you need one thing first: the exact measurements of the label area on your container.
Your container should always determine your label size—not the other way around.
Why Measurements Matter
Every container is different. Two bottles may look similar, but the amount of flat space available for a label can be completely different. If you design first and measure later, you may discover that:
- The label wraps too far around the container.
- The design overlaps a seam.
- Important information gets cut off.
- The text becomes too small to remain readable.
- The artwork has to be completely redesigned.
I've seen businesses spend hours creating a beautiful label only to realize it won't fit the packaging they already purchased.
Design Around the Container
Once you know your exact label dimensions, everything becomes easier.
You'll know:
- Your artboard size.
- How much room you have for your logo.
- Whether all of your required information will fit.
- The appropriate font sizes.
- How much white space you can include without wasting valuable label space.
Instead of trying to squeeze your design into the container, you're designing specifically for it.
Save Yourself Time and Money
Redesigning a label because the measurements were wrong means paying twice either with your own time or by paying a designer to make corrections.
Taking five minutes to properly measure your container can save hours of revisions later.
My Recommendation
Before opening Canva, Adobe Illustrator, or any other design software, ask yourself one question:
Do I know the exact measurements of my label area?
If the answer is no, stop there.
Measure first.
Design second.
Print last.
Following this simple order will help you create labels that fit properly, look professional, and are ready for production the first time.
That's exactly why I always tell my clients: Your container determines your label not your design.
Crissy Johnson
Product Label Queen
