Published 22 April 2026
Most first-time label briefs miss at least three of the nine things a printer actually needs. That’s fine — the industry doesn’t do a great job of telling you what to send. But it means your first quote takes days of back-and-forth when it could take hours.
Here’s the short version: send these nine things in the first email and you’ll get a same-day quote.
The nine things your printer needs
- What the label goes on — product type, bottle/jar/can shape, surface material
- Dimensions — width × height, or an attached template
- Quantity — a single number or a range (e.g. “500-1,000”)
- Material preference — or tell us the environment and ask us to recommend
- Finishes — any foil, emboss, spot UV, lamination ideas
- Artwork status — print-ready PDF, in-progress design, or nothing yet
- Deadline — when you need labels in hand
- Compliance requirements — FSANZ, Medsafe, organic certification, export market
- Anything unusual — cold storage, outdoor, contact with product, tamper-evident
What “print-ready” actually means
If you’re sending artwork, send:
- PDF format (not PNG, not Word, not Figma link)
- CMYK colour space (not RGB)
- 300dpi minimum
- 2mm bleed on all sides
- All fonts outlined or embedded
- Any spot colours (Pantones) clearly specified
If your artwork isn’t at this standard yet, that’s fine — tell us, and we’ll quote prepress time separately or walk your designer through what we need.
The one question that changes everything
Before you send your brief, ask yourself: what problem am I trying to solve?
“We need 5,000 labels” is a solution. “We’re launching a new IPA into Foodstuffs and need shelf presence against three established competitors” is the problem. The second version gets you a much better quote — because we can suggest finish combinations, materials and production timing that match the actual goal, not just the label count.
What happens after you send the brief
For straightforward jobs, we’ll come back same-day with a quote and any clarifying questions. For more complex jobs (new materials, specialty finishes, tight compliance requirements), we might want to talk on the phone first — it’s faster than three rounds of email.