Labelling a product is a vital feature, especially in home canning. It will apply regardless of whether the purpose is to use it in your small business, for personal, or as a gift to someone.

What is home canning, by the way?

Home canning is a process of preserving seasonal produce foods and has been popular for over a century.

Labelling is as crucial as preserving foods because it provides information about the food, ingredients, expiration dates, and other vital details.

You are reading this because you are eager to learn to design your own canning labels. But first, you must know what information to include.

Some Information that Can be Found in Custom Canning Labels

Maker's Name

Putting the maker’s name is vital in branding because it helps people recognise your brand. It matters in your small business to let people know where it is coming from and who makes the homemade product.

Name of Product

What type of product are you canning? Is it homemade jam, jellies, preserves, or vegetables? Remember to put the name of your product. Say you were planning to sell a homemade lemon marmalade. You can put it this way, “Anne’s Homemade (Maker’s Name) Lemon Marmalade (Product Name).”

Business Logo

Your business logo is also one of the crucial things that help people identify your product. You can attach the logo above the maker’s name, in between, or any part of the labelling as long as it is visible.

List of Ingredients

The ingredient section also plays a vital role as it raises awareness among target customers about the products they will consume. It helps them know whether or not buying your item resonates with their needs.

 

Net Weight

One requirement in food labelling is to include the net weight of your product. This is the total size of the content inside the container or packaging. Do not include the weight of the jar because that is another thing.

Expiration Date

Following food safety protocols includes putting an expiration date on your food label. But do not confuse the expiry date with the best-before date.

When we say expiration date, we mean the specific day when the food is no longer safe to consume. A best-before date means that the food has already lost its taste, nutrients, and freshness, but it is still safe to eat. It also depends on how properly you store the canned food.

Now that you know some information you can include in your canning labels, let's proceed with the design. When designing labels for canning jars, make sure they increase brand awareness.

There are a lot of products on the shelves, so canning jar labels need to make a positive impression to beat the competition. Reducing the amount of visual noise can go a long way in ensuring customers pick your product over the one next to it. Create memorable images that accurately depict what your brand is all about. Let us start!

Step-by-step Guide on How to Design Your Custom Canning Labels

What Will You Need?

To make your own custom canning jar labels, in this tutorial, you will need Adobe Illustrator or Canva.

For Illustrator

Step 1: Create a new document

 

Step 2: Brainstorm ideas

 

When brainstorming ideas, consider the elements you need to incorporate to make the designs come to life. These include fonts, colour palettes, shapes, sizes, and types of sticker materials to print the output.

Fonts: Select the appropriate type of font that evokes emotions. Make sure it is readable and visible, and convey the message consistently.

Colour Palettes: Choose only the colour that resonates with your branding. It has to reflect in your product and brand personality.

Shapes & Sizes: Consider the shapes and sizes based on the type of jar or container you use.

Sticker Materials: If your output is ready to print, choosing the best sticker materials is also vital. For instance, here are the five types of custom stickers you could use.

• Art Paper Stickers - most popular stickers used indoors and for product labelling.

• Classic Paper Stickers - writable and customisable.

• Kraft Paper Stickers - offers a vintage and eco-friendly vibe.

• Standard Vinyl Stickers - water and moisture-resistant.

• Transparent Stickers - a see-through label that lets you view the content inside the jar.

PRO TIP: You can use a desktop or a pen and paper while brainstorming or making an initial layout. Follow your own creative process. You know better than anyone else which steps you need to take to get your creative juices flowing.

Step 3: Create your design

 

1. Add a yellow background  by using the rectangle tool.

2. Draw a classic vector lemon art. (Say your product is a lemon marmalade).

3. Place the lemon art on the top of the yellow background (change the opacity by 35%).

4. Insert the crucial elements of your canning label jar, such as (Maker’s Name /Logo, Net Weight, Name of Product, and List of Ingredients) you can also add nutrition facts and the history of your brand. (This is optional based on the labelling format you use).

5. Final

For Canva

Step 1: Log in to Canva 

Click the “login” button and start typing your email address and password. You can also use your Facebook or Google account credentials as an alternative.

Step 2: Look for food label templates and choose the best one you like.

Step 3: You can now edit text and elements.

Step 4: Download the file image

Once you've completed the text edits, click the download icon to download the file image. If you are not a Canva Pro user, you can download it in PNG, JPEG, and PDF only.

Step 5: Finish

There you have it. The artwork is good to go!

Final thoughts

Incorporating creativity into your marketing strategy is a powerful weapon in the business. Customising home canning labels can be daunting if designing is not your cup of tea. However, we are happy to provide you with the information needed to help you gain insights.