Sticker or Label for Jars and Bottles? How to Choose

What is the actual difference between a sticker and a label?

Physically, very little. Both are printed on a self-adhesive material, cut, and supplied on a backing you peel them from. The difference is in what each product is built for, and on our site that shows up in the materials and the shapes you are offered.

Bottle & Jar Labels come in gloss vinyl, matte vinyl, metallic silver and transparent. There is no paper option, because a jar that goes into a fridge or gets wiped down will destroy a paper label within days. Sizes are rectangles and squares, from two by one inch up to ten by seven and a half inches, which suits the flat or gently curved face of a jar, bottle or tin.

Sticker Singles come in coated paper, waterproof vinyl and transparent film, and you choose the cut: a standard cut to the size, or a custom die-cut that follows the outline of your artwork. They also come in round sizes from two to five inches, which the labels do not.

Which is better for homemade food jars?

Labels. A jar of pickle, jam, honey or ghee gets condensation from the fridge, drips down the side, and hands that are not always clean. A vinyl label shrugs all of that off and can be wiped. A paper sticker will cockle, stain and peel.

Choose matte vinyl if you want a natural, craft look that photographs without glare, and gloss vinyl if you want colours to look richer and the label to wipe clean most easily. Transparent works well on clear glass when you want the product to be the colour of the label, though text on it needs to be dark enough to read against whatever is inside the jar.

For anything oily, such as pickles, masalas and chilli oils, look at our Spice & Pickle Labels, which are made for oil-proof use. For tall curved glass bottles, Glass Bottle Labels are designed to hug the curve.

When should I choose stickers instead of labels?

Choose stickers when the item is the design itself rather than the packaging. Stickers you drop into every parcel, hand out at a stall, or give away at an event are Sticker Singles territory, and coated paper is perfectly good for those, since they will mostly live indoors on notebooks and laptops.

Choose stickers when you need a shape the label range does not offer. A round seal across the lid of a jar, a die-cut logo on a gift box or a circle on the top of a candle tin all need the circle or custom die-cut options that only Sticker Singles have.

And choose waterproof vinyl stickers when you want a shaped design that will still survive handling and water, such as a logo on a steel bottle or a reusable tumbler.

Can I use a label and a sticker on the same jar?

Yes, and it is the combination many small brands settle on. A rectangular vinyl label on the body of the jar carries the product name, ingredients and everything else a buyer needs to read. A round sticker on the lid carries the logo and doubles as a seal that shows the jar has not been opened.

Both products can be printed from the same brand artwork. Order the label in the size that fits the flat face of the jar, and the sticker in a round size slightly smaller than the lid, so it does not fold over the edge.

If you are not sure what information must appear on a food or consumer product label, read our guide to what must appear on a product label in India before you finalise the artwork.

What size label should I order for my jar?

Measure the jar, not the lid. Wrap a strip of paper around the body where the label will sit, mark where it overlaps, and measure the flat height between the shoulder and the base curve. Choose a label width that covers the front face you want seen, rather than the full circumference, unless you want a full wrap.

As a rule, keep a few millimetres clear of any curve at the top or bottom of the jar. A label laid across a compound curve, where the glass bends in two directions at once, will wrinkle whatever it is made of.

Every size we offer is listed on the product page. If your container needs something that is not listed, write to us before ordering.

How do quantity and turnaround compare?

Almost the same. Sticker Singles and Bottle & Jar Labels are both ordered in multiples of forty, and both have a standard turnaround of four working days with free standard delivery across India. Express, two days faster, is offered on both, and free standard delivery reaches every serviceable PIN code in India.

Cost scales with quantity on both products, and each product page shows the full quantity ladder for every size and material, so you can compare the two directly before you commit. The same artwork rules apply to both: 300 DPI at the finished size, CMYK, with bleed, and our pre-press team checks every file before it is printed.

The short answer

Selling something in a jar, bottle or tin: order Bottle & Jar Labels, in matte or gloss vinyl, or Spice & Pickle Labels if the contents are oily. Handing something out, sealing a lid or needing a round or custom shape: order Sticker Singles, in waterproof vinyl if they will meet water. Starting a product brand: order both, from the same artwork, with the label on the body and the sticker on the lid.

Common questions