Guide to Creating Custom e-Liquid Labels

Do you find creating e-liquid labels for your products a challenge? Did you wish you had some guidance as to what to include, what the required regulations are and the limitations that will affect your design?

With the rise of e-cigarettes and vapes, more businesses are facing competition over brand exposure by seeking new ways to appeal to the growing customer base. And the main way to attract attention is through your label design.

In this article, we will go through the regulations in place, the materials to consider as well as the design limitations.

Regulations you should know about

>> Nicotine content (if any)

If your product contains nicotine in any form or shape, your labels will need to indicate this clearly. Most used wording is the big bold “Warning” title that goes across your design. A smart(er) way to go about this is by using an external packaging to your final product. This way, your final product doesn’t need to compromise with a big bold warning sign, but a smaller mention of the nicotine content.

>> Tactile warning triangle

Tactile warning triangles are required as a feature on every bottle of e-liquid and its packaging for those that are sold into regulated countries. The triangles are a raised area (like Braille) which are clear in colour, so they have a minimum impact on your final design. These triangles indicate that the content of the product is either toxic, harmful, extremely flammable or corrosive. An important information the visually impaired rely on prior to making a purchase.

>> UK age restrictions

For products that are regulated by the government in restricting certain products to a minimum age, your product needs to mention that age limit. In the case of e-liquid, here are the main restrictions each manufacturer needs to follow and reflect on their labels:

Illegal to purchase e-liquids containing nicotine as an adult for an under 18,
Illegal to sell e-liquids containing nicotine to under 18s, in-store or online,
A £2,500 maximum fine for the vendors and/or manufacturers that breach this law.

>> TRPR requirements

For manufacturers based in the UK, you’ll find several restrictions that fall under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR). These are the limitations your production will face and are required to apply on your final products to be authorised for public sales.

These requirements, taken from the official gov.uk website, include:

Restrict e-cigarette tanks to a capacity of no more than 2ml
Restrict the maximum volume of nicotine-containing e-liquid for sale in one refill container to 10ml

Restrict e-liquids to a nicotine strength of no more than 20mg/ml
Require nicotine-containing products or their packaging to be child-resistant and tamper evident
Ban certain ingredients including colourings, caffeine and taurine
Include new labelling requirements and warnings
Require all e-cigarettes and e-liquids be notified and published by the MHRA before they can be sold

Bottle containers available

> Plastic Containers

If you think in terms of how easy you want your product to be to the consumer, a plastic container is your best option. Your customers can squeeze the bottle to get the best of our product, and, with the right tip, they can transfer their e-juice easily to a container. Note that shipping plastic bottles is a safe and cheaper cost to the manufacturer.

> Glass Containers

If you think in terms of sustainability, and maybe branding, using a glass container for your e-liquid is the way forward. These types of containers use an eye-drop solution which gives more control to the consumer. Once the consumer is done with your product, they recycle the container, minimizing impact on the environment; or better yet, reuse the container for other purposes. Note that shipping glass containers is a riskier investment as your shipment can break in transit.

Label materials and features available to enhance design

Now comes the fun part... Your design is ready, you know how you want the colours and the design to pop but you are looking for that extra WOW.

By making the most of your labels, you give your brand more legs to impress your consumers. Here is an overview of how you can push the boundaries of a simple, flat label:

Laminated
Peel & Reveal labels
Glow in the dark
Metallic
Embossed

Some brands go bold with the above features, such as Northern Monk using the peel side of the label by adding some storytelling to the brand or others who used the metallic ink to highlight the font or subtle details of the design.

The possibilities are endless which is a unique opportunity for your product to impress your consumers at first glance.

How creative can you be with your design?

Some containers and sizes will reduce the available space, hence limiting your design. You might need to scale down the font sizes or reduce small details of your graphic design. But this constraint can be optimised to produce something new and unique for your products.

Why choose Go2Products for your e-liquid label needs?

We are a fast production company that delivers throughout the UK. We can print anything you need, in any formats, shapes and sizes. Our friendly team will find you the right solutions for your business regardless of the challenges.