The usage scenario: Self-adhesive glass labels
Labelling high-quality food products in jars in many different varieties
Glass labels are an effective way to present high-quality food products individually. They give each jar character and tell you at a glance what's inside. For many manufacturers, these labels are more than just lettering; they are part of the brand.
Whether in factories, on farms or in catering businesses: your products deserve a label that reflects their quality. Especially in direct marketing, for example in farm shops, cafés or online shops, a high-quality glass label often makes a good impression at first glance.
Self-adhesive glass labels offer you exactly this opportunity. They are attractive, can be designed flexibly and fit perfectly with your individual product. This turns every jar into a small statement.
The most important things at a glance: What is important when it comes to adhesive labels for jars?
- Self-adhesive glass labels adhere securely and permanently to glass containers of all sizes during filling and, of course, during subsequent use by the consumer.
- Glass labels fit snugly to the round shape of the glass container and do not peel off during use.
- An additional protective coating or film lamination in matt or glossy make the print smudge-proof and scratch-proof, as well as particularly resistant to dirt and moisture.
- The adhesive also masters the difficult filling conditions when hot-filling the contents with flying colours.
What is important for jar labels?
Glass labels must fulfil two main requirements: they should present your product in an appealing way and reliably comply with all legal labelling requirements. These include the net quantity and information about the manufacturer or distributor.
Anyone who produces jam, fruit spreads, vegan spreads, pesto, relish, chutney or ready meals in jars knows that quality counts, from the ingredients to the labelling. The best ingredients are crucial for the taste. Equally important are glass labels that add the finishing touch to your product and make it instantly recognisable and attractive to consumers.
To achieve this, labels for jars must adhere securely and the print must remain legible even with frequent handling, temperature fluctuations or moisture. This ensures that product quality is not only visible but also reliably communicated.
HERMA uses high-quality labelling materials from its own adhesive material production and reliable finishes for this task.
Which material is suitable for your glass labels?
If you want to have high-quality labels for jars printed, you basically have a choice between two materials: paper labels and film labels. Which option is right depends on how your product is used and what impression you want it to make on consumers.
If your product is used over a longer period of time, such as jam, mustard or other non-perishable foods, the glass labels should still look appealing even after weeks or months. The same applies to products that need to look particularly high-quality in farm shops or delicatessen shelves.
Paper labels are the more cost-effective option. However, when used on jars, they must be finished with a protective coating or laminating film to ensure they remain durable and are not damaged by moisture or abrasion.
Film labels made of supple white film, matt or glossy, look high-quality and elegant. They are wipeable and remain stain-free even when in contact with moisture. This makes them ideal for products that are often handled or need to look good for a long time.
What should be considered when choosing an adhesive for glass labels?
Adhesives for glass labels must meet the following requirements:
- Moisture resistance
- Temperature resistance
- Very high initial adhesion & final adhesion
- Dimensional stability
- Ageing resistance
Find out what this means for your glass label in detail below.
Glass labels must fit snugly to the round or square shape of the jars and adhere permanently.
The glass labels must also be resistant to moisture and temperature, as many products are filled hot into glass jars.
When hot food is filled into jars, the adhesive must have a very high initial adhesion so that the label adheres immediately when the jar is labelled.
The adhesive and the label must also be dimensionally stable. This means that the label must not peel off even when the contents cool down and the glass surface cools down. In addition to high initial adhesion, a particularly high final adhesion is therefore also required.
The adhesive must be resistant to ageing and moisture, as condensation can form on the glass surface when it cools down.
Our adhesive material from our own production, in direct proximity to the label production, offers the right properties for your glass labels. Developed by our experts and continuously tested by our application technology department - this is how we ensure that glass labels from HERMA fulfil the high requirements.
At HERMA, quality is created right from the start - from the selection of the right raw materials to label production.
The solution: Have HERMA labels printed for jars
High-quality material, individually printed, durable in consumer use
State-of-the-art digital printing machines are used for small, medium and large print runs of your individually and high-quality printed adhesive labels for jars on rolls.
No matter what high-quality food you put in the jar – digital printing is particularly well suited to the wide variety of products in jars. This means that many different types/print images can be produced particularly economically in combined printing with the same label size – offering you the best price/performance ratio!
Have labels for jars printed: Quick and easy online configuration, upload print data, order immediately
You can define your jar labels in our online label configurator with just a few clicks. You can see the price in real time, even for several types printed together. Then simply upload the appropriate print data - and your glass labels will be with you in just a few days!
Glass labels for special editions, seasonal products or promotions can be ordered with the digital printing configurator just as easily and at short notice as the adhesive labels for glaziers that you need for the ongoing production of your regular range.
Order glass labels online in just a few clicks!
Step 1: Configure your labels as required
Select the desired properties on the right:
- Shape (rectangular or round)
- Size (width, height or diameter 20–300 mm)
- Winding direction and orientation of the print image (to suit your labelling process)
- Material (different papers and films)
- Printing (black or CMYK)
- Finishing (protective coating or laminating film)
- Core diameter of the sleeve (standard is 76.2 mm)
- Max. outer roll diameter (if relevant for your labelling machine)
Now enter the number of print motifs (varieties) and the total quantity – and we will show you the price for your glass labels in real time!
With the BASIC print data check, we check your print data free of charge. If you order the PREMIUM data check, we will correct your print data as far as technically possible and send you a print approval PDF. If there are any errors that we cannot correct, we will contact you.
Step 2: Upload print data and send order
Add your configuration to the shopping basket and proceed to the order overview. After logging in or registering (as a new customer in the shop), you can upload your print data (PDFs). For a collective order of several print motifs/types, enter the quantity per print motif/type and upload the print files for the individual types. After submitting your order, we will check your print data. If corrections are necessary, we will contact you.
Please note the instructions for print data transmission
Payment by invoice, credit card, or prepayment. More about payment options
Free shipping within the EU. For delivery outside the EU, these flat shipping rates apply.
Configure online, upload print data, order immediately: discover the Label Configurator >>>
Recommendations for materials for labels for jars
- PE film, white, glossy, permanently adhesive:
The glossy film surface gives your product in the jar a high-quality look. Glass labels made of white film adhere securely and are particularly flexible, ideal for glasses of all sizes. They are heat-resistant and insensitive to dirt and moisture. Temperature range - 30 °C to + 95 °C - PE film, transparent, glossy, permanently adhesive:
Transparent glass labels can create a special effect on transparent jars with light-coloured contents - they are virtually invisible and the print appears to be printed directly onto the glass. This film also adheres securely and is flexible on curved surfaces and resistant to dirt and moisture. Temperature range - 30 °C to + 95 °C. (For transparent labels, please note the information on the use of opaque white in the digital print data). - Paper, matt, highly adhesive:
Paper labels are more cost-effective than film labels, but should always be made more resistant with protective varnish or laminating film. The adhesive sticks securely in damp and chilled areas. Temperature range - 30 °C to + 80 °C
All label materials used comply with the recommendations of BfR XIV or FDA 21 CFR 175.105.
How do labels for glass become durable, smudge-proof and scratch-resistant?
For glass labels, it is important that the printed image is finished with protective varnish or laminating film. These finishes ensure that the print on the glass label is smudge-proof and scratch-resistant and provide additional protection against moisture and dirt.
Protective varnish and laminating film are available in matt or glossy - choose what suits your product and the desired appearance of the label best.
If you want to print information on the jar labels at a later stage close to production using a thermal transfer printer - for example a best-before date - please choose the matt protective varnish or the matt lamination film.
Order glass labels in custom shapes or made from other materials
Do you want your glass labels to have a particularly individualised shape? Or be made from other materials? Or form an additional seal?
In the configurator, you can define and order rectangular labels (with rounded corners) and round labels in your desired format.
For special label shapes (e.g. oval or freely defined label shapes), we will be happy to advise you and provide you with a customised quote!
If, in addition to product labelling, your jar label is also to serve as an original closure/seal, as shown in the picture on the left, you can benefit from special die-cutting techniques for partially non-adhesive areas. Talk to us!
Self-adhesive labels for products in glass in special designs
We will find the right material for your glass labels from our wide range of digital printing label materials and match the shape and size to the glass container and the filling process.
Send us an e-mail with your requirements. We will get back to you! Contact us by e-mail
The most important points at a glance: What characterises jar labels from HERMA?
- They adhere firmly and securely, even when the contents are hot during filling. And just as firmly and securely in a damp and cool environment at the later place of use (e.g. when stored in the cellar or refrigerator).
- The robust and supple film labels, as well as the paper labels, fulfil the food regulations (low migration).
- The high-quality finishes (protective varnish or laminating film, matt or glossy) make the label print scratch-resistant and wipeable, as well as resistant to dirt, oil, grease and moisture.
- With the wide variety of products in glass, digital printing is flexible and economical, in small, medium and large print runs.
- With the configurator, you can define the properties of your glass labels quickly and easily online, receive the price for the required quantity in real time, upload the print data directly and send your order
- Do you need special shapes or special materials? We will be happy to advise you and provide you with a customised quote!
Have labels printed for jars. Configure online, upload print data, order! Label Configurator
Frequently asked questions about labels for glass jars
Digitally printed roll labels in other applications and industries:
The labelling properties that play an important role for glass labels are also important in other areas.
- Food: labels on olive oil and vinegar bottles
Robust yet supple film materials that are resistant to dirt, oil and moisture are also used for this application. - Food: Honey labels
Emphasise the character of the valuable content with a high-quality label look. Find out more on our page " Custom honey label printing". - Food: Jam jar labels
A typical application for jar labels - with a labelling material that also works perfectly when the contents are hot-filled. Find out more on ’EtikCustomised labels for jam jars’ - Pharma: Labels for vials, small bottles and syringes
Thin film materials with extremely high adhesion provide a durable solution for secure labelling. Wide temperature range, chemical resistant, moisture resistant. - Chemicals: Labels for cans, buckets and canisters, with colour or chemicals
Product labels made from chemical-resistant film materials or hazardous substance labels with seawater certification in accordance with BS 5609 - utilise our expert know-how in the chemicals sector!
We would be happy to advise you on these applications.
Request a quotation
Please take a moment to give us some detailed information so that we can advise you well.
Would you like to creatively label homemade delicacies or supplies in a jar?
Customised self-adhesive labels for supplies or home-made products in a jar, e.g. as a birthday present, Christmas present or simply as a souvenir: with our Label Assistant Online in the ‘Office and Home’ section, you can design your creative layouts and print them out on A4 sheets/standard labels on your printer at home.
Click here for the free HERMA Label Assistant Online
