Label Orientation

What You Need to Know about Label Orientation When Buying Label Rolls

Unless they are perfectly square or circular, labels on rolls have a specific orientation. The way they are laid out, either horizontally or vertically, on the roll affects how you will need to print and apply them.  For example, a 2×4 and a 4×2  label, while technically identical, are oriented differently on the label roll.

The image below illustrates the proper positioning of a roll as it would be seated in a label printer.  The height of the label is oriented along the long portion of the label roll while the width of the label is the leading edge.

The next image illustrates the label roll emerging from a printer.

Why does this matter? When ordering label rolls, you’ll want to visualize how your labels will be printed and applied using the illustrations above to make sure that you select the best orientation for your needs.

It’s also important to consider how you’re going to apply the labels. If applying by hand, label orientation is less of a concern than if applying using a label applicator as you can orient your label design to match the label orientation.

However, with a label applicator, dispenser or machine, the label orientation on the roll needs to match the device’s orientation to prevent your labels from being applied sideways.

Thus, you need to visualize the label roll in the applicator, dispenser, or machine, too.  In the case of the wine bottle label in the image above, the wine bottle must be laid horizontally in the applicator, which changes what you might perceive as the label’s orientation.  When the wine bottle is standing, your first instinct might be to order a tall label such as a 4×3; however, the applicator would actually require the opposite label orientation such as 3×4.