Craft beer label printing: Why pressure-sensitive labels may be the most cost-effective choice for cans

Landing on cost-efficient labeling for your brewery is nothing short of essential. Your brand needs to find a solution that fits into your projected packaging spend, allows flexibility for seasonal brews — not to mention stands out amongst the multitude of other choices on the shelf.

The most cost-effective option for labels will of course vary from brewer to brewer and even beer to beer. But for many craft brewery brand owners, pressure-sensitive labels applied to cans can lead to a number of efficiencies compared to shrink sleeve can labels or pressure-sensitive labels applied to beer bottles.

In this article, we’ll discuss those efficiencies and explain the potential advantages of pressure-sensitive can labels for your craft beer label spend.

Comparing containers: Beer cans vs. beer bottles

Container choice obviously is a primary influence on label decision making. But putting the label discussion aside for a moment, it’s worth noting that more and more craft brewers are using cans. This makes sense because of advantages like:

• Reduced shopping and storage costs. They’re stackable, take up less space in shipping containers and can be loaded in larger quantities.
• Resistance to UV light. This lowers the risk of product spoilage.
• 360-degree designer coverage. In an era when beer packaging design is at a peak, more real estate for telling your brand story can make a difference in store aisles.
• Elimination of broken glass. This makes for easier shipping and storage, too, not to mention a lowered risk of product loss.

All in all, beer cans can open up a lot of new opportunities for craft brewers.

Ordering labels for beer cans — without resorting to bulk quantities

Alongside the aforementioned advantages, beer cans have previously been unfeasible in small orders. This is a major sticking point for craft brewers in particular, where small runs of new or seasonal flavors are common.

So in the past, craft brewers have had to either buy cans in large volumes or pay a high unit cost.

These alternative options have included:

Pre-printed cans: When you have one beer label design you want for a bulk order, this option achieves a low-unit cost — but are only available in minimum orders of 150,000.

Shrink sleeve can labels: This specialty film label is slipped over cans and then tightened to them using heat shrinking. You can purchase shrink sleeves in small quantities, but the cost of each label is higher.

Bottle containers: For many years, craft breweries have had to resort to bottle containers. While they’re an option for smaller runs, they lack the potential benefits that beer cans provide.

But what if you’re a craft brewer and you don’t need a bulk order? What about selling smaller quantities of beer using seasonal labels and unique designs?

That’s where pressure-sensitive beer can labels fit in — providing shipping ease, and design flexibility without defaulting to bulk orders.

Brew Wrap: The cost-effective solution for craft beer labels

Brew Wrap, a pressure-sensitive label solution for full beer cans, is an innovative beer can label that improves beer can design, reduces costs and simplifies logistics for craft brewers.

Here’s how this labeling option can streamline your label order.

Major cost savings

Brew Wrap costs significantly less per unit than shrink sleeves, and it’s available in as big or as small an order as you like.

Up to 2x faster turnaround

Compared to shrink sleeves, this pressure-sensitive label solution applies at a much faster rate, allowing you to get more product out the door.

Better logistical control

This applies to comparisons with pre-printed cans and shrink sleeves. Since Brew Wrap labels are applied on filled beer cans, you can order the exact number of labels you need instead of basing your orders on estimates of how many cans you’ll fill with beer.

Greater design capabilities

If you’re switching from a beer bottle label to a beer can label, you’ve already increased your design real estate by a significant percentage. Additionally, you can incorporate features such as foil stamping, tactile labels and combination matte-gloss finishes to further differentiate your product on the shelf.

What does your craft beer label spend look like?

Picking the best solution for your craft beer label depends on a variety of factors, from budget to seasonal flavors to product environment. And don’t forget the story you want to tell on your beer packaging.

If you’re a brewer looking for direction on your newest product line’s label, download our brewer’s guide to labeling here. Or discuss solutions specific to your brewery by reaching out to a label expert.