By Midwest Barcoding Solutions  |  Custom Labels  |  When Standard Labels Aren't Enough

We carry over 2,500 in-stock label configurations and we're one of the largest stocking distributors of barcode labels in the country. Most of the time, what you need is sitting in inventory and ships same day. But sometimes the application doesn't fit what any standard configuration covers, and that's when custom label production becomes the right path. We've been producing custom barcode labels for over 25 years and we have access to more than 300 label materials to work with. Here's how to tell whether your situation calls for a custom label and what the process looks like.

When Standard Labels Don't Solve the Problem

Your label size doesn't exist in the standard catalog

Standard label catalogs cover the common sizes that most operations need. 4x6 shipping labels, 2x1 inventory tags, 4x2 product labels. When the application requires something outside those standard dimensions, whether that's an unusual aspect ratio for a specific product package, a size that fits a proprietary fixture, or dimensions that need to be precise to the fraction of an inch, the standard catalog runs out of answers. Custom production handles any size that your printer can physically accommodate.

You need color, a logo, or pre-printed graphics on the label

Standard blank label stock prints whatever your thermal printer produces, which is monochrome. If your label needs pre-printed color elements, a company logo, a colored border, spot colors for product differentiation, or any graphic that can't be thermally printed in black and white, that's a custom label application. Pre-printing happens during label production before the roll ships to you, and your thermal printer then adds the variable data, barcodes, and text on top of the pre-printed elements when you print.

This approach gives you the visual quality of professionally printed color labels without the cost and lead time of ordering pre-printed labels with fixed content. The static elements like your logo, background colors, and decorative graphics are pre-printed. The variable elements like barcodes, lot numbers, and dates are printed on-demand at your facility.

The environment destroys your standard labels

This is the most common reason operations come to us for custom labels. They've tried multiple standard stock options and nothing holds up in their specific environment. The surface is unusual, the temperature range is extreme, the chemical exposure is aggressive, or the abrasion from handling is tearing through the face stock. Standard catalog materials cover a lot of ground, but they don't cover every combination of substrate, temperature, chemistry, and physical stress that industrial and specialty applications can produce.

With access to 300+ materials including specialty face stocks, extreme-temperature adhesives, chemical-resistant laminates, and engineered combinations developed for specific industries, custom label production can usually find a solution for applications that have beaten every standard option. Pharmaceutical clean room labels, labels for autoclave sterilization, labels for continuous immersion in cutting fluids, labels that survive galvanizing processes, and labels that stay readable after years in direct UV exposure are all custom material applications that go beyond what a standard catalog addresses.

Your volume makes custom economical

Custom label pricing is volume dependent. At low volumes, job minimums make custom uneconomical compared to standard stock. At meaningful volumes, custom pricing often competes directly with standard catalog pricing while giving you the exact specification you need rather than the closest standard approximation. If you're using 50 to 100 labels per day or more, it's worth getting a custom quote to compare. The quote is free and the comparison usually tells you something useful even if you end up staying with standard stock.

How the Custom Label Process Works

What information do you need to get a custom label quote?

The basics are label width, label height, and quantity needed. Beyond that, we need to know what printer model you're running since the label needs to be spec'd for your specific printer's media path and print mechanism. If you need pre-printed colors or graphics, details on those elements help us scope the job. Any specific environmental requirements, what the label is going on, what conditions it will face after application, and how long it needs to perform are all part of the material selection conversation.

You don't need to have all of this figured out before reaching out. Our team has been having this conversation for over 25 years and we know which questions to ask to get to the right spec. Submit a request and we'll take it from there.

How long does custom label production take?

On average, production runs approximately 15 business days from when you sign off on the proof. For common direct thermal and thermal transfer paper materials that we have on hand, we can sometimes improve on that timeline. For highly specialized materials that need to be sourced specifically for the job, lead times can be longer. We always recommend budgeting enough time and not waiting until you're running low on your current supply before starting a custom label project.

The proof review step is where you confirm the label spec, layout, and any pre-printed elements before we run production. Getting that review done quickly keeps the project on schedule. We send proofs for approval before any production run, so you're never committed to a quantity until you've confirmed the label looks and performs the way you expected.

Custom Labels at MBS

We have over 25 years of experience producing custom barcode labels with access to 300+ materials. The quote is free, the process is straightforward, and the result is a label spec'd for your exact application rather than the closest standard approximation.

Questions We Hear on This

We only need about 200 labels. Is custom even worth considering?

At 200 labels, custom probably doesn't make economic sense because of job minimums. If a standard stock option comes close to what you need, it's almost certainly the better path at that quantity. Where custom becomes worth a conversation is when you're at 50 to 100 labels per day or more, or when the application genuinely can't be solved with standard materials regardless of volume. Submit a quote request and we'll tell you upfront if standard stock is the better answer before spending time on a custom quote.

Can custom labels work with our existing Zebra printer?

Yes. Custom labels are spec'd for your specific printer model. We confirm the media path width, maximum roll diameter, and core size requirements for your printer before production so the labels feed correctly and print accurately on your existing hardware. If you're running multiple printer models, we spec each label format for the printer it's going to run on.

We've tried several standard label materials and none of them hold up in our environment. What do we do?

This is exactly what the custom label program is for. Tell us what you're labeling, what the label is exposed to after application, what temperature range it needs to survive, what chemicals or cleaning agents it contacts, and how long it needs to perform. We've been solving difficult label applications for over 25 years and our 300+ material library covers most industrial, chemical, and extreme temperature scenarios that standard stock doesn't address. Submit a request and describe the application as specifically as you can.

If you're dealing with a label application that standard stock hasn't been able to solve, or if you need a specific size, color, or material combination that isn't in the catalog, fill out the form below. Custom quotes are free and we'll tell you straight if a standard option actually works before recommending custom production.