Getting a roll label order right is mostly about specifying it right. Core size, wind direction, label dimensions, and quantity all need to be correct before printing, and the one most people get wrong, wind direction, is the one that matters most if the labels are going onto an applicator. Order it the wrong way around and the labels feed off the roll upside down or backwards for the machine.
This is a plain reference for how we run roll labels: the core, the wind, the size range, and how to order so the roll turns up ready to use.
Core size: 76mm
We run roll labels on a 76mm core (the inner cardboard tube the labels are wound onto). This is the standard 3-inch core used by most commercial label applicators, so labels supplied on it drop straight onto typical dispensing and application equipment.
We keep this simple by running the one core size. There is no need to specify it, all our roll labels come on a 76mm core.
Wind direction: outside wound, four orientations
Wind direction describes which way the label faces as it comes off the roll, and for machine application it is critical to get right.
Our labels are outside wound, meaning the printed face of the label is on the outside of the roll. Within that, we can supply the label in four orientations, so the label unwinds in the direction your applicator needs, whether the top, bottom, left, or right edge of the label leads off the roll.
If you are applying by hand, wind direction rarely matters much. If you are running an applicator, it matters a lot, because the machine needs the label presented in a specific orientation as it feeds. The safest approach is to confirm the wind direction your applicator requires before ordering, then specify it.
The good news is our quoting process handles this for you: machine application is built into quoting, so if you tell us you are applying by machine, we work the correct wind direction into the order rather than leaving you to decode a wind-direction chart.
Label size range
We can print roll labels from 30 x 30mm at the smallest up to 297 x 1000mm at the largest.
That covers the full spread of normal product labelling, from small jar and bottle labels at the bottom end through to large format labels and wraps at the top. Between those two limits, we can produce more or less any size the job needs.
On shapes, we run simple shape cuts: squares, rectangles, and circles, plus straightforward custom shapes. For custom die-cut shapes, the artwork needs a Thru-cut cut line set up correctly, which our label artwork setup guide walks through.
Roll diameter
The finished roll builds to roughly 250mm in outside diameter. Treat that as approximate rather than a hard limit, it is a guide to the physical size of a full roll rather than a fixed spec, and the practical label count on a roll depends on the size of the label.
Larger labels mean fewer per roll, smaller labels mean more, all building to roughly the same outer roll size. If your applicator has a maximum roll diameter it can take, it is worth checking that against this figure when you order.
How to order so the roll arrives ready to use
To quote and produce a roll label order, we need:
- Label size (width x height), within the 30 x 30mm to 297 x 1000mm range
- Shape (square, rectangle, circle, or simple custom shape)
- Stock (white, clear or silver BOPP, or matt paper)
- Finish (laminated or unlaminated)
- Quantity
- Application method (hand or machine)
That last point is the one that makes the roll turn up ready to use. If it is machine applied, tell us during quoting, and we build the correct wind direction into the order. On a 76mm core, outside wound, in the orientation your applicator needs, the roll is ready to load.
If you are unsure of any of it, the applicator brand and model usually tells us the core and wind requirements, so include that if you have it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What core size are your roll labels supplied on? All our roll labels come on a 76mm core, the standard 3-inch core used by most commercial label applicators. We run the single core size, so there is nothing to specify, labels supplied on it fit typical dispensing and application equipment.
What wind directions do you offer? Our labels are outside wound, with the printed face on the outside of the roll, and we can supply them in four orientations so the label leads off the roll the way your applicator needs. For hand application, wind direction rarely matters; for machine application it is important, and our quoting process sets it correctly when you tell us you are applying by machine.
What is the smallest and largest label you can print on a roll? From 30 x 30mm at the smallest up to 297 x 1000mm at the largest. That covers small product labels through to large-format labels and wraps, with effectively any size available between those two limits.
How many labels come on a roll? It depends on label size. A full roll builds to roughly 250mm outside diameter (approximate, not a fixed spec), so smaller labels fit more per roll and larger labels fit fewer, all building to about the same physical roll size. If your applicator has a maximum roll diameter, check it against that figure.
Can you print custom label shapes? Yes, we run simple shape cuts including squares, rectangles, circles and straightforward custom shapes. Custom die-cut shapes need a Thru-cut cut line set up as a spot-colour stroke in the artwork, which our artwork setup guide explains.
What do you need from me to quote a roll label order? Label size, shape, stock, finish, quantity, and application method. If it is machine applied, tell us at quoting so we set the correct wind direction. Including your applicator brand and model, if you have one, helps us confirm the core and wind requirements.
Key takeaways
- All roll labels are supplied on a 76mm (3-inch) core, so there is nothing to specify.
- Labels are outside wound and available in four orientations for applicator compatibility.
- Machine application is handled in quoting, so tell us and we set the correct wind direction.
- Label sizes run from 30 x 30mm up to 297 x 1000mm, in squares, rectangles, circles, and simple custom shapes.
- A full roll builds to roughly 250mm outside diameter, so label count per roll depends on label size.
- To order: supply size, shape, stock, finish, quantity, and application method.
Order roll labels, applicator-ready
Specified correctly, your roll turns up ready to load and run. Mediapoint produces trade-only, blind-shipped roll labels on 76mm cores, outside wound in the orientation you need, laser cut with a clean edge and turned around from two business days. Have a look at roll labels or send your details through for a quote, and we will confirm the core, wind, and size setup before it prints.
