How to measure a bottle or jar for a label

Order a label at the wrong size and it either leaves a gap, overlaps its own text, or wrinkles where the glass curves. Two measurements avoid all of that: how far around the container goes, and how tall the label can be before it hits a curve.

Measure the circumference

The circumference is the distance around the container at the point the label will sit, usually the straight middle section. Two ways to get it:

• Wrap a fabric tape measure around the container and read the number where it meets.
• No fabric tape? Wrap a strip of paper around, mark where it overlaps, then lay the strip flat against a ruler.

If you only have the diameter (the width across the opening or body), multiply it by 3.14 to get the circumference.

Decide wrap or front-and-back

A full wraparound label needs the circumference plus about 1/8 to 1/4 inch of overlap, so the end of the label seals onto its own start with no gap. Skip the overlap and you get a sliver of bare container at the seam.

A front-and-back pair is different: each label is narrower than half the circumference, leaving clear container on both sides. This suits bottles where you want the liquid to show, like the no-label look on water.

Measure the label height

Height is the up-and-down dimension, and it is where curves bite. On a round bottle or jar, the glass turns inward near the shoulder and the base. A label taller than the straight middle section will pucker as it tries to follow two curves at once.

Measure the flat, straight part of the container from just below the shoulder to just above the base, then keep the label height inside that. Straight-sided containers give you nearly the full height; rounded ones give you less.

Round the numbers the right way

When in doubt, go slightly smaller on height and slightly larger on wrap overlap. A label a touch short of the curve looks intentional; one that runs into the curve wrinkles. An overlap a touch generous seals clean; one that is short leaves a gap.

A worked example

A 16.9 oz water bottle is about 8.25 inches around at the middle and has roughly 2 to 2.5 inches of straight side. So a wraparound label runs about 8.4 inches long (circumference plus overlap) and up to 2 inches tall. For standard bottle figures, see 750 ml bottle dimensions, and for jars, how many oz in a mason jar lists common volumes and sizes.

Quick answer

Measure the circumference where the label sits, add 1/8 to 1/4 inch for a wrap overlap, and keep the height inside the straight middle section so it clears the curves. Send us those two numbers, or send the container, and we cut water bottle labels or jar labels to fit.