Labels on rolls
Finished size plus 2mm bleed, a K100 die line on its own layer, and “AL230” on the end of the file name.
Applies to: Roll-fed labels from our label press
Roll labels are printed and cut on our label press, so they’re set up a little differently to everything else. The other thing to get right is orientation — the direction the label comes off the roll — because it decides how easily your labels go on by hand or by machine.
Step by step
Set up the artboard
Make your artboard or document the finished label size, with 2mm bleed and no trim marks.
Create the die line colour
In Swatches choose New Swatch. Name it Die Line, set Colour Type to Spot Colour, Colour Mode to CMYK, then C, M and Y to 0% and K to 100%.
Draw the die line
Apply the Die Line colour as a stroke around what should be cut. Don’t outline or expand it. Open Attributes and set it to Overprint Stroke.
Put it on its own layer
In Layers add a layer named Die Line, select the die line, then right-click › Arrange › Send to Current Layer.
Name the file
Add AL230 to the end of your file name so we know it’s set up for the label press.
Orientation — which way it unwinds
Also called unwind direction: simply the way the label comes off the roll. Know it before you set up the artwork — it affects how easily the label goes on, by hand or by machine.
Short edge / long edge
Which way the label sits on the roll.
Head first
The top of the label comes off first.
Foot first
The bottom of the label comes off first.
Left or right edge first
The left or right side comes off first.