Logo File vs. Finished Print-Ready Label Artwork
A brand logo alone does not constitute finished production artwork for commercial high-speed labeling machinery.
One of the most common delays in private-label water onboarding stems from confusing a standalone logo file (such as a PNG or JPEG) with a production-ready dieline. A logo is an isolated visual element. In contrast, a finished label is an engineered mechanical wrapper that must account for bottle curvature, overlap adhesion zones, shrink-wrap thermal tension, and high-speed mechanical optical sensors.
Production artwork must be drafted strictly onto the manufacturer’s technical dieline template. This template specifies the total cut dimensions, safe text margins, bleed allowances, and the designated technical panel reserved for mandatory government food-safety disclosures.
Technical Requirements: Vector Standards and Print Profiles
- Vector Graphics: All logos, typography, illustrations, and geometric patterns must be supplied as vector paths (.AI, .EPS, or editable vector PDF). Raster logos pulled from email signatures or websites will pixelate and blur when printed.
- Font Outlines: Every text element in proprietary or brand typefaces must be converted to curves/outlines to prevent automated font substitution during plate-making.
- Image Resolution: Any embedded photographic elements must be rendered at a minimum of 300 DPI at 100% scale in CMYK color space. Web images (72 DPI RGB) are unsuitable for rotogravure or flexographic label printing.
- Color Profiles & Swatches: Colors should be defined using standardized Pantone Matching System (PMS) swatches or precise CMYK process values. Digital screen RGB values cannot be reliably matched without pre-press conversion.
- Bleed and Safe Margins: Artwork must extend at least 2–3 mm beyond the cut line into the bleed area, while critical text and emblems must stay at least 3 mm inside the safe zone.
Regulatory Content and Mandatory Bilingual Information
Bottled drinking water packaging in the United Arab Emirates is governed by strict regulatory standards (including GSO 1025 specifications). Regardless of how minimalist your brand identity is, several regulatory fields are legally mandatory and cannot be omitted from the printed label.
These include: product description ("Bottled Drinking Water"), net liquid volume in metric units (e.g. 500 ml), full mineral water analysis table (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulfate, bicarbonate, fluoride, and pH), licensed manufacturer legal name and location, production and expiration dates, batch coding space, and storage recommendations. Furthermore, all mandatory regulatory content must be legibly presented in both Arabic and English.
Proofing Stages and Website Preview Distinction
It is critical for project stakeholders to distinguish between three separate phases of visual review: Digital Visualisation, Pre-Press Proof, and Final Production Sign-Off.
Digital Visualisation: The interactive logo preview tool available on this website serves strictly as an illustrative mockup to help you envision your logo positioned on a bottle. It does not evaluate dieline bleed, color densities, or regulatory compliance, and cannot be treated as a print proof or production approval.
Pre-Press Proof: Before printing, our prepress team renders an exact digital PDF dieline proof showing cut marks, bleed zones, and color separations. This document requires formal written sign-off from your authorized decision-maker.
Final Production Sign-Off: Once proofs are signed off, label rolls are printed and loaded onto the labeling equipment. Late modifications requested after plate engraving or printing will incur delay and re-plating costs.
Designer Handover Checklist
Confirm the following items prior to submitting artwork for pre-press processing:
- Artwork built precisely onto AR Green’s current dieline template.
- All type converted to outlines/curves.
- Color space verified as CMYK or documented Pantone spot swatches.
- Embedded raster images verified at 300 DPI or higher.
- Bilingual product text checked for spelling and accuracy.
- Bleed margin of 2–3 mm correctly extended beyond the die line.
Send your packaging brief for review
Our technical packaging team will review your vector logo files and share our certified bottle dielines for seamless artwork preparation.
Submit Packaging Brief →
