Bespoke vs
standard.
We print everything digitally — so this isn't a choice between print methods. It's a choice between ordering a standard label (self-service, instant price) and a bespokeone (custom touches, quoted for you). Here's where the line sits and how to decide.
Bespoke vs standard.
We print everything digitally — so this isn't a choice between print methods. It's a choice between ordering a standard label (self-service, instant price) and a bespokeone (custom touches, quoted for you). Here's where the line sits and how to decide.
01Two ways to order — not two kinds of printing
It's worth clearing this up first, because it trips people up: every label we make is printed digitally, bespoke ones included. So the decision isn't “digital or not.” It's about how custom you want to go.
- Standard labels are built from our self-service menu — standard sizes, materials, and finishes. You configure them in the portal and get an instant price.
- Bespoke labels add something outside that menu — a special finish, a custom shape, an unusual size or material. These we quote individually, because the cost depends on the job.
Most orders are standard, and standard covers a lot. Bespoke is there for when you want a label to do something extra.
02What “standard” covers
Standard is the fast, self-service path — pick your options in the portal, see the price immediately, order. It's more capable than “standard” might suggest:
- Sizes — the standard sizes for common cans and bottles, adjustable in 5 mm steps to fit your exact container.
- Materials — all our polypropylene films (White, Silver, Clear) and all three wine papers (Antique, Martelé, Noble).
- Finishes — Matte and Glossy Laminate, Matte and Glossy Varnish, Sand Varnish (a tactile rough feel), and Soft Touch Laminate (premium smooth-soft). Six finishes, all priced instantly.
- Shape — a rectangle with rounded corners, which needs no special tooling.
If your label lives within that, you never need a quote — and you get the fastest turnaround.
03What makes a label “bespoke”
Bespoke is anything beyond the standard menu. The headline options:
3D Foiling
Real raised metallic foil in gold, silver, or copper. It catches the light and adds genuine shelf presence; the obvious choice for a flagship beer or a limited release you want to feel special.
3D Varnish
A raised, glossy varnish applied to specific elements (a logo, a pattern), giving a tactile, spot-gloss effect against the rest of the label.
Custom shapes
Ovals, circles, or contour cuts that follow your artwork, rather than the standard rounded rectangle. A custom shape needs a one-time cutting tool (a custom die, €150); after that, reruns are normal price.
Custom sizes and materials
Sizes outside the standard range, or a material we don't stock as standard. Tell us what you have in mind and we'll work it out.
These all get quoted case by case — quickly, but individually — because the price genuinely varies with the job.
04Standard vs bespoke at a glance
05Which should you choose?
For your core range — the beers you brew and sell week in, week out — standardis almost always the right call. It's fast, the price is instant, there's no tooling cost, and the results look excellent. The standard finishes alone (especially Soft Touch and the laminates) give you plenty of room to make a label feel premium.
Reach for bespokewhen a particular product deserves to stand out — a flagship, an anniversary brew, a limited drop where a foil logo or a custom shape earns its keep. Because a custom die is a one-time cost, bespoke makes the most sense on labels you'll reorder.
And you don't have to pick one for everything. A common approach is a standard core range plus the occasional bespoke special edition — the everyday beers move fast and cheap, while the flagship gets the foil treatment.
06Ready to order, or have a bespoke idea?
For standard labels, head into the portal — pick your size, material, and finish, and you'll have an instant price. For anything bespoke, tell us what you're imagining and we'll come back with a quote, usually fast.