Minimalist Design and Candle Labels: Are they a good match?

The thought of candles evokes a very pleasant image, a feeling, and a fragrance in the mind. In the candle manufacturing industry, where appearance plays a pivotal role in attracting customers, the design of the candle labels can greatly impact how well the product gets sold in the market. 


One thing that might come to mind when thinking of candle design is the candle labels. A candle label is like a business card that presents a product to the targeted customers. 


A design approach that has gained increasing popularity is minimalist design. Embracing simplicity in candle labels can provide a range of advantages beyond an attractive visual appearance. 


So, what is minimalist design?

A minimalist design uses a simplified and clean aesthetic, adding essential elements to create a more impactful appearance. It uses simple forms, colors, and text in a design so that the audience focuses on the key element. The focus is on conveying essential information and avoiding unnecessary details. 


Minimalist design creates a visually appealing and cohesive brand identity, allowing the product to stand out with a modern and sophisticated charm. Ultimately, minimalist design enhances the overall aesthetic and concisely communicates the brand's essence.


Black text on white and white text on black are both popular choices for brands that take this path. Both types create a neutral style that works well in multiple situations and can blend well with customers' decor once they take the candles home.


While more complex label designs can demand attention and be loud on multiple points, minimalism is concise and clean. A minimalist design only shares the most essential information for the product or message it sells. 

Labels for Candles

Creating custom candle labels requires you to know a few important features they must have. Heat-resistant custom label materials will ensure the labels remain attractive even after the candle jars frequently warm up.


In addition to choosing tough label material that can withstand high temperatures, it is important to add tags that warn consumers about the hazards of burning candles in unsafe ways. 


The National Candle Association maintains the standards for these candle fire safety labels and only admits candle businesses that fulfill these criteria. 

The Association warns customers to avoid buying any candles that don't have those fire safety warnings. It also adds there are additional instructions on most custom candle labels.


Advantages of using minimalist design in candle labels

Sometimes, there's no requirement to do a lot when it comes to labels, especially with scented candle labels, because the wax color and smell are the candle's true selling points.


Here are three advantages of using minimalist design candle labels. 


  1. Easy to design

From logo redesigns to upgraded packaging designs, manufacturers avoid an overly detailed look for a cleaner, more minimalist look. Minimalist design will make the design process a lot easier and faster. Artistic skill is not required to design a professional-looking, minimalist logo or label for the candle company.


Nowadays, many brand labels are just the company's name sans any design; the font(s) and typography set it apart. So, selecting a font that best represents the feel the manufacturer wants for their candle brand is important. Multiple fonts can be used for a business name of more than one word.


  1. Saves money

While printing candle labels, a minimalist label design will save money in the long run, especially if it mainly consists of text on an unprinted label. Incorporating color in the label, including the product's basic information like logo, candle scent, and warnings while still keeping a minimalistic look, will save significant money when purchasing ink and toner for the printer or graphic design fees to design the labels. In case of showcasing brand style, a pop of color, opt for including it on some fonts versus designing the label's background in color.


  1. Quickly conveys what the brand is about

It's no secret that consumers judge the products within the first few seconds of seeing them on the shelf. Whether aiming for a clean, earthy, or sophisticated look for your candles, a minimalist label design can convey the brand's style and message directly. It tells the potential customer in those few seconds what the brand represents and the incredible scent of the candle. It is enough to tell what the product is about clearly and efficiently.


When to use a minimalist design?

Minimalist labels can be a very easy and quick way to create impressionable and strong branding without the need for much hands-on technical designing skills. Minimalist design is indeed quite the rage; however, you need to consider a few points when considering minimalism for candle labels or branding.

 

  • Does the minimal design match your products? 
  • How will the labels complement the selling of the product? 
  • Will it help enhance the product's appearance? 

Minimalist design is best applicable if it complements the brand of the company. When matching your branding with the product, the label needs to convey a professional and solid impact, whether the label is minimalist or not. It is advisable to avoid risking the brand impression by using a minimalist label on a product that can make it appear boring or drab. 


Create a design that can be easily edited and repurposed, as it is important to maintain a consistent look across the products. It gives the product line a professional look and a powerful impact. 


Power of Minimalist Designs 

When using a minimalist design, there might be a chance of creating an underwhelming final product that doesn't look as attractive or professional as expected. There are a few rules that you must keep in mind to achieve the best results. 

Four key rules for a minimalist design:

  • Keep it simple
  • Focus on function over visual
  • Know your spotlight
  • Be mindful of proportions, colors, and font choice

Let's discuss each point in detail.


1. Keep it simple

As discussed already, minimalism is all about simplicity in design. It requires very little, but the main intent is to convey a strong, impactful message. It demands a deeper look into what to say. 


This does not mean all designs must be eliminated but should only keep essential design elements and messaging. It requires some mindfulness when implementing the different elements in the label design.


2. Focus on function than visual

Every point in a minimalist design must serve the purpose of enhancing the key message. "Do the information and design points serve a purpose, or are they simply added to look nice?" It is the most important thing to consider when designing a label in a minimalist way. Every point in a minimalist design should work to bring focus to the key message. Also, the message needs to be short.


3. Know your spotlight

All designs have a main focus point: the spotlight, as it's called in design. It is the most important element or message in the design. Before designing, you need to have a strong understanding of what the spotlight is.


How you emphasize the spotlight depends on the design. Typically, an element of the design will distinguish the spotlight from another point. It uses a visual hierarchy that guides the customer's eyes to the spotlight, intending to make it the label's first or most impactful point. The spotlight can also use accent elements like color, fonts, and placement.


4. Be mindful of proportions, colors, and font choice

Minimalism is not omitting all creative design items but rather a more mindful use of them. Linework, forms or shapes, typography, color, space, texture, and proportions are all items of design that must be added.


The main key for a simple design to be successful is consistency. Typically, a strong minimalist label will only use a maximum of two fonts and must follow a consistent rule of weight, sizing, and form throughout the design. Color is also kept to a minimum, often only two to three. Texture can also help enhance a basic design and give it a robust, rich look.


Space, linework, and proportions are the most crucial items to focus on because one can easily make mistakes here. A balanced design must be added to surpass the rules of visual hierarchy. The most important information should be most easily visible. It can be done through size, accent elements, placement, or by isolating the element within a space cushion.


Conclusion

After you finalize the best design for your candle's label, the next part is choosing an innovative way to label the candles. A minimalistic design will help capture the brand's personality in the long run, no matter which method you choose to display your candle product info.


Beast Branding has a wide collection of different types of labels and also provides custom labels and banners per your requirements. Check out our entire collection today! 

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