Label Quote Checklist: What to Send Your Manufacturer

By Etalex Team, Content & Editorial Team
Published 5 October 2026
8 min read

A quote is only as accurate as the specification behind it. Missing details lead to assumptions, and assumptions lead to a price that changes later or a label that does not fit the job. Use the checklist below for any label supplier.

What does a label manufacturer need to give you an accurate quote?

At minimum, a manufacturer needs six things: the label size and shape, the quantity, the material or how the label will be used, the number of colours and any finishes, the container, and your artwork or a description of it. With these, most suppliers can price the job. The remaining details refine the price and prevent surprises at proof stage.

Size and quantity set the amount of material and press time. Material and finish set the cost of what is used. The container and conditions decide whether the label will stay on, which is why a good supplier asks about them even when you only want a price.

What should a complete label specification include?

A complete specification covers eight areas: the label itself, quantity, material, print, finishing, application, roll and delivery format, and artwork. The table below lists every field. Fields marked “Required” are needed for a first price; “Helpful” fields make the quote firmer and avoid questions later. Copy it into your own request.

#	Area	Field	What to send	Example	Needed for quote
1	Project	Company and contact	Company name, contact person, email, phone	Procurement lead, direct line	Required
2	Project	Product and industry	What the product is and which industry	250 ml hand wash, detergents	Required
3	Project	New or repeat label	New design, repeat order, or change to an existing label	Repeat with text change	Required
4	Label	Size	Width x height in millimetres	60 x 40 mm	Required
5	Label	Shape and corners	Rectangle, round, oval or custom die shape; corner radius	Rectangle, 3 mm rounded corners	Required
6	Label	Label type	Self-adhesive, booklet or multilayer, tag, other	Self-adhesive	Required
7	Quantity	Quantity per version	Labels needed for each design or variant	3 versions x 10,000	Required
8	Quantity	Expected annual volume	Rough yearly quantity, if repeat orders are likely	About 4 orders a year	Helpful
9	Material	Facestock	Paper, film or other, if known; or leave for recommendation	White gloss film, or “please recommend”	Required (or conditions, row 18)
10	Material	Adhesive	Permanent, removable or special adhesive, if known	Permanent	Helpful
11	Material	Liner	Liner type, if your applicator needs a specific one	Not specified	Helpful
12	Print	Number of colours	Process colours (CMYK), spot colours, white	CMYK + 1 spot colour	Required
13	Print	Colour references	Pantone or brand colour references, and any approved sample	Pantone reference for the logo	Helpful
14	Print	Variable data	Batch numbers, dates, barcodes, QR codes or serial numbers that change per label	Barcode, fixed per version	Required if used
15	Finishing	Protective finish	Varnish or lamination; gloss or matt	Matt lamination	Required if used
16	Finishing	Special effects	Hot stamping or cold foil, embossing, other finishes	Gold foil on logo	Required if used
17	Application	Container	Container type, material, size and surface shape	HDPE bottle, 55 mm diameter, curved	Required
18	Application	Conditions of use	Moisture, refrigeration, oil, chemicals, heat, abrasion, outdoor use, required life	Wet hands, bathroom use	Required
19	Application	Application method	Hand applied or automatic applicator; applicator make and model if known	Automatic, model to be confirmed	Required
20	Application	Surface condition at labelling	Clean, dusty, oily, cold or wet when labelled	Filled warm, labelled dry	Helpful
21	Roll format	Core size	Inner diameter of the roll core	76 mm (3 in)	Required if machine-applied
22	Roll format	Maximum roll diameter	Largest outer roll diameter your applicator accepts	300 mm	Required if machine-applied
23	Roll format	Labels per roll	Fixed number per roll, if needed	2,000	Helpful
24	Roll format	Winding direction	Labels wound face in or face out, and which edge leaves the roll first (use the supplier’s winding chart)	Face out, top edge first	Required if machine-applied
25	Roll format	Labels across and gap	Number of labels across the web and the gap between labels	1 across, 3 mm gap	Helpful
26	Artwork	Artwork status	Final artwork ready, draft, or design needed	Final artwork ready	Required
27	Artwork	Files	Print-ready file type and version	Vector PDF, fonts outlined	Helpful at quote stage
28	Artwork	Proof needed	Digital proof, printed proof or sample on the real material	Printed proof	Helpful
29	Quality	Certificates or standards required	Any certificate, standard or customer requirement the supplier must meet	ISO 9001 certificate copy	Helpful
30	Quality	Inspection or documents	Certificates of conformity, retained samples or batch records needed	Retained sample per batch	Helpful
31	Delivery	Required date	Date the labels must arrive, and whether it is fixed	Needed by a set date for a launch	Required
32	Delivery	Address and packing	Delivery address, split deliveries, packing limits	One delivery, Cairo	Helpful

Examples are illustrations only. They are not ETALEX standard values or recommendations.

Which details change the price most?

Quantity, label size, material, number of colours and finishes have the largest effect on price. One-off costs such as printing plates, cutting dies and foil or embossing tools also matter, especially on a first order. Asking for prices at two or three quantities shows how the unit price falls as volume rises.

Splitting one order into many versions can also change the price, because each version may need its own plates or set-up.

What if you don’t know the material or finish yet?

Describe how the label will be used instead. Tell the manufacturer the container, its surface, how and where the label is applied, and what it must survive, such as water, oil, chemicals, cold or handling. A capable supplier recommends a facestock, adhesive and liner from those conditions and explains why.

The same applies to finishes. Describe the effect you want, for example “premium metallic logo” or “scratch-resistant surface”, and ask which options fit your budget. Most buyers of pressure-sensitive labels are in this position on a first order, and conditions of use are more useful to a supplier than a guessed material name.

What artwork should you send with a quote request?

For a quote, a draft or a clear description of the design is usually enough: size, number of colours, finishes and any variable data. Final print-ready files are needed before proofing. If your artwork is final, sending it with the request avoids questions later and lets the supplier check for print issues early.

Print-ready files are usually vector PDFs with fonts outlined or embedded, images at print resolution and bleed included. If you are unsure, send what you have and ask our team which file setup suits your job.

What mistakes slow down a label quote?

The most common delays come from missing quantities, missing container details and unclear finishes. A request that says “price for 5,000 labels” without size, material or application forces the supplier to ask questions or to assume, and assumptions make the price less reliable. Check your request against this list before sending it.

No quantity per version when there are several designs.
Size given without a shape or corner radius.
No information on the container or conditions of use.
Roll format missing for machine-applied labels.
“Same as before” with no reference to the previous order or sample.
No required delivery date.

How do you send your specification to ETALEX?

Send your completed specification through our quote request page, with artwork or a description attached. The Etalex team will reply during working hours, Sunday to Thursday, 07:25 to 17:00. You can also visit us at 16 Selim Abdo St., 1st Industrial Zone, Abbasya, Cairo.

ETALEX has manufactured printed labels and tags in Cairo since 1952, with letterpress, rotary offset, flexography, silk screen, digital printing and hot stamping listed as in-house processes.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a label quote without final artwork?

Yes. A quote is normally based on the specification: size, quantity, material, colours, finishes and roll format. A draft design or a short description is enough to price most jobs. Final, print-ready artwork is needed before proofing and production, and changes to colours or finishes after quoting can change the price.

Should I ask for prices at more than one quantity?

Yes, if your volume is flexible. Unit prices usually fall as quantity rises, because set-up, plates and tooling are spread over more labels. Asking for two or three quantity levels shows where the price breaks are, so you can choose between a smaller order now and a larger one that lowers the unit cost.

What if I do not know my applicator’s roll requirements?

Ask your production or maintenance team for the applicator make and model, the core size it takes, the largest roll diameter it accepts and how labels must leave the roll. A photo of the applicator and of a current label roll also helps the manufacturer confirm the right format before production.

Why does a manufacturer ask how the label will be used?

Because the same label can fail on a different surface or in different conditions. Moisture, cold, oil, chemicals and curved or squeezable containers each affect which facestock and adhesive will hold. Knowing the use lets the manufacturer recommend suitable materials and quote for the label you actually need.

Sources

ETALEX Contact page, https://www.etalex.com/contact/ (address, working hours, phone, mobile, WhatsApp and email). Accessed 4 October 2026.
ETALEX home or About page, https://www.etalex.com/about/ (1952 founding, in-house process list). Accessed 4 October 2026.
Optional: a label materials supplier’s technical guide or glossary for the definitions of facestock, adhesive, liner, core and winding direction used in the checklist.
Optional: a pre-press or prepress standard reference for print-ready PDF guidance (for example the PDF/X family), if the artwork section is expanded.

No statistics, prices, lead times or minimum orders are stated in this article. If any are added in editing, they must come from ETALEX in writing or from a cited source.

Written by

Etalex Team

Content & Editorial Team

Practical guidance on label printing, finishing, materials and packaging, informed by Etalex's manufacturing experience in Cairo since 1952.

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Ready to discuss your labels?

Send the size, quantity, material, finish and container, with artwork if you have it. Our team in Cairo replies during working hours, Sunday to Thursday.

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