KNOWLEDGE HUB

How to design your custom printed tape

By Callie Leighton
Custom Printed Tape Specialist
Last updated: 09/07/26

Custom printed tape design example showing branded artwork, logo placement and packaging tape design options.

A well-designed custom printed tape can be a great promotion tool. Thousands of people could see your packaging as it moves through the delivery network. Therefore, it’s a great place to promote your brand.

Make your custom tape unmissable

The packaging world is awash with simple white tapes that show little more than a logo. Why not make yours look different? Make the most of your available space by using eye-catching colours, readable fonts, reverse printing and even flood coating. Vinyl custom printed tape is the perfect material for these more detailed print styles.

If your design contains more than three colours, vinyl or custom printed paper tape are also well suited to more colourful designs, while materials such as polypropylene are generally limited to three-colour designs.

It’s also a good idea to think about colour contrast. Darker colours on light backgrounds can really help an image pop, grabbing the attention of passers-by.

With a few simple tweaks, you can turn forgettable packaging into something unmissable.

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Designs we love

Printed Paper Tape | Colours - 1 (Green) + Flood Coat
Printed Paper Tape | Colours - 1 (Green) + Flood Coat
Printed Paper Tape | Colours - 1 (Red) + Flood Coat | Positive Print
Printed Paper Tape | Colours - 1 (Red) + Flood Coat | Positive Print
Vinyl Printed Tape | Colours - 1 (Blue) | Reverse Print
Vinyl Printed Tape | Colours - 1 (Blue) | Reverse Print
Custom printed water activated gummed paper tape providing secure, tamper-evident and recyclable carton sealing for sustainable packaging.
Custom printed water activated gummed paper tape providing secure, tamper-evident and recyclable carton sealing for sustainable packaging.
Custom Printed Paper Tape | Colours - 1 (Black), with natural brown base material | Positive Print
Custom Printed Paper Tape | Colours - 1 (Black), with natural brown base material | Positive Print
Polypropylene Custom Printed Tape | Colours - 1 (Blue) | Positive Print
Polypropylene Custom Printed Tape | Colours - 1 (Blue) | Positive Print
Polypropylene Custom Printed Tape | Colours - 2 (Blue, Red) | Positive Print
Polypropylene Custom Printed Tape | Colours - 2 (Blue, Red) | Positive Print
Printed Paper Tape | Colours - 1 (Black), with natural brown base material | Positive Print
Printed Paper Tape | Colours - 1 (Black), with natural brown base material | Positive Print
Vinyl Printed Tape | Colours - 2 (Black, Gold) | Positive print with reverse printed social media icons
Vinyl Printed Tape | Colours - 2 (Black, Gold) | Positive print with reverse printed social media icons

Think outside the box (pun intended)

Don’t stop at a logo; why not add a promotion, discount code or even a competition to your custom printed packing tape. By adding a unique element to your design, your printed tape could become more memorable and your brand more recognisable.

Furthermore, it can help to make it easy to contact you; add phone numbers, websites and social media. Additionally, you can even use hashtags to help your brand be tagged, seen and promoted.

Use High-Contrast Colours

Strong contrast between your print colour and tape background helps maximise visibility and brand recognition.
For example:

  • Black print on white tape
  • White print on coloured tape
  • Dark blue print on kraft paper tape

High-contrast designs are easier to read from a distance and stand out more effectively throughout the delivery network.

Keep Text Clear and Readable

Custom printed packaging tape is often viewed from several feet away, so simple, bold designs usually perform best.

We recommend:

  • Avoiding very small text
  • Using clear, easy-to-read fonts
  • Keeping important information prominent
  • Limiting unnecessary design elements

Remember, your tape may only be visible for a few seconds, so your message should be instantly recognisable.

Include Key Business Information

Many customers choose to print more than just their logo. Consider including:

  • Company name
  • Website address
  • Social media handles
  • Tagline or marketing message
  • Handling instructions
  • Promotional offers

A well-designed printed tape can become a valuable branding and marketing tool.

Consider How Your Design Repeats

Custom printed tape designs are repeated continuously along the length of the roll. As a result, it’s important to ensure logos, text and graphics work effectively as a repeating pattern.

Simple, evenly spaced designs often produce the strongest visual impact and help maintain consistency across every package.

Creative examples

Vinyl Printed Tape | Colours - 1 (Blue) | Reverse Print
Vinyl Printed Tape | Colours - 1 (Blue) | Reverse Print
Vinyl Printed Tape | Colours - 1 (Silver) + Flood Coat
Vinyl Printed Tape | Colours - 1 (Silver) + Flood Coat
Premium vinyl custom printed packing tape featuring high-quality branded artwork for secure packaging and enhanced brand visibility.
Premium vinyl custom printed packing tape featuring high-quality branded artwork for secure packaging and enhanced brand visibility.
Printed Paper Tape | Colours - 1 (Blue) | Positive Print
Printed Paper Tape | Colours - 1 (Blue) | Positive Print
Printed Paper Tape | Colours - 1 (Red) + Flood Coat | Positive Print
Printed Paper Tape | Colours - 1 (Red) + Flood Coat | Positive Print
Printed Paper Tape | Colours - 1 (Orange) | Positive print
Printed Paper Tape | Colours - 1 (Orange) | Positive print
Polypropylene Custom Printed Tape | Colours - 1 (Blue) | Positive Print
Polypropylene Custom Printed Tape | Colours - 1 (Blue) | Positive Print
Custom Printed Packing Tape | Vinyl | Colours - 2 (Blue, Orange) | Positive Print
Custom Printed Packing Tape | Vinyl | Colours - 2 (Blue, Orange) | Positive Print
Custom Printed Packing Tape | Vinyl | 2 Colour (Black, Blue)
Custom Printed Packing Tape | Vinyl | 2 Colour (Black, Blue)

Artwork Requirements for Custom Printed Tape

Creating effective artwork for custom printed tape doesn’t have to be complicated. By following a few simple guidelines, you can help ensure your design prints clearly, looks professional, and delivers maximum impact on every parcel.

Supply Vector Artwork Wherever Possible

For the best print quality, we recommend supplying artwork in a vector format such as:

  • AI (Adobe Illustrator)
  • EPS
  • Print-ready PDF

Vector artwork can be scaled without losing quality, ensuring your logo and text remain sharp and readable throughout the printing process.
If vector artwork is unavailable, high-resolution image files may be suitable. Our team can review your files and advise on the best approach.

Pantone Colour Matching

If maintaining brand consistency is important, we can work with Pantone® colour references where applicable. Providing Pantone colour codes during the artwork stage helps us achieve the closest possible match to your brand guidelines.

Need Help with Your Artwork?

Don’t worry if you’re not a designer. Whether you have a finished logo, a rough sketch or simply an idea, our experienced team can help prepare artwork that’s suitable for custom printed tape production.

From artwork checks and layout advice to complete tape design services, we’re here to help create printed tape that gets your brand noticed.

Quick Artwork Checklist

Before sending your artwork, check that you have:

✅ Vector files (AI, EPS or PDF) where available – don’t worry if you don’t have them, we can help!
✅ Pantone colour references (if required)
✅ High-resolution logos and graphics
✅ Contact details and website information you’d like printed
✅ Clear instructions on your preferred layout

Following these guidelines will help ensure your custom printed tape looks professional, prints accurately and delivers maximum impact every time it’s used.

Custom Tape Design FAQs

Vector artwork supplied as AI, EPS or PDF files provides the best print quality and allows logos to be scaled without losing detail.

In most cases, all you’ll need is a company logo or design idea. Our team can assist with layout, artwork preparation and print recommendations to help create a custom tape design that represents your brand effectively.

Yes. Logos, websites, contact information, promotional messages and brand graphics can all be printed onto custom tape. If your logo is detailed or contains more than 3 colours, we’d recommend vinyl custom printed tape.

The number of print colours available depends on the tape material and production method selected. Options range from simple one-colour logo printing through to 3 or even 4 colour designs. If you’re printing detailed designs, vinyl is the best material to choose.

In many cases, yes. However, image quality will depend on the resolution of the file supplied. Low-resolution artwork may appear pixelated or blurred when printed. If you’re unsure whether your artwork is suitable, our team can review it for you.

The repeat frequency depends on the artwork layout and tape specification. Simple logo designs may repeat frequently along the tape, while larger designs may require a longer repeat length. The maximum repeat length is 502mm. Our team can advise on the most effective layout for your artwork.

Yes. We review artwork before production and can highlight any potential issues relating to file quality, colours, sizing or print suitability to help achieve the best possible result.

There is no single best colour, but high-contrast combinations tend to perform best. Dark colours on light backgrounds, or light colours on dark backgrounds, generally provide the greatest visibility and readability.

Custom tape is particularly popular with ecommerce retailers because it provides an affordable way to create a professional and memorable unboxing experience without investing in fully printed boxes.

Let’s get things rolling

If you’re computer savvy, you can get your design started with our downloadable templates. If not, just give us a call and we’ll help you every step of the way.

For a more technical overview, covering file format, repeat lines & length, please contact us.

Download a design template

Get a Quote | Start Your Design

Summary

Custom printed tape, in it’s simplest form, is an advert for your business. With very little expense, you can have something that shouts about your brand and gets your business noticed. Ultimately, we recommend your tape be well-designed, visible, memorable and have readable fonts.

Key Takeaways

  • Consider a design that helps your tape stand out
  • Use clear, readable fonts
  • Consider adding a promotion, discount code or another unique element
  • Download our design templates or ask us to help you

Talk to a human

Hi, I’m Millie

I’ve been specialising in custom printed tape and branded packaging solutions for over 7 years. Whether you need help with tape design, artwork preparation or choosing the right printed tape for your application, I’m here to help.

Feel free to contact me directly with any questions about custom tape, printed tape or your artwork requirements.

01480 494540
millie@lemark.co.uk

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