How to Choose the Right Sheet Size for Your Labels
With standard printers, identifying the paper size to fit your labeling needs is fairly standard: 8.5" x 11". But with offset or digital printers, the decision requires a little more thought.
Here are some of the most common paper sizes and tips on choosing the right one for your labeling project.
International Standards
There are two main organizations that set the standards on paper sizing: the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The United States and a few North American countries follow ANSI whereas the majority of the world follows ISO.
Here's how their standards compare:
ANSI Standards
ANSI recognizes the U.S. letter, legal, and ledger/tabloid as standard sizes. Though less popular, there is also a 12" x 18" sheet size.
ISO Standards
ISO has several different series for classifying paper sizes, but the A series is the most widespread. A4 in particular is the most common sheet size.
Popular Paper Sizes
U.S. Letter
At 8.5" x 11", this is the go-to sheet size for standard desktop printers in North America. School papers, business documents, and more are created on U.S. letter sheets. For label printing, it's popular for address and shipping labels, product labels, and more.
OnlineLabels.com specializes in blank 8.5" x 11" label sheets. We offer hundreds of configurations in more than two dozen materials.
Legal
Legal sheets fall into the large format paper category. They're slightly longer than the standard letter, measuring 8.5" x 14". This size is great for printing signs, posters, and banners.
Because this size maintains the same width as U.S. Letter, it can be used in most standard printers. With more specialized uses, legal labels are available in a select number of configurations including full sheets, 4" x 6" layouts, and 4.25" x 14" half-sheets. We're also able to offer legal labels in most of our material options.
Tabloid/Ledger
The next size after legal is 11" x 17". Depending on the orientation, this paper size is referred to as ledger or tabloid (11" x 17" vs 17" x 11").
This size won't fit in the average desktop printer so it's not a practical option for home projects. It works best with wide-format, offset, or digital printers and presses. Use it to create signs, presentations, and banners.
Our blank ledger and tabloid labels are available in five of our most popular materials: white matte, white gloss, clear gloss, and weatherproof. We offer a variety of commonly used configurations including ovals, rectangles, and several full sheet options.
12" x 18"
The largest of ANSI sizes we offer is the 12" x 18" sheet. It's used most frequently by commercial printers in high-speed digital copiers, commercial printers, and digital presses. This size because is highly efficient and popular for large runs, advertising, and more.
We offer full sheet labels on 12" x 18" adhesive paper with a variety of back slit options. Back slits are cuts made to the liner side of the labels (the piece that's discarded after application). The back slits are added for easier peeling, speeding up the application process.
A4
A4 is slightly slimmer and taller than U.S. letter, it measures 210mm x 297mm. As the default paper size globally, it's used for printing postage and delivery labels, lever arch labels, product labels, and more.
Our blank A4 labels come in over 100 configurations on more than two dozen materials. They're available in any quantity and at affordable prices.
Visit our U.K. store for A4 sheet sizes.
OnlineLabels.com is your resource for easy-to-use, printable labels in any size. Browse our selection of labels to find the right option for your project.
When it comes time to design, check out our selection of blank and pre-designed label templates, then get creative with our exclusive design program, Maestro Label Designer.
