Custom printed ribbon is one of the cheapest ways to make your packaging look like it comes from a big brand. A box, bag or bouquet tied with a ribbon carrying your shop's name gets photographed, shared and remembered. Unlike printed boxes, ribbon doesn't need expensive tooling for every size: one roll works across all your packaging. This guide is for shops, bakeries, cosmetics and fashion brands weighing up their first order: the techniques available, which ribbon to choose, what quantities to expect and how to work out the cost per pack.
Ways to put a logo on ribbon
| Technique | Look | Best for | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot foil (gold, silver, colour) | Metallic shine, slight emboss | Luxury packaging, jewellery, cosmetics | Single colour, no fine detail |
| Screen print | Solid, matt colour | One or two-colour logos, brand colours | Each colour needs its own set-up |
| Digital print | Full colour, gradients, photos | Short runs, complex logos, seasonal designs | Lower rub resistance on some ribbons |
| Woven jacquard | Logo woven into the ribbon | Fashion brands, long-life items | Higher minimums and longer lead time |
Digital printing has made branded ribbon affordable for small brands, because it allows short runs without costly set-up. For a luxury feel, though, hot foil on satin remains the classic.
Cotton herringbone tape light gray HR0014
Cotton herringbone tape white HR0001
Green organza ribbon OR0005Satin, grosgrain or organza
Satin ribbon
Smooth, glossy and soft. Ideal for boutique packaging, jewellery, cosmetics and wedding favours. Print looks elegant on it, especially foil. We stock satin ribbon in many colours and widths from 0.3 to 7 cm.
Grosgrain
Ribbed, matt and dense. It holds the shape of a bow and looks more structured and corporate. It suits fashion brands, menswear, gift boxes and retail branding, and it takes screen print well.
Organza
Sheer and light. Lovely for sweet bags, flowers and wedding favours, but because it is see-through, printing is harder and the logo reads less clearly. Use it as decoration alongside a printed ribbon or a tag.
Cotton herringbone tape
A natural, crafted look. Good for eco brands, handmade goods, bread and soap. Logos are usually printed in a single colour.
Choosing a width
- 10–15 mm: small boxes, jewellery, chocolates. Keep the logo short.
- 20–25 mm: the most versatile width for gift boxes and bags.
- 38–40 mm: large boxes, hampers, bouquets, with room for a logo and a tagline.
Quantities and lead times
For branded ribbon, minimum order quantities are usually set per ribbon colour, width and print colour. Minimums of around 200 m per combination are common on the market, while jacquard ribbon minimums are considerably higher. Work out your yearly needs rather than just the first month, since a repeat set-up for a small quantity costs more.
Working out the cost per pack
- Measure the ribbon for one pack. Tie a bow on your typical box and measure what you used. A 20 × 20 × 10 cm box with a bow usually takes 1.2–1.6 m; a simple tie around a bag takes 30–50 cm.
- Add 5–10% for waste from cutting and mistakes.
- Divide the roll price by the number of packs it yields.
Example: if each bag takes 40 cm of ribbon, 200 m yields about 450 packs after waste. So even with a pricier printed ribbon, the cost per pack stays small next to the price of the product.
Tip: on a tight budget, pair a plain satin or grosgrain ribbon in your brand colour with a small logo hang tag. The effect is close to printed ribbon and you keep more flexibility.
Design tips
- The logo should be legible at 8–12 mm high on a 20–25 mm ribbon.
- Avoid fine serif fonts and lines thinner than 0.5 mm, especially with foil.
- Repeat the logo every 10–20 cm so it shows however the ribbon is tied.
- Go for contrast: gold foil on black or navy satin, white print on burgundy grosgrain.
- Supply the logo as a vector file and specify Pantone colours.
Common mistakes
Too much text. An address, phone number and website on a narrow ribbon become an unreadable stripe. One logo or name is enough.
Ribbon that won't hold a bow. Soft, thin satin under 10 mm struggles to form a big bow. For full bows, choose grosgrain or wider satin.
Print that rubs off. Ask for a sample and do a rub test, especially with digital print.
Other places to use branded ribbon
Once you've ordered it, logo ribbon earns its keep well beyond packaging:
- Hang tag ties: instead of string, attach the swing tag to a garment with a narrow logo ribbon.
- Garment hanging loops: ribbon sewn into the neck or waist seam of jackets, coats and dresses.
- Displays and stands: dress shelves, baskets and trade fair samples.
- Gift vouchers and cards: wrapped around an envelope, ribbon makes a voucher feel more valuable.
- Seasonal campaigns: a limited holiday ribbon gives your packaging a fresh look without changing the boxes.
Pre-order checklist
- Ribbon type: satin, grosgrain or cotton.
- Ribbon colour and print colour (Pantone).
- Width in mm.
- Technique: foil, screen, digital or jacquard.
- Vector logo and repeat distance.
- Quantity per roll and total quantity.
- Target date, and whether you need a sample first.
Getting started
Start with a sample on your real packaging and take photos before committing to a large order. To test colours, pick up plain ribbons from our stock range. For a custom logo ribbon, send us an enquiry with your logo, width and quantity. If you brand garments too, see our labels and our ribbon articles.
