Matte vs. Glossy Finishes

Choosing Your Finish: A Key Decision for Your Brand

As small business owners, you know that every detail counts—especially when it comes to your brand’s first impression. At Avery, we’re passionate about helping you get it right. One common choice we help you navigate is selecting the perfect finish for your labels, cards, tags, or tickets. The finish you choose can transform your product’s look and feel, so let’s break down the benefits of matte versus glossy finishes from our expert perspective.

Every design decision—from selecting graphics and fonts to choosing label shape, size, and material—tells your brand’s story. Your finish is no exception. Whether you’re looking for subtle elegance or a dazzling, eye-catching pop, our team at Avery is here to guide you.

Glossy Labels: Shine That Captures Attention

Glossy finishes are all about vibrancy. Their shiny, reflective surface brings out the depth and intensity of your colors, making every detail stand out. Here’s why many of our customers choose glossy labels:

Vivid Colors: The reflective quality enhances ink sharpness, giving your labels a photo-quality look that catches the eye.

Dynamic Appeal: Perfect for products that need a modern, energetic feel—ideal for grabbing attention on crowded shelves.

Matte Labels: A Soft, Elegant Touch

For a more understated and sophisticated look, matte finishes are a popular choice. Here’s what makes them special:

Subtle Sophistication: Matte materials absorb and gently diffuse ink, resulting in a soft, muted appearance that exudes elegance.

Versatile Style: Many brands like this finish for natural foods, wellness, and eco-friendly markets, as well as those aiming for a vintage or upscale feel—think luxury candles or premium wine labels.

Clear Labels: Glossy vs. Matte Options

Clear labels offer unique opportunities to enhance your product’s packaging. Generally, when you use clear labels on products for retail, they will have white ink underprint so the colors don’t appear transparent. This is a technique done by professional printing services, and generally can’t be done on standard home printers.

So if you’re planning on labeling retail products with clear labels, we recommend using Avery WePrint, our professional printing service so you can get white ink.

Glossy Clear Labels

With a glossy topcoat, these labels are engineered to remain completely transparent so that your vibrant designs take center stage. The high-gloss finish enhances every hue and detail in your artwork, creating an effect that makes it appear as though the design was printed directly onto the surface. This seamless, “printed-on” look not only gives your packaging a modern, sophisticated appeal but also reinforces your brand’s identity by letting the product’s natural features shine through.

Matte Clear Labels

Featuring a frosted, translucent finish, matte clear labels provide a flat, non-reflective appearance. They’re ideal for matching matte packaging and help conceal imperfections like bubbles, giving your product a refined, consistent look.

In addition, matte clear labels exude a subtle sophistication that enhances your product’s tactile and visual appeal. Their understated finish minimizes glare and distractions, ensuring that any printed content remains crisp and easy to read even under varying lighting conditions.

How to Order Your Perfect Labels

At Avery, we understand that as a small business owner, every detail matters—including the labels that help define your brand. That’s why we offer flexible options designed to meet your unique needs and timeline. Whether you prefer a hands-on DIY approach or the convenience of professional printing, our services are tailored to help your business shine.

DIY Printing

When you need labels on-deman or want to keep things in-house, our DIY printing options are perfect for you. Choose from our blank labels available by the sheet or roll or our label packs.

Do you need a custom size? Our printable labels offer custom dimensions on select materials at no extra charge. This means you can tailor every detail without worrying about hidden fees or extra costs.

Professional Printing

Ready for a more polished finish? Our Avery WePrint custom printing service offers professionally printed labels with fast turnaround times, no setup fees, and complimentary custom shapes and sizes.

The labels are produced on industry-leading digital printers with a process that ensures crisp, vibrant colors and a flawless finish—ideal for making a lasting impression on your customers

You can order custom shapes and sizes without worrying about hidden costs. We believe in transparency, so the price you see is the price you get—no extra fees for setup, plates, or dies.

We also understand that timing is critical for small businesses. That’s why our professional printing service offers fast turnaround, ensuring that we print your labels in as fast as two days and ship them to you.

Conclusion

No matter which finish you choose, our commitment to quality means every Avery product comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If something isn’t right, we’re here to help make it right.

Even better, our user-friendly design tool lets you preview your design before printing, ensuring that you’re completely happy with your labels. Plus, with easy reordering, you can quickly restock your supplies.

We know that as a small business owner, every decision matters. Let our experienced team help you to the perfect finish for your products, ensuring that your brand always makes a strong, memorable impression.

Reach out to our U.S.-based Customer Care team at (800) 462-8379 to help you make the best choice for your brand.