Articles
Practical guides on dangerous goods marks, GHS labels, UDI and barcode printing — written to be used alongside the free tools.
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Lithium battery shipping marks
Which UN number applies, what the mark must look like, and what changed in 2026.
GHS chemical labels
How CLP, HazCom 2024 and GB 15258 differ, and the minimum label size by container.
Tools: GHS label generator · GHS checklist · SDS → GHS
UDI and barcodes
Issuing agencies, GTIN/HIBC/ISBT formats and print-ready barcodes.
- GS1 Sunrise 2027: What the 2D Barcode Switch Means for Your Labels
- Why Won't My Barcode Scan? 12 Causes, Ranked by How Often They Happen
- Bulk Barcodes from Excel or CSV: The Pre-Print Checklist That Stops Reprints
- EU UDI After EUDAMED: What Is Still Due in 2027 and What It Means for Your Labels
- UDI Issuing Agencies Compared: GS1, HIBCC, ICCBBA and IFA — Which One to Use and Why
Tools: UDI generator · Barcode generator · Batch barcodes
Amazon Barcode Requirements: GTIN vs FNSKU, GS1 Verification, GTIN Exemption and FBA Label Sizes
Manufacturer barcode (GS1 GTIN) or Amazon barcode (FNSKU, Code 128); Amazon checks UPCs against GS1 and rejects resold codes; GTIN exemption by category; FBA labels 1×2 in to 2×3 in, cover every other barcode, 0.25 in quiet zone, 300 dpi.
How to Lay Out a UDI Label: DI, PI, AIDC Barcode and HRI Text for FDA and EU MDR, with GS1 Examples
DI + PI in both AIDC and HRI; GS1 AIs (01) GTIN, (17) expiry YYMMDD, (10) lot, (21) serial, (11) manufacturing date; FDA dates on the label as YYYY-MM-DD; EU allows AIDC-only under space constraints except home-use devices; GS1 DataMatrix X 0.255–0.615 mm, GS1-128 X 0.170–0.495 mm, grade 1.5/C.
The GS1 Logistic Label: SSCC Structure, GS1-128 Layout, Barcode Size and Where to Place It on Pallets and Cases
SSCC = extension digit + GS1 Company Prefix + serial reference + check digit, 18 digits, encoded with AI (00); label in three sections with the SSCC barcode lowest; GS1-128 X 0.495–1.016 mm, bars ≥32 mm; pallets: barcode bottom edge 400–800 mm from the floor, ≥50 mm from the vertical edge, on two adjacent sides.
GHS Label and Transport Hazard Label on the Same Package: CLP Article 33, HazCom vs DOT, Sizes and Placement on Drums, IBCs and Cartons
Outer packaging: transport label may replace the GHS pictogram for the same hazard (CLP Art. 33); single packaging carries both; US HazCom 2024 now allows DOT and HCS pictograms side by side. Transport labels 100×100 mm, UN number letters 12 mm (>30 L/kg) or 6 mm; EHS mark 100×100; IBCs labelled on two opposite sides; sea freight needs 3-month immersion durability (BS 5609).
Bulk Barcodes from Excel or CSV: The Pre-Print Checklist That Stops Reprints
Fix Excel leading zeros and scientific notation, pick the symbology by where it is scanned, let the tool compute check digits, mind X-dimension and quiet zones, and grade samples before the run.
EU UDI After EUDAMED: What Is Still Due in 2027 and What It Means for Your Labels
All MDR label deadlines have passed; two remain on 26 May 2027 — direct marking of reusable Class I devices and Class A IVD labels. Plus what AIDC/HRI and ISO/IEC 15415 grade C actually require from the printed symbol.
UN3480, UN3481, UN3090, UN3091: Which UN Number Applies to Your Lithium Battery Shipment
Ion vs metal, alone vs with equipment — the two questions that decide the UN number, plus which mark or label each case needs.
Lithium Battery Mark Size and Design: 100×100 mm, 100×70 mm, Colours and Placement
Minimum 100 × 100 mm, reduced 100 × 70 mm, red hatching width, the phone number transition, and placement rules — plus how to print it so it survives transit.
Lithium Battery Shipping in 2026: 30% State of Charge for UN3481, Phone Number Removal and What Section II Still Covers
From 1 Jan 2026 lithium ion packed with equipment (UN3481, >2.7 Wh) must ship at ≤30% SoC; the phone number's last year on the mark; where Section II still applies.
GHS Label Requirements Compared: EU CLP, US HazCom 2024 and China GB 15258
Same pictograms, different rules: what each jurisdiction adds to the six GHS elements, language and emergency-phone requirements, and the HazCom 2024 deadlines.
GHS Label Minimum Size by Container Volume: EU CLP Table and China GB 15258 Table
Both official size tables side by side, the pictogram one-fifteenth and 1 cm² rules, what to do below 125 mL / 100 mL, and how to choose label stock for drums and bottles.
UDI Issuing Agencies Compared: GS1, HIBCC, ICCBBA and IFA — Which One to Use and Why
GS1, HIBCC, ICCBBA and IFA side by side: who accepts them, how the DI and PI are built, which barcodes to print, and how to choose for your device category.