To measure a container for a sticker, you need a ruler, a strip of paper and a couple of minutes. It is the single most useful thing you can do before ordering labels, and it saves back-and-forth messages later. A photo of a jar or bottle cannot tell a printer the size of the label, but your measurements can.
This guide is part of our series on small batch stickers in Nigeria. Last updated: 16 October 2026.
This guide gives the full method, step by step, including what to do for round containers, containers with corners and uneven shapes, and what to do if you cannot measure it yourself. For the standard sizes, see sticker sizes for small products.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Why you should measure a container for a sticker
The size of your container decides the size of the sticker. The person who owns the container is the one who can measure it. When customers send a photo and ask which size to choose, the printer can only guess, and a guess leads to a label that is too small to read or too big for the flat area. Measuring first means the label fits the first time.
What you need to measure a container for a sticker
You need a basic ruler (see Wikipedia on rulers). Everything else is already in your house.
- A ruler, with centimetres, inches or both
- A strip of plain paper, a few centimetres wide
- A pen
- Scissors
- Your container, empty or full
Step 1: Choose a unit before you measure a container for a sticker
Use whichever unit you are comfortable with, centimetres or inches. What matters is to use the same unit for every number and to tell the printer which unit you used. Writing “8 by 5” without a unit can mean very different things.
Step 2: Find the flat area where the label will go
Look for the flattest part of the container: the front of a bottle, the side of a tub, the front of a pouch. Avoid caps, seams, sealed edges, raised patterns and sharp curves. A label placed on a flat area sticks better and looks neater.
Step 3: Measure the width and height of the sticker area
Place the ruler against the area and measure the width and the height of the space you want the sticker to cover. Write both down with the unit. Measure twice to be sure.
Step 4: For round containers, wrap and mark
To find out how long a wrap-around label can be, wrap the strip of paper around the container, mark where the ends meet, take it off and lay it flat. Measure the length with the ruler. Make the label slightly shorter than this, so the two ends do not overlap. A tiny gap looks neater than an overlap.
Step 5: For containers with corners or an uneven shape, use a paper template
If your container has several corners, a curved edge or an uneven contour, a plain ruler is not enough. Cut a piece of paper into the exact shape and size you want your sticker to be, hold it against the container, and adjust it until it fits well. Then lay the paper flat and measure it with the ruler, or send the paper shape with the measurements. This is also the way to design a shape that is not a square. See custom shape stickers.
Step 6: Send us the measurements for your sticker
Send the width, the height, the shape and the unit you used, and the quantity you want. A short message is enough, for example “Round, 7 cm across, 50 pieces.” If you are unsure, the mini range between about 2 and 3 inches fits many containers, but measuring is always the safer choice.
If you cannot measure it yourself
Some customers find it difficult to measure a container for a sticker, and that is fine. Bring the container to our office in Ogbomoso. We measure it for you, and explain what to do next. If you cannot visit, ask a friend or a family member to follow the steps above.
Common mistakes when you measure a container for a sticker
- Sending a photo only, with no measurements.
- Measuring the whole container, not the flat area for the label.
- Forgetting to say whether the numbers are in centimetres or inches.
- Measuring over a seam or a cap, so the label will not lie flat.
- Making a wrap-around label long enough to overlap itself.
How do I measure a jar for a sticker?
Use a ruler to measure the flat width and height where the label will go. For a wrap-around label, wrap a paper strip around the jar, mark where it meets and measure the strip, then make the label slightly shorter.
Should I use centimetres or inches?
Either. Use one unit for all the numbers and tell the printer which unit you used.
How do I measure a container with corners?
Cut a piece of paper to the shape and size you want the sticker to be, check that it fits the container, then lay it flat and measure it with a ruler.
What if I cannot measure my container?
Bring the container to our office in Ogbomoso. We will measure it for you and tell you what to do next.
What size sticker fits most small containers?
Stickers between about 2 and 3 inches fit many small containers, but always measure your own container to be sure.
Ready to send your measurements?
Send the width, height, shape and unit, or bring your container to our office in Ogbomoso and we will measure it for you.
Order stickersRectangular stickersAsk a questionAbout the author: This guide was written by the Lampmediatouch team in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, from day-to-day experience designing and printing labels, stickers and branding materials for small businesses across Nigeria. Contact us with questions about your own labels.
