Color Label Printers, Color Label Printers

Color For Inventory — How Color Labels Cut Errors and Speed Up Picks

Posted on by Scott McKenzie
14
Oct

What Is “Color For Inventory”?

Color for inventory is the practice of adding intentional colors —backgrounds, color bars, icons, and colorized fields—to labels, shelf/rack IDs, and documents so teams can identify the right item at a glance. The goal is error prevention and speed. When a picker can visually eliminate 80% of wrong options without reading a single character, your operation wins minutes on every pass.

Color works across the warehouse: LPNs, rack/tote/bin labels, WIP travelers, QA holds, cycle counts, and returns.

Benefits & Use Cases

1) Faster picks and put-away
Assign colors to aisles, zones, or SKU families. A picker’s eye lands on the right color block first, cutting “search time” and walking.

2) Fewer mis-picks and returns
Colorize your categories of products (strength, flavor, size) reduce human error where SKUs look nearly identical.

3) Quicker training
New hires latch onto colors faster than codes. Color shortens the learning curve and standardizes field decisions.

4) Cleaner audits and cycle counts
Use colors for counting waves or sections; auditors immediately see what’s done, in progress, or blocked.

5) Instant exception handling

lpn label 04_resized


Color for QA/Hold/Scrap/Recall makes risk obvious—even from 20 feet away.

Everyday examples

  • Red = Hazmat or Do Not Pick; Green = Released to Ship; Yellow = Hold/QA

  • Blue bar for Frozen, Aqua for Chilled, Gray for Ambient

  • Flavor/size bands on consumer goods: orange = citrus, purple = grape, black = XL

How To Choose Your Color System

Use this quick checklist:

  • Objective: What error are we trying to eliminate — mis-picks, category mix-ups, temp mishandling?

  • Granularity: Color by zone, family, or SKU? Start broader; get more granular only where risk is high.

  • Environment: Cold, moisture, abrasion, chemicals? Choose synthetic media and pigment inks for durability.

  • Scanning: Keep barcode quiet zones clear; test first-scan grades under real lighting and angles.

  • Human factors: Color-blind friendly palettes (avoid red/green alone), large icons, consistent placement.

  • Governance: Document the palette and placement rules; put a one-page standard in every training packet.

Common Mistakes & Fixes

  • Too many colors:  Limit to 5–7; group similar SKUs under one color family.

  • Poor contrast:  Light backgrounds with dark text/bars; keep quiet zones clear.

  • Unlabeled meaning:  Publish a legend; color without context becomes noise.

  • Ignoring durability: In cold/abrasive areas, use synthetic labels and pigment inks.

  • One-time rollout:  Review quarterly; retire rarely used colors and clarify close shades.

FAQs

Does color affect barcode scanning?
Yes – positively if designed well. Keep high contrast (dark bars on light background), respect quiet zones, and test first-scan performance on your media.

What media should we use?
For tough environments (cold, moisture, abrasion), choose synthetic films with the right adhesive. For dry areas, premium papers work. We help you match media to use.

Can I print color on demand in-house?
Yes. Epson ColorWorks printers with pigment inks produce durable, high-contrast color and barcodes. Pair with the right stock for best results.

How many colors should we use?
Start with 5–7. Expand only where the data shows persistent confusion.

What about color-blind team members?
Pair color with shape/icons and text. Avoid relying solely on red vs green.

Scott McKenzie