Every export shipment passes through many hands: your warehouse, a freight forwarder, a port, a customs inspection, a destination warehouse and finally your buyer's receiving dock. At each step someone reads or scans the carton and pallet labels. If a label is missing, unreadable or in the wrong place, the shipment slows down, and in some retail supply chains the buyer charges a penalty.
This guide is for exporters, contract manufacturers and logistics teams shipping from South Asia to the Gulf, Europe and North America. It covers shipping marks, GS1 logistic labels with SSCC barcodes, label placement and the materials that survive sea freight.
Short answer: export cartons usually carry shipping marks that identify the buyer, destination, order number, carton number, weights and country of origin, plus handling symbols where needed. Many retailers and distributors also require a GS1 logistic label with an 18-digit SSCC in a GS1-128 barcode on each carton or pallet. Print them on thermal transfer or durable stock that survives humidity, and place them where scanners and handlers expect to find them.
Key takeaways
- Shipping marks help people. SSCC barcodes help systems. Most export shipments need both.
- Agree label formats with your buyer before production, especially for retail customers.
- Direct thermal labels can fade on long sea voyages. Thermal transfer labels last.
- Pallet labels belong on at least two adjacent sides so they can be scanned from either approach.
Shipping marks: what goes on an export carton
| Mark | Example |
|---|---|
| Buyer or consignee mark | Buyer's name, logo or code |
| Destination port or city | Jebel Ali, Felixstowe, Colombo, New York |
| Order or PO number | PO 45021 |
| Carton number | Carton 12 of 80 |
| Product description and quantity | Mango pickle 500 g x 24 |
| Gross and net weight | G.W. 14.2 kg, N.W. 12.0 kg |
| Dimensions | 40 x 30 x 25 cm |
| Country of origin | Made in India |
| Batch, production and expiry details | Where the buyer or regulations require them |
Handling symbols such as "this way up", "fragile" and "keep dry" follow the internationally recognised pictograms in ISO 780. Use them only where they apply, because unnecessary symbols are often ignored.
If your shipment includes hazardous materials, separate rules apply. See our dangerous goods labelling guide.
GS1 logistic labels and the SSCC
The Serial Shipping Container Code is an 18-digit number that uniquely identifies one logistic unit, such as a carton or a pallet. It is encoded in a GS1-128 barcode with the application identifier (00). When your buyer receives an advance shipping notice listing the SSCCs, a single scan at the dock tells their system exactly what has arrived.
A GS1 logistic label is usually divided into three sections:
- Top: free-format information such as your name and logo.
- Middle: human-readable text such as the SSCC, the product GTIN, the quantity, the batch and dates.
- Bottom: GS1-128 barcodes carrying the same data, with the SSCC barcode at the very bottom.
Common label sizes are A6 (105 x 148 mm) and 4 x 6 inch for cartons, with A5 used when a pallet label carries more data. Your buyer may specify the exact layout. For barcode basics, see our guide to barcode label printing and GS1 standards.
Shipping export pallets every month?
Tell us your label sizes, printer models and monthly volumes. We will supply carton and pallet labels that print sharply and survive the journey, with a quote within 24 hours.
Where to place carton and pallet labels
- Cartons: place the label on a side face rather than the top, away from edges, seams and tape, so it stays visible when cartons are stacked.
- Pallets: GS1 guidance places pallet labels on at least two adjacent sides, with the barcodes positioned at a height scanners and forklift drivers can reach easily.
- Stretch wrap: apply pallet labels on top of the stretch wrap or on a label pouch, so they are not hidden or scratched.
- Consistency: use the same position on every carton so warehouse staff know where to look.
Choosing materials that survive sea freight
Containers crossing the Arabian Sea or the Indian Ocean can heat up during the day and cool at night, causing condensation inside the container. Cartons can arrive damp, and labels on them must still scan.
| Shipment | Recommended label |
|---|---|
| Air freight and short trips | Direct thermal paper is usually enough |
| Sea freight | Thermal transfer paper or synthetic labels with a wax-resin ribbon |
| Cold chain or damp warehouses | Synthetic facestock with a cold-temperature adhesive |
| Long storage or outdoor yards | Synthetic labels with a resin ribbon for the most durable print |
Direct thermal labels darken with heat and fade with light over time, which can make barcodes unreadable after a long voyage. Our thermal transfer ribbon buying guide explains how to pair ribbons and labels for each situation.
Pre-printed vs print-on-demand labels
Many exporters use a mix. Pre-printed labels carry your logo, the label frame and fixed text, printed in colour by your label supplier. Your warehouse then adds variable data such as SSCCs and weights on a thermal transfer printer. For high volumes with predictable data, variable data printing can add sequential numbers and barcodes during production, so labels arrive ready to apply.
Selling through Amazon or other marketplaces? Their inbound rules add unit and box labels of their own, covered in our guide to Amazon FBA and marketplace labels. Pharmaceutical exporters linking serialised packs to cases and pallets should also read pharma export labels and serialisation.
Retail compliance labels
Large retailers often publish their own vendor labelling manuals, specifying layout, data and placement. Non-compliant shipments can be delayed or charged back. Ask for your buyer's manual at the start of the relationship, and send a sample labelled carton for approval before the first full shipment. If your buyers are moving to RFID, read our article on Walmart's RFID mandate.
How Sai Impression supports exporters
Sai Impression supplies logistics and warehouse labels and thermal printer labels in standard and custom sizes, on paper and synthetic stocks, with pre-printed branding and variable data. We have printed labels in Chennai since 2010 for more than 1000 brands and ship to over 25 countries. Our export labelling desk supports exporters who need product, carton and pallet labels from a single supplier.
Frequently asked questions
What is an SSCC?
The Serial Shipping Container Code is an 18-digit GS1 number that uniquely identifies a logistic unit such as a carton or pallet. It is encoded in a GS1-128 barcode with the application identifier (00).
Do I need a GS1 membership to create SSCCs?
Yes. SSCCs are built from a GS1 company prefix, which you get by joining your national GS1 organisation, such as GS1 India. Your buyer may also accept SSCCs generated by your logistics provider.
What size should a pallet label be?
A6 (105 x 148 mm) and 4 x 6 inch are common for cartons and pallets, with A5 used for labels carrying more data. Always follow your buyer's specification if they provide one.
Will direct thermal labels survive a sea shipment?
Sometimes, but heat and light can fade them during long voyages. Thermal transfer labels are the safer choice for sea freight and long storage.
Where should shipping marks go on a carton?
On at least one side face, away from edges and tape, in the same position on every carton. Many buyers ask for marks on two opposite sides so they are visible however cartons are stacked.
Make every export carton easy to receive
Share your buyer's label specification and monthly volumes. We will supply labels that meet the format and survive the journey.
Sources and further reading: GS1: Serial Shipping Container Code, GS1 logistic label guideline, ISO 780 handling symbols.
