Certification mark or generic icon?

A short guide to choosing the right artwork before your label goes to review.

Start with the product’s records

If a brief says “add a vegan logo,” ask which certification the product actually holds. A decorative leaf and a programme’s registered mark communicate different things. Find the issuer first, then the file.

Match the programme, not just the shape

The Vegan Trademark, V-Label and Certified Vegan have separate approval routes. A similar colour or letter does not make their artwork interchangeable.

A public file is not a product approval

USDA provides public vector downloads with usage conditions. V-Label provides media files while requiring a licence for product use. Keep file access and permission to use it as separate checks.

Keep the complete mark together

Descriptors, licence information and accompanying claims can be part of the approved layout. Avoid copying only the recognisable symbol from a larger label. FSC, OU and Fairtrade each illustrate why variants matter.

Give the reviewer the source

Include the issuer’s resource link, the chosen variant and the product’s approval reference with your artwork brief. A saved collection from this library can keep the resource links together.