PublicProof AcademyWorking document
Reviewed Sep 9, 2026
Product Label and Batch Record
For anyone selling something they made. Classify it, label it correctly, and be able to trace any unit back to the day it was made.
The label is part of the product, and which rules apply depends entirely on what the product is classified as. Get section 1 right and the rest follows. Get it wrong and you can be non-compliant on a product that is otherwise perfect.
1. Classify the product first
| Product name | [] |
|---|---|
| What it is | [food / cosmetic / soap / candle / textile or apparel / toy or children’s product / jewelry / supplement / other] |
| Who it is for | [general / children 12 and under / other] |
| Any claim made about what it does | [A claim can change the category. Saying a soap moisturises makes it a cosmetic.] |
| Sold where | [in person / online / wholesale / across state lines] |
If it is for children 12 and under, third-party testing and a Children's Product Certificate apply. That is a real cost. Confirm before you scale.
2. What must be on the label
Tick what applies to your classification and write the exact wording you will print.
| Use | Element | Exact wording on your label |
|---|---|---|
| [] | Product identity or common name | [] |
| [] | Net quantity, weight or count | [] |
| [] | Ingredients, in descending order | [] |
| [] | Allergen statement | [] |
| [] | Name and address of who made or distributes it | [] |
| [] | Fiber content, for textiles | [] |
| [] | Care instructions, permanent label, for apparel | [] |
| [] | Country of origin | [] |
| [] | Warnings or cautions | [] |
| [] | Lot or batch code | [] |
| [] | Best before or use by | [] |
| [] | Any statement your state requires | [] |
3. Allergen matrix, if it is food or skin contact
| Ingredient | Allergen present | Shares equipment with |
|---|---|---|
| [] | [] | [] |
| [] | [] | [] |
| [] | [] | [] |
| [] | [] | [] |
Cross-contact matters as much as ingredients. If it shares a bowl, it shares the allergen.
4. Batch record
One row per batch. This is what lets you recall a single lot instead of everything you ever sold.
| Batch code | Date made | Qty | Ingredients and lot numbers used | Made by | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [] | [] | [] | [] | [] | [] |
| [] | [] | [] | [] | [] | [] |
| [] | [] | [] | [] | [] | [] |
| [] | [] | [] | [] | [] | [] |
5. Suppliers
| Ingredient or material | Supplier | Their lot number | Received |
|---|---|---|---|
| [] | [] | [] | [] |
| [] | [] | [] | [] |
| [] | [] | [] | [] |
6. If you ever have to pull a batch
- Identify the batch code and every unit that went out under it.
- Stop selling it, everywhere, including the marketplace listings.
- Contact buyers you can identify, plainly, with what to do.
- Write it up on an incident report and keep the record.
- Find the cause before you make that product again.
Before you use this: This is a working starting point, not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Read every line, replace every bracketed field, delete what does not apply to you, and have anything you are unsure about reviewed by a qualified professional in your state before you sign it or send it to a customer.