Why 3D print your labels?
Vinyl labels peel. Paper labels fade. Tape labels look like an afterthought. A 3D printed label is a solid piece of plastic that stays put, looks clean, and lasts for years — even outdoors.
Beyond durability, 3D printed labels give you full control over the size, shape, font, and style. Need a 140mm garden stake that says "Cherry Tomatoes" in a font that's actually readable from across the yard? Done. Need 50 matching pantry labels with identical text sizing? Batch mode handles that in one click.
If you own a 3D printer, you already have everything you need. FontStamp generates the STL files — you just print them.
How FontStamp works
FontStamp runs entirely in your browser. There's no account to create, nothing to install, and no files uploaded to any server. You configure your label, preview it in real-time 3D, and download an STL file ready for your slicer.
- Pick a shape. Rectangle for general-purpose labels and tags. Circle for buttons, ornaments, or round container lids. Stake for garden markers and plant tags with a pointed end.
- Set your dimensions. Width, height, thickness, and corner radius are all adjustable with sliders and precise number inputs. For circles, you set the diameter. For stakes, the point length.
- Add your text. Type your label text, pick a font from 20+ options, and adjust the size and padding. The text automatically scales to fit within the label boundaries — it won't overflow.
- Choose a text mode. Raised text sits above the plate. Flat text is flush for multi-color printing. Engraved text is carved into the surface. Each mode produces a different look and requires a slightly different printing approach. More on this below.
- Download the STL. Hit the download button to get your file. If you're making multiple labels, turn on batch mode, enter comma-separated text, and download a ZIP file with one STL per label — all uniformly sized.
Use cases & ideas
3D printed labels work anywhere you need durable, readable identification. Here are some of the most popular projects people make with FontStamp:
Organize your pantry, garage, craft room, or workshop. Rectangle labels with raised text attach cleanly with double-sided tape or command strips. Batch mode lets you generate dozens of matching labels at once.
Personalized Christmas ornaments, gift labels, or holiday decorations. Circle shapes with a top-mounted hole are ready for a ribbon. Multi-color printing in flat mode adds a special touch.
Circle or rectangle shape, add a hanging hole, and print. Names, room numbers, pet IDs — anything you'd want on a keyring. The hole diameter is adjustable to fit standard key rings or carabiner clips.
Rectangles with a hanging hole, printed in a bright color. Engraved text won't rub off like printed labels. Size it to fit a standard luggage strap loop.
Desk nameplates, trophy labels, equipment tags, shelf markers. Raised text in a serif font like Playfair Display or Lora gives a classic engraved-plaque look. Scale up to 200mm wide for larger plaques.
Circle shape with a hanging hole for the collar ring. Print the pet's name on one side. Small, lightweight, and trivial to replace if lost — unlike engraved metal tags that cost $10+ each.
The stake shape is built for this. The pointed end pushes straight into soil. Left-aligned text stays readable above the dirt line. Print in PETG or ASA for weather resistance.
Tiny rectangle labels for patch panels, server racks, breaker boxes, or audio equipment. Print at the minimum size with a clean monospace font like Source Code Pro.
Text modes explained
FontStamp offers three text modes, each producing a different physical result. Your choice depends on what look you want and what your printer can do.
This is the default and most versatile mode. The text sits on top of the base plate as a separate 3D element, like letters stamped onto a surface. The text height is adjustable from 0.3mm to 5mm.
Multi-color option: There are two ways to print raised text in a different color than the base:
Option 1 — Manual filament swap. Pause the print after the base plate is complete (at the Z height where text begins) and physically swap to a new filament. Most slicers support pause-at-layer or filament change G-code commands. In Cura, add a "Filament Change" post-processing script. In PrusaSlicer, right-click the layer bar and select "Add color change." This method works on any single-extruder printer and uses no extra filament beyond the color swap.
Option 2 — Automatic multi-filament (AMS). If you have a multi-filament printer like a Bambu Lab with the AMS (Automatic Material System), you can assign different filament colors to specific height ranges directly in Bambu Studio. Open your STL, go to the layer slider on the right side of the preview, right-click at the Z height where the text starts, and add a filament change. Select which AMS slot to switch to — the printer handles the swap automatically during the print, no manual intervention needed. This produces cleaner results than a manual swap since there's no pause where the nozzle could ooze or leave a mark.
Best for: General-purpose labels, nameplates, any project where you want visible depth and a tactile feel. Works on every FDM printer with no special features required.
Flat mode produces text that sits at the same height as the plate surface. There's no visible bump — the text and plate form a smooth, flat top.
Multi-color workflow: Open the STL in your slicer. The plate and text can each be assigned a different filament color. You can also use your slicer's paint-on color tool to manually assign colors to the text and background areas.
Best for: Multi-color labels where you want a perfectly smooth surface. Ideal for labels on flat surfaces, professional-looking nameplates, and anywhere a raised bump would be undesirable. Requires a multi-color capable printer or a slicer with paint-on color support.
Engraved mode cuts the letter shapes into the plate, creating recessed channels. The text depth controls how deep the letters are carved — from a subtle surface etch to nearly the full plate thickness.
Multi-color option: Print the base plate in one color, then pause and swap filament before the top layer prints. The recessed letter channels will show the first color while the surrounding plate shows the second. This creates an inlaid two-tone effect.
Best for: Durable outdoor labels (engraved text can't be knocked off), luggage tags, equipment labels, and projects where a classic carved look is desired. The recessed text also collects less dust than raised text on workshop labels.
Which mode should I use?
| Feature | Raised | Flat | Engraved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text visibility | High — tactile and visual | Medium — color contrast only | High — shadow creates contrast |
| Surface feel | Bumpy, textured | Completely smooth | Recessed grooves |
| Durability | Good — text can snag on things | Excellent — nothing to catch | Excellent — text is protected |
| Multi-color method | Filament swap at layer | Slicer paint tool or multi-body | Filament swap at layer |
| Printer requirements | Any FDM printer | Multi-color or paint-on slicer | Any FDM printer |
| Best for | General labels, keychains | Sleek nameplates, pro look | Outdoor, luggage, equipment |
If you're unsure, start with Raised. It works on any printer, looks great in single-color prints, and the tactile text makes labels easy to read even in dim lighting.
Best fonts for labels
Font choice matters more on a 3D printed label than on a screen. Fine details can get lost at small sizes, and some fonts produce geometry that's harder for printers to reproduce cleanly. Here are some proven picks:
Printing labels in bulk
If you're labeling an entire pantry, a wall of storage bins, or a full garden bed, you don't need to make labels one at a time. FontStamp's batch mode generates up to 100 labels in a single download.
- Turn on batch mode. Flip the toggle below the text input. The single-line text field becomes a textarea where you enter comma-separated labels.
- Enter your labels. Type them separated by commas: Kitchen, Bathroom, Garage, Office, Bedroom. FontStamp parses and counts them in real time.
- Check the summary. Below the textarea you'll see how many labels were detected, the effective text size, and which label is the "widest" — the one that constrains the sizing for the whole batch. This ensures every label in the set has identical text sizing regardless of word length.
- Download the ZIP. Click download and FontStamp generates one STL per label, packages them into a ZIP file, and downloads it. A progress bar shows generation status. Duplicate label names get automatic suffixes (kitchen.stl, kitchen_2.stl).
The 3D preview shows the widest entry so you can verify the "worst case" label looks correct before downloading the entire batch.
Printing tips & settings
Materials
PLA is the easiest choice for indoor labels. It prints cleanly, comes in tons of colors, and holds fine detail. For outdoor use (garden stakes, exterior signs), switch to PETG or ASA — PLA softens in direct sunlight and degrades over time when exposed to weather. ABS is another solid outdoor option, especially if you plan to glue the label to another ABS surface — ABS cement creates a chemical bond that's stronger than any adhesive tape.
Layer height
Use 0.2mm layer height for most labels. If you're printing very small text (under 6mm), drop to 0.12mm for sharper letter edges. For flat mode, 0.3mm layer height works best.
Orientation
FontStamp exports STL files flat on the XY plane with Z-up, which is exactly how your slicer expects them. Don't rotate the label in your slicer — print it flat on the bed for the best surface quality on the top face where the text lives.
Adhesion
Labels are thin and wide, which means they can warp if bed adhesion isn't good. A brim helps on larger labels (80mm+). For small labels, a clean bed with proper first-layer squish is usually enough.
Attaching labels
For bins, drawers, and shelves: 3M VHB double-sided tape is the gold standard. It's strong enough to hold permanently but removes cleanly. For garden stakes, just push the pointed end into soil. For keychains and tags, thread a key ring or ribbon through the hanging hole.