The short answer
Most retailers and marketplaces expect candles to carry the fire safety warning from ASTM F2058: the safety alert symbol (an exclamation point in a triangle), the word WARNING, and three statements in this order: "Burn within sight." "Keep away from things that catch fire." "Keep away from children." Print it in a plain sans-serif font where shoppers can see it.
A warning label protects your customers and your business, and stores often won't stock candles without one. Here's what it includes and how to design one that fits.
The warning
ASTM F2058 is the industry standard for candle fire safety labels. It describes:
- The safety alert symbol: an exclamation point inside a triangle, point up.
- The signal word: WARNING, in bold capitals, right after the symbol.
- The statements, in order: Burn within sight. Keep away from things that catch fire. Keep away from children.
You can stack the statements or run them as a short paragraph. There's also a version with three small pictograms, one for each statement.
Type sizes
- Statements: at least 1.3 mm (0.05 in.) capital height on small panels, 1.5 mm (0.06 in.) on panels of about 9.3 sq in. or more. In most fonts that's about 5-6 pt type, so 7 pt gives a safe margin.
- Symbol and WARNING: at least 1.5 mm (0.06 in.), larger on bigger panels.
- Font: a legible sans-serif, upper and lower case, with strong contrast (black on white is safest).
Where it goes
- On the candle or its packaging, where shoppers can see it before they buy, and not covered by a lid or sleeve.
- On the bottom only if the top or side says "See bottom panel for safety information".
A small separate label on the side or bottom keeps the warning off your front design.
Burning instructions (optional)
Many makers add care tips after the warning, such as: trim the wick to 1/4 in. before each burn, burn no more than 4 hours at a time, and stop burning when 1/2 in. of wax remains.
Designing it in Canva
- Open the template for your warning label size.
- Add the alert symbol: search warning triangle in Elements (with the Free filter on), or use a triangle shape with a bold "!" on top.
- Add WARNING in bold, then the three statements in a plain sans-serif such as Open Sans or Lato.
- Check the size: select the text and keep it at 7 pt or more to be safe.
- Copy it to every label, delete the outline layer and download as a PDF with the Print preset.
Label sizes that fit
- 2 x 2 in. square labels: the warning plus burning tips, for the side or bottom of most candle jars and tins.
- 1.25 x 1.25 in. square labels: the short warning only, for small tins and votives.
- 3 x 3 in. square labels: a front label for the candle itself.
Use waterproof vinyl or recycled white for the warning, so it stays readable. For the rest of your candle label, see what to put on a product label.
This is general guidance for small businesses, not legal advice. ASTM F2058 is published by ASTM International, and the National Candle Association has more on candle safety labeling.
Still stuck? Email customerservice@dashleigh.com with your template number and a screenshot, and we will help.
