Envelopes & Labels

You will need to make a few decisions about envelopes, labels, and containers. This guide will help you get started and provide inspiration of where you might want to take your seed library. At the bottom there is a platform check out our Community Resources with examples of labels from the community. We hope you share your inspiration with the community too!

Pre-pack, Self-serve Envelopes, or Jars?

Questions ​to consider 🤔

• How much time do you have to dedicate to packing?
• Do you have a limited number of seeds and want to create the maximum number of seeds?
• If you want to pre-pack, what is your purpose? Controlling quantities, ensuring proper labeling, and/or building community
• Is your seed library vulnerable to moisture or rodents?

Pre-Packed	Self-Serve Envelopes	Jars
control the quantity of seeds taken  packing parties can build community critical info included on all packets takes more volunteer/staff time	easier to manage people may take more seeds so supplies go quicker people may not write quality info on packet	easier to manage reduces risk of rodent damage easy to restock people may take more seeds so supplies go quicker people may not write quality info on packet → can include pre-printed labels in jars

Label! Label! Label!

Regardless of the size of your seed library, labeling is an essential part. ​​

Minimum	Useful 👍🏽	Level Up! ✨​
Common name Variety Name  Year harvested	How long it takes to grow Uses (ex. soup, dry, or shelling bean) Growth habit (ex. bush /pole or determinate/ indeterminate)  Description  Planting instructions Scientific name Logo Website	Seed saving info. (Level of difficulty to save: how to's) QR codes Stories, recipes Germination rate

Labels for Envelopes

Cranford Public Library Native Seed Library, Cranford, NJ, USA includes an image, number of seeds, scientific name. height of plant, specifics of germination (ex. cold stratify), soil conditions, sunlight conditions, seed saving info., and a link to a native plant site.

Red de Semillas de Aragón, España (Spain) includes grower, description, transplanting time, planting instructions, harvest time and viability date as well as the number of seeds in the packet and a QR code and website for more information.

Xa Kako Dile Seed Library, Mendocino County, CA, USA has a photo clearly identifying that the seeds come from diverse parentage.

La Grainothèque de La Petite-Patrie, Montréal, Québec, Canada Includes a calendar of months where you can mark when to plant and harvest seeds.

Native wildflower label shared by McKinley Seed Library, Sacramento, CA, USA.

Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library, Richmond, CA, USA highlights a local story by linking to an interview using a QR code.

Visual planting instructions from Greenville County Seed Library, Greenville, SC, USA.

Self-inking stamps are used to highlight information on envelopes - Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library, Richmond, CA, USA

Bibliothèque universitaire de l’Université Claude Bernard Lyon, France has origami envelopes.

Dare County Library Seed Library, Kill Devil Hills, NC, USA includes germinations rates, expiration dates, planting instructions, origin (“local”), # of seeds per packet, and help line.

Richmond Grows uses the Auto Seed Wrapper (link below to download spreadsheet) and marks adaptation seeds with "Diverse Mix" stamp.

Click to download "Diverse Mix" stamp design. 

For more examples or to add you our, click on the Community Tips and Resources button at the bottom of the page. 

Watch our Skillshare - Envelopes & Labeling on YouTube. Be sure to subscribe to the Seed Library Network channel and give the video a thumbs up 👍🏾 or comment 💚 to help others find the content. 

Here are some resources from the class: slideshow presentation, Seed Viability Chart, Suggested Seed Quantities & Tracker, Example of using Canva for label making, and Example of a Seed Tracker.

Auto Seed Wrapper - It's a Game Changer!

Tired of making envelope labels? 🥱 Level up with the Auto Seed Wrapper! 🤩 

Auto Seed Wrapper  Includes common name, variety, scientific name, grower information, year grown, plant description, planting info., seed saving info., and space for a photo/URL/QR code.. Available to print on 8.5x11, A4, and smaller sizes as well. (If you are inspired and make a new version, please share with us at [email protected].) Here is a video explaining how to use the Auto Seed Wrapper. If you want to add or fix a dropdown menu from the Auto Seed Wrapper, here is a support video. ​

Click the button to make a copy of the Auto Seed Wrapper for your seed library. Note, you will be prompted to make a copy.

Enter the data on a line and it will populate a printable sheet with multiple labels. There are several size labels to chose from.

You can change the year and use year after year or make a copy to keep an archive of what you shared each year.

This smaller version focuses on the plant description.

This version focuses on planting instructions.

Big shout out Braedon Richlen of New Leaf Foods, Inc. and other partners of the Brown County Seed Library in Green Bay, WI, USA. for designing and sharing Auto Wrapper.  (Video interview with Braedon.) Additional thanks to Nancy Bogliolo from the Seed Library Network for adding in extra fields such as the variety and plant descriptions and to Julia Dakin of Going to Seed with her assistance on the seed saving dropdown menu.

Labels for Jars

Adhesive labels are used to mark jars at the Community Seed Exchange, Sebastopol, CA, USA. They have a 100% local seed collection!

Paper labels taped to jar and to lid. Additional labels inside the jar to ensure that people have all of the necessary information. Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library, Richmond, CA, USA

Community Created Resources

​Click on the "Community Tips & Resources" Airtable form to see Envelopes and Labels from other seed libraries and read tips about getting started.

Do you have envelopes and labels that you would like to share with the community? Click on the Airtable form below to share your resources or any tips you have?