Key takeaways
- Product tags can act as labels if your theme supports displaying them on product pages.
- Metafields offer cleaner, structured label data that can be displayed via Theme Editor dynamic sources.
- For custom-positioned, styled labels (e.g., “Vegan”, “Handmade” with icons), use Fudge.
- Labels add trust at a glance, and the same metafields can power collection filters.
To add custom labels to Shopify product pages, tag the product if your theme shows tags, or create a product metafield for the labels and connect it to a block in the Theme Editor. Styled labels with icons need a code change. Labels such as “Vegan”, “Handmade”, “Ships Today” or “Limited Run” give buyers context at a glance.
Why you can trust us
We’ve worked with hundreds of Shopify merchants on product pages and conversion elements. We also built Fudge, the AI operator for Shopify stores, with a 4.9 rating on the Shopify App Store.
Method 1 - Product tags as labels
The simplest method. Add a tag to a product and Shopify (or your theme) can display it visually.
Step 1. Open the product in the admin.
Step 2. Find the Tags field in the right sidebar.
Step 3. Add your label tag (e.g., “vegan”, “handmade”, “limited”).
Step 4. Save.
Step 5. View the product page. Check whether your theme displays tags anywhere visible.
Some themes display tags as pills or labels; Dawn and most free themes don’t, so check before relying on tags. If yours does, tagging is all you need.
Limitation: The appearance is controlled entirely by the theme. You can’t easily control position, colour, or whether an icon appears next to the label text.
To show a label only for certain tags, see Add Custom Liquid Logic in Shopify.
Where do product tags appear in Shopify?
Tags appear in a few places depending on your theme:
- On the product page, usually below the title or below the description
- On collection grid cards, often overlaid on the product image
- In search results and filtering sidebars
To check: add a tag, save, and visit the product page and a collection that includes the product. Look for the tag appearing anywhere. If it does, note the position - that’s what your theme renders natively.
Method 2 - Product metafields for structured labels
For labels that need to be consistent and structured across many products, metafields are the better choice.
Step 1. Go to Settings > Custom data > Products > Add definition.
Step 2. Create a definition for each label type, or use a single “Labels” field that accepts a list of values.
For example:
- Name: “Product attributes”
- Type: List of single-line text
- Values: “Vegan”, “Handmade”, “Organic”
Step 3. Open each product, scroll to the metafield section, and select the applicable labels.
Step 4. In the Theme Editor, add a block to the product page and connect it to this metafield via the dynamic source option.
This gives you structured data that can be displayed in a consistent format across your whole catalogue.
For metafield setup in more detail, see Add Metafields to Shopify Products.
Method 3 - Custom styled labels with Fudge
If you need labels in a specific position, with icons, or with a custom visual style that your theme doesn’t support natively, Fudge, the AI operator for Shopify stores, can build this in your theme.
Example prompts:
-
“Add small pill-shaped labels below the product title for any attributes in the product metafield ‘attributes’. Style them with a light green background and a small leaf icon for ‘Vegan’, and a dark grey background for ‘Limited’.”
-
“Show ‘Handmade in the UK’ as a text label with a small flag icon, positioned below the price on the product page, for products tagged ‘handmade-uk’.”
Fudge generates the Liquid code as a draft in its store editor. You review it and publish when it’s right.
Good label examples for different store types
Beauty and skincare: Vegan, Cruelty-Free, Fragrance-Free, Dermatologist Tested, Paraben-Free
Food and supplements: Organic, Gluten-Free, Non-GMO, Keto-Friendly, Dairy-Free
Apparel: Handmade, Fair Trade, Recycled Materials, Limited Run, Pre-Order
Home goods: Made in USA, Sustainable, 1% For the Planet, B-Corp
Labels vs. badges - what’s the difference?
Functionally similar. The distinction is visual:
- Badges are overlaid on product images - small, high-contrast, positioned in a corner.
- Labels appear below titles or prices as text or pill elements - less aggressive, more informational.
Both signal product attributes. Use badges for urgency or status signals. Use labels for factual product attributes.
FAQ
Should I use tags or metafields for product labels?
Metafields if labels are structured and consistent across many products (Vegan, Organic, Made in UK). Tags if labels are loose, ad-hoc, or used by your theme's existing badge system. Tags are simpler to add but harder to query later; metafields are more setup but cleaner for large catalogues.
Can I have icons next to my product labels?
Not natively in the Theme Editor's tag display - icons require code. Either embed an SVG icon in your theme's product card Liquid based on the metafield value, or use a tool like Fudge to generate the section with icons. Apps like Smart Product Filter and Search also include icon-label support.
Why aren't my product tags showing on the product page?
Many themes, including Dawn, don't show tags on the product page. Check the product section settings for a "Show tags" option; if there isn't one, you need a code change.
How many labels should I show per product?
Three to five maximum. More than five becomes visual noise and dilutes the signal. Pick the labels that genuinely differentiate the product or address common buyer concerns - "Vegan, Cruelty-Free, Fragrance-Free" beats a row of 12 small icons.
Can custom labels affect SEO?
Indirectly. Labels themselves don't directly help rankings, but they can support it: structured metafields can populate JSON-LD product schema (additionalProperty, material), making your product visible for richer Google product results. Don't expect tag-based labels to help SEO; metafield-based ones can.
