So You Think Your Product Is Finished

You’ve imagined, designed, and created this awesome product that’s now in your hands and you can’t wait to get it into your customers’ hands.  But there is one finishing detail that is as important as the product itself and shouldn’t be overlooked. The LABEL!!!  That’s right. Your personalized Clothing Label.  You’ve taken the time to design something excellent, so you need to let your customer know some keys things.

How they can get more of your precious garment or product

What the garment or product are made of

How to properly care for your garment or product

That’s where your clothing label comes in. It’s also one of the key components to branding and advertising your clothing line.

In this series, we’ll be discussing the clothing and product label types, discovering which type is best for your clothing or item, keys to designing your label, and learning how to choose the best label manufacturing company for your business.  We’ll also talk about how clothing labels can be used. So let’s start with the basics and discuss clothing label types.

Product Label Types

There are 2 types of apparel labels that you will commonly see sewn into garments-Woven and Printed labels.

Custom Woven Labels

Woven clothing labels are made on a loom, then cut and sealed so the threads won’t fray.  They come in four basic fabrics: (Damask, Semi-Damask, Taffeta, and Satin. In a variety of styles as well,

Custom Printed Labels

Printed labels can be cost-effective and an alternative to woven labels. A printed Fashion label, the information is printed on the label instead of being woven into the label.  There are several advantages and disadvantages to this type of label, which we’ll talk about in the next article. Printed labels commonly come in Satin and Cotton printed labels.

But wait…there’s more. There are many alternatives to woven and printed labels which will help set your brand apart from the rest.

Embroidered

Embroidered labels should not be confused with woven ones. This text or standard design is embroidered on a piece of fabric and is typically cheaper in price and quality ……This style is used more often to make embroidered patches.

Leather

Leather labels are made with either Real or Faux (synthetic leather). Generally, on a leather label your logo or design is Embossed or Debossed.

Rubber, Silicone, or PVC

Rubber or PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) are soft to the touch and feel rubbery. Silicone and PVC labels are both done with a Mold. These are very durable and a unique branding option. 

Heat Transfer or Tag less labels 

Heat transfer labels use a strong adhesive and are attached to the garment using a heat press. The traditional sewn-in tag near the back of the neck has been replaced with a screen printed tag on the inside near the same location.

Hang Tags

Hang tags are cut off before people use the garment. Most commonly purchased Hang Tag are paper , however there are a variety of  printed options!

Hang tags can be cut to various shapes and sizes.

There are a lot of options to choose from, but that’s what makes this such an important, but fun, decision.  The Hang Tags can be a very big part of the branding and advertising process.

Now that you are informed on the types of clothing labels, let’s take a look at picking the best one that best describes and represents your garment, products or line

Not Just A Clothing Label

Your labels are designed and you know which company will be producing label. Did you know labels aren’t just for attaching to clothing with instructions on how to care for the garment or product? Labels can be used for so much more.

Branding has many definitions:  It basically boils down to making your company name recognizable and memorable to your target market.

Hang tags can be used as business cards.  Because of their flexibility, you can include the same information on a hang tag that you would include on a business card.  The benefit to this is you can do more in design and shape than what you could do with a standard business card. Plus the hang tag attaches to each product sold, so you can ensure that current customers have your contact information and something to remember you by.

Rubber, PVC, or Silicone labels can also be used as another form of hang tag.  They are more durable than a traditional cardstock tag and will look more “expensive” thus increasing the perceived value of the item.  Rubber labels can be used as a keychain which will seem like a freebie received with purchase.  They also make great zipper pulls.  This would be a constant reminder of your company and brand every time the customer wears or uses the product.

A QR code can also be printed on a label or a hang tag.  This will be a fun feature for current or potential customers.  They can just scan the codes with their phones and instantly learn more about your company and its products.

Consider attaching a woven label to the outside of the garment. This helps with brand recognition and also serves as free advertising for your company.  Leather labels are great for this too.

Labels can be used outside of business purposes as well.  Labels can be ordered with someone’s name on them.  Maybe your child is going off to school or summer camp.  You can create labels with the child’s name on it and attach them to their belongings, so that you can make sure everything comes home safe and sound. 

Organizations can have labels made with Bible scriptures to attach to handmade items such as blankets or quilts to be given away. Or a cute poem on a label can be attached to a wedding favor. Hang tags or rubber labels are great for this purpose if the label can’t be sewn on to the item.

There you have it.  We’ve talked about label types and finding which type is suitable for you, we explored label design, discussed how to choose a label manufacturing company, and thought of other ways we can use labels to help with branding or for personal use.  With that, you should now be ready to take your products to market and get them from your hands to your customers’.

Choosing the Best Label Type For Your Products

We talked about clothing label types in our last article. They included Woven, Printed, Embroidered, Leather, Rubber/ PVC, Heat transfer, and Hang tags. So with all of these choices, let’s look at how to make it easier to choose which one would be best for your garments or products.  While reading and choosing your label type, keep in mind the following key points: you must consider your item’s level of quality, design, fabric or material, how the label will be attached to your product, and, of course, your budget.

Woven Labels

Woven labels are made as one, seamless piece on a loom.  Woven labels are high quality, durable labels which can be used on most any item.  They are especially suitable for everyday or higher quality products as the finished label looks very professional. The fabric options used for woven labels are typically damask, semi-damask, taffeta, and satin.

• Damask - This is a High Density material label. Ours is 80 den
  For a good finish, smoothness, and high quality this label is Highly Recommended.
• Semi-Damask - This is also good quality label, but a bit thinner than Damask
• Satin - This label has a shiny finish, the weave is not as tight and details are not clear legibility as the Damask.
• Taffeta - This label has a Flat Finish. This is of lower quality compared to the woven.

Printed Labels

If you recall, printed labels have the information printed directly onto the label. These labels can be thermally or digitally printed on cotton or satin. There are also TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) clothing labels which are a transparent, soft plastic feel. These have a unique look and feel and are widely used for swimwear throughout the industry.

However, because it is simply printed onto the material, the information will not be as durable as a custom woven and may fade with regular use.  TPU labels will provide a little more durability than a satin printed label. If your garment or product is “made to last” then you want a label that will last just as long and printed labels are not recommended as the best option.   

Printed garment labels are usually used with “fast fashion”

Embroidered

Embroidered labels are not commonly used on fashion items.

You find these being offered on the web site as a  cheaper label options mostly for Grandma’s that are doing items for the family and don’t require high quality woven labels.

Embroidery is what is used for making patches.

Choosing the Best Label Manufacturing Company

Your label is designed!  It has your care instructions, website is prominently displayed and you’re ready to advertise your company and product or garment. You’re smiling at it right now, aren’t you?  You are eager to show the fashion world your talent. So now that you have your label design in front of you, the next step is who are you going to entrust to bring your label to life and provide quality work and service?  Can you trust anyone??? Of course NOT!!!

Choosing a label manufacturing company is as important as designing your label. This decision can make or break you and cause extreme injustice to your label. This is a commonly made mistake especial for those first starting out. Many people make the mistake of choosing a company simply because they are the least expensive. That could be a costly mistake. Some companies produce a low quality product which does not meet your design standards, specifications, or the level of quality of your items worst doesn’t bring out the best in your label. 

Some choose a company just based on how pretty their website is.

What about hidden cost?

Set up fee?

Do they offer Low and Competitive pricing?

Free quotes

Cost of shipping?

 Do they have High Minimum?

 Do they send proofs for free?

What is the Turnaround Time?

In the end, all of this adds up and will cost you more time and more money.

I strongly suggest choosing a reputable company whose work has been recommended by a colleague.  If you don’t know of anyone in your field personally, you can always look online and ask in trade-related forums. If you have no luck there, look at the label manufacturing company’s portfolio and testimonials. Better yet, ask the company to send you samples of their work.  Most reputable companies will send samples for free. It’s always best to see their work first hand. After you have their samples in your hands, and you are comfortable the manufacture will produce a quality label for you, look at other factors and benefits that the company offers.  It’s best to choose a company with quality customer service. This will save you a lot of headache during the production process.  It’s good to know that you can speak to someone who can understand and meet your needs, answer your questions, and do so in a timely manner. You may also want to consider the company’s turnaround time. You have your label design ready so you want to have the labels in your hands as fast as possible so they can be attached to your garment or product and ready for sale.   

You want to make sure the label manufacturing company can offer you quality product at a price you can afford.  Keep that in mind while you’re choosing which one is best for you.

Now that you have your label designed and you know which company you should choose, let’s explore other ways labels can be used.

What Should I Include On My Label

So we’ve looked at label types and chosen which would be best suited for your garment or product line.  Now you’re probably wondering what should actually be on the label.  Let’s consider some key points

There are elements that need to be included, and then there are some which you want to include if space allows.

Company Information

Prominently displayed on your label should be your company name and logo. This is an important element of branding and advertising your company.  If your customer remembers nothing else about the label, you want them to remember the company name and logo. This way they can recognize other items made by your company and buy those as well.  It would also be beneficial to include your company slogan or tagline for better brand recognition.

It’s also a great idea to include the company location (city, state). This is especially important to customers who like to buy locally. For this same reason, it would be fun to add an interesting fact about your company. Let people know what sets your business apart from the rest. Or tell them something that will help them “connect” with your company or product.

You also want to let them know how to contact you. They may need to contact you in case there is a problem with the product or to rave about how wonderful it is. Of course, they also need to know how to buy more.  So make sure to include your company’s website.  This is a key factor especially if your garment or product is only sold online.

Care instructions

At least one method of care should be included with your product. This allows the customer to get the most use of the item and extends its life and quality. The care instructions can be included on the clothing label or attached as a separate label. The care instructions can be listed in words or as universal symbols.

The care label can also include fiber content and fabric information, also were the garment or product is made, and the size. Alternatively, separate size labels can be purchased and attached to the garment.

Color and Style

The color of the garment label and thread or ink used for printing the label should be contrasting to one another yet complementary to your company’s logo.

The fabric of the label should also be chosen carefully as that enhances the overall design as well.  Some labels such as Rubber, PVC, or Hang Tags can be cut in a variety of sizes and shapes.  Some woven fashion labels are more rectangular in shape and are folded and attached to the garment on each end or all around.  If you choose a centerfold, you can put the care instructions on the back which will allow more information or a bigger logo on the front.

If you have all of this ready but just aren’t quite sure how to place them on your label effectively, then you might want to seek professional assistance from a graphic designer.

So now you have this beautifully designed label with all the elements you need, and you want to know what company you should choose to produce this product for you. Let’s look at that nex

I am so Happy with the way they turned out.. Awesome! You guys Rock....
Kenya 12/13

I am IN LOVE with them!!! Hopefully I will need to order more in soon!!!
12/13

OMG I love them.  I completely  forgot to email you that I received.  So sorry.  They are wonderful.  ThNks so much!!!
Christina 12/13

They look amazing as well. I am very pleased with the service.
Gregory 12/13

Love my labels and can't believe they arrived before Christmas!  Thanks again for your input, they definitely benefitted from your suggestions. 
Robin 12/13

as always the labels looks fantastic! No one can match the  quality work your company do, period. Excellent customer service  fast delivery and beautiful labels, customer for life!
12/13

 I just wanted to say how amazing the labels are!!! Your company will be the only one we ever use! It was a pleasure. 
Melvin 12/13

I just wanted to let you know that I have received my clothing tags. I was really impressed with all of them. Gregory 12/13

Thank you so much.  They look fine.
12/13

I received the labels, and they look great!  Thanks so much for your help. Amy 12/13

leather labels
Lisa Rosenberg was great and straight professional even when I was really frustrating to deal with. We will definitely be in touch to do business in the
near future
Martin 12/13

transfers, hang tags 
I used this company for 2 projects; 1 was for a client that gave us plenty of lead time, and 1 for a client 
that needed it yesterday. The response for both projects was 
excellent, but in the case of the emergency project where every 
day was crucial, with a possible loss of the client on the line, 
they understood what needed to be done every step of the way. The company provided us with options outside of the 
mainstream that allowed us to deliver to our client a perfect
product, and on time. I absolutely positively will use Labels4us 
again-they are an excellent, and well-run company, and I would recommend them to others both in and outside of my industry. 
Julie 12/13

Thank you -- they are 
perfect, as always! Susan
12/13

I have received my custom Labels.. They look Great.. 
Thank You & we will be doing more bissness real soon.
12/13

iron on
The labels were delivered Friday.  Thank you so much! They look great. 
12/13