The Four Labels on Every Garment

A finished garment usually carries four separate pieces of branding, and they are ordered from three different suppliers. Treating them as one item is the most common reason a first order slips:

Item Where it goes What it carries Typical minimum
Main label Inside back neck Brand name, size 500–1,000 pcs
Size label Side seam or neck Size and, in some markets, country of origin Same order as the main label
Care label Inside side seam Fibre content, wash and care instructions Same order as the main label
Hangtag Attached to the garment Brand story, price, barcode 500–1,000 pcs

Every one of these has its own minimum and its own lead time, and none of them is produced in the same place as the garment. That is why labels have to be approved before bulk starts, not alongside it.

Woven or Printed: Which Label to Choose

Woven is not automatically better. The two techniques fail in different places, and the right choice depends on how much detail your logo carries:

Type How it is made Best for Watch out for
Woven (damask) Jacquard loom, threads form the letters Premium feel, long life, simple logos Small text and fine gradients drop out
Printed Printed onto polyester or nylon tape Fine text, multi-colour, small runs Less soft against the skin, can fade
Heat transfer Printed then pressed onto the garment Sportswear, no-sew necklines Can peel after repeated washing
Test the logo at actual size. A logo that reads well on a screen often turns to mush at 30 mm. Ask for a physical sample of the label before the bulk order, not a PDF proof.

What You Must Specify

Label quotes go wrong because the brief is incomplete, not because the price is wrong. Six items should be settled in writing:

  • Size and fold — straight cut, centre fold, end fold or loop fold. The fold decides how the label sits at the neck.
  • Colours — background plus thread or ink colours, referenced to Pantone, not described in words.
  • Content — brand name, size system, fibre percentages, wash symbols, country of origin.
  • Placement and sewing method — neck, side seam or hem, and whether it is sewn in or applied.
  • Destination market — this decides which care wording and symbols are acceptable.
  • Quantity per size — main labels and size labels are usually ordered in the same size breakdown as the garment.

Care Labels and Compliance

Most destination markets require fibre content on a permanently attached label, and many also require care instructions. The wording and the symbols are not universal — the US, the EU and the UK each accept a different set. We produce to the text you approve and flag a specification that looks incomplete, but the compliance decision is yours, because it depends on where you sell.

  • Fibre content — the percentages must match the tested composition, not the nominal one. A 95/5 blend that tests at 94/6 has to be labelled 94/6.
  • Care symbols — use the system your market recognises. Mixing systems on one label is a common and avoidable rejection.
  • Language — some markets require the local language alongside English.
  • Permanent attachment — care labels usually have to survive the life of the garment, so they are sewn, not stuck.
Get the care text before the labels are ordered. Reprinting a care label is a full re-run, not an edit — and every day it is late is a day the garment cannot ship.

Hangtags and Packaging

Hangtags and polybags are normally ordered with the labels, from the same supplier, which keeps colour and finish consistent:

  • Hangtag stock — 300–350 gsm board is the usual weight for a retail tag; thinner reads cheap, thicker curls.
  • Finish — matte, gloss or soft-touch. Matte suits muted branding; soft-touch hides fingerprints.
  • Attachment — string, plastic barb or safety pin. Barbs are fastest in packing; strings photograph better.
  • Price and barcode — print them, or use stickers so the price can change without reprinting the tag.
  • Polybag — sized to the folded garment, with a suffocation warning where your market requires one.

Cost and Lead Time

Labels are cheap per unit and expensive per mistake. At small volumes the setup cost dominates, so the effective price per label falls sharply between 500 and 5,000 pieces — the same curve you see on garment MOQ, for the same reason.

Order them at the right moment. After the sample is approved, before bulk starts. Ordering early wastes money if the fit changes; ordering late delays the shipment, because the garment cannot leave without its labels.

Labels and Tags FAQ

  • What is the minimum for custom woven labels? Usually 500–1,000 pieces per design. Printed labels can go lower, which is why they are common on small first runs.
  • Is a woven label better than a printed one? Not automatically. Woven gives a premium feel and lasts longer; printed handles fine text and multi-colour logos better.
  • Do I legally need a care label? In most markets fibre content is required on a permanent label, and many also require care instructions. The exact requirement depends on where you sell.
  • Can I use my own label supplier? Yes. Send the labels to the factory before production starts so they can be sewn in with the garment — labels that arrive late hold up the whole order.
  • How long do labels take? They are produced separately from the garment and carry their own lead time. Approve them before bulk, and allow extra days for a first design.