All About Labels: Everything You Need to Know
At AJG Fashion Consulting, we understand the importance of every detail in your fashion line, right down to the clothing labels. These small pieces of fabric or transfers carry significant weight in branding, legal compliance, and customer satisfaction. Let's dive into the essentials of clothing labels, ensuring your garments stand out in the competitive fashion market. Here are the clothing labels you need to know.
Main Label: Your Brand's Signature
The main label is more than just a piece of your garment; it's a statement of your brand's identity. Positioned at the interior top of the garment, either at the neckline or waistline, this label showcases your brand name and the size of the garment. For garments with a neckline, It's also crucial to include the Country of Origin (COO) to comply with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) labeling laws. AJG will work with you to determine the best label for your garment.
Options for Your Main Label:
Woven Labels: These labels offer a high-end feel, with your design woven directly into the label. Perfect for a polished branding touch, woven labels can be customized in various sizes, colors, and styles to match your garments' aesthetic. They are limited to 2-3 colors due to the weaving process, and fonts must be above 8pts and have substantial line weight to register properly. This label requires a supplementary care label.
Printed Labels: Printed labels offer more flexibility in base material and combinations of colors. If you have a unique logo with many colors, or want to use a smaller or detailed font, this may be the right fit for you. This label requires a supplementary care label.
Heat Transfer or Screen Printed Labels: Ideal for tee shirts and activewear, these labels are printed directly on the fabric. They can easily include all necessary information in one area —brand name, garment size, country of origin, fabric care, content, and business information—while minimizing bulk and irritation.
Care & Content Label: Essential Information
While an All-In-One Labels covers all bases, garments not utilizing this option will require a separate care and content label. Typically located inside the garment at the wearer's left side seam, this label includes fabric care instructions, content, and business information, ensuring your customers maintain their purchases properly. There are certain regulations outlined by the FTC for what needs to be included, such as your legal business name or RN#, and correct care label symbols. Children’s apparel has additional requirements such as a batch number and interior tracking label. It’s important to follow all laws to avoid any fines, and AJG keeps up to date on all FTC and CSPC regulations for apparel.
Hangtag: The Finishing Touch
A hangtag might not be essential for online-only sales, but it's a valuable addition if you're venturing into wholesale or brick-and-mortar retail. Hangtags can further communicate your brand's story and aesthetic, providing an immediate visual appeal to potential customers. Hangtags come in many shapes and sizes, and can be a way to express your brand’s identity as well as offer an on-garment location for barcodes & SKU stickers.
Don’t Forget Country of Origin (COO) Compliance
The COO is a must-display on your garments, especially for those with a neckline. To subtly incorporate this without overshadowing your branding, consider adding it to a clear TPU label inserted next to the main label. This approach ensures compliance while maintaining aesthetic integrity.
Getting Started with Your Labels
To kick off your label design process, we'll need:
Your finalized brand vector artwork (logos, fonts).
Your preferences for label layout, shape, and color (if any).
Confirmation of your RN# or legal business name, essential for label compliance.
Not sure where to start? No worries. AJG Fashion Consulting is here to guide you through every step, from design mock-ups to compliance advice.
Remember, your clothing labels are not just legal requirements; they're an extension of your brand's story and quality promise to your customers. Let's make them as outstanding as your garments!
