Most new brands order the wrong label type first, then reorder three months later. This guide covers what each label actually does, what it costs, and how to decide in about ten minutes.
Almost every garment on the market carries some combination of four label types. They are not interchangeable — each solves a different problem.
Threads woven together on a loom to form your logo. This is the label at the back of the neck that says who made the garment. It is durable, feels premium, and is what customers associate with a real brand. It cannot show photographs or gradients, and very fine text below about 1.5 mm will not resolve cleanly.
Use it for: neck labels, side seam tabs, hem tabs, anything where the label is part of the garment permanently.
Ink printed onto satin, nylon taffeta or cotton tape. This is the compliance label — fibre content, wash symbols, country of origin. It is legally required in most markets, so it is not optional.
Use it for: everything you sell. There is no market where you can skip this.
A printed card attached with string or a plastic seal. It carries price, size, story, barcode — and it is removed and thrown away by the customer. Because it is paper, it can show full-colour artwork, foil, embossing and photographs.
Use it for: retail presentation, pricing, brand story, anything the customer reads before buying.
Your logo and care information printed directly onto the fabric with heat. No stitching, no edge, nothing to itch. Increasingly the default for activewear, underwear and children's clothing.
Use it for: next-to-skin garments where a sewn label would irritate.
Work through these in order and you will land on the right combination.
Prices below are factory-direct for a first order at 250 pieces, which is where most new brands start.
| Label type | From (250 pcs) | Per unit | Lead time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Printed care label | $24 | $0.096 | 5–7 days |
| Woven brand label | $31 | $0.124 | 5–7 days |
| Hang tag | $41 | $0.164 | 5–7 days |
| Heat transfer | $35 | $0.14 | 7–10 days |
A complete label set — woven neck label, printed care label and hang tag — costs roughly $96 for 250 garments, or about 38 cents per garment. That is usually less than 1% of the retail price.
If you have all seven, a supplier can quote you in a single email instead of four. If you are missing some, that is fine — send what you have and a good supplier will fill the gaps for you.
No. The minimum for a legally saleable garment in most markets is a care label with fibre content and washing instructions. Everything else — woven brand label, hang tag, heat transfer — is a commercial choice, not a legal one.
A printed care label that also carries your brand name. It satisfies the legal requirement and gives you basic branding in one item, from $24 for 250 pieces.
Yes. A combined label with your logo on the front and care symbols on the reverse is common for small brands and saves both cost and sewing time.
Typically 5–7 days for production plus 5–8 days for express shipping, so 10–15 days door to door. Add 1–2 days at the start for artwork proofing.
Send your specs and we reply with an exact price within 24 hours. MOQ from 250.