Labels & Hangtags 101

Understand Product Labeling Guidelines

Garment Labels

0Garment labels are a small part of a garment, but a large part in linking the brand to the garment.

0Labels are one of the “primary” tools for brand establishment and awareness.

Hangtags

0 Garment Hangtags are attached to new clothing and are removed before wearing.

0 Hangtags are larger than labels and usually made of heavy paper or cardboard. Designers often use cloth, PVC, or leather. Some designer hangtags are keepsakes.

0 Manufacturers are not required by law to provide.

0 Label information often repeated on hangtag.

0 Manufacturers’ trademarks, garment sizes, style numbers, prices, and special features can be listed.

Mandatory Garment Information

0 The Textile Fiber Products Identification Act (TFPIA) requires all clothing & many household textile products be labeled to indicate:

0Generic Name of each fiber unless fiber weighs less than 5% of total fiber weight

0Percentage of each fiber by weight

0Name or any Identification of manufacturer

0Country of origin if imported

Voluntary Garment Information

Size

Brand Names or trademarks

Warranty or guarantee

Union Label

Inventory Control

Apparel Manufactures often provide additional information on a garment’s permanent label or a hangtag. Voluntary information may include:

Government Regulations for Clothing

0The Government made regulations that require textile manufacturers to identify fiber content in textile products.

0Regulations include:

0 Wool Products Labeling Act, 1939

0 Fur Products Labeling Act, 1951

0 Textile Fiber Products Identification Act, 1960

0 Care Labeling Rule, 1971

0 National Organic Program (NOP) Regulations

Amendments

0Flammable Fabrics Act, 1953

0Federal Hazardous Substances Act, 1960

0Consumer Products Safety Act, 1972

0Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act, 2008

Care Labeling Rule

0The Care Labeling Rule requires that garment manufacturers provide the instructions for the care & maintenance of garments.

0 Instructions Must Be:

0Clear0Uniform0Detailed

Mandatory Care Label Information

0 Labels can be any color, style, or shape, although they must follow standards by law.

0 Labels can be glued, fused, or sewn onto garments.

0 Labels must not unravel.

0 Instructions can be printed directly on fabric, and remain readable for the life of the garment.

0 The Care Label Rule requires label to include the following information:

0 Method of Washing 0 hand or machine

0 Water Temperature0 cold, warm or hot

0 Method of Drying0 low, medium, or high

0 Type of Bleach0 when all types cannot be used safely

0 Use of Iron/Iron Temperature as needed

0 Drying Temperature0 machine, hang, or lay flat

Label Placement

0 All required labeling information can be included on one label or separate labels.

0 Other information such as size can be on the same label. It must not detract from required information.

0 Fiber content must be included using the same type size and style.

0 Labels must remain on garment until it reaches consumer.

0 Any garment with a neck must have the country of origin on the inside center or near center of neck.

0 Other labels must be placed in conspicuous or accessible locations.

Generic

Fiber Groups

Acetate Glass Nytril* Spandex

Acrylic Lyocell Olefin(polypropylene)

Triacetate

Anidex Melamine PLA Vinal*

Aramid Metallic Polyester Vinyon

Azlon* Modacrylic Rayon

Elastoester Nylon Saran

The Federal Trade Commission assigned 25 generic names to various types of manufactured fibers based on chemicals used to create them.The 22 groups in the chart below represent fibers in apparel products.

Generic Name Trademark Name

Acetate Estron, Celanese, Chromspun, MicroSafe

Acrylic Acrilan, Creslan, Duraspun, Wear-Dated

Lyocell Tencel

Modacrylic SEF

Nylon Anso, Antron, Enka, Zeftron

Olefin Herculon, Spectra

Polyester Dacron, Fortrel, Coolmax, Microlux

Rayon (viscose) Modal, Bemberg, Zantrel

Spandex Lycra, Glospan

Within each generic group are several trademark names. Each trademark name represents a fiber with a little variation.

5 Ty

pes o

f G

arm

en

t Lab

els

0 1. Woven Labels

0 2. Embroidered Labels

0 3. Leather Labels

0 4. PVC/Rubber Labels

0 5. Printed Labels

Woven Garment Labels

0Woven with either cotton or polyester threads

0Can be made with amazing details

0Lowest set up cost of all labels

0Due to flexibility, can be applied to different areas of the garment.

Embroidered Garment Label

0Similar to woven labels

0Made from cotton & polyester thread

0Threads are 4 to 5 times thicker

0Has a 3D look

0Most premium of all labels

Leather Garment Label

0Strong and supple

0Used on high end garments to highlight the quality & prestige of the brand.

0Designs are embossed or debossed onto the leather

0Synthetic leather (aka – pleather) also very popular.

PVC/Rubber Garment Label

0Used most often in sports and adventure wear.

0Tough and moisture resistant

0Harder to attach to a garment

0Set-up cost considerably high

Printed Garment Label

0Normally printed onto ribbons

0Similar to woven labels in feel

0Less durable

0Often used for care labels

0Since design is printed on the ribbon surface, design may wash out in 2 to 3 years.

Classifications of Labels

0 Brand or Main Label

0 Size Label

0 Care Label

0 Flag Label

0 Manufacturer Label

0 Special Label

0 Batch Mark Label

0 Tagless Label

Brand or Main Label

Indicates:

• Brand name

• Brand Logo

Size Label

Defines a specific set of measurements of human body.

May be printed as S for small, M for Medium, or L for large size.

Care Label

Includes wash care and ironing instruction.

Attached at side seam

May include fiber content

Country of origin (Made in China)

Flag Label

Small label attached at outside side seam.

Usually made of brand logos

Primarily used as design features

Manufacturer Label

Includes manufacturer’s code given by buyers.

Most International buyers source garments from different parts of the world and distribute garments across world.

If buyer needs to track manufacturer of a particular product, they use this code.

Special Label

100% Cotton, & Organic Cotton are examples of such special labels.

Designed to attract customer at time of purchase

Batch Mark Label

Label that indicates which sewing line or batch made the particular garment.

Normally attached at side seam under wash care label

Tagless Label

Label placed on garments with a heat transfer method.

More comfortable for consumer.

Lower production cost.

Common use:

T-shirtsUnderwearAthletic wear

http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2014/03/ftc-issues-changes-textile-labeling-rules

http://www.ehow.com/list_6082830_laws-clothing-label-requirements.html#ixzz31JlTUThv

Labeling Resource Links

http://apparel.edgl.com/old-magazine/Technology-Initiatives--Tagless-to-the-Rescue64608