4.01 Labels & Hangtags 101Understand 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.
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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