All four are custom clothing labels in the broad sense, but only the first two are sewn into the garment permanently. Production times run from proof approval, not from the order date.
Woven labels
- Main job: brand identity
- Material: woven polyester, damask
- Minimum order: 5 pieces, from $43
- Sizes: 0.4 x 0.4 in up to 11.8 x 11.8 in, custom
- Colours: up to 8
- Smallest legible text: 2 mm
- Production: 8 to 12 business days
- OEKO-TEX certified: yes
Care labels
- Main job: care instructions and legal compliance
- Material: printed polyester satin
- Minimum order: 100 pieces, from $45
- Sizes: 2.4 x 0.8 in or 2.8 x 1.2 in
- Colours: black on white, or white on black
- Print method: thermal transfer, holds fine print
- Production: 8 to 12 business days
- OEKO-TEX certified: yes
Hang tags
- Main job: price, barcode and retail presentation
- Material: 300 gsm matte cardstock
- Minimum order: 100 pieces, from $63
- Size: 2.01 x 3.07 in
- Colours: full colour, single or double sided
- Production: 6 to 10 business days
Embroidery patches
- Main job: decoration and visible identity
- Material: twill with polyester embroidery thread
- Minimum order: 10 pieces, from $97
- Sizes: 1.5 to 9 in, any shape
- Colours: up to 9 included, 15 maximum
- Smallest legible text: 3.5 to 4 mm
- Production: 8 to 12 business days
- OEKO-TEX certified: yes
Which clothing label do you actually need?
If you are labelling a garment for retail, the honest answer is usually more than one type of clothing label. Here is how to decide.
Start with a woven label if you want a brand label
Woven clothing labels are made from coloured threads worked into the fabric, not printed on top of it. There is no ink to crack or fade, which is why it stays sharp for the life of the garment. It is the standard for neck labels and the reason a garment reads as a brand rather than a project.
Choose woven when the label carries your logo or brand name and will be seen. These are the sew-in labels most people mean by custom clothing labels. Order from 5 pieces, which is low enough to test the quality before you commit.
Design custom woven labels
Add a care label if you are selling at retail
In the United States, most apparel sold at retail must carry care instructions, fibre content, country of origin and the identity of the manufacturer. That information has to stay legible for the useful life of the garment, which is why it belongs on a printed satin label sewn into a seam rather than on a hang tag that gets thrown away.
Our care labels are printed by thermal transfer, which fuses the ink into the satin rather than leaving it sitting on the surface. They survive repeated hot washes without bleeding or fading, and the edges are welded rather than cut so they do not fray.
Design custom care labels
Add a hang tag if the garment is going on a rail
Clothing tags hanging from the garment do a different job from the labels sewn inside it. This is where the price, the size, the colourway and the barcode live. If you are approaching a stockist or a wholesale account, the barcode on the tag is what gets you through the door.
Printed full colour on 300 gsm matte cardstock, single or double sided, with a pre-drilled hole and optional cords.
Design custom hang tags
Choose a patch when the label is the design
Patches are for when the branding is meant to be seen from across a room rather than found inside a collar. Any shape, 1.5 to 9 inches, with sew-on, iron-on, velcro or adhesive backing.
Design custom patches
Woven or printed clothing labels?
This is the question that decides most orders of custom clothing labels, and the answer depends on the artwork rather than the budget.
Woven builds the design from thread. It handles solid colours, text and logos beautifully, holds detail down to about 2 mm, and outlasts the garment. It cannot reproduce gradients, shadows or photographs, and it is limited to 8 colours.
Printed applies ink to fabric. It handles full colour, gradients and fine detail that weaving cannot, which is why care labels are printed rather than woven. The trade-off is that print sits on the surface and has a shorter working life than thread.
As a rule: brand and garment labels woven, information labels printed. If your logo has a gradient in it, simplify it for the woven version rather than switching the whole label to print.
Custom clothing labels with a low minimum order
The standard minimum order for custom clothing labels is 500 or 1,000 pieces per design across most of this industry. That exists because machine setup costs the same whether you run five labels or five thousand, and most suppliers would rather not do the setup for a small order.
We run it anyway. Custom labels for clothing start at 5 pieces here, patches at 10, care labels and hang tags at 100. A brand testing its first design does not need to buy three years of stock to find out whether the colour is right.
The minimum applies per design. Four different labels means four separate minimums, so plan a collection with that in mind.
Clothing label materials
All of our fabric labels are produced on materials chosen for wear against skin over the life of the garment.
- Damask woven polyester. High thread density, fine detail, soft against the skin. The industry standard for premium brand labels. OEKO-TEX 100 certified, with a recycled PET yarn option.
- Printed polyester satin. Smooth and glossy, the softest option against skin, which is why it is used for care labels, lingerie and babywear. OEKO-TEX 100 certified.
- Twill with polyester embroidery thread. The base for patches. Raised, textured and hard-wearing.
- 300 gsm matte cardstock. For hang tags. Thick enough to survive a shipping box and a busy shop floor without curling.
Not sure which suits your garment? The sample pack lets you handle all of them on real fabric before you commit.
What limits the design
Worth knowing before you design your own clothing labels, because these are the reasons a proof comes back needing changes:
- Minimum text width is 2 mm on woven labels and 3.5 to 4 mm on patches. Below that, threads fill in the letterforms and the text stops being readable.
- Gradients and drop shadows do not exist in thread. They are reduced to solid blocks of colour. Design flat from the start.
- Photographs cannot be woven or embroidered. They have to be redrawn as a simplified illustration.
- Thin and serif fonts perform badly at label scale. Bold sans-serif reads best.
- If detail will not simplify, go bigger. A larger label is almost always a better answer than finer thread.
Every design produces a free PDF proof at scale 1:1. Print it, cut it out and hold it against the garment before you approve production. It takes two minutes and it catches almost everything.
Who orders custom clothing labels
- Clothing and streetwear brands ordering custom clothing labels for a full retail collection
- Independent designers, handmade sellers and Etsy shops needing personalized clothing labels in 5 or 10 pieces, not 1,000
- Kidswear and babywear makers who need OEKO-TEX certified material against sensitive skin
- Activewear and performance brands whose labels face constant washing
- Small businesses and workwear suppliers standardising branded garment labels across a roster
- Home textile and accessory brands labelling bedding, bags and soft goods
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are custom clothing labels?
Personalised labels sewn or ironed into a garment carrying your brand name, logo, size or care information. They give clothing a finished, retail-ready look and are how a customer identifies who made the item long after the hang tag is gone.
What is the minimum order for custom clothing labels?
Woven labels start at 5 pieces and patches at 10. Care labels and hang tags start at 100. The minimum applies per design, so four different labels means four separate minimums. Most of the industry starts at 500 or 1,000.
How much do custom clothing labels cost?
Woven labels start at $43 for 5 at the smallest size, patches at $97 for 10, care labels at $45 for 100 and hang tags at $63 for 100. Unit price drops substantially at higher volumes, and the design tool shows the full price ladder as you change quantity.
What is the difference between woven and printed clothing labels?
Woven labels are built from coloured threads, giving durability and a premium feel that suits logos and text. Printed labels apply ink to fabric, which allows gradients, photographs and fine full-colour detail. Woven is standard for brand labels, printed for care labels.
Can I put my logo on a clothing label?
Yes. Upload it in the design tool and the proof will show exactly how it reproduces. Woven labels handle up to 8 thread colours, so gradients and shadows in your logo will be simplified to solid colours. We flag this on the proof before production.
Are your labels safe for babywear and sensitive skin?
Yes. Both our woven and satin labels are OEKO-TEX 100 certified, meaning tested for harmful substances. Woven labels are hot cut, which seals the edge, and care labels have welded edges, so neither has a raw cut edge to irritate skin.
How long does production take?
Six to ten business days for hang tags, eight to twelve for woven labels, care labels and patches, plus shipping. Times run from proof approval rather than from your order date. Rush production is available on all four products.
Can I see the label before I order?
Yes. Every design comes with a free digital PDF proof at scale 1:1. Download it, print it at actual size and check it against the garment before approving anything.
Do I legally need a label in my clothing?
In the United States, most apparel sold at retail must carry care instructions, fibre content, country of origin and the manufacturer or dealer identity. Requirements vary by market and change over time, so confirm the current rules for everywhere you sell. This is a starting point, not legal advice.
Can I order different label types in one order?
Yes. Woven labels, care labels, hang tags and patches can all sit in the same cart. Each design carries its own minimum, and because production times differ, they may ship separately.
Design your custom clothing labels
Upload your logo or build a design from scratch, and download a free 1:1 proof before you order. Custom clothing labels from 5 pieces, produced in 8 to 12 business days.
