Garment Labels
0 Garment labels are a small part of a
garment, but a large part in linking the
brand to the garment.
0 Labels 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:
0 Generic Name of each fiber unless fiber weighs less
than 5% of total fiber weight
0 Percentage of each fiber by weight
0 Name or any Identification of manufacturer
0 Country of origin if imported
Voluntary Garment Information
Apparel
Manufactures
often provide
additional
information on
a garment’s
permanent label
or a hangtag.
Voluntary
information
may include:
Size
Brand Names or trademarks
Warranty or guarantee
Union Label
Inventory Control
Government Regulations for Clothing
0 The Government
made regulations
that require
textile
manufacturers to
identify fiber
content in textile
products.
0 Regulations
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
0 Flammable Fabrics Act, 1953
0 Federal Hazardous Substances Act, 1960
0 Consumer Products Safety Act, 1972
0 Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act, 2008
Government Agencies
0 Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
0 Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
0 Better Business Bureau (BBB)
0 National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
0 International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
0 American Society for Testing and Materials International
(ASTM)
Care Labeling Rule
0 The Care Labeling Rule requires that garment
manufacturers provide the instructions for the care &
maintenance of garments.
0 Instructions Must Be:
0 Clear
0 Uniform
0 Detailed
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 Temperature
0 cold, warm or hot
0 Method of Drying
0 low, medium, or high
0 Type of Bleach
0 when all types cannot be used safely
0 Use of Iron/Iron Temperature as needed
0 Drying Temperature
0 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
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.
Acetate
Glass
Nytril*
Spandex
Acrylic
Lyocell
Olefin
(polypropylene)
Triacetate
Anidex
Melamine
PLA
Vinal*
Aramid
Metallic
Polyester
Vinyon
Azlon*
Modacrylic
Rayon
Elastoester
Nylon
Saran
Within each generic group are several trademark names. Each
trademark name represents a fiber with a little variation.
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
Woven Labels
0 2. Embroidered Labels
0 3. Leather Labels
0 4. PVC/Rubber Labels
0 5. Printed Labels
5 Types of
Garment Labels
0 1.
Woven Garment Labels
0 Woven with either cotton
or polyester threads
0 Can be made with amazing
details
0 Lowest set up cost of all
labels
0 Due to flexibility, can be
applied to different areas
of the garment.
Embroidered Garment Label
0 Similar to woven labels
0 Made from cotton &
polyester thread
0 Threads are 4 to 5 times
thicker
0 Has a 3D look
0 Most premium of all labels
Leather Garment Label
0 Strong and supple
0 Used on high end
garments to highlight
the quality & prestige of
the brand.
0 Designs are embossed or
debossed onto the
leather
0 Synthetic leather (aka –
pleather) also very
popular.
PVC/Rubber Garment Label
0 Used most often in
sports and adventure
wear.
0 Tough and moisture
resistant
0 Harder to attach to a
garment
0 Set-up cost considerably
high
Printed Garment Label
0 Normally printed onto ribbons
0 Similar to woven labels in feel
0 Less durable
0 Often used for care labels
0 Since design is printed on the
ribbon surface, design may
wash out in 2 to 3 years.
0 Brand or Main Label
0 Size Label
0 Care Label
Classifications
of Labels
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-shirts
Underwear
Athletic wear
Labeling Resource Links
http://www.ehow.com/list_6082830_lawsclothing-labelrequirements.html#ixzz31JlTUThv
http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/pressreleases/2014/03/ftc-issues-changestextile-labeling-rules
http://apparel.edgl.com/oldmagazine/Technology-Initiatives--Taglessto-the-Rescue64608