Branding Series – Care Tags

Are you looking to customize your apparel offerings? Then care tags might be a great option for your brand. In this series we will cover multiple aspects of branding that gives you insight and practical tips and examples for you to brand yourself!

Care Tags are digitally printed on items typically where the original tag would be or on the backside of the neck area. We remove the original tear away tag and allow customers to order their own to be printed in place of it. When removing the original tag you will need to make sure the following information is on your new tag so that it complies with federal regulations.

Size

It is required for the size to be listed on the garment tag. You have the option of using the abbreviation or spelling out the size (L or Large).

Material

Products covered by the Textile and Wool Acts require that the generic fiber names and percentages by weight of each fiber be labeled to show the fiber content in order of dominance (the larger portion needs to be listed first). For example: 70% cotton / 30% polyester. If the product is made from one fiber, you may use the word “All” instead of “100%.” For example: “100% Cotton” or “All Cotton” in general, you may name only the fibers that comprise 5% or more of the fiber weight. Fibers of less than 5% should be disclosed as “other fiber” and not by their generic name or fiber trademark.

Country of Origin

For garments made outside the United States (most products) you can use the following text for country of origin: Made in U.S.A. of imported fabric. This will work for all garments made outside the US whether it is Mexico, China, or India. For garments made inside the United States, such as American Apparel products you can use the following text for country of origin: Made in U.S.A.

Identification of Manufacturer

Labels must also identify the company name or the Registered Identification Number (RN) of the manufacturer, importer or another firm marketing, distributing or otherwise handling the product. If the original manufacturer was Gildan brand and you wanted to remove that label you can replace it with “Your Brand Name”.

Care Instructions

Labels must also include basic care instructions, either text descriptions or symbols. Since tags are often very small and do not have much space, symbols are recommended. Hi-Resolution care symbols can be downloaded here.  For all DTG items we recommend the following care instructions: turn the shirt inside out, wash on cold with “like” color, no bleach, and tumble dry low.

Make it your own

Once you have the required information in your design don’t forget to have fun with it. Care tags are meant to be an expression of the brand. You can keep it simple with just your logo and website. Or add something unforgettable like a little saying “always wear me on a first date, you’ll do awesome”! When looking for ideas think outside of the box because that is where you will find something that will be memorable.  When designing also consider your brand. Ask yourself the following questions: What does my brand represent? What does my ideal customer look like? What would they want to wear? Customer love a good story if you can create a story starting with eye catching artwork and ending with a care tag that will draw their attention and leave them wanting more. Not only will they love to show it off to their friends and family, they will be back for more. See some creative ideas below and happy creating!

*When creating the artwork for your care tag keep in mind the available area (4”X 4”). All text, symbols, and logos will need to be legible at the printed size. We do recommend  a size of 2-3″ X4″ for more of a true care tag look.  If you would like a test print of your artwork, contact us! Download a PDF on Care Tags here! For more information or to see the full list of regulations please visit the Federal Trade Commission Site.*

Looking for more branding services to make your brand stand out? Visit our Branding Services page to see all the services we offer.