A clothing label is often the finishing touch to a designer's product. Clothing and accessory designer/manufacturers have spent a lot of time and effort to make sure that their products are top quality and the label is a reflection of the total product. Designers want to make sure that their labels reflect the attention that has gone into their new creation. Oftentimes, the care placed into creating the garment is mirrored in the label. One of the first things that a potential buyer looks at before purchasing an item is the label. Consumers read the labels for many purposes, and the labels are often the "icing on the cake" for their products.

When a consumer buys a garment or an accessory, they are making an investment. They want to keep their clothes in good shape. So they need to know exactly what types of fabrics are in the garment and how to care for these fabrics. It can be difficult to actually identify the materials in clothes at times. The care needed for synthetic fabrics may be very different that the care needed for cotton fabrics. Labels are the primary means of communicating this important information. Washing instruction, types of fabrics, union affiliation - these are all important factors when a customer decides to purchase an item. Labels enable our manufacturers to communicate this information in their own special style.

Labeling has become so important in our culture that we now buy certain products just because of the label. The labeling process has taken front and center stage in American society! "Branding" is now an entire industry, and labels are one of the basic branding tools. When purchasing garments, a customer may look at the garment first, but she usually looks at the label second, to determine the brand. It's important for the label to reflect the brand and the quality that the customer is looking for. Branding typically includes a special word, color, mark or symbol. It's important that this be consistent and easily recognizable by the consumer. A label provides consistency within a brand that might have a large variety of pieces and styles. Brands and labels are one of the primary methods of distinguishing products in the marketplace. "Brand equity" is the idea that there is definite value associated with the brand that a customer is seeking. Without labels, branding would be impossible. The label should reflect all of the qualities and characteristics of the brand. A customer looks at the label to find the brand, thereby assuring that customer of the quality of the product. Brand recognition is an important component of a successful and growing clothing line.

Custom woven labels and hangtags communicate the creator/ manufacturer's information. They help make sure that accurate information gets to the consumers who purchase the products. Beautiful woven labels are a classic addition to any garment. Creating woven name/logo labels, care labels and tags, content labels and tags that describe the products' ingredients, and size labels are imperative. Labels can also include a combination of these things. Attractive and professional hangtags with state-of-the-art production are also an important means of branding and communication. They are a perfect finishing touch to any garment!

Labels come in a variety of finishes and fabric choices: damask, semi-damask, satin, and taffeta. Satin is the most popular choice, but not always the wisest. Satin is thin and can snag easily, making it more likely to be cut out than other labels. Though it looks very pretty originally, you need to keep the customer in mind when choosing your label. Taffeta is stiffer than satin and can stand up to a bit more snagging. However, with both satin and taffeta the finished edges of the labels can be stiff, leading to the prickly feeling or which labels are famous. Semi-damask is a mid line choice when it comes to labels. It has many of the qualities of damask at a slightly lower price point. Damask is a tighter weave fabric that remains very soft, even with finished edges. It's a top choice when quality is a top priority for the seamstress. Damask provides the best finish with a smoothness that reflects style and comfort.

After a producer decides on his fabric choices, he must decide on the finish, and decide on the style. One can choose from folded, end-fold and all ends finished. The folded style eliminates the issue of having a raw back showing and allows room for care instructions. They come in two variations: a side folding label or a bottom folding label. A common way to attach a label is to order an end fold label that is tacked down on the ends. However, this method is not flexible enough for most small-scale sewers and lacks the professional touch. You can ensure maximum flexibility by ordering labels that are finished on all sides with enough seam allowance to be used in a variety of ways.

Labels serve many purposes. They communicate care instructions and the fabrics included in the garment. They help brand the garment and identify the company's name and logo. And they truly reflect the quality and the attention that went into the production of the garment. Labels are an important consideration in any clothing and accessory business, and their importance should not be understated.