# when to start considering tags



## sunra1081 (Aug 8, 2009)

at what point should a t-shirt designer start considering using their own tags??? i kinda understand if you have or are starting a clothing label(i think), but what if your just starting out buying blanks and printing or purchasing designs to sell( with intentions of getting bigger)???


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## Uncle John (Mar 11, 2007)

We have a preprint line thats been in Acadeny, Galion's and some other large stores and have never relabeled. It's a mater of your choice. My opinion. John


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## tonygraystone (May 1, 2008)

Depends on if you want to just sell random shirts or build a brand which people would associate with your style, design, taste etc


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

sunra1081 said:


> at what point should a t-shirt designer start considering using their own tags???


Start _considering_ it from the moment you decide you're going to sell some t-shirts. _Implement_ it whenever it suits your brand. For a boutique brand, that probably means from the start. For an internet-based brand that could mean anything from beginning through never.

Personally I see labels as having a few functions.

1) Branding.
2) Legitimacy.
3) Ego stroking.

_Branding_ is what most people think of first, but personally I think it's actually the least important of the above three functions (which is not to say it's *un*important - it's the third of three good reasons). 

The important thing about branding is that it comes at the customer from every angle. Everything about your brand is aimed to communicate an idea or an aesthetic or a mood. So if your shirts aren't tagged? You still have the banner on your trade show stall, or the flyers on the table, or the photos on the website, or the copy written for your site and catalogue, etc. etc.

Maybe you're letting yourself down by not doing everything you can, and having the tags is a part of "everything you can", but maybe you just don't need them. Or could better use the finite money you have elsewhere (like on that banner, or business cards, or a lookbook). Some brands don't need to be that heavily branded - knowing not to be in their customers' faces with their name all the time is part of their brand. I think there are rare cases where having your own tags can even _harm_ your brand (if you're selling at a market that wants a certain kind of shirt, and won't really realise that it's still the same shirt with a different name on it for example - in other words maybe what they really want is a Hanes(R) and not a Yourbrand(tm) shirt).

In short, it's one of many optional branding methods in your repertoire. Use it or don't, as it suits you and/or your brand.

_Legitimacy_ is the most important external reason to use tags. It's most important when selling in-person, but it can also be a factor on internet sales.

Some sellers write-off the importance of tagging because its presence seems to add very little to the product or to customer satisfaction. This is true - but tagging is measured less by its presence and more by its absence. A customer may not think of it or care that it's there, but when it *isn't* they might start to have second thoughts. Things like "How legitimate is this product? Is it a knock off? Is the whole thing a cheaply produced piece of crap?".

The only reason it's there is to be a quiet reassurance that "Yes, I know what I'm doing, your shirt is professionally produced and will hold up in the wash."

The question you need to ask is "Would my typical customer expect my typical product to have its own brand label?". If the answer is yes, include one. If it's no, don't (unless you really want to).

If you want repeat business and word of mouth then this is just as important with online sales. With online sales the answer to the above question is far less likely to be yes, but if it _is_ then you still need them.

If the customer buys the product online, expects a certain level of finishing (custom poly bagging and brand labels in the neck for example) and the product falls short, their reaction is... disappointment. Disappointment is a brand killer. It instantly severs the emotional connection the customer had with the brand.

They can only be disappointed if they had expectations. That means they thought you were something special. And now they don't. Disappointment is very important.

Without that emotional connection, they're a lot less likely to follow your new releases, pass your name on to friends, etc.

Look at what other brands are doing, and be at least as good as they are. If you can't afford that, drop your selling price point to somewhere with less expectations.

Simply put, if you can't afford the customisation present on a typical $35 shirt, then you can't afford to sell your shirt for $35. If you are selling your shirt for $12, your customers don't expect the same product benefits they'd get if they paid $35. They chose that trade-off when they chose a product that fit their budget. There's no expectation, so there's no disappointment.

_Ego stroking_ is either the least or the most important reason, depending on your point of view. I'd say, and this is basically aimed at those who'd get a kick out of seeing their name in lights, that it's the most important _internal_ reason.

Don't be too quick to write off ego stroking. In moderation (i.e. so long as it's not excessive narcissism) there's nothing wrong with doing something just because it will make you happy.

I advocate that the non-monetary benefits of having a brand are at least as important as the monetary ones (or they'd better be, because this isn't a get rich quick scheme). In other words if it feels good, do it.

"But why spend $200 on something that isn't going to help the brand make any money when you could spend that on something useful instead?" I say _so what_.

For most people the point of running your own business is to live the life you want to live. If that means having as much money as you possibly can, that's fine - cut every corner it is reasonable to cut (which would include brand tags). If that means selling a product that matches the one in your head, then do that.

Putting tags on a product makes it feel more like *your* product. It makes it feel more real, and it makes you feel proud. These things might not come up in your accountant's profit and loss statements, but they're important too.

There is also a bottom line financial benefit to this: if you are happy and proud of your product, you will be a better salesman. Everything you can do to kill those nagging doubts about "Is my product good enough?" will give you confidence in your product.

That confidence translates to a brand-wide benefit.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

I'm thinking about adding this thread to the (re-)labelling FAQ - so let's get some more opinions flowing here.

When do *you* think is the right time for a t-shirt label or designer to add their own brand tag (printed, woven, whatever) to shirts, and why? Do you need to be established? Making a certain amount of money?


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## mishoga (Aug 13, 2009)

I was creating and selling my garments for about 1.5 years and I decided to purchase tags specifically for branding. At first the tags cost me $1 each because I bought 200, but now they are cheaper....much cheaper because I buuy large quantity. 
Just recently I started to add professional matching hang tags. It definitely gives my garments that finished, professional look. 
As far as existing tags in shirts, I paided additional to have tags removed before I receive them from my manufacturer. Instruction, care, and origin tag is still intact but manufacturer label is removed. Fortunately for me, my tags are on the outerside of the garments. 
The extra expense of purchasing hang tags and tags is worth it since my garments are targeted to a specific population and are pricey.
I think if you are selling small quantitie and are not considering expanding large scale then you really don't need to worry about tags. For me, I wanted my designs to be recognized. I wanted people to take notice and remember the brand as I plan on expanding to enable distribution throughout the USA and beyond. I'm not there yet but this is my plan.
Just to be clear, I sell yogawear. 
Good luck


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## Roly (Jan 12, 2008)

As soon as you can afford to do it.


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## red514 (Jul 21, 2009)

If you're doing small runs, you can do cost effective tags simply by removing the current tags and printing yours. using transfers is ideal for this. Many large brands have started doing this in the past couple years.

Having your own tag is always a plus especially for fashion tees/artistic prints. it just adds a nice final touch in my opinion.


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## Heretic City (Jul 23, 2009)

I am starting a clothing line and decided to have hagtags from the beginning for brand identity. I cut out the blank company's label and use a tag gun to place my label through the size tag. I use a company called Print Place:
Hang Tag Printing | Custom Hang Tags | PrintPlace.com
I ordered 1,000 tags which worked out to .07/piece. This is a cheap way to get a professional looking tag.


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## spider44 (Aug 20, 2009)

Thanks for the great info. I am starting a clothing line geard towards a high end resort area. I do not have a huge budget so I have to be cautious with my expenses.
I am looking at doing heat sealed labels and hang tags. I would like to hear your comments.
Thanks


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## jamper (Oct 4, 2009)

if its just you buying blanks and selling with random designs,,,,just a suggestion,,,, i recently had 100 business cards made up with my design on em,,,,,,full colour,,,,look the part,,,, around 5-6 uk pounds on ebay delivered,,,, they look great,,,,i punched a hole in each then wrapd thick white thread/cotton to hang via a gold saftey pin,,,,,,,total cost for these cool looking tags was just 9 pounds,,cards threads and gold saftey pins,,,


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## BloodLine (Oct 1, 2009)

I just screen my logo on the back of my shirts. Works for me.


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## itsdawit (Oct 9, 2009)

If you can afford it, then do it from the start. It gives your brand more credibility. Branding wise, if you keep a gildan tag in your shirt then people might think its a gildan design or they might relate the quality of your brand to the quality of that brand on the tag. But if you relabeled and they had a problem with the gildan shirt but didnt know it was gildan, you could easily change the brand of shirts you use without you reputation being too dependent on that other brand. I hope Im not rambling. I get about a 1000 labels for about $200 which is comes to about $0.20 a shirt which is really nothing. If your not going to get tags at least rip out the tags in the shirt already, printed tags are a great alternative as well. 
FYI some brand the leave tags like those of American Apparel in the shirt and may sometimes place their own tag with the American Apparel because they stand by that product. What do you prefer.


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