# They say: Image is everything



## cyberchaser76 (Mar 29, 2007)

*Doesn't presenting your T-Shirts without your own, private tags of your trademark make it any less appealing? Quiksliver, Billabong, etc........ have their own tags. And they're also billion dollar companies. Is it alright to say that its harder to promote your trademark/logo/company by using Fruit of the Loom, Hanes, Gildan etc..........? Does that make major retailers subconsciously frown on it? Would tags make major retailers subconsciously more in awe of your product on the other hand? Is it worth the extra mile/expense to get your shirts tagged when starting out? Im guessing I'll have no choice but to start out with other's blank shirts. Then graduate to your own tags when you're company grows. *


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

I think the answer to all your questions is basically yes, until this one:



cyberchaser76 said:


> *Is it worth the extra mile/expense to get your shirts tagged when starting out?*


...which is up to the individual. I do believe it has an _effect_, but I'm not convinced it's necessarily a _large_ one. It definitely depends on what kind of brand you're running. For geeky slogans it's overkill, for $75 fashion tees it's a must. In between it's going to depend. But even other than what your market prefers, there's room in there for you to say "look, it just doesn't matter _that_ much, it's not worth the extra money", or "look, even though it doesn't matter _that_ much, I still think it's worth the extra money".

In short... I wouldn't worry about it too much


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## cycocyco (Mar 2, 2007)

I found all the legal bull too arduous to handle, not just the money. We decided on wrapping a folded label around the t-shirt's sleeve for everyone too see; I really didn't need to convince people we manufactured the actual t-shirt, it was more important people know the print was our design.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

cycocyco said:


> I found all the legal bull too arduous to handle


It's not really a big deal: in most cases you can just leave the back (care) label and replace only the front (brand) label. If you want to replace both, just copy things across (care instructions, RN, country of origin, etc. etc.) in the same locations for your new design. You don't actually need to understand the requirements unless you want to make a more simplified label from scratch.


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## cycocyco (Mar 2, 2007)

I've found there isn't a front and back label at all, but rather one label folded to make it look like two.

I don't know about the laws South of the border (or Australia), but up here in Canada we have to apply for an RN number, a CA number, and the contents and the wash instructions have to match the garment. That's not a problem if either want to make several labels, or stick to only one type of shirt.

I ship a great deal of shirts around the world, so I can't mess with the legalities here; I don't want to be charged with any form of fraud or import/export illegality.


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## double6ix (Apr 19, 2006)

i agree with solmu, it depends on your brand and your market. when i first started i insisted i had to have my own labels for all the reasons you pointed out, i went with screen printed tags...people thought it looked cool when they saw it. 
but it was an additional cost. 
when i opened up my own store for the brand six months ago i stopped doing it. the store itself works as the branding, i've found that most people didn't care about the tags. 
now what i do is remove the brand label, leaving the care instructions label, and just attach my hang tag to it. the hangtag is simply a business-card size label with a one side print, with the size, colour, style no. etc printed on a address label and stuck on the back. This option (removing brand tag + adding hantag ) works out much cheaper for me than screenprinting my own label or even stitching in my own label.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

cycocyco said:


> I've found there isn't a front and back label at all, but rather one label folded to make it look like two.


True, that often complicates things. We should probably get a list together at some point of which brands are separate and which ones aren't.



cycocyco said:


> I don't know about the laws South of the border (or Australia), but up here in Canada we have to apply for an RN number, a CA number


In the US you can use the manufacturer's, you don't have to have your own (not that getting one is a big deal). I don't know about Canada. In Australia the laws are a lot looser.



cycocyco said:


> I don't want to be charged with any form of fraud or import/export illegality.


And fair enough too


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## TimeWithoutTheE (Mar 31, 2007)

i find that having an american apparel tag on cant hurt business at all 
i mean the tag is very thin and you dont even feel it.
but alot of the shirt makers are puttin it on the instead of the shirt where the tag would be


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## TeddyRocky (Mar 23, 2007)

ClassicDisasterC said:


> i find that having an american apparel tag on cant hurt business at all
> i mean the tag is very thin and you dont even feel it.
> but alot of the shirt makers are puttin it on the instead of the shirt where the tag would be


Depends on the your target market. If the consumer found your shirt in saks fifth avenue with an American Apparel tag, they most likely wouldn't pay the $100 price tag. But if you put the same design shirt in saks, with the tag of GRAIL, or donedhardy (lets say they were made from American Apparel shirts), than the consumer is fooled to thinking it is quality and is more willing to pay $100. 

On the other hand, if your target market doesn't care, it shouldnt really matter. Getting an RN number is very easy, there is a link on the left of this forum. Why not make the extra effort to make your brand, really your brand, instead of your brand plus FOTL, hanes, or AA?


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## Dave 2006 (Apr 13, 2006)

obviously folks is going to have different opinions on such a question but in my opinion, if your attempting to build a brand, its something you might want to consider. pay the chips for 1000 tags which will probably cost about 25 cent a tag, and if you run through that thousand, your doing something right.
i personally try to pay attention to all details, only because im a member of this form and have learned so much from everyone here. when im at the stores, im looking at tags, looking to see if there re-labeled, looking to see if the label has been cut out and is still showing, looking to see if its under the seam or over, feeling the softness, and all that. you would be suprised how many big names are in big stores, and are sloppely re-labeled. but, thats a good thing to me because it motivates me to be more maticulious about my product.


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## Quattroporte (Dec 27, 2006)

Dave 2006 said:


> obviously folks is going to have different opinions on such a question but in my opinion, if your attempting to build a brand, its something you might want to consider. pay the chips for 1000 tags which will probably cost about 25 cent a tag, and if you run through that thousand, your doing something right.
> i personally try to pay attention to all details, only because im a member of this form and have learned so much from everyone here. when im at the stores, im looking at tags, looking to see if there re-labeled, looking to see if the label has been cut out and is still showing, looking to see if its under the seam or over, feeling the softness, and all that. you would be suprised how many big names are in big stores, and are sloppely re-labeled. but, thats a good thing to me because it motivates me to be more maticulious about my product.


Thank goodness I'm not the only one. ^_^ I always pay attention to details. That includes tag material, tag design, shirt construction, material, and details that nobody can see!

So when you're starting off, tags aren't exactly that important. However, if you're using a popular shirt like the standard American Apparel Jersey Tee, leaving the tag on might be a good thing. ^_~


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## jeanniehm (Apr 10, 2007)

Am a newbie in this forum, hoping to launch a t-shirt business.
About having your own tags: I would like to have my own because I want to build an image for my t-shirt company. Perhaps i can keep the cost lower in other areas?


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## jeanniehm (Apr 10, 2007)

Dave 2006 said:


> obviously folks is going to have different opinions on such a question but in my opinion, if your attempting to build a brand, its something you might want to consider. pay the chips for 1000 tags which will probably cost about 25 cent a tag, and if you run through that thousand, your doing something right.
> i personally try to pay attention to all details, only because im a member of this form and have learned so much from everyone here. when im at the stores, im looking at tags, looking to see if there re-labeled, looking to see if the label has been cut out and is still showing, looking to see if its under the seam or over, feeling the softness, and all that. you would be suprised how many big names are in big stores, and are sloppely re-labeled. but, thats a good thing to me because it motivates me to be more maticulious about my product.


i agree with you about having your own tag to build your brand. am a newbie here .... you might hear from me again!


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