# Labeling shirts alternative



## ksroyalty972 (Oct 16, 2006)

Hey I read around in a search about relabeling tags and such which is something I was interested in doing. SO far I have jsut used this permanent fabric glue to place over the tag. Havent found a seamstress nearby and no embroidery places will do it for me. So I found a place that lets u use sewing machines by the hour for cheap so I guess I will be doing them myself for now or have someone else do them for me. I saw that someone wrote that they leave the label that came with the shirt so people know what brand they are getting and quality wise. I aslo heard some people jsut cutting it away themselves.What do you guys think about that? Has anyone done that and jsut sent a printed paper with washing instructions on them or what? I was thinkin maybe I could do that instead. Even though sometimes I dont use the same shirts. But let me know what you guys think please.


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## Jasonda (Aug 16, 2006)

*Re: Labeling shrits alternative*

The main reason to add your own tags to a shirt is for branding purposes. It's not something you need to do when you're starting out, but I think if you are going to do it the results should be as professional as possible. Ripped threads hanging out from a cut-off tag, glued-on tags, etc. will not look good.

Look in your phone book under "Alterations", you might be able to still find someone local.


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## seibei (Mar 17, 2006)

*Re: Labeling shrits alternative*

Just coming from someone who cuts out their labels and does their own "tagless" print, I can say that you can cut out most tags pretty easily and leave it clean. It took me some effort and a few ruined collars to get the technique down for American Apparels, but now I can tear through a stack of shirts like that (I would snap my fingers but I'm really tired and sitting in an office). 

Also, I did go the whole printed label route as well (I still have maybe about 800 of the original 2,000 that I bought) and while it did look good, driving shirts back and forth to the seamstress became too inconvenient, and also I'm fickle and like changing things up.


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## mikiec (Aug 2, 2006)

*Re: Labeling shrits alternative*

David, what's the best way to remove the tags?

Thanks

Mike


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## seibei (Mar 17, 2006)

sorry it took me awhile to respond - I'm out of town right now. ummm, how to explain it - I hold the shirt tag and pull it taut, and then slide the scissors in over it, and the best way I've found is to have the underside of the tag facing up towards you. Then you want to position the scissor blades so that the blade under the tag is directly on the tag and not on the tape (the strip of fabric directly above the tag), and that the blade above is positioned as close to the end of the tag (but not cutting the actual stitches) as possible. 

this is difficult to explain; I would suggest just trying it with some discarded shirts and find out what's best for you.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

> this is difficult to explain;


You wouldn't happen to have a camcorder handy, would you, David?


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## cycocyco (Mar 2, 2007)

Holy cow that would take forever! One or two shirts maybe, but an order of 500? No thanks.

The best way to do this is to order your tags from a supply house (there are quite a few around the US) then supply them to a shirt supplier who is willing to install them. In Canada, Gaults is your ticket. Imprintable fashion womens clothing and mens apparel from Gaults Apparel Canada

There's normally a minimum order which will deviate greatly.


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## seibei (Mar 17, 2006)

I am going to bring my camera into the shop tonight and try to remember to document it. 

the more you do it, the quicker you get. the first night I did 100 shirts in a row I pretty much wanted to die, but I got much more efficient at it (there's a way to print it where you don't have to turn the shirt inside out to print the tag - if you print it on a sleeve platen, it's easy) and consider it a labor of love - shops love the tagless print.

and yes, printed or embroidered tags are all well and good, but I just like keeping as much of my production in-house as possible, and being able to change tag designs at the drop of a hat.


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## mikiec (Aug 2, 2006)

I've been using Fruit of The Loom tees (I'm more than likely going to change next time I place an order) and I've noticed that it's possible to cut existing tag so as to leave the size and the washing instructions etc intact but remove the FOTL logo.

I don't know if the labels are the same in the US, but here the wash instructions are on the back of the label and the size is at the top of the front of the label above the logo. By cutting on the fold of the label (at the bottom) and then again in between the size and the logo, the shirt still has the size and the washing instructions.

Apart from the possibility of the label fraying where it's been cut, are there any other implications with doing this?

I was thinking of getting one of those 'Printy' (IIRC) hand stamps made up with my replacement label to print on the other side of the washing instructions. Would that ink survive the washing machine?

I'll try to remember to take a pic of what I mean tonight and post it here.


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## FLASH (Feb 24, 2007)

Hey Mike
Check out ANVIL, I saw that they have a new style with tear away tags. Alstyle has some and ARTICLE.1 I beleive all of theirs are tear away labels.


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## myTdesign (Feb 19, 2007)

I hope this tip may help, 
I use it on my shirts and haven't had a problem.(as yet)
Firstly, I place my logo some where on the t-shirt usually on the sleeve or on the bottom hem, for branding purposes and to get others to see my name.
Then I have small washing instructions on a label that I print myself, and I heat seal them onto the fabric as close to the tag in the neck line. If there is a clothing makers label, I do not remove, I just add my own instructions also.


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## cycocyco (Mar 2, 2007)

I just found out the cost from my shirt supplier to put in custom tags, and the specs on the actual tags. Depending on volume the cost is between .30 cents and .50 cents a unit. The label has to include (for legal reasons): company name, accurate wash instructions, accurate composition ingredients, size, and CA #. 

The cost is low enough we're going to order 10 cases of shirts to get the big volume discount; the value we save doing this covers our cost for labels and insertion!


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## mixture77 (Jan 4, 2007)

Most of my clients cut the tag out and then we screen print a new label in for them. this is probaly the cheapest ave to go. Anvil rep stoped my shop today and showed a shirt wear the tag just rips right out. It was awesome. The only problem is I'm not to big and niether are my clients on anvil. I think you will see this trend with these ripable tags on many brands within this year.


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