# De-Tagging American Apparel Shirts?



## MAYBTMRW (Oct 13, 2008)

So you may have read my past post in the Screen Printing thread where I have begun printing my own labels:
[media]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3523/4078437138_a261cc18fd_o.jpg[/media]
Well now I'm stuck. The woven tag is sewn into the one continuous stitch that goes around the whole collar. So when you cut a thread or two to get the label out the whole collar stitching starts to unravel.... in the image above you'll notice I have Screen Printed my Labels in & will have no woven label at the neck (I have one at the bottom hem of the shirts). 

So my question is:

Has anyone restitched them successfully? or know of a trick to get them out of American Apparel shirts?

Any help would be greatly appreciated for sure!


Thanks,

Gabe


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

All labels are sewn into shirts this way. You can simply remove enough stitches to remove the label, then sew up the gap using the same color thread as the shirt has. I have seen this done with AA shirts as well as other brands.

Or you can try this no-sew-necessary method: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUSYqrvdQa0&feature=related[/media]
Note, she is not cutting through the entire label. She is leaving enough uncut so when she pulls it, the entire label comes out, including the piece in the neck tape.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

The continuous stitch labels are much harder to get out than the other type of sewn in label. 

From what I remember, I think someone has to actually re sew in the whole collar area on that type of label. Otherwise, you just have to cut the label very close to the collar and try to remove as much as possible of the remnants


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## MAYBTMRW (Oct 13, 2008)

splathead said:


> Or you can try this no-sew-necessary method



WOW! This method works Great! I tried it on some misprinted shirts & as long as you stop cutting in the last literally 1/16th of an inch on the tag it pulls right out!

* The first one I didn't cut enough & ripped 1 stitch which then ruins the whole collar eventually. 

Thanks Joe!


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## Nvr2Old (Oct 14, 2009)

splathead said:


> All labels are sewn into shirts this way. You can simply remove enough stitches to remove the label, then sew up the gap using the same color thread as the shirt has. I have seen this done with AA shirts as well as other brands.
> 
> Or you can try this no-sew-necessary method: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUSYqrvdQa0&feature=related[/media]Note, she is not cutting through the entire label. She is leaving enough uncut so when she pulls it, the entire label comes out, including the piece in the neck tape.


Tried this today with 2 old shirts, 1st one I cut in between the labels seam, if your handy with a sewing machine this would be alright.
Then I tried the no sew method. I was very skeptical, I slowly cut the label as close to the shirt as possible and left the last few threads uncut, then pulled sidewalls, to my amazement the entire label came out and did not damage one stitch on the shirt!
Great post, Thank you


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## omalley72 (Aug 1, 2008)

Nvr2Old said:


> Tried this today with 2 old shirts, 1st one I cut in between the labels seam, if your handy with a sewing machine this would be alright.
> Then I tried the no sew method. I was very skeptical, I slowly cut the label as close to the shirt as possible and left the last few threads uncut, then pulled sidewalls, to my amazement the entire label came out and did not damage one stitch on the shirt!
> Great post, Thank you


+1... works great!


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## PPop (Jan 18, 2009)

Amazing! Thank You.


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## Michael Dano (Nov 15, 2009)

Hi ! im new here thank for posting that method seem to work great ! 

maybe those one who try on their t-shirt can put the brand of the t-shirt and their result using this method !





*Michael*


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## muneca (Sep 30, 2008)

Hey thanks guys for this post & video. i'll save this one for sure. however, i thought i read a while ago that you can get aa shirts w/out labels in 'em??? maybe not. but, thanks again for the tips!


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## FRESH. (Nov 22, 2009)

When I had to relabel American Apparel shirts, I simply sewed my own tags over the existing tag. 
Alstyle 1701 with tearable tags ftw


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## Nvr2Old (Oct 14, 2009)

muneca said:


> i thought i read a while ago that you can get aa shirts w/out labels in 'em??? maybe not. but, thanks again for the tips!


I went to the AA wholesalers showroom/warehouse in LA last week. Saw everything available, no non tag or tear-away shirts. They were very nice though and set up a wholesale account while I was there.


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## printedthreads (Jun 29, 2010)

splathead said:


> All labels are sewn into shirts this way. You can simply remove enough stitches to remove the label, then sew up the gap using the same color thread as the shirt has. I have seen this done with AA shirts as well as other brands.
> 
> Or you can try this no-sew-necessary method: YouTube - Removing Labels from ShirtsNote, she is not cutting through the entire label. She is leaving enough uncut so when she pulls it, the entire label comes out, including the piece in the neck tape.


Was there a video hear at one time? do you still have a link to it?

Thanks.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

printedthreads said:


> Was there a video hear at one time? do you still have a link to it?


It's still there, but it's invisible!

There is a bug in the forum software. Not sure why it's not been fixed, it's been around for a while.

Click on the "Reply With Quote" button of my 11/8/09 post.

In the quoted text you will see the link to the youtube video.


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## Flitterfly (Nov 18, 2008)

Interesting stuff....


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## FoxyFabrics (Feb 13, 2010)

This is great! Just what I was after... although it doesnt work as well on Stedman shirts


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## coolnammy1 (Jun 19, 2008)

splathead said:


> All labels are sewn into shirts this way. You can simply remove enough stitches to remove the label, then sew up the gap using the same color thread as the shirt has. I have seen this done with AA shirts as well as other brands.
> 
> Or you can try this no-sew-necessary method: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUSYqrvdQa0&feature=related[/media]
> 
> Note, she is not cutting through the entire label. She is leaving enough uncut so when she pulls it, the entire label comes out, including the piece in the neck tape.


hopefully i can see the video!


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## lala777 (Jul 23, 2010)

My Alternative Apparel shirts are tear-away tags but I want to print (digital) my tag on the shirt can I do that and how? Do I need to order tags that I have to heat press or can I do digital printing on it?


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## MaG Silk (May 13, 2009)

I thougt Am Ap had a no detagging policy, unlike say Alstyle who don't care, and will even sew in your tags. Anyone know for sure?

I'd love to be able to legitly retag American Apparel.


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## grayma (Jul 26, 2008)

MaG Silk said:


> I thougt Am Ap had a no detagging policy, unlike say Alstyle who don't care, and will even sew in your tags. Anyone know for sure?
> 
> I'd love to be able to legitly retag American Apparel.


You can absolutely re-tag American Apparel. Johnny Cupcakes and the other big timers have done it for years.


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## DavidRobison (Dec 30, 2009)

I have begun using the Hanes tear away tag shirts. Its a 4.5 oz., 100% preshrunk combed ringspun cotton. Taped shoulder-to-shoulder. Hemmed sleeves and bottom. Ribbed collar. Easy to remove label. The labels tear right out and the price is very good. The feel of the shirt is very similar to american apparel brand. I screen print labels inside them instead of sewing them in I think it looks better and feels better on. this is my label.


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## MaG Silk (May 13, 2009)

grayma said:


> You can absolutely re-tag American Apparel. Johnny Cupcakes and the other big timers have done it for years.


I was talking more about de-tagging the shirt. I thought AA had a rule you can put your tag on their shirt, but you can't remove their label. At least not legally. You can put your tag over/under theirs, but theirs has to stay on

One of my partners worked for a company that wanted to do this, and American Apparel sent reps to meet with them and told them this rule.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

MaG Silk said:


> I was talking more about de-tagging the shirt. I thought AA had a rule you can put your tag on their shirt, but you can't remove their label. At least not legally. You can put your tag over/under theirs, but theirs has to stay on
> 
> One of my partners worked for a company that wanted to do this, and American Apparel sent reps to meet with them and told them this rule.


American Apparel can't control what you do with the shirt once you purchase it.

Many retailers remove AA's tag and replace it with their own.

If you order enough, they'll even do it for you.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

MaG Silk said:


> One of my partners worked for a company that wanted to do this, and American Apparel sent reps to meet with them and told them this rule.


I'm guessing your partner just misunderstood when the AA reps tried to explain the FTC's labelling laws.

(which is to say, you don't _have_ to retain the AA bottom label, but it is the cheapest and easiest way to stay compliant without stress - I would imagine AA would strongly encourage clients to go this route because then they know their client is obeying the law - that doesn't mean they _require_ it)


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## lala777 (Jul 23, 2010)

I have Alternative Apparel shirts that I need to tag since they are tagless, I want to know which is the easiest and best way to tag them direct to garment ( no screen printing ) I have a digital printer or do they sell some kind of stamp or a heat press tag or something please I need help on this issue.


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## DavidRobison (Dec 30, 2009)

I have a Heat press made by a company called Paxar. It can use heat applied labels to apply a size label inside the shirt. Mine was about 4k and the transfers have to be ordered from Paxar on rolls but they can be multicolored. The Hanes and Fruit of the loom tagless shirts have the labels applied this way. its the fastest way to relabel a shirt with a nice finished look. The cost of the labels however requires a minimum run of about 2000 labels. Thats why Screen printing is the cheapest and fastest way to do it. I usually charge .40 a shirt to remove a label and screen print a one color label in the shirt regardless of quantities. You can have woven labels made for as little as .25 in small quantities after the initial setup costs (those vary by manufacterer) and an independant sewer can cut the old ones out and sew new ones in for as little as .10 each if you do the quantities of about 500 at a time. AAA has a program that if you supply them with the labels they will sew in your label on their shirts for you if you order 288 shirts at a time.


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## DavidRobison (Dec 30, 2009)

If your using a direct to garment printer and you want to do relabeling i'd look up some plastisol transfer manufacterers and ask them to make you heat transfers with maybe a dozen or so up on a sheet with every size on one sheet. Have them print you as many sheets as you need and then just cut them up and heat apply them to the shirts using a cap transfer machine after you remove the manufacterers tags. You can't do it much cheaper than that and still have a professional look to it.

Cap transfer machines are pretty cheap I bought one off e-bay for $50

Good Luck


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## doskalata (May 16, 2010)

fantastic...


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## muneca (Sep 30, 2008)

i haven't used aaa before...who & where are they located???


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## muneca (Sep 30, 2008)

okay, great info guys. thanks! well, what's the word on AA now? i was trying to place an order w/one of their distributors and they are saying almost 2 weeks. is anybody else having the same delay in terms of turn-around time? if not, let me know where you guys are getting merchandise from. i need some stuff right away. 

thanks!


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

muneca said:


> i haven't used aaa before...who & where are they located???


Alstyle Apparel - one of the largest manufacturers of blank t-shirts. Closest warehouse to you would be either Chicago or Phili. Although Cali is your best bet for consistent stock.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

muneca said:


> okay, great info guys. thanks! well, what's the word on AA now? i was trying to place an order w/one of their distributors and they are saying almost 2 weeks. is anybody else having the same delay in terms of turn-around time? if not, let me know where you guys are getting merchandise from. i need some stuff right away.
> 
> thanks!


tscapparel.com. In your hood.  Just checked and they have plenty in stock, especially on the basic colors.


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## muneca (Sep 30, 2008)

hey. thanks for the FAST reply. i will call them in the morning. thanks again! i LOVE the forum!!!!


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## muneca (Sep 30, 2008)

oh, wow! i just got another message from you on this. thanks alot. i will check them out in the AM.


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