# what to put on hang tags?



## yummymom007

What information are you putting on your hang tags? Other than my logo what do I put on there? 

Thanks 

Amanda


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## Greg Hamrick

"What Services you offer", might be something to put on there oh yummy one. Also, your info on Contacting you.

.


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## COEDS

I like Greg's suggestions, but I would add care instructions Wash and dry (instructions) for the garment. ................. JB


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## Jasonda

Your hang tag is really your opportunity to "brand" the garment. Care instructions, etc. are already on the label.. I'd leave that out and give yourself more room for your logo and brand info.

Do leave room for a UPC, though.


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## CoolTech

I use logo, tag line, web site and contact info on front. Care Instructions on back


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## Solmu

It partly depends what the hang tags are for. If they're for no apparent reason (online sales) you might as well just brand them to the hilt. If they're for retail, the needs of the retailers you're selling to are most important: what do they need space for, do they barcode everything or is the information printed or written on the tag, do they want you to place that information or will they do it, how do they feel about your website being on the hangtag, etc. etc.


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## yummymom007

Services don't work with mine, because I am a clothing line not a service....I was thinking about listing the finer quality of my tees and jeans. 

I am going to be offering handpainted tees as well as jeans. 

thanks for the ideas....


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## HeathenPeddler

Jasonda said:


> Your hang tag is really your opportunity to "brand" the garment. Care instructions, etc. are already on the label.. I'd leave that out and give yourself more room for your logo and brand info.
> 
> Do leave room for a UPC, though.


What's a UPC? Don't remember that one


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## Solmu

HeathenPeddler said:


> What's a UPC? Don't remember that one


Universal Product Code - a barcode.


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## highstyleinc

Hi,

You should include your logo, band name, slogan, product info (100% combed cotton tee), maybe your RN#. To get ideas, take a look at some other hangtags to get ideas. If selling in a retail store, there may be cerain requirements made by the store or even by the state that requires certain info.

Good luck!

Kris


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## teabelly83

highstyleinc said:


> Hi,
> 
> You should include your logo, band name, slogan, product info (100% combed cotton tee), maybe your RN#. To get ideas, take a look at some other hangtags to get ideas. If selling in a retail store, there may be cerain requirements made by the store or even by the state that requires certain info.
> 
> Good luck!
> 
> Kris


 
ha any1 got any idea what would be an ideal size for a hangtag?? i looked online at afflictions tags, the black1s and im not sure how bigthey are. 

and also, whats the best software to design my tag in that ican taketo a printer. can iuse photoshop? illist or combine? and if any1 knws the sizes of a hangtag then i can jst create a new image board at that size and jsut put my design on it.


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## paulo

Shouldn't the hangtag mainly contain information about the company?

Company Logo
Catch Phrase if you one
Maybe a website.

Care instructions, and Product info should be on the Care Label already.


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## Bravo13

I think the size is p to you as well. I bought the gun and plastic thingys. But when looking for tags, they didn't have any I could run through the laser printer. I didn't want to pay a printer to do these up, so I checked the Avery labels, etc. I grabbed a box of name badge tags. Just the paper, comes in sheets of 8. I can fit two of my tags on each one, cut it with a paper cutter and it's all good.


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## karlking85

They can be any size, and yes, I would leave the care instructions off, they are required to be on the shirt itself, so duplicating info the customer is only going to ignore serves only to waste your money.


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## tuan

Solmu said:


> It partly depends what the hang tags are for. If they're for no apparent reason (online sales) you might as well just brand them to the hilt. If they're for retail, the needs of the retailers you're selling to are most important: what do they need space for, do they barcode everything or is the information printed or written on the tag, do they want you to place that information or will they do it, how do they feel about your website being on the hangtag, etc. etc.


There are retail stores that don't want the website of the shirt brand on the hang tag? That sucks!


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## tuan

highstyleinc said:


> Hi,
> 
> You should include your logo, band name, slogan, product info (100% combed cotton tee), maybe your RN#. To get ideas, take a look at some other hangtags to get ideas. If selling in a retail store, there may be cerain requirements made by the store or even by the state that requires certain info.
> 
> Good luck!
> 
> Kris


Are you positive that there are certain requirements made by the store or even state? So if I plan to sell my shirts to dozens of stores around the country in different states, I have to print many different versions of my hang tag in order to please or meet the requirements of these stores/states? What could possibly go on a hang tag other than your brand's info (logo, website, etc) and maybe room for barcode sticker?


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## Solmu

tuan said:


> There are retail stores that don't want the website of the shirt brand on the hang tag? That sucks!


You sound surprised. Of course there are retailers that don't want to have to compete in their own shop. If you are selling retail, the primary story isn't you and your brand - it's the store. You are secondary. Reminders on your product that you can get the product elsewhere aren't a great idea - it's like breaking the fourth wall.


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## Solmu

tuan said:


> What could possibly go on a hang tag other than your brand's info (logo, website, etc) and maybe room for barcode sticker?


Mission statement, brand story, personal story, product features or benefits, product information, endorsements, graphic design (for example, a detail from the shirt design), guarantees, etc.

You don't need _any_ of those things if you don't want to, but there's plenty you can do to fill a tag if you want to, or feel your brand needs to convey more information to the buyer at point of sale.

What do you want your buyers to know? That's what else can go on a hang tag.


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## tuan

Solmu said:


> Mission statement, brand story, personal story, product features or benefits, product information, endorsements, graphic design (for example, a detail from the shirt design), guarantees, etc.
> 
> You don't need _any_ of those things if you don't want to, but there's plenty you can do to fill a tag if you want to, or feel your brand needs to convey more information to the buyer at point of sale.
> 
> What do you want your buyers to know? That's what else can go on a hang tag.


Thanks Solmu for your helpful replies!
Another question I have that hasn't been answered conclusively is about the barcode. Is the seller responsible for printing the barcode on the hangtag or the retailer does that?


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## Solmu

tuan said:


> Another question I have that hasn't been answered conclusively is about the barcode. Is the seller responsible for printing the barcode on the hangtag or the retailer does that?


It depends. Theoretically the retailer is responsible, because they will use whatever barcode they want to best fit in with their own system. But sometimes retailers (usually large national type retailers) will require the hangtags be made *exactly* to their specifications (including barcode) as a condition of purchase.


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## Peleg_86

im a little worried...i just ordered hang tags and all i put on them was my logo and brand name (front and back)

did i make a mistake? should i have put more info on them? ...i have all the care info on the shirt already and as for my website, im going to include business cards with that kind of info on it in every order. so are my hang tags missing anything vital?


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## Peleg_86

also, i would like to know the best method to connect them to the shirt! i had drill holes made in them, now i need to know how to connect them to the shirt. what do i need?


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## SaphiraDesign

Gratz_The_King said:


> also, i would like to know the best method to connect them to the shirt! i had drill holes made in them, now i need to know how to connect them to the shirt. what do i need?


You will need a tagging gun and some T's

here's a video on how to use a tag gun:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mxf2m1U90aA[/media]


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## Peleg_86

thanks shellie, that was helpful.ill buy one of those for my hangtags, i just hope my hang tags arent missing any vital info

also another question i have is that i noticed in the video, the person is putting the needle through the neck tag.. well on my shirts, my neck labels are screen printed on, so will that be a problem? should i just penetrate the shirt instead (under the armpit?)


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## kimura-mma

i'm sure the tags you ordered are fine. since you don't have neck labels, under the arm seems logical.


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## Peleg_86

kimura-mma said:


> i'm sure the tags you ordered are fine. since you don't have neck labels, under the arm seems logical.


they are simply my logo+brand name on both sides, glossy, and 4"x1.5" (LxW)

thats IT ...hope its not too basic


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## Peleg_86

Amazon.com: Arrow 9S Price Tag Tagging Gun + 5,000 barbs: Office Products

hey do you think this is a good one to get? it comes with 5000 3" fasteners

are the fasteners those little plastic strings that have a horizontal end on both sides?


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## SaphiraDesign

Gratz_The_King said:


> Amazon.com: Arrow 9S Price Tag Tagging Gun + 5,000 barbs: Office Products
> 
> hey do you think this is a good one to get? it comes with 5000 3" fasteners
> 
> are the fasteners those little plastic strings that have a horizontal end on both sides?


Yeah, all tag guns are really the same. They tend to get worn out, as well. Fasteners are those little plastic things, aka T's.


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## tuan

What about sizing? Every hang tag should have this info right? S, M, L, XL. It's not enough to have the size on just the label right? When printing hang tags it's expensive to print 4 different tags for 4 different sizes, how does one get around that?


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## kimura-mma

It's fine to just have the size on the neck label, it's not necessary on the hangtag.


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## muneca

hey, great info here. thanks all.


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## tuan

kimura-mma said:


> It's fine to just have the size on the neck label, it's not necessary on the hangtag.


Do you really think so? I always see hang tags with size printed on them but then again I notice that when I go to Target so perhaps it's ok to not worry about that for smaller stores? I hope you're correct on that. Thanks.


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## kimura-mma

You're probably referring to the barcode label. That's different than a typical hangtag that an independent brand would use. so i guess it depends on the type of business you have.


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## tuan

kimura-mma said:


> You're probably referring to the barcode label. That's different than a typical hangtag that an independent brand would use. so i guess it depends on the type of business you have.


I normally see hang tags (which have logo, price, etc.) with bar codes on them.


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## tuan

There must be some standards in producing hang tags with the usual "ingredients" (logo, company info, website and room for barcode?) because when I hear someone suggests that you should print according to what the retail store needs...well how many of us here just want to sell to one store? If we have to meet the specific needs of many boutiques and stores in printing the hang tags we would all be broke right? I definitely can print 25 different hang tags if the 25 stores I plan to sell to all tell me to put different things on the hang tags. It just doesn't make sense to me, there must be universal info that's safe for us to print on the hang tags and know that it will work with "most" stores?


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## kimura-mma

There is no legal requirement for what is needed on a hangtag. It is *your* hangtag and part of *your* branding. If a retailer requires additional information, then a separate small tag can be added or a sticker can be applied to your existing tag, either at your expense or theirs, depending on the agreement.

Bill Cosby once said _"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everyone."_

You're thinking way too much about satisfying everyone else's needs rather than concentrating on satisfying your own. Make your tags the way you want them.


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## ChapterTEE

Don't forget put your website on them. It's the cheapest advertisement.


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## BostonKnucklehed

There are some laws out there on what you need to have. When I did mine I had to put legally the blend of fabric on the hang tag.


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## kimura-mma

BostonKnucklehed said:


> There are some laws out there on what you need to have. When I did mine I had to put legally the blend of fabric on the hang tag.


That is usually a requirement for a neck label. Are you sure it was a requirement for the hangtag? Who legally required it... federal, state, local?


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## BostonKnucklehed

hmm i'm not sure but it was an inside pressing behind the neck.


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## kimura-mma

Yeah, then that was a neck label. The FTC has requirements about info that needs to be in the neck label. A hangtag is different, it's more of a marketing tool.


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## tuan

BostonKnucklehed said:


> There are some laws out there on what you need to have. When I did mine I had to put legally the blend of fabric on the hang tag.


I think kimura-mma is correct, the legal requirements go on the neck label. I also have never heard of any requirements on the hang tag.


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## lincolnapparel

Recently I did some hang tags for my T-shirts, that I'm now selling in a local shop. I basically just used my business card as a hang tag, with a story about how and why I made the design on the back. This way, my logo and website info is on one side of the tag, and the other side has a little story that helps people connect with the design.

I'm unaware of anything that legally has to be on the hang tag.


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## FRESH.

tuan said:


> I normally see hang tags (which have logo, price, etc.) with bar codes on them.


Those bar codes and prices are usually added to the hang tags by the retailer.


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## magnetic5823

Do I need a barcode ?


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## kimura-mma

magnetic5823 said:


> Do I need a barcode ?


Only if you need to scan the barcode for inventory or POP checkout purposes.


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## AngrySpade

My hang tags are pretty simple looking, just a logo and my clothing line name. At the bottom is my website. For my new shirts that are being printed right now I went a little further with the branding and made matching hang tags with the design and a little paragraph on the back with some details about the background of my clothing line.


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## topsy cret

AngrySpade said:


> My hang tags are pretty simple looking, just a logo and my clothing line name. At the bottom is my website. For my new shirts that are being printed right now I went a little further with the branding and made matching hang tags with the design and a little paragraph on the back with some details about the background of my clothing line.


Just a note, if your going to be approaching retailers they may not want to see you web url on the hangtag. Customers may see the url and just decide to buy direct from your site instead of from the retailer. Which in that case ends up being bad for both you & them.


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## AngrySpade

topsy cret said:


> Just a note, if your going to be approaching retailers they may not want to see you web url on the hangtag. Customers may see the url and just decide to buy direct from your site instead of from the retailer. Which in that case ends up being bad for both you & them.


I don't plan on selling to retailers so that wont be a problem =)

Plus, I can always just make new hang tags without the url if I did decide to go that route.

Thank you for the thought though I am new to this and every little bit of info is helpful to me.


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## e22s

i have just a logo and website...keep it simple


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## SchmoopyDesign

I agree. I use my logo and website on one side and a brief about us paragraph and mention of our Facebook and Twitter pages on the other side.


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## cube-apparel

I used my business cards with a small hole in the top. The small hole punch I got from a scrap booking store. I think it was 1/16".

I had the business cards printed by Vista Print. They are the foiled ones which I got for pretty cheap. What happened was that there was a slight misprint on the foiling of the card so they sent me another set for free. I figured I could use the misprinted ones for hang tags b/c they have the logo, tag line, website & email address on them so why not. You can get lots of business cards for cheap and it's a great way for people to hold onto your card. Try offers from Vista Print or staples as you get a lot for cheap. I just wouldn't add a name or phone #.

On the reverse side I printed labels with my SKU on it, along with the size & a care instruction for ironing the print only. The rest, I figure they should know how to take care of their t's. I placed the label at the bottom on the blank side of the card so stores can put their barcodes on the blank space.

Hope that helps.


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## Tubalcain

I think I've read this entire thread and thought it might be useful to summarize and add a few points I've learned on my own.

1. Hang tags can be any size but an economical way to get them done is to use a business card template. Then use an online print company that does business cards on the cheap. You should be able to get about 1000 cards/hangtags for $50-$75 bucks. Maybe cheaper.

2. A 10pt. or 12 pt. gloss paper is a good choice. If your tag is double-sided make sure the paper is coated gloss on both sides. The specs will say "C2S". As in coated 2 sides. You may not want both sides glossy if you need to write on one side for some reason.

3. There are no legal requirements (fed, state, local, etc.) for a hang tag. This is often confused with the requirements that are printed on the garment's tag. Information like laundering instructions and the blend of the fabric are not required on a hang tag. Just on the garment tag.

4. Another confusion is UPC codes. A national retailer like Target will require a "real" universal barcode for every size, color, design, etc. Here's the official web site for making that happen. GS1US.org

5. The minimum size requirements for a "real" bar code are 1.469" wide (number to number) and 1.02" tall.

6. If you're only selling to "mom and pop" businesses then they'll probably want to apply their own barcode sticker. So leave a spot open on your hang tag for that. The smallest space we leave blank on our hang tags measures 1.8" x 1.25". That's for a "mom and pop" barcode or so a "real" barcode can be applied if we needed it in the future.

7. On the GS1US.org site you'll see that it can get expensive to have multiple bar codes and pay the yearly renewal fees. It may be a better option to use a service that resells barcodes. Sort of like bar code brokers. See BuyABarCode.com if you only need a few "real" barcodes.

8. There's a lot of different opinions about what goes on a hang tag and I think it's a personal decision based on your goals. I would only say that you should *NOT* include your web site or other company contact information if you are selling to mom and pop shops. That's because they don't want customers coming in and shopping and then going home and buying online. This is what I call "showrooming". Not having this information on the tag actually becomes a selling point for you as you can insure the retailer that you're protecting their sales. A side note would be to avoid putting your company URL on your shirts as part of the shirt design. Again, a showrooming opportunity that retailers hate.

9. Finally, the finishing touch is the tagging gun. This pins the tag to the garment with the tiny plastic tether or barb. Although you can buy a new one fairly cheap, try ebay and you'll see that there's tons of used ones. Often you can find package deals of guns, needles and barbs and save money.

Like everything else, there's more than one way to do any of the above items. These are just things I've learned along the way and I hope you find them useful.


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## strike3sports

We just put our Logo and Slogan. Just to keep it simple and to help with branding.


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## akar

You can put your company's story on there and other products that you make. Think of it as an "about us" page on a website and a small advertisement to try and "upsell" other products.


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## bpgt3

Thank you tubalcain...very informative!


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## Tubalcain

I gained a lot of useful information from this thread so I wanted to return and show you what we did for our first batch of hang tags.

First, let me say that our goal was to do only enough hang tags for our initial inventory which was about 500 shirts. They needed to be economical and we didn't want to get stuck with a bunch of tags we later might find out the retailers didn't like.

Our solution was to print them on an office ink jet printer but use some really nice paper. We actually used watercolor paper and they turned out great.

We set them up so we could print multiple on a single page and then cut them out using a paper cutter. We manually punched the holes in the top of the tag for the hang string. Then we tied them onto the t-shirts with waxed dark brown thread.

Another detail you might want to know is that we chose the hangtag size to be 3.5" x 2". This is the same size as a business card. You can get a lot of business cards printed very cheap online. So that's what we will do once we need a larger volume.

Here's a link to a blog post about them on our site. You can see how the hang tags go very well with the design of our shirts. Open Ocean Company Hangtags


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## Walk Away

Sometimes less is more.....Like so many others, we only use our Logo, company name, slogan and URL. We do have two different kinds of hang tags, the other doesn't have our URL; due to a few local shops that will not accept tags with it.


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## Labelsig.com

yummymom007 said:


> What information are you putting on your hang tags? Other than my logo what do I put on there?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Amanda


This post is old, but may help someone else interested in the same thing.

You can put anything on a hang tag or you can just put your logo for brand recognition. The logo can be printed on one side or both sides (this makes it easier to read on a retail store rack). 




Other items that may be helpful on a hang tag are as follows:

Size - Convenient for the customer to find the correct size without looking at the inside label
Price/MSRP - Useful when marking down from a higher price to show the savings
Style - Useful for the manufacturer
Color - Useful for the manufacturer 
Lot# - Useful when trying to track a problem
UPC Barcode - A must if being sold in a retail store
A slogan or description of the item - For marketing purpose



Basically anything that you want, but if you're selling to a retail store then they would have compliance requirements that will be denoted in the "vendor compliance manual".


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## into the T

we use simple avery clean-edge business cards turned vertical, hand-held hole punch (get the small punch, the normal size one looks freaky big with your thin plastic tag tails), and a tagging gun
you can download avery design program (or use the online designer) for your cards and it has a bar code designer

even if you are not selling in a store, you should have a hang tag on your merch 
(don't forget to have your website on there)

if you need thousands, then sub out the printing to save time


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