For small businesses across Portland and beyond, a branded t-shirt is more than just a t-shirt – it’s a tangible item that resonates with customers and helps to create connections. (We would know, us Pacific Northwestern’s wear a lot of t-shirts.) A big part of what we do at Oregon Screen Impressions is to help local businesses create merchandise for their brand. We’ve found that emphasizing the details can make a huge difference in creating a merch item that will become someone’s most-worn and most-loved.

Ever notice how the nicest merch at the merch booth has custom labels sewn on the hem or an interior rebranded neck label? OSI offers several add-ons that add-on a special touch to garments. Here is a comprehensive list of all of our current options that you can incorporate into your designs today:

Interior Branding: Neck Label Options 

Most tees, sweatshirts, hoodies, etc come with a generic tag on the back neck area of the garment. The company that creates the blank garments include these to stay compliant with textile laws. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), most textile and wool products must have a label that lists the following information:

Fiber content: What the garment is made of

Country of origin: The country where the garment was originally manufactured 

Manufacturer identity: The identity of the manufacturer or another business responsible for marketing or handling the item 

The FTC has a Care Labeling Rule that requires imported apparel products in the U.S. to have care instructions on the label. The rule has been in effect since July 1972 and requires that the labels be permanently attached and remain legible for the life of the garment. 

Neck labels are a type of private labeling for clothing brands and are usually found on the inside of a t-shirt’s neck. In addition to the information listed above, neck labels can also include a company logo, size, and other information like the brand’s website, social media, or slogan. To ensure your labels are compliant, you can review the laws here.

Lucky for us, many of the blank tees we print on often have tear-away neck labels. These neck labels are easily replaced with new labels that are personalized to be branded for a small business who is printing a design on the garment. In order to have a garment that is legal to sell, you must have some sort of labeling. Why not make it eye-catching and on-brand? There are two ways that we rebrand neck labels:

 

Interior Branding

Interior branding is a neck label printed directly on the garment. The ink blends with the fabric, just like any other screen print, and makes for a lasting design. This is by far the most customizable option we offer. We’ve seen businesses include fun icons and graphics with their neck labels, social media and website links, and fun phrases here. Interior branding neck labels allow for a world of creativity. Have you ever noticed a small detail on a neck label of your favorite T that made you smile? These easter eggs are fun for customers to discover when they throw on your merch. 

These labels can either be screen printed using our Rapid Tag machine using small screens, or using our Direct-to-Transfer (DTF) Heat press machines. DTF has the advantage of covering up existing labels with a new design. Due to fabric content, these are best used on t-shirts and hoodies.

 

Sew-In Woven Labels

Sew-In labels are garment labels that are sewn into the fabric of a clothing item. These labels can be ordered in bulk and stored at OSI for future use. Often these labels are woven and can withstand many washes while keeping their integrity. Sew-In Labels come in different sizes and shapes. Some are wider and square, others are smaller. The woven labels can be sewn on the back neck label, up against the hem, or on one of the hems running down the inseam of the shirt.

 

What to include on a t-shirt label design:

The required stuff:

Fibers – Is your chosen blank garment 100% Cotton? Polyester? Or a blend?

Country of Origin – Where the garment was manufactured. This information can be found on the generic labels that come with the blank garment, or on the website of the seller.

Manufacturer Information

 

The Important Stuff:

Sizing – Either by letter (S, M, L) or spelled out (Small, Medium, Large). Nothing worse than a t-shirt that’s too small! (On the contrary, nothing better than one that’s too big and you can wear to bed every night and cherish as your favorite nighty time shirt)

YOUR BRAND! Who’s kick-ass design is printed on that shirt? YOURS! Make sure your customer knows it!

 

The Fun Stuff:

Here’s some design ideas you can include on your neck label:

Slogans, sayings, and quotes

Logos

Cool art and additional design

 

Hang Tags

Who doesn’t love buying merch? Hang tags are labels or cards attached to a product with a string or adhesive to provide information about the product and the brand. They oftentimes will be a touchpoint for displaying pricing information as well for selling merchandise in a retail storefront. Hang Tags have unlimited options for customization. From the actual design, to the size and shape or the tag, hang tags are an effective way to extend your brand’s touchpoints. OSI offers hang tag services, delivering a final product that is retail-ready. 

Folding and Poly-Bagging

Raise your hand if you hate folding laundry!! We’ll stay with your garment until it’s signed, sealed and delivered to your door – neatly folded in labeled packaging. This is another great add-on for those looking to sell their merchandise in a retail space. (Psst… we even offer fulfillment services too)

Sew-On Labels

Not to be confused with FTC – complaint woven sew-in labels, sew ON labels are made for pure branding embellishment awesomeness. Popular locations for sew-on labels include hems of shirts and sleeves, hoodie pockets, or a flat label that can go anywhere (tho we may not suggest you go crazy with this option. Or do, that’s none of our business. Well, it is our business. Literally)

Every business knows that branding means everything in a crowded marketplace. Everyone owns a collection of t-shirts, but not everyone owns carefully created merch that is branded down to the small details. Customers appreciate fine details and care that are put into the merchandise they own.  A well-executed brand strategy can enhance perceived value, influence purchasing decisions, and ultimately drive sales.

What are you waiting for? Pick up the phone and chat with one of our sales reps to explore branding options for your merch!