Clothing Labels, Tags, and Packaging: The Details That Build Your Brand

Labels and packaging are the first things your customer touches after unboxing. They are the finishing touches that separate a generic garment from a branded product. They communicate quality before the customer even puts the garment on.

More practically, labels are a legal requirement. Every garment sold in the EU and most global markets must carry specific information. Getting this wrong can result in products being seized at customs or pulled from retail.

Main Label (Brand Label)

Your brand identity on the garment. Usually positioned at the centre back neck.

Woven labels: Fabric labels with your logo or brand name woven into the material. The premium standard. Durable, detailed, and professional.

Printed labels: Satin or cotton tape with your design printed on. Softer against skin, lower cost, but less durable. Common in activewear and underwear.

Leather / faux leather labels: Debossed or printed. Common on jeans, jackets, and premium positioning.

Specifications to provide:

Care Label

Legally required. Must include fibre composition and care instructions.

EU requirements:

Care symbols (the five basic categories):

Placement: Usually sewn into the left side seam or below the main label. Many brands use a folded booklet label for multiple languages.

Important: Care instructions must be accurate for the specific fabric. Incorrect care labels can lead to garment damage and legal liability. Your manufacturer should provide the correct care instructions based on the fabric composition and finishing.

Size Label

Indicates the garment size. Can be:

Tagless printing is increasingly popular for comfort, especially in t-shirts and underwear.

Flag Label / Tab Label

A small folded label that protrudes from a seam, usually on the side or hem. A subtle branding element.

The tag attached to the garment by a string, pin, or plastic fastener. Removed by the customer before wearing.

Design considerations

Information to include

Poly bags

The minimum packaging for shipping and storage:

Folding

How the garment is folded before bagging:

Tissue paper

Acid-free tissue paper wrapping the garment inside the poly bag or box:

Boxes

For brands that ship direct-to-consumer:

Stickers and extras

European Union

United Kingdom (post-Brexit)

United States

Canada

When placing an order, provide:

For woven labels

For care labels

For hang tags

For a typical order of 200 units:

For a premium finish adding tissue paper, stickers, and a custom mailer box, add €1.50–4.00 per unit.

At White Cotton, we handle all labelling and packaging as part of your production. We work with specialised label suppliers in Portugal to produce custom woven labels, care labels, and hang tags to your specifications.

If you do not have label designs yet, we can help. Many of our clients start with a brand name and a rough idea — we connect you with our labelling partners who can design and produce your full label set.

We ensure all labels meet the legal requirements for your target market. If you are selling in the EU, US, and UK, we produce multi-market compliant labels from the start.