If you have come to this post it's safe to assume that you are fairly new to the label business and you are still trying to understand which labels to use for your clothing line.

You have probably found that the most common type of labels for clothing/accessories and apparel are Woven and Printed clothing labels but you are still wondering....

WHICH ONE SHOULD I USE?!

Unfortunately there is not a clear-cut answer and in some circumstances it is not an easy pick between the two. The best way to take a decision is to first learn as much as possible about woven and printed labels and then asses each quality of the labels against your needs, time and expectations.

Let's start with laying out some useful information about each label type:

WOVEN LABELS 

Woven labels are normally made of 100% polyester (you can have them made in cotton too...but let's not go into too much details for now) threads weaved together. Your design is transformed into a "weavable" file that is sent to an automatic loom which - in turn - will create your text and/or artwork into a piece of material. 

Not only are your designs woven into the label, but the whole label itself is actually woven too. 

Benefits of Woven Labels:

High Quality: Woven labels are considered the perfect way to add a touch of class to your garments. They are one of the highest quality labels available and are the preferred choice for logo/brand labels.

Durability: They are long lasting and the individual stitches also give a more long-lasting look. 

Softness: Custom woven labels can be cut with ultrasound, making the edges soft and smooth. This is perfect for labels that need to be applied inside garments (especially on the neck) as it won't affect the wearer.

Limitations of Woven Labels:

Color limits: On most advanced loom machines you can use maximum 12 colour at the same time. Because of this, woven labels can have only up to 12 colours in a design. There are certain software and techniques that could compensate for this limitation (think about Digicolor of Mueller) but theirs use is not always suggested for logo woven labels.

Complex design and fine details: In general, for HD and complex design woven labels are not the most reccomended label of choice.

PRINTED LABELS 

Simply put, your design is directly printed into your material of choice, instead of being woven into the material. Depending on the label manufacturer you can choose among a variery of materials. The most common ones are Satin, Cotton and Polyester.

Printed labels are not as durable as woven labels and are also at a lower price point. However they allow more detailed visualisation for smaller elements and fonts as well as larger palette of colors to choose from with possibilities to mix colors and print gradients. 

They are typically considered less luxurious than woven labels. We like to say that Printed labels have a different (lower) "aura"/energy than woven labels.

Benefits of Printed Labels:

Unlimited colors: Digitally printed labels can be printed with as many colors as your design requires.

Fine details and complex design: Printed labels are the preferred choice for fine/small text and complex designs.

Limitations of Printed Labels:

Lower life-time: Printed labels are less durable and can wear out (yes! even the best printed label will fray after a lot of "trips" in the washing machine).

Lower quality: They do not look nor feel as high quality as woven labels.

OK. SO NOW THAT I KNOW ALL THIS STUFF, HOW DO I DECIDE?!

Well, it should be simple at this point. When making a decision based on above informaiton always keep in mind that your label is the ultimate representation of your company and it must:

1 - Embody the same quality that is in your products.

2 - Represent the same quality and value of your brand

Are you looking to purchase woven or printed labels? Check out our product pages