Custom sew-in labels

Types of sew-in labels

Sew-in labels fall into two main groups: woven and printed. In woven labels the design is created by the weave of the threads; in printed ones, the print goes onto ready-made tape. Then there's the material: satin, nylon or cotton. Below are the five technologies we use for sew-in labels, and what each one suits best.

If you want a quick decision: when texture and a premium feel matter, go for woven. When colour, a small run and a short lead time matter, go for print. Sublimation and thermal transfer labels are ready within 7 working days, cotton in 14 working days, and woven labels need 14 working days from sample approval.

Sublimation: full colour

Sublimation printing reproduces the full colour range, gradients and photographic detail. It's the technology for colourful logos, illustrations and labels that need to catch the eye. It works best on Premium Satin, which renders fine type most faithfully. We describe materials and sizes in detail on our page about sublimation printed labels.

Thermal transfer: one colour, clear information

Thermal transfer prints in a single colour: black, white or gold. It works where the label's main job is to show the size, composition or washing instructions. Full details are in the section on thermal transfer labels.

Woven: the logo woven into the fabric

In a woven label the logo is part of the fabric, not a layer on its surface. That's why premium brands that care about durability choose woven labels. The minimum is 500 pieces, and we always make a sample before production. Full description of the technology: woven labels.

Cotton: a natural material

A cotton label looks natural and suits childrenswear and eco collections well. You design it in Studio and order from 100 pieces; it's ready in 14 working days. Read more about this material on our page about cotton labels.

Flexography: large runs

Flexography is cost-effective printing for large, repeat runs. It makes sense when you order the same labels in large quantities every season and the cost of the run matters. Details: flexographically printed labels.

You'll find all the technologies together, with a materials comparison, among our clothing labels.

Printed sew-in labels – full colour from 50 pieces

On a printed label the design isn't woven in; it's printed onto ready-made material. You design both print technologies, sublimation and thermal transfer, yourself in Studio and order from 50 pieces. The difference is how many colours fit on one label.

Sublimation gives you full colour. Gradients, photos, multicoloured logos: it all fits on a single label. There are four materials to choose from:

• Premium Satin (110 g/m²) – reproduces fine type best, so it's the first choice when your label carries small text.
• Premium Matt Satin (110 g/m²) – the same weight with a matt finish.
• Lanyard tape – thick at 0.7 mm, so we don't recommend it for folded labels.
• Gurt – has a horizontal ribbed structure, so it isn't suitable for fine details.

Choose a width of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50 or 70 mm and set the length anywhere from 30 to 200 mm. Our sublimation inks are certified to ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX.

A simple rule of thumb: if your logo has several colours, shading or a photo, go for sublimation. If the label's main job is to show the size or composition and your brand mark is a single colour, thermal transfer is enough.

Thermal transfer prints in one colour: black, white or gold. The print goes onto Premium Satin (110 g/m²), Premium Black Satin (110 g/m²) for a luxury look, or Nylon (61 g/m²). Nylon is the most affordable and is certified to OEKO-TEX Standard 100. Widths are 15, 20, 25, 30, 40 and 50 mm, and the length is again 30–200 mm.

Cotton sew-in labels can also be designed in Studio: 100% natural cotton, flexographic printing with water-based inks, single- or double-sided, in one of 8 colours (black, silver, purple, green, blue, orange, pink, red). Widths are 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 mm, with a minimum of 100 pieces.

We price flexography for large, repeat runs individually. Write to us via the contact form, and we'll prepare a quote for your quantity.

Want to see how your printed label will look? Design a sublimation label, thermal transfer label or cotton label in Studio. You'll see the price before you order anything.

What to put on a sew-in label

A sew-in label usually carries one of two things: your brand mark or product information. Often both, just on separate labels. The most common items are:

• logo or brand name,
• fibre composition,
• size,
• care symbols,
• country of origin.

Logo and name are the job of a branding label. We show examples and technologies on our page for labels with logo. Composition, washing symbols and country of origin usually go on care labels, and the size on separate size labels.

One important note: you, as the garment manufacturer, decide which washing symbols to use, because you know the fabric you sew with. We print exactly the symbols you send us.

In practice, splitting the information across two labels works well: one with your logo at the neck and one with the technical details in the side seam. Your brand mark stays clean and legible, and the composition or washing symbols don't crowd it.

How to choose sew-in labels for each type of clothing

The easiest way to choose a technology is to start from the product. You'd label a sports shirt differently from a children's collection, and a premium-line blazer differently again. Use this table as a starting point:

The second factor is quantity, because each technology has a different entry point:

• First run, small brand (up to 200 pcs) – sublimation or thermal transfer.
• Medium print runs (200-1 000 units) – woven, cotton.
• Large runs (1,000+ pcs) – woven, flexography.

One technology doesn't rule out another. You can combine a woven logo label with a thermal transfer label for composition and size. Each then does what it does best.

Finishing and sewing-in options

You choose how the label is sewn in along with the design, because it determines how the label is folded and where you'll stitch it. In Studio you have six options for sublimation and thermal transfer:

• flat, sewn all round – the label lies flat and you stitch along all edges,
• flat, sewn at the sides – stitched on the left and right only,
• flat with folded-under ends – the ends are tucked underneath,
• sewn into the seam – one end goes into the garment seam,
• folded in half (loop) – the folded label forms a loop, with both ends in the seam,
• book cover fold – the ends fold inwards, like a book jacket.

For folded labels, choose satin or nylon. Lanyard tape is 0.7 mm thick, so we don't recommend folding it. With loop and book cover folds, remember that part of the length disappears into the fold, so allow a little extra.

We finish woven labels with a hot cut, centre fold, pressed ends or a book cover fold. With cotton, finishing matters even more, because cut cotton edges fray. We'll choose it together with you when we prepare your quote.

Sew-in labels in small quantities – from 50 pieces

A new brand rarely needs a thousand labels to start with. That's why you can order sublimation and thermal transfer labels from 50 pieces, enough for a first run or a trial batch of T-shirts. You choose from the same materials and widths as for a large order.

Cotton starts at 100 pieces, woven at 500. If you're planning a smaller run but want an elegant logo, start with sublimation on Premium Satin. You can move to woven once your collection grows.

A small run also means less risk. If you change your logo or size range, you won't be left with a stock of labels you can't use.

You place a small order just like a large one: in Studio, with no quote and no back-and-forth emails.

Sew-in label prices – what affects the cost

We show prices upfront, with no ‘ask for a quote’ wherever they can be calculated straight away. Here's the starting point for each technology:

The final price of your label depends on a few things:

• Technology – single-colour printing, full colour and weaving are different processes with different costs.
• Quantity – the unit price changes with the number of labels you order.
• Size – the width and length of the label.
• Material – in thermal transfer, Nylon is the cheapest.
• Finish – how the label is folded and sewn in.
• Artwork check by a designer – an optional extra in Studio for a small fee.

In Studio you see every change reflected in the price straight away. Compare two widths or two materials and pick the option that fits your budget.

How to order sew-in labels online

Order sublimation, thermal transfer and cotton labels in Studio in four steps:

1. Choose the technology – sublimation for full colour, thermal transfer if one colour is enough, or cotton if you want a natural material.
2. Set the details – material, width, length and sewing-in method. Add your logo and text.
3. Check the design and price – the price updates as you go. If you like, add an artwork check by a designer for a small fee.
4. Order – no quote and no waiting for a reply. We produce sublimation and thermal transfer labels within 7 working days, cotton labels in 14 working days.

Woven and flexographic labels are ordered via the contact form, by email to office@huuft.com or by phone on +48 606 669 990. For woven labels we start with a sample, which is mandatory. Production begins only after your approval. We issue a VAT invoice with every order.

Not sure which technology to choose? Write or call and tell us what you make. We'll advise you before you order anything.

How to prepare your label artwork

A good file is half the battle, whatever the technology. Before you upload your design or send it to us, check five things:

• Format – ideally a vector file: .ai, .eps, .pdf or .svg. A bitmap also works if it's at least 300 DPI at the final label size.
• Fine lines – at least 0.3 mm for sublimation and flexography, 0.5 mm for woven. Thinner lines may disappear.
• Dimensions – design at the final label size from the start: a width from the available list and a length of 30–200 mm. That way you'll see straight away whether the text fits.
• Margin – keep a strip along the edge free of important elements; for standard sizes that's about 5 mm.
• Check – if you're not sure, tick the artwork check by a designer in Studio for a small fee.

We don't design logos from scratch. But if your file isn't print-ready yet, we'll help you prepare it.

Why HUUFT?

• Price before you order. In Studio you see it straight away, without waiting for a sales rep.
• From 50 pieces. Start with a small run and reorder when you need more.
• Five technologies in one place. We'll recommend the one that suits your product rather than pushing one on you.
• Made in Poland. VAT invoice and direct contact: email, form or phone.
• Help with your file. We'll get your design ready for print.

Ready for your own sew-in labels? Design them in Studio and see the price before you order.