Labelling Options Explained

Let's start with the trusty sew on labels

These are the tried and tested method for many households and fairly self-explanatory.

Cheap and durable would be the fairest way to describe them and if you have time to spare and a basic sewing ability then this is probably an appealing option for you. We’d recommend this option if it suits you and you don’t mind spending a bit of time applying them.

They are very common and can be bought online quite easily and cheaply. If you’re buying these for school uniform, be prepared to sit down every year with your needle & thread and a boxset to watch - and maybe a glass of wine. If you’re a business or helping move a resident into a care facility this isn’t going to be the fastest option for you, and if you’re planning on labelling each sock then we would suggest looking at one of the other options which are faster to apply, or even consider switching to a mesh bag system as we have.

What we love about sew on labels, and why it’s been the go-to for so many years, is that it’s incredibly secure. Whilst we still hear horror stories of name labels being cut out from expensive school blazers, you can be sure they won't fall out in the wash or fade over time.

This isn’t a major factor for most people but one of the other reasons we appreciate the sew-on option is they can be removed with nearly no trace left. Yes, being able to remove a name label easily is a bad thing for theft but it is a great option if you plan on upcycling or handing down the uniform next year and don’t want any sticky residue or faint pen marks left. It takes a little bit of time to unpick each label but the result is nice and clean. We’ve found all the other options will leave some sort of permanent mark.

The ability to remove a tag easily, whilst being completely secure was perhaps the hardest feature for us to create. We came up with a unique system that requires a special removal tool and it’s been the main reason our tags are used on so many expensive items like high-quality towels or school blazers. We do have videos showing how our removal system works.

It’s worth noting that tags can be removed in seconds. There will be a small hole where the tag has been, but this is not an issue for most people and if you’re passing the clothing on we’d hope the new owners would add their own tag using the same hole.

In summary, if you have time on your hands, sewing is a cost-effective option for you. If you’re a parent or guardian, be prepared to repeat this every year.

Aren't Iron on Labels the Solution?

For those who don’t have the time for sewing, iron-on labels are considered the next best thing. We get it, we’ve been there, we’ve done it.

We can find conversations on mumsnet.com dating way back to early 2000 debating iron vs sew on labels and it’s hard to find a clear winner in the debate of convenience vs durability.

Iron-on labels are essentially stickers that react to the intense heat of an iron. When the label returns to room temperature, the adhesive would have stuck to the fibres in both the label and the garment. It’s simple but important.

All adhesive is prone to degrade over time and it’s hard to know when purchasing online which supplier is using a better quality adhesive than the other. If you’re set on iron-on labels, be sure to speak to a lot of people and get recommendations on the most durable options. Ask how long their label has lasted because you want to make sure you’re buying something that will cover you for at least one school term.

If you know the item is prone to stains and marks (like a restaurant or medical facility) you can guarantee the item will be going through some intense wash conditions regularly. Consider the fact that the same chemicals and heat will be affecting the adhesive of the label.

It’s therefore hard to gauge just how long a label will last, but if your happy to reapply these labels throughout the year and are open to the risk of the label NOT being there when it matters, then iron-on labels are a good solution. Did you know our tags are made to withstand the Care Quality Commission wash requirements for care homes? These are some of the most intense conditions a garment will go through and we know you won't find any signs of fading or falling off with a tag.

We would personally steer clear of iron-on labels unless the item is being used for a short period of time or the garments are disposable.

Stickers!

Following on from iron-on labels, stickers are often even cheaper and come in larger quantities.

There’s a reason for this and as we mentioned in the iron-on section, the quality of the adhesive is the biggest factor in its success or failure.

Stickers are best kept away from clothing. You are almost certainly looking at a surface print and a cheap adhesive and in the best case scenario, they will last maybe a couple of washes.

It’s a good idea to try everything once, but when it comes to labels we suggest you stay well away from using stickers on clothing or anything that is going to go into the wash.

If we dislike them so much, why do we sell them?

We are experts in the field of industrial labels. Attach A Tag is owned by a family-run industrial label manufacturer whose customer base ranges from the NHS all the way through to military and aerospace applications. We are all based in the same building and we live and breath labels and printing. If you want to know more about this, we explain more about who we are on the About Us page.

We knew our tags can’t be applied to shoes, pencil cases or glasses cases etc, so we’ve used our heritage and vast knowledge to create the best sticker option on the market. We only use quality adhesive and print methods, and whilst we make it clear that we do not recommend stickers for clothing, our labels are a great solution for anything with a hard surface.

We talk more about our labels on the dedicated product page and as always, we are happy to answer your questions.

Marker Pens & Stamps

Fast, affordable and can be applied to almost anything.

Marker Pens

One of the main things we like about pens, apart from their uses outside of just naming things, is you need one pen for an infinite number of names. There’s no need for you to buy the name tags, labels or stamps for each name. This means you can end up saving some important pounds. If you're interested, we wrote an article about some back to school money saving tips.

Stamps

The main drawback here however is you will need a new stamp for each name. This is one of the key benefits of a marker pen, so it’s hard to decide if the extra second saved in writing the name is worth the cost of another stamp.

We still think these are better than sticky labels as there’s no sticky adhesive to contend with and the pens are very versatile. Writing a name on can take seconds and it takes little skill to apply.

Whilst both systems do the job they’re designed to do, buying a pack of 2 quality permanent markers for just £2 is hard to argue with.

An honest review of our tags

We speak a lot about our tags all over our website and you’ll have to forgive us for that. We’ve put so much effort into creating these and we want to talk a little more about them here so there is a fair comparison with the other options available to you.

We explain in our about us page why we created the first tagging system after experiencing the lost laundry situation for a relative in a care home.

Once we knew a labelling solution was needed, the key wasn’t to just add another option to the market, it was to solve all the problems which made the other products unsuitable.

It took a while to refine, but we eventually settled on a tag and retainer design which we often describe to customers as being similar to an earring. Fixing two separate pieces to each other means we can always ensure there is a solid foundation for the product to attach to. This does limit the application to fabrics only, but our goal is to solve lost laundry first and foremost and for that purpose, it does the job well.

With the durability solved, we needed to make sure these two pieces could be applied as fast as all the other options. We were up against some tough competition when it comes to speed, but designing a specialist applicator became the obvious next step. During these conversations, we refined the screw-on method which makes our product so unique and ended up an identifiable twist on method as seen in all our demonstration videos. Our dolphin applicator is the base model and most affectionately used. We use this applicator for most of our demonstrations as it perfectly shows how simple and easy it is to apply a tag. These applicators are so user friendly, we often find the job is given to the kids!

The last thing for us now was the longevity of the product. We knew the tag isn’t going to fall off, and we know we can get them on quickly, but if the product is going to outlast the life of the garment, our issue was making sure the printing of the name would last just as long. For this, we turned to the experts and this is where we were introduced to Fine Cut (who have since become our parent company).

Fine Cut has always been at the forefront of industrial graphics and marking. It became immediately obvious to them printing wasn’t going to be the best option. Instead, they suggested laser marking. Immediately we knew this was going to be the solution and they became our production partner. Laser marking the names was by far the best option, and we have had clients who have been using and reusing the same tags for years. We mention this now because the proof is in the pudding.

We went further

Whilst we recommend a new retainer each time, the tags are completely reusable. This means you should only purchase from us once which means the annual burden of purchasing name labels has vanished. The removal tools make this process so quick and easy we would consider the year on year investment an incredibly smart move.

We have to use a type of plastic for the tags and applicators, but this is good for the environment. Our tags are not single-use, and you should hold onto them forever. The problem with most single-use plastics is not just the plastic that goes into the product itself, but the carriage and the packaging required to get it to you.

If you decide to purchase our tags, you’ll receive them in a recycled box and our “bubble wrap” is compostable card made from other reused card products. If you want to read more about how we’re conscious of our carbon footprint, we have a whole section on this and how we reduce our impact on the environment. We hope this information helps explains the options available to you a little better.

If you have any questions about our tags please do get in touch, or visit our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) where you might find some quick answers.