As an essential part of making a decision to purchase a
clothing garment, the care label of a piece of clothing provides all the
necessary guidance and accurate information concerning the make-up of the item that
the customer is looking to invest in.
Whether you work in the garment industry or not, we have all
experienced those moments where we go to the washing machine and the item of
clothing we go to take out has either shrunk, discoloured or gone saggy which
is the point at which you wish you had paid more care to the wash and care
label.
As an effective marketing tool when printed with the
garment’s branding, the care and garment labels
also serve a mandatory purpose in the UK and Europe, offering accurate
information concerning fibre content, country of origin, care instructions and flammability
of the textile.
With cleaner, fresher clothes meaning longer wear of the
garment, consumers are more likely to look at the garment care label than any
other type of labelling. With this in mind, we take a look at some of the most
important things to consider when designing and printing your own care label
and how you can use them effectively.
The Law
While the rules across Europe are similar (as set out in the
Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011) requiring all textile products available to be
labelled, marked and accompanied with commercial documents as per Article 4,
they are not the same in all areas of the world, with the USA and Japan having
their own labelling conditions.
In the UK, the 2012
Textile Products (Labelling and Fibre Composition) Regulations state that fibre
content is mandatory on all textiles and apparel.
Branding
As the first thing your customers are likely to look at
after seeing an article of clothing, the care label is one of the best places
to position your company’s branding or logo.
If your customer has bought items from your brand before
then it is likely this will evoke an experience of a familiar relationship
between them and your brand and could increase their likelihood of purchase.
If this is the first time a consumer has encountered your
brand whether through recommendation or their own experience, placing your
branding on the garment label will increase confidence in your product and
perhaps catalyse a future relationship between your brand and the
consumer.
Sizing
There are no standards sizing options in the clothing
industry which is why all garments irrespective of design come with different
sizing labels to insure accurate information is conveyed without confusing the
customer. Even a ‘one size fits all’
size will require clear sizing to enable the customer to know what they are
purchasing.
While you may opt for a single labelling tab to communicate
this, this is not always cost effective which is where a label combining
materials, sizing and safety information may be more efficient so that the
consumer can find everything they need in one place.
Fabric
As per EU and UK regulations the fibre content of garments
is mandatory to ensure that consumers purchasing your garment understand the
quality of their purchase and how to maintain and take care of it. The fibre
content should all be labelled in percentage for accurate and universal
understanding E.G. Wool 80%, Cotton 20%, this works in combination with care
information to ensure that the garment lasts your customer a healthy amount of
time.
Clearly labelling the fabric content of your item of
clothing also helps the customer understand the safety requirements associated
with that particular item, making sure that it is suitable for gym or
sportswear or for wear in warmer environments, as examples.
How to care for your garment
Generally care labels incorporate details of the above not
only for long lasting wear of the garment but also to ensure consumer safety.
Items such as winter coats and blankets often require more specialised
treatments when cleaning through dry cleaning or steaming services while others
cannot withstand prolonged heat.
Therefore clear guidelines should be featured on clothing to ensure
maximum performance from the item purchased.
Rather than in the
form of extensive information, these guidelines usually come in the form of
universal symbols.
Printing machines
As an important part of any garment or textile product,
ensuring that your printed garment labels are produced and manufactured to the
highest of standards is vital to improving and retaining confidence in your
product.
Although quality should be
present in the label, an efficient
and fast rate of production is also imperative which is where the choice of the
right printing machine comes in.
At Focus label we have two textile label machines available
which are designed to work with varied label fibres including Taffeta, Nylon,
Polyester and Satin and can also print on both sides enabling them to be sewn
or attached to the garment during manufacture and last the full lifespan of the
product.
Our LX Machine and B4 Machine
both produce outstanding results which enhances quality and production output
with patented protected systems of production and unrivalled performance.
No comments:
Post a Comment