Ideas for Labeling Your Handmade Garments



When I was little, my mom used to make a lot of my clothes. She had bought these cute labels with my name on them (and a second set for my brother) that she used to affix on the inside of all of our garments, handmade or not. I think they were mostly for the purpose of helping us recover our clothes when we inevitably left them somewhere. I know I did that a lot.

As an adult, I don't attach labels to everything I make. Cute finishing details aren't my strong suit and, generally, they don't seem necessary to me. However, there are a few instances when I've been in need of a tag. For one, there are those shirts where it's hard to tell the back from the front. My favorite Mandy Boat Tee (I'm wearing it as I type) is one example - I always have to hold it up at the shoulder seams and compare the neckline to determine the back from the front. My bridesmaid dresses this summer were another occasion for a tag. I knew that five dresses would get all mixed up if I didn't somehow identify whose was whose! While they were nearly identical, they were drafted to suit each bridesmaid so it was important to keep them straight. Finally, on the occasion that I do sew for others, it's nice to have something to leave my mark.

So, today I'm sharing a few ideas I've used to label my handmade garments:

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Garment Tag Idea #1: Lettered Beads


For times when just a single initial will do and you're feeling a little fancy, I love the idea of using lettered beads as the tag. This worked perfectly on my bridesmaid dresses using antique-style silver-plated pewter round alphabet charms. I got mine on Artbeads.com, which sells the beads individually at an affordable price - perfect for buying different letters for different bridesmaids. I also just ordered a pack of Ms for myself from Amazon, which is cheaper in bulk if you just want one letter. 

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Garment Tag Idea #2: Custom Labels

Just like my mom did, there are a number of options for designing and ordering your own custom garment tags. This year, the Dutch Label shop let me try out their service for free and they have a range of options from Basic Woven Labels where you choose your font and a graphic, to fully customized Woven Labels that you can completely design yourself. They also offer Care Labels, Hang Tags, and Stock Labels for those looking to go into business. This is definitely a great option for professional, customized garment tags. I love that you can get them printed to say whatever you want, from "Made with Love" to "Made with Blood, Sweat and Tears!" Ha!

I was really impressed with their customer service and range of options. I even got a personal email with a proof and suggestions for the right size tag for my design. If you want to try out the Dutch Label Shop, use code madebymeg15 for 15% off. I already used the code to order my mom some!

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Garment Tag Idea #3: Scrap Materials

Not all labels have to have lettering. If you're just trying to tell the back of your garment from the front, what about using a ribbon, piece of leather, button, or other material as a marker? I've even sewn some decorative stitches in contrasting thread on the back of my neckband before folding it under. A great example is this waistband patch for jeans, which Thread Theory sells for just $2. 


If you have other ideas, I'd love to hear them below! Or maybe you're just not a labels person? 



1 comment:

  1. I have three different custom labels from Dutch Label shop and then a couple different stock labels for lounge clothes (leggings, tank tops,etc). I love it :)

    I am making some more jeans soon and was thinking about using some of the leather scraps I have in stash to make a label. I may even do a cut-out of the leather on my Cricut!!

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