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Top 5 Tips for Screen Printed Neck Tags
We share our top 5 tips about private labeling your garments.
These prints you see are on a real t-shirt and in the actual dimensions mentioned.
Feel free to use this photo as a screen print tag template as well! Or, continue reading to see what our other customers have designed.
For a minimal appearance consider:
- 1.5" to 2" wide tags (first two rows)
- Helvetica or Arial font
- Keep in mind that these tags are small, so just because it's crisp on your computer doesn't mean it'll print as crisp on fabric
For a normal appearance consider:
- 2" to 2.5" wide tags (between the 2nd and 3rd rows)
- Any font
- While these tags allow for extra design space keep in mind that ultimately printing on fabric results in some data loss compared to what is shown on a computer screen.
Pricing does not depend on how much detail or little detail you have, so feel free to get as creative as you'd like.
Screen Printed Neck Tags on T-shirts
Since the fabric of t-shirts is flat and smooth they provide the best surface for screen printed neck tags. It doesn’t really matter if the t-shirt is 100% cotton or a blend since we adjust the machines and inks accordingly.
Therefore, as long as it’s not made of fleece then you can be assured it will print crisply.
Screen Printed Neck Tags on fleece
This fabric will overall still print very nicely. It’s just when we attempt to print small details such as the small text you see above “Made in the USA” then it won’t be as crisp.
There isn’t much we can do on the printing side, so on your designing side, be sure to enlarge the text and avoid using “bold” fonts.
Why is fleece so tricky?
It naturally has fabric “hairs” that are soft and fuzzy which make it great for joggers to hoodies. It isn’t as smooth as t-shirt fabric, so therefore the clarity of screen-printed tags is reduced. Have no fear though, with some slight modifications to your screen print tag design then you can be sure it will print nice and legible. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Custom screen printed tags are a great way to show your creativity.
Do you really need a size tag? NOPE!
do i have to print in gray ink?
It’s not required, but it’s highly recommended. Other colors have a tendency to bleed through the garment and/or don’t print as crisp as our default medium gray ink.
What are the best fonts and sizes to use?
Check out the photo we posted above. You’ll see various fonts and sizes that have been popular for other customers but feel free to use your own as well. Check out dafont.com for tons of free fonts.
Do I have to use the same design even though I am printing on various fabric types?
We will use the same design file for all fabrics. So, if you have multiple fabrics, then we suggest to exclude the fabric content and instead stick with “wash carefully” or something of this sort.
does fleece print the same as other fabrics?
Fleece is one of the trickier fabrics to print due to the “hairs” that prevent a smooth printing surface. We highly encourage you to design in a simple fashion since the “hairs” will cause blur.
Do I have to print wash instructions and where the garment was made?
Nope! Feel free to include as much or as little details into your tag design as you’d like. This is really an opportunity for you to express your particular style.
How does pricing work?
Since we screen print the tags the pricing is calculated based on the total quantity as well. Feel free to request a quote!
What is the difference between a screen printed and woven label tag?
Great question! We went in depth into this topic which you can find by clicking below:
Woven Labels vs Screen Printed Tags
What does a screen printed tag feel like?
Super smooth! So smooth in fact that you can’t even feel it. This is why it’s loved so much.
Regardless if we screen print custom tags on anything from t-shirts to fleece the feeling will be the same.
What happens if I receive my order and I do not like the residue that is left?
We can definitely fix it! But, additional costs will incur since it has to be taken to a seamstress to remove.
Keep in mind, this situation is extremely rare and 99% of customers are totally okay with it.
If I'm printing on 5 different fabrics and I want my tag to mention each fabric type, but I only have 100 t-shirts then can i do it?
Technically, yes. But, it will be very expensive due to setting up the machines for the various fabrics along with the sizes. Therefore, we suggest not including the fabric content and instead opting for a phrase such as:
- “Made with quality”
- “Made with premium fabric”
Sewn In vs. Tear-Away Tags
Keep in mind you are buying garments from other brands. These brands include THEIR labeling, so we must remove them before printing yours. The two most common are “tearaway” and “cutaway”, but you may also come across “heat pressed” (although these are usually not meant to be re-branded).
- Tear away tags are just as the name implies and literally “pulled off” the garment. This allows for a clean look with little to no residue (we can not guarantee all of the tag will be cleanly removed, but yes 99% of the time).
These brands often come with “tear away tags”
Sewn in tags are just as the name implies “sewn in” and have to be cut by either a scissor (residue will be left) or taken to a seamstress to be removed completely (more expensive).
These brands often come with “sewn in tags”
Don't forget about woven labels!
These come with a three week turn around due to sourcing overseas and a slower application process. They definitely have that "wow" factor, but due to the long production process they are often ignored by customers. For this reason, we encourage you to plan two seasons ahead, so that the turn around is not an issue.
Screen Printed Tags
- No feel
- Affordable
- Gray ink
- Fast production
- Changes can be made
- Has troubles with fleece
- Can not keep inventory
Woven Labels
- You will feel
- More expensive
- Can be any color
- Slow production
- No changes can be made
- No problem with fleece
- Can keep inventory
Follow These Steps
Understand How To Design
Use the proper font and size for your vision
Keep in mind that the clarity you see on a computer screen will not translate exactly when printed on fabric.
Know your fabric
Design for t-shirts, fleece, or both.
Remember that printing on t-shirts allows for small details to be replicated accurately while fleece has a more difficult time.
Find Inspiration
You may find inspiration from viewing our portfolio
Check out our portfolio to see if there are designs that our customers have created that you may be able to pull inspiration from.
Educate Yourself
The more you know the better your brand will be.
Understand and thoroughly review our most frequently asked questions. We've been in this industry for over 10 years, so get to know what others have asked.
Sewn In Vs. Tearaway
Know the difference between tag styles
It's important to know the outcomes of ordering from a brand that delivers sewn in vs. tearaway tags. While most people aren't concerned it doesn't mean you won't be.
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