Most uniform orders need three things: a woven label with your name and size inside the neck or waistband, a wash-care label, and an embroidered crest or logo on the chest or pocket. Hang tags and packaging are optional, and the right choice depends on whether the uniform is sold over a shop counter, handed out to staff or sent by courier. This guide sets out the custom labels for uniforms we add, where each one goes, and what we need from you.
The labels inside the garment
Uniforms are washed often and worn hard, so the labels inside them have to stay readable and comfortable for a full school year or longer. We use three types.
Woven neck or waistband label
This is the label that carries your brand. On shirts and work shirts it sits at the back neck. On trousers, skirts and pinafores it goes inside the waistband. A woven label holds up to repeated washing and does not fade the way a printed label can. Keep the design simple: your name or logo, and space for the size if you want the size on the same label.
Size label
Uniform shops sell across a long size run, from young children to adults, so a clear size is important. You can have the size woven into the main label, or as a separate small label sewn next to it. A separate size label is easier when one design covers many sizes, because the brand label stays the same and only the size label changes.
Wash-care label
The care label sits in a side seam or below the main label. It shows fibre content and washing instructions. What a care label must show depends on the country where the uniforms will be sold, so tell us the destination and we confirm the content at quotation. We do not give legal advice on labelling; your local requirements decide the wording.
Crests, logos and name tapes
For school uniforms, the crest is often the most important part of the branding. For corporate uniforms, it is the company logo. Embroidery is the usual method because it lasts through frequent washing and looks neat on poly-cotton and suiting.
| Position | Suits | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Left chest | School shirts, work shirts | The most common place for a crest or logo |
| Shirts with a chest pocket, pinafores | Keep the design within the pocket size | |
| Sleeve | Work shirts | Useful for a second logo or department name |
| Bib of pinafore | Pinafores | Sits high and centred, visible over a jumper |
Send your crest or logo as clear artwork, ideally a vector file. Fine lines and very small text do not embroider well at chest size, so we may suggest a simplified version. You see the embroidery on your sample before bulk production starts.
Some schools want a blank panel inside the collar where parents can write a name. Tell us if you want this, and we will show it on the sample.
Hang tags: when they help
A hang tag is the card attached to the outside of the garment. Whether you need one depends on how the uniform reaches the wearer.
- Uniform shops often want hang tags, because the tag carries the size, the school name and a barcode for the till.
- Corporate suppliers handing uniforms to staff often skip hang tags and rely on the size label.
- Online sellers usually want a tag with the size and a product code, so pieces are easy to pick and check.
If you use barcodes, send us the codes per size and colour, and we print them on the tags. Your tag design is your own. We print it to your artwork.
Packaging options for uniforms
Packaging for uniforms is usually practical rather than decorative. These are the common choices:
- Individual polybag per piece, with a size sticker on the outside. This suits shops that sell single pieces and online orders.
- Folded with a board insert for shirts, so the collar keeps its shape on the shelf.
- Bundled by size in a larger bag or carton, for corporate orders where pieces go straight to staff.
- Packed by school or by department, when one order covers several schools or sites. We mark each carton so you can sort stock quickly.
Tell us how you store and sell stock, and we will suggest a packing method. The packing details are confirmed in your quotation.
What to send us
Labels, tags and packaging are part of the same quote as the garments, so it helps to send everything together:
- Your logo or crest artwork, and the embroidery position for each style
- The label design, or a description of what you want on it
- Whether you want sizes woven into the main label or on a separate label
- Hang tag artwork and any barcodes
- How you want pieces folded, bagged and packed
- The country where the uniforms will be sold
If you are not sure yet, send what you have. Our page on labels, tags and packaging explains each option in more detail, and you can see the full style range on our white label uniforms page. Send your artwork and quantities through our contact page, and we will come back with a quotation that lists every label, tag and packing step for your order.