There's a moment, somewhere between finalising your designs and your first production run, when you realise a garment isn't finished without its labels. The neck label, the care label, the size tab, the hang tag — each is a separate decision, and most first-time founders discover them one painful reorder at a time.
This checklist puts all of it in one place. Work through it once, order the full set together, and your first collection ships looking like it came from an established brand — not a side project.
The 5-piece label kit every brand needs
Items 1 and 2 are essential for almost every brand. Items 3–5 depend on where and how you sell. Let's go through each.
1. The neck / brand label
This is your brand's face — the label a customer sees first when they pick up the garment. Keep it simple: logo or brand name, maybe the size. It should feel like your brand.
- Material: woven for a premium textured look; satin printed for a soft, colourful logo
- Placement: centre back neck (most common) or inside the collar
- Keep off it: care symbols and fibre content — those belong on the care label
Not sure which material? See woven vs printed vs satin labels.
2. The care & content label
The legally required one. It carries wash instructions, fibre content and country of origin — and skipping it gets listings blocked on marketplaces and shipments held at export customs.
- Material: printed taffeta (sharp small symbols, low cost, survives washing)
- Must include: fibre content, care/wash info (ISO 3758 symbols), country of origin, brand identity
- Placement: inside side seam at the hip, or back neck under the brand label
Full legal detail is in our care label requirements guide.
3. The size tab
A tiny label showing S / M / L / XL or numeric sizing. Some brands print the size onto the neck label instead, but a separate size tab lets you reuse one neck-label design across every size — cheaper at scale.
- Material: printed taffeta or a small woven tab
- Placement: under the neck label, or at the side seam next to the care label
- Tip: order size tabs as a set (S–XXL) so you're never short of one size
4. The hang tag
The card tag that hangs off the garment in retail. It carries your brand, price, a short story and often a QR code. It's optional for pure online D2C but essential for retail, exhibitions and a premium unboxing.
- Material: thick art paper or kraft card, often with string and a metal eyelet
- Carries: logo, price/barcode, brand story, social handle, QR code
- Lifts: perceived value — a good hang tag makes a garment feel finished
5. Packaging insert (optional)
A thank-you card, care tip or discount slip dropped into the parcel. Pure marketing, but for D2C it's one of the cheapest ways to drive repeat orders and reviews.
- Material: small printed card or sticker
- Use it to: say thanks, share a discount code, ask for a review, point to your Instagram
What it costs to label one garment
Representative all-in label cost per garment (neck + care + size tab), 2026:
Hang tags add roughly ₹3–10 each depending on paper and finish. For exact numbers on your sizes and colours, use our price calculator.
When to order — the launch timeline
Vector logo (AI/PDF) ready. This is the only artwork the neck label needs.
Get exact fibre composition from your fabric supplier — the care label can't be finalised without it.
Order samples of all labels together (~₹250–400 each). Approve feel and print before bulk.
Labels are sewn in during production — have them in hand before garments hit the machines.
Founder tips
Order the whole kit from one supplier. Neck label, care label, size tab and hang tag from a single source keeps colours and branding consistent and usually costs less than sourcing them separately.
Don't over-order size tabs of one size and under-order another. Order size tabs as a balanced set so your run isn't bottlenecked waiting for "M" labels.
Quick start: send us your logo, fabric composition and size range. We'll quote the full label kit — neck, care, size tab and hang tag — with per-garment pricing. Message Labelwala or use the quote form.
The short answer
Every new clothing brand needs at minimum a brand neck label (woven or satin) and a care & content label (printed taffeta). Add a size tab to reuse one neck design across sizes, a hang tag if you sell in retail or want a premium unboxing, and a packaging insert to drive repeat D2C orders. Finalise your logo and fabric composition, sample the full set, and order in bulk before stitching — ideally all from one supplier to keep it consistent and cheap.
