Who in the world has enough time to hand make dozens of little tags?

Certainly not you, so you’ve thought of skipping the whole custom label thing and selling your products without them. Before you stop sewing on those tags, consider what custom sewing labels do for you.

They give your product a clear identity. Your logo shows customers who you are, and your labels make your products easy to identify. Definitely not something you should skip.

Take a look at these five tutorials that will help you create your own, professional labels quickly and easily.

Fabric Printed Labels

Fabric printing lets you get a lot of custom labels at once. It also takes a lot of the work out of your own hands so you don’t have to worry about making each individual tag.

What You’ll Need:

• A logo
• A fabric printing company

Directions:

1. Design your logo.

You can make your own logo on the computer using design software like Photoshop. You can also draw a logo yourself and scan it into the computer when you’re done.

2. Send your logo to a fabric printing company.

A fabric printing company, like Spoonflower or Design Your Fabric, can print a lot of fabric labels quickly and cheaply. When you get your labels, cut them into the size you want.

3. Line the back with interfacing.

Fold the top and bottom sides of your label under about a 1/4 of an inch, put the interfacing on the back, and sew about an 1/8 of an inch around the logo.

4. Sew your labels onto your product.

When you’re ready to sew your label onto your product, simply fold the side edges under a 1/4 of an inch (like you’ve already done to the top and bottom) and sew the sides to your desired location.

Stamped Labels

Using stamps is a fun and easy way to create your own custom sewing labels. You can buy rubber stamps of letters to spell your own words, or you can even customize your own rubber stamps.

What You’ll Need:

• Rubber stamps
• Fabric ink
• Iron

Directions:

1. Stamp fabric with your logo design.

You do have to use fabric ink, but most fabric inks are machine washable.

2. If you haven’t already, cut labels into the right shapes.

Leave an extra 1/4 of an inch on each side.

3. Fuse interfacing to the back of your labels.

Fold that extra 1/4 of an inch under on each side and press well.

4. Sew your labels onto your product.

Fabric pen Custom Sewing Labels

These labels are a good choice if you need to write additional care instructions on your label or if you just like a more rustic, do-it-yourself look.

What You’ll Need:

• Wash-safe fabric marker
• Iron

Directions:

1. Write your logo, washing instructions, or personalized message onto your label.

You can also use the fabric marker to write directly onto your product.

2. If you decided to write your logo on a tag, line the back with interfacing.

Like always, fold a 1/4 of an inch under on each side before you press. You can also sew around the edges if you prefer.

3. Sew your labels onto your product.

Iron on Ribbon Labels

These labels don’t take long to make, and you can iron them onto a ribbon that’s already the perfect size for a tag. No extra trimming or cutting needed.

What You’ll Need:

• Printer
• Transfer paper (you can find this at local craft stores like Michael’s)
• Ribbon
• Iron

Directions:

1. Print your logo onto the transfer paper.

Again, you can use design software to create your logo or draw it yourself (if you can scan it back into your computer). Make sure it is small enough to fit on your ribbon.

2. Use an iron to transfer your labels to the ribbon.

Follow the instructions on the transfer paper packaging when ironing. Depending on the kind of transfer paper you get, the instructions could be different.

If your ribbon is small, make sure you iron it slowly so you don’t burn your fingers!

3. Sew your labels onto your product.

With a ribbon label, you can sew all the edges down, sew only the sides, or sew one side and leave it hanging (the way you see the tags in most store-bought shirts).

Printable Fabric Labels

These are similar to the fabric printed labels, but these custom sewing labels can be printed at home with a normal printer. If you want to make big, colorful labels, this is the tutorial you’ll want to use.

What You’ll Need:

• Printable fabric
• Fray Check
• Printer

Directions:

1. Print your logo on the printable fabric.

Let the ink dry before you do anything else so it doesn’t smudge.

2. Remove the paper backing from the printable fabric.

Don’t pull too hard or you might stretch your fabric

3. Rinse the fabric.

Do this until the water runs clear, but don’t wring it out to dry it. Let it air dry or gently dab it with a towel.

4. Cut your labels down to size and seal the edges with Fray Check.

Pour some of the Fray Check into a small bowl or container and dip the cut edges of your custom sewing labels. If you don’t do this, the cut edges will badly fray after the first wash.

5. Sew onto your product.

Screen Printed Labels

Screen printing is quite possibly the most enjoyable way to make your own labels. It is also quite possibly the messiest way to make your own labels, but it lets you make a lot of bold labels quickly.

What You’ll Need:

• Silkscreen
• Screen printing ink
• Squeegee
• Vinyl sheet
• Masking tape

Directions:

1. Make your design.

To make your screen printing design, cut your design into a vinyl sheet. It’s easiest to use a small blade meant for crafts or an electric cutter. Remember to cut the design out backward so it faces the right way on your labels!

2. Attach your design to the silkscreen.

Fill in all the extra gaps with masking tape.

3. Paint the ink through the screen with your squeegee.

The ink has to be set with heat. After the ink dries, put a piece of scrap cloth between your iron and your label and iron over the design for a few moments. If you want to add interfacing, you can line the back of the design and set the ink at the same time.

4. Sew your labels onto your product.

Each of these tutorials lets you design your own custom sewing labels that reflect your personality and creativity. But if none of these tutorials work for you or if you need help designing your custom sewing tag, please let us know. We can help you design the sew label that is perfect for you!