Centre fold vs end fold woven labels

Centre fold and end fold are the two folds most clothing labels use. They're sewn in differently, they look different once they're in, and the right one depends on where the label sits.

Centre fold

The label is woven at double length and folded in half across the middle. The front carries your design; the back half tucks inside the seam and isn’t seen.

Because both raw ends disappear into the seam, the finished label has a clean folded edge at the bottom and no visible cut edges. It’s the most common choice for neck labels and side-seam brand labels.

One thing to know: you’re weaving twice the material for the visible area, because half of it is hidden.

End fold

The label is woven at its finished height, and the two short ends are folded under before sewing. The whole design stays visible, and the folded ends hide the cut edges at the sides.

End fold labels sit flatter against the garment and are the usual choice when you want the full label face on show — care labels, size labels and neck labels where the design fills the width.

Side by side

Which to pick

Two questions usually settle it:

1. Is the label sewn along one edge or across the whole face? Sewn along the top edge only → centre fold. Sewn down flat → end fold.
2. Does your design need the full label face? If the artwork fills the space, end fold keeps all of it visible.

If you’re still unsure, send us a photo of the garment and where the label is going. We’ll tell you which fold your manufacturer will find easiest to sew and which will look right when it’s in.

All five folds are covered on our woven labels page.