How to choose the right woven label size

Label size is the decision people most often get wrong on a first order — usually by going too big. Here's how to work out what fits, and how to check it before you order.

Start with the garment, not the logo

The instinct is to pick a size that makes the logo look good on screen. The better starting point is the garment: where exactly is the label being sewn, how wide is that seam, and how much room is there before the label starts to crowd or curl?

A label that’s too large for its seam bends at the edges, catches on skin and looks like an afterthought. A label that fits sits flat and reads as intentional.

Neck and brand labels

The neck label carries your brand name, so it has to be readable — but it also sits against skin. It should span a comfortable portion of the neckline without reaching the shoulder seams, and it shouldn’t be so tall that it folds when the neckline stretches.

A wordmark reads best on a wider, shorter label. A stacked logo with a mark above text usually needs more height. Tell us which shape your logo is and we’ll suggest proportions that work.

Size and care labels

These are functional, so they can be smaller. Size labels carry one or two characters and are often the smallest label in the set. Care labels carry more text — washing instructions, composition, country of manufacture — so the size is driven by how much information has to fit while staying legible.

If your care label is getting crowded, the usual fixes are to use standard care symbols instead of words, or to move to a folded format that gives you more usable surface.

Hang tags

Hang tags are read at arm’s length on a rail, not at close range. They’re typically the largest woven item in an order, and they can carry a bolder version of your mark because there’s room for it.

Let the text set the floor

Thread has a minimum practical thickness, which puts a floor on how small your text can go and still read. In practice this means:

• Thin strokes may need thickening before they’ll weave cleanly.
• Very small type may need to be set larger — or dropped — rather than shrunk.
• Tight letter spacing at small sizes can close up; a little extra spacing usually reads better in thread.

Send us the artwork at the size you’re considering and we’ll tell you what holds and what doesn’t.

Check it before you order

1. Print it at 100%%. Print your label artwork at actual size on paper. On-screen size is misleading.
2. Cut it out and pin it. Put the paper version where the real label will go on the actual garment.
3. Step back. Look at it from normal viewing distance. Can you read the brand name?
4. Check the seam. Does it fit the seam allowance without bending or crowding?
5. Send us the measurement. Width and height in millimetres, and we’ll confirm it works.

It takes ten minutes and it’s the single best way to avoid a full run of labels that are slightly wrong.