If you are in the fashion and clothing business, every small decision matters. So, while choosing how you tag your clothes may seem like a simple problem, finding something inexpensive and convenient that won’t harm your clothing takes thought and strategy. If you’re new to the industry, here’s a few effective methods to start your decision making process:
If you are looking for a versatile yet fool-proof method to label your clothes, use hang tags. Hanging tags are small tags that attach through a loop to the clothing. Just take your tags, then loop a piece of a plastic tie, string, or strap through the item and the tag.
The biggest advantage of hang tags is easy printing and customizability, with options from casual to professional lettering. However, looping the tags through every clothing item can be a time-consuming process. Looping tags through clothing can also cause tearing to your merchandise, so hanging tags work best for items with holes built in, such as buttonholes or zippers.
If you have a store with high volume and foot traffic, tagging guns are an ideal option. Tagging guns automate the tagging process. Tag guns use a needle to instantly thread a plastic wire through the clothes, placing a blank tag. Afterwards, just add a small price sticker, and you’re done.
Keep in mind, even with a thin needle, a tagging gun can damage the weave of the clothing. To avoid this, tag parts of the clothing that won’t get harmed from puncturing, such as the manufacturing label.
If theft is a concern at your location, consider a set of Electronic Article Surveillance tags. Commonly called security tags, EAS Tags are plastic devices threaded through a pin that lock mechanically. This attaches the tag tightly to the item and makes it nearly impossible to remove.
When a customer buys the product, your store will need to use a detacher to remove it. You can install the detacher device at the point of sale. This can become a hassle in a busy line, but for higher end merchandise, it is worth the time and cost. EAS tags can come with a sensor to track clothing, so any merchandise that leaves the shop unpurchased will send the alarms buzzing.
Another form of security tag is the ink tag: a security tag containing a clear plastic, dome-shaped pin to connect them to clothes. Ink tags include a vial of ink that spills onto the clothing item when a shoplifter tries to remove them.
You can also add EAS tag tracking features to raise the alarm when someone tries to take the item out of the store without scanning. However, ink tags are even harder to remove and require a device to safely remove the ink as well as unlock the tag.
If you manufacture delicate clothing and are looking for a budget-friendly option, check out lanyard tags. Lanyard tags connect through a clip in the back, like a lanyard, and hang over the clothes. To put them on, all you need is to press the two pieces of metal together. However, lanyard tags are not reusable and requires more work than tagging guns.