TUTORIAL: Creating & Printing Apparel Tags using Violet Snow Custom Fabric’s Print Your Own Design.
Kristen Bunch, June 2023
Looking for a way to tag your garments with sizing and care instructions but not sure where to start? This is a beginner-friendly tutorial to create a custom apparel tag without the need for advanced software.
Getting Started
What You Will Need
- Access to the following software:
- Microsoft PowerPoint (I find it best to create the tag on a PC.)
- Canva (This is a free online-based software with lots of great templates. All you need to do is set up an account.)
- Company / Personal Logo (Don’t have one? Check out tons of free logo designs on Canva!)
- Compliance Info
- Where the garment was made and where the materials are from (see example)
- Care Instructions
- Batch Code (this can be left blank if making a single item or small batch)
A Few Notes
I started out drafting this in MS PowerPoint but did not have a good way to transform the content into an image unless I used the snipping tool. The problem with this is you lose some of the crispness of the graphic. By transferring the design to Canva, it will automatically save the design as an image when you download it (we will walk through this together), which means you don’t lose any of the detail.
Creating the Tag
The dimensions are really important in order to get the right layout and alignment. The most important dimensions are the space at the top and bottom of the tag. These are based on a ¼” seam allowance when attaching the tag to your garment. I built out each piece of the tag in PowerPoint - below are all of the dimensions and font sizes I used to achieve the desired look on my apparel tag.
- Tag size: 2.75” Height, 1.5” Width
- Select Insert -> Shapes -> Text Box
- Draw your box, then right click and select Format Shape
- Select dimensions and adjust the height and width
- Select Insert -> Shapes -> Line
- Draw a line horizontally down the middle of the text box (Note: to adjust the line and make sure it is centered in the middle, I draw another line vertically and set the dimension to 1.37” (which is half the length of the tag). The lines should meet, and once you have assured that the horizontal line is centered, the vertical line can be removed. This will be the fold line for when you attach your tag to your garment.
- Logo size: 0.50” Height, 0.65” Width
- Select Insert -> Picture -> select your logo
- Right click on your logo and select Format Picture
- Select dimensions and adjust the height and width. (Note: it is important to keep the height measurement as close to 0.50” as possible, but the width can be adjusted to fill the space in the box as needed.)
- Move your logo into your box and center it in the top portion of the tag box. The logo should be adjusted so that the top of the logo is at least 0.50” below the top of the tag line. This provides room for the seam allowance when adding your tag to your garment.
- Adding Size Text:
- Place your cursor at the top of your text box, select Calibri (Body) font and set the font size to 8.
- Select enter 8 times on your keyboard, then set the font size to 12.
- Type out “Size:”
- This should place the Size text below your logo and above the middle tag line.
- Double check that your tag size did not change. If it did, right click on the text box and select Format Shape. Select Dimensions and adjust your tag size as needed.
- Adding Compliance Text:
- Place your cursor at the end of the Size text, change the font size to 6 and hit enter on your keyboard twice.
- Type out your location information. For US compliance, this should be stated as “Made in [City,State] with domestic and imported materials” (based on the selected font and font size, you should have enough room for 2 lines of text)
- Hit enter twice and add your care instructions (based on the selected font and font size, you should have enough room for 4 lines of text)
- Hit enter on your keyboard once and change your font size to 12.
- Type out “Batch:”
- Double check that your tag size did not change. If it did, right click on the text box and select Format Shape. Select Dimensions and adjust your tag size as needed.
- This should leave you with just under 0.50” between the bottom of the text and the bottom of the tag. You can check this by following the same instructions we used when placing the center line.
Note: Everything listed are just recommendations. The most important thing is keeping your dimensions consistent. Feel free to make this your own and add whatever information you would like!
Creating Your Tag Image
- While in PowerPoint, hold down your cursor, and highlight your entire tag. While everything is selected, right click and select Copy.
- Open Canva in your web browser www.canva.com
- Open the Whiteboard, right click and paste your tag.
- Click the Share button, select Download and save as either PNG or PDF Print file to your computer.
Printing Your Tags
Uploading Your Image
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Log into your Violet Snow Custom Fabric account and select In House Printing – Print Your Own Custom Fabric: https://violetsnowcustomfabric.com/products/in-house-printing-knit-fabrics-print-on-demand-print-your-own-custom-fabric?ref=mAjK07tNC2Reo
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Upload your image using the Upload File button. In the Notes section, add what you would like your tag dimensions to be (2.75” Height, 1.5” Width) and that you would like the pattern to be repeating to fill the fabric cut.
Selecting Your Fabric
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I prefer to use a knit base so that it doesn’t fray – Jennifer Lycra, Hybrid, or High Loft would be my main recommendations based on the finish. It will be important to prewash your fabric prior to adding it to your garment. This will help the markings you add with permanent marker (for size and batch number) to not fade over time. If you would prefer to use a woven base, I would recommend Woven.
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Next, select your Fabric Cut. Based on the size of the tag and keeping processing in mind, a yard of fabric will give you about 475 tags. A half yard will give you about 200 tags. (Knits and Woven fabric dimensions are 57”x36” per yard and 57”x18” per half yard.
- When you are done with your selections, click Add to Cart
You’re all done! Congrats on your new custom apparel tags! We would love for you to share your finished design in our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/VSCFGroup
