The tag inside the back of a T-shirt is usually called a neck label or brand label. Other T-shirt labels identify the size, explain the fibre composition or give washing instructions. A swing tag is the removable tag attached for retail display.
Choosing your labels is easier when you separate their purpose from how they are made. A brand label might be woven, printed on fabric or applied as a tagless heat transfer. This guide explains the main T-shirt label types and how to choose a combination for your clothing range.
What are the different T-shirt labels called?
| Label or tag | Main purpose |
|---|---|
| Neck label or brand label | Shows your brand inside the back of the neckline, sometimes alongside the size. |
| Tagless neck label | Applies information directly to the fabric instead of using a sewn-in fabric tag. |
| Size tab | Identifies the garment size on a small, separate label. |
| Care and composition label | Gives garment-care information and identifies what the garment is made from. |
| Hem tag or side-seam tag | Adds a small, visible branding detail at a garment edge or seam. |
| Swing tag or swing ticket | Provides removable retail information, such as branding, a barcode or a price. |
You do not need a separate label for every job. Brand, size and other information can share a label if the layout, material and attachment method are suitable.
Neck labels: the tag inside the back of a T-shirt
A neck label gives customers a clear place to find your brand. It can be sewn into the neck seam or stitched flat inside the garment, depending on its fold and construction.
Custom woven labels form the design in coloured threads. They can carry your logo, brand name and other short details. Leave room around the artwork for folds and stitching, and check the label's feel against the skin before approving it.
If the garment has already been made, discuss how the label will be attached before choosing its fold. Our guide to label folds explains the common options.
Tagless T-shirt labels and DTF neck transfers
A tagless label displays your branding or garment information on the fabric without a loose fabric tag. DTF stands for direct to film: the design is prepared as a transfer and applied to the garment with heat.
Our custom DTF neck labels offer an alternative to sewn-in branding. A layout can include a logo, size and other appropriate garment information, provided the text remains readable at the finished size.
Check the transfer's suitability for your fabric and follow the supplied application instructions. Test on the actual garment, including its stretch and washing conditions, before committing to a production run.
Example of tagless neck branding. Choose the information and care instructions for your own finished garment.
Size labels and size tabs
A size label may be combined with your neck branding or supplied as a separate tab. Separate tabs let you use the same brand label across several garment sizes.
Choose a size system your customers understand and keep it consistent with your product listings and size chart. A letter such as M does not describe the garment's measurements on its own, so clear online sizing information helps customers choose.
Explore our woven clothing size labels for separate size tabs.
Care labels and fibre composition
Fibre composition tells customers what a T-shirt is made from. Care instructions tell them how to look after it. The two can appear on the same label, but they serve different purposes.
Base the information on the actual garment and the finished decoration. A printed design or applied transfer may affect the care instructions you need to give. Keep the advice consistent across the garment label, packaging and product page.
Our printed wash care labels can carry your chosen text. Confirm the wording and layout before ordering rather than copying instructions from an unrelated garment.
Hem tags and side-seam branding
A small external hem tag can make your brand visible while the T-shirt is being worn. It may wrap around the bottom hem, sit at a sleeve edge or be sewn into a side seam.
Specify which face should show, where the fold sits and how much space is needed for stitching. For more detail on placement and terminology, see our guide to clothing label types and placement.
Swing tags for T-shirt retail display
Swing tags, also called swing tickets or hang tags, are normally removed before wearing. They can carry a brand story, barcode, price or a link to further information.
Keep the message easy to scan and choose an attachment that suits the garment. A swing tag complements the information on your permanent labels; plan both together.
What is legally required on a T-shirt label?
For ordinary daywear T-shirts sold in England, Scotland and Wales, fibre-composition labelling is a key requirement. Use the approved fibre names and accurate composition information. Manufacturers and retailers have responsibilities for compliant textile labelling; see the official guidance below.
Care instructions are generally voluntary for ordinary daywear in Great Britain, but they help customers look after the garment. Trading Standards guidance distinguishes care information from mandatory fibre-content labelling.
Labels and product descriptions must be accurate. Requirements depend on the product and where you sell it, so check the applicable rules for nightwear, specialist garments and sales to Northern Ireland or overseas. Our clothing labels and the law guide provides a broader introduction.
If you sell online, include the required fibre information in the product description as well as planning the garment label. Your website also needs appropriate selling information; see the online-selling guidance.
Can you replace the labels on blank T-shirts?
Before relabelling a blank garment, confirm its suitability and the supplier's terms. Plan how you will retain or replace accurate composition, care and other necessary information when adding your branding.
Keep a record of the garment specification so the information on your new labels matches the blanks you are using. For an introduction to protecting your own designs and branding, read our UK clothing design copyright guide.
How to choose labels for your T-shirt range
- Decide what each label needs to do. Separate branding, sizing, composition, care and retail information before combining them into a layout.
- Check the attachment. A label sewn into a seam needs a different layout from one stitched flat or applied with heat.
- Check the finished size. Include room for folds and stitching, and make sure small lettering remains legible. See the artwork notes below.
- Try a physical sample. Check the feel, position and appearance on the garment you intend to sell.
- Test the finished garment. Check the label, decoration and care instructions together before approving a full run.
A sewn-in brand label with a separate size and care label is one option. A tagless neck layout may combine branding and size, while a small hem tag can add visible branding. Choose the combination that suits your garments rather than adding labels without a clear purpose.
Order a GB Labels sample pack to compare materials and finishes, or contact our team with your artwork and intended label position.
Sources and artwork notes
1. Textile labelling requirements
Read GOV.UK's textile labelling guidance and its linked Business Companion guide for fibre-content and online-description requirements. GOV.UK also explains the general rules on accurate product labelling.
2. Care information
Anglesey Council's Trading Standards guidance explains the distinction between fibre-content labels and voluntary fabric-care information for Great Britain.
3. Selling T-shirts online
See GOV.UK's online and distance selling guidance for the information businesses need to provide. Check the rules for your own products, customers and selling arrangements.
4. Preparing label artwork
Readable lettering depends on the label material, production method, contrast and finished size. Send the actual artwork for review and confirm the proof before production rather than relying on a universal font-size rule.
General labelling information checked in November 2026. Requirements can vary by product and market.
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