A useful swing ticket usually combines your brand name, clear product details and any information the retailer needs, with one simple next step for the shopper. The exact content depends on what you sell and how it will reach customers. Leave enough room for readable text, codes and the attachment hole.
This guide focuses on what to print and where to put it. For an introduction to the different uses of hang tags, see Swing Tickets Explained, or explore our custom swing tag range.
What should you include on a swing ticket?
- Brand identity: your name or logo, with a short tagline if it adds useful meaning.
- Product identification: the product name, style reference, size or variant where relevant.
- Retail information: space for the agreed price label, stock reference or barcode if your retailer requires it.
- A useful product message: a concise feature or fact that helps someone choose the item.
- A next step: a website address, QR code or offer with a clear explanation of its purpose.
Treat this as a planning checklist. Retailer specifications and legal labelling duties depend on the product and market; they are not all interchangeable requirements for every removable tag.
A simple front-and-back layout
Give each side a clear job. The front can establish the brand and draw attention; the back can organise practical information. The following is a starting point to adapt to your product:
| Side | Content |
|---|---|
| Front | Logo or brand name, one short message and a clear visual hierarchy. |
| Back | Product or variant details, agreed retailer label area, website or QR code, and any relevant offer conditions. |
Keep important text away from the hole, cord, cut edge and any area reserved for a sticker. A beautiful layout will be less useful if the retailer's price label covers your web address.
Barcodes, stock codes and RFID
Ask the retailer which product identifiers, barcode format and placement it needs. An SKU is your stock reference; the information and barcode required by a particular retailer may be different. Confirm the data for each size, colour or other variant before creating the print files.
If the retailer will add its own barcode or price sticker, reserve an agreed blank area. If it specifies an RFID tag or a separate security device, confirm its size and position. Do not add these simply because another brand uses them.
A QR code linking to your website should not be assumed to work as a checkout barcode. Retail scanning requires the right data, symbol and compatible system. Check the retailer's requirements and relevant GS1 retail barcode guidance.
How to use QR codes on swing tickets
Give the shopper a reason to scan, such as “See the size guide” or “Explore this collection”. Link directly to the relevant mobile-friendly page and check that the destination remains available after the tag has been printed. Include a readable website address as another way to find you.
Use a clear, high-contrast code and preserve the blank border, known as its quiet zone. Keep it away from holes, folds, textured decoration and stickers. Do not squeeze it smaller just to fill a gap: suitable dimensions depend on the code's detail, print quality and scanning conditions.
Test the final printed size on the proposed stock and finish with several phones, including under ordinary shop lighting. A code that scans from a large screen preview may behave differently on a small printed tag. GS1 provides guidance on QR-code sizing; its retail examples are not a universal minimum for every design.
Coupons and promotional messages
A coupon can give customers a reason to return, but the offer needs to be easy to understand and redeem. State the benefit and any important restrictions, such as a minimum spend, eligible products, customer eligibility or an expiry date where applicable. Check that the code works and that staff or checkout systems can honour it.
Important conditions should be clear on the promotional material. A QR code or a small “terms apply” link is not a substitute for information whose omission would mislead. Make the remaining terms easy to find. Check the current ASA/CAP guidance on promotional conditions before printing an offer.
What about legally required information?
Separate your promotional design from the labelling duties that apply to the product. For textiles sold in Great Britain, government textile-labelling guidance covers fibre-content information and who is responsible. Other products and sales markets can have different requirements; check Northern Ireland and overseas rules where relevant.
A logo, barcode or QR link does not by itself establish compliance. Check what information must accompany the item and the permitted form and placement before approving the whole label set. Keep product claims accurate and supported.
Information customers need after purchase should remain available when the swing ticket is removed. Plan suitable permanent labels alongside it, using our care label planning guide. A permanent label does not have to be woven; choose a suitable material and production method for its purpose.
Make the design readable at actual size
Print the artwork at its intended dimensions before signing it off. Check the smallest text, contrast, spacing and reading order. A short message with breathing room is often more useful than a crowded brand story.
Ask for the correct artwork template, bleed and safe-area instructions for your chosen size and shape. Mark the hole position and identify each side clearly. Review the proposed stock and finish: surface texture, colour and reflections can affect fine detail and scanning.
Final swing ticket artwork checklist
- Confirm the brand spelling, product details and all size or colour variants.
- Agree barcode, price-sticker and any RFID or security-device areas with the retailer.
- Check text, hole position, margins and both sides at the actual print size.
- Test QR destinations, printed codes and any promotional code or offer terms.
- Review required product labelling separately and check consistency across the label set.
- Confirm stock, finish, quantity, attachment options and what the artwork approval covers.
Swing ticket content FAQs
Does every swing ticket need a barcode?
Confirm this with the retailer or sales channel. The required format and data depend on its stock and checkout systems. Reserve the right space if a retailer will add its own label.
Can I put a QR code and a barcode on the same tag?
Yes, provided there is enough space for the correct dimensions and clear areas. Agree the layout with the retailer and test the intended scanning uses.
Should care information go only on the swing ticket?
Plan how customers will find important information after the ticket is removed. A suitable permanent care label can provide instructions throughout the product's use.
Choose the ticket to suit your content
Explore options such as silk-coated swing tags and recycled pulp swing tags, or compare examples through our sample packs. Confirm the shapes, finishes and attachments available for your chosen product.
Send GB Labels your artwork and requirements, including the size, quantity, front-and-back content and any retailer instructions. Our team can help you choose a suitable printing specification and provide ordering advice.
