Article
A woven label is woven as a flat strip, and the fold is how that strip is finished so it can be sewn into a garment. The fold decides how the label sits, which edges are hidden, whether it has one face or two, and whether it goes into a seam or onto the fabric. It is the first label decision we settle, because it is the one that is hardest to undo once the labels are made.
We offer seven: loop, Manhattan, border, centre, hem, mitre and each-end. Here is what the main ones do and how to choose between them.
Sewn into a seam, or sewn on flat
Every fold answers one question first: where does the label get stitched? Some folds are made to be caught in a seam, such as the neck seam behind the collar, so the stitching is hidden and the label hangs from it. Others fold the cut ends under so the label can be stitched flat onto the fabric, with the stitching showing along its edges. Most of the choice follows from that.
The folds
| Fold | How it is made | Where it usually goes |
|---|---|---|
| Centre fold | Folded in half and pressed flat, with both cut ends sewn into the seam | The neck seam. It has two faces, so the back can carry a second line |
| Loop fold | Folded so it forms a loop from the seam rather than lying flat | Neck or side seam, and where the label doubles as a hanging loop |
| Manhattan fold | A centre fold with an extra fold along the top edge | The neck seam, where you want a neater top edge |
| Mitre fold | Both ends folded under at 45 degrees, sewn into a seam at the top | Collars and neckbands, where it hangs from the seam |
| End fold (each-end) | Both ends folded under, so it can be sewn flat onto the fabric | Below the neck seam, on a hem, or on the outside of a garment |
Border and hem folds are the two names that vary most from one label maker to the next: the same word can describe a slightly different finish depending on who makes the label. That is the main reason we settle the fold with a real label in front of you rather than by name, and it is worth doing the same with any label supplier.
Choosing a fold for a neck label
In the neck, your label is caught in the seam where the supplier label came out, so the choice is usually between the folds that sew into a seam: centre, Manhattan, loop and mitre. Centre and Manhattan folds sit flat against the back of the neck and give you two faces. A mitre fold hangs from the seam and is common on collars.
An end fold works when you want the neck seam left alone, for example a label stitched flat just below it. The stitching shows round the label, which is a look some brands want and others avoid.
What the fold changes besides the look
- Comfort. The fold decides which edges sit against the skin. A folded edge is softer than a cut one, which matters most in the neck.
- Space. A centre or Manhattan fold has a front and a back. The back can carry a size, a website or a short line without a second label.
- Size. A fold uses up part of the woven strip, so the visible label is smaller than the strip it was woven on. We confirm the finished size on the proof.
- Your minimum. One fold and one size across the range keeps you to one label design, which is one run of 100 rather than two.
“The fold is the label decision that is hardest to undo, so it is the first one we settle.”
Where else a woven label can go
The neck is the standard position and the one customers read. A label can also go in the side seam, which is common for care labels or for a brand label where you want the neck left clean, or as a small external woven label on a sleeve or a cuff, which is usually a second placement rather than the only one. On caps it goes on the inner panel. Each placement is its own label design, and each design is its own run of 100.
How it gets decided
A vector file of your logo is enough to start. Before anything is made, we prepare your artwork, issue visual proofs and confirm the label fold, the tag sizes and the print placement, and nothing goes into production until you approve it in writing. Woven labels are then made to order at 100 per design, which is the label maker’s minimum, and take 10 to 14 working days, running alongside production rather than adding to it.
If you can, come and see them. At the Bradford unit the folds can go into a real garment side by side, which settles the choice in a few minutes. Book through the visit page.
Where to go next
The full finishing package, from woven labels to swing tickets and bagging, is on the own label page, and how the supplier label comes out is on the relabelling page. If you have not picked the garment yet, start with the t-shirts and hoodies. When you are ready, get your first drop quoted.
