Upon recently completing the upcycled, hand dyed rainbow crochet cardigan project (archived here), I realised it was time for Thrifty Stitches to have some professional garment labels!
Given that I don’t mass produce garments, and I use a broad variety of textile fibres, I looked at buying a very small quantity (50 tags or less of each type). I also wanted to have them printed in Australia.
My thrifty soul was horrified to find I would be paying upward of $28.95 for just 25 printed labels! Add a colour logo and I would be looking at over $35! – plus shipping!
– A total of $40.24, equating to $1.60 per label
Even if we move up to a larger quantity order of 100 tags, we are still looking at around 48c per label.
At this point I really had to rethink things…
What is this brand all about? – upcycling; minimising waste; minimising costs – There has to be a Thriftier way!?
…And so, I found it! – Inkjet Printable Fabric Sheets (That’s an Amazon affiliate link to the very best value product I can find online) – After all, why buy when you can DIY?
I printed 35 tags per A4 sheet (40mm squares). At AU$4.26 per sheet, that’s around 12 cents per label!
Depending on your own needs, you may be able to fit more labels per sheet, making them even cheaper!
Before you get started it’s worth noting the printable fabric sheets are 100% cotton – This means that if you cut and leave it raw edged (like I did) they will possibly fray over time. This was fine with me for Thrifty Stitches, but another option might be to iron folds on the edges.
What you will need:
Inkjet Printable Fabric Sheets
An inkjet printer
Your logo/label design
A software program such as Visme
Step 1 – Design Layout
Open the Visme App or login to the Visme website.
Select “Create New” and start a new blank template.
Adjust the project size to A4
Use text and shapes or upload your own logo to create the layout for one tag.
Select all elements of the design and right click to duplicate.
Fill your page with repeats or variations of your tag as needed.
Step 2 – Printing on Fabric
Take a single sheet of A4 printable fabric and load it into your inkjet printer.
– Do Not remove the backing paper prior to printing.
Simply send your design to the printer from Visme.
When printing is complete, remove the adhesive paper backing from the fabric sheet.
Next iron the fabric with a hot iron or on the “cotton” setting. This helps to set the ink and reduce fading.
Allow to cool, then rinse the fabric in clean cold water and hang dry.
Step 3 – Cut and Use
Once dry, your tags are ready for use.
Cut and sew as required.
Count how much money you just saved! – and don’t forget to save your Visme layout so you can print and save with ease, next time.
