Textile Label Printing

A heat transfer is a method of taking a printed image and fixing the image directly to the garment in order to copy the image onto the garment itself. Typically, this technology has been used for customising t-shirts and, more recently, for the application of “tag-less” labels.

Textile labels are small labels usually made of nylon, taffeta or polyester satin, sewn into the interior of a garment so it is not visible when worn. Textile labels are intended to convey important information about the garment to the consumer. This might include size information, branding, wash care instructions, country of origin, fabric content and product details. All types of clothing and shoe manufacturers use textile labels, in products ranging from dresses and t-shirts to socks and gloves.

As part of the ever evolving world of textile innovation, we will be attending the world's largest international textile and garment technology exhibition; ITMA 2019 in Barcelona! Providing an unrivalled marketplace and knowledge platform, ITMA is set to feature more than 1,600 exhibitors and an attendance of over 120,000 visitors. Come and join us in June!

2018 has been a hectic and interesting year for our textile printing equipment business. Whilst the majority of new installations have been in Asia, we have seen trends developing that has seen a recovery in production requirements in Europe, especially in labelling for household & soft furnishings. There are changes, often in surprising directions. The long heralded decline of traditional printing methods for ribbons & narrow textiles has not only failed to materialise, but the opposite has in fact occurred. Letterflex/Flexographic/Silk Screen methodologies and technologies are still going strong – the latest design machines offering unparalleled flexibility and productivity to enterprising businesses.

One reason for the comparatively slow growth of digital printing on textiles may be related to the extreme demands of the textile applications and the wide selection of types of textiles used in the industry. Fabric has always been inherently more difficult to print due to its flexible nature. The level of flexibility varies from warp to weft and with each degree around the bias, so guiding the fabric precisely through a digital printing press has proven to be very difficult, not forgetting the challenges of softness, fading, rub and wash resistance.

Historically there have been a number of chosen methods for production of printed garment / apparel labels / ribbons.

Many businesses who are looking to choose the right manufacturer for the textile label printing equipment they need will consult a search engine and then visit the top sites on the first page of results. But is this really enough to find the best manufacturer for you? The truth is that a website can only tell you so much about a manufacturer and their products.