The Best Name Labels
The Best Name Labels
Which type of name labels are the best to buy? Like most things, name labels can seem a bit of a minefield when trying to choose and people often get bogged down with the differences between them all. They want to know which name labels are best suited for different items, so we thought we’d try to help.
Stick on Name Labels – or Sticky SupaTags
These are our best selling name labels. Originally they were designed for NON-clothing items such as shoes, bags, lunch boxes, beakers, baby bottles, books and stationery. However they are now made of such a very sticky material that they will also go on clothing – and they will go through the washing machine. If using on clothes they do need to be stuck onto the silky care labels found inside the clothes and not directly onto the clothes.
They also go through the dishwasher over and over again and in baby bottle steriliser machines too.
As a test of their durability, we stuck them onto a friend’s boat who frequently sails from Wales to Cornwall – years later they are still stuck fast! And our latest sticky SupaTags are even stickier.
Make sure any surface onto which the label is first stuck is dry and clean – obviously things don’t stick well onto anything greasy. And don’t let inquisitive little fingers pick or peel the label within the first few hours of it being stuck on.
Stick on Labels can occasionally be a bit vulnerable inside shoes where hot sticky feet will constantly rub on them.
To prevent any potential problem, we offer clear Clear Label Shoe Protectors. These are simply clear labels that fit neatly over the Stick on Labels to protect them.
Iron on Name Labels – or Iron on SupaTags
Iron on labels have had quite a bit of bad press over the years. But it’s really a bit unfair! It’s true that the early ones weren’t great – they curled up, came unstuck and fell off easily. However these days they are so much better in every way - easier to apply, with better staying power and so much harder to get off!
They do need to be applied properly! The silicone paper that we supply with them needs to be placed over the name label while ironing and the temperature on the iron has to be hot enough for the adhesive on the back of the label to melt fully ensuring the label is completely stuck to the garment. Once it does, the label will ‘fuse’ into the material and become part of the garment.
The problem arises if the name label appears to be well stuck – but isn't! It may then start to peel off after a wash or two. It can normally be pressed on again with a hotter iron.
When something doesn't work as expected people are quick to blame the product rather than the way it is applied. We can guarantee that the iron on labels DO stay on and they are extremely durable and effective.
If you don't like ironing or don't have an iron but would like to use these great labels, you can try using a hair-straightener to apply them! At least that's what a lot of our customers tell us!
In fact, we often get asked how to remove them when clothes need to be passed on! If the labels have been properly applied then this is just about impossible! The best thing to do is to get some of our blank Iron on labels and iron them over the top.
For a mix of both Iron on SupaTags and Stick on SupaTags the school pack is great value as you save money buying both together.
The StampaName has been around for a good few years now. It’s a fantastic idea - just like an office stamp but with textile ink that goes on clothing and through the wash without washing off. The ink may fade a little after the first couple of washes but this is normal.
It’s so quick and easy to use and one Stamp should label hundreds of garments. The ink pad is contained within the Stamp so there’s no mess and if it ever dries up then spare ink pads can be purchased.
The only downside is that the ink is black and so doesn't show up on dark clothing. However we supply StampaName packs that include a Stamp with either 52 Iron on Labels, 52 Sticky Labels or 34 Clip on Labels to counteract this problem.
Very cost effective for larger families. One stamp block will take up to 4 different names. The stamp comes with one name, and includes an ink pad, but extra name strips can be purchased and added to the Stamp. Slightly more fiddly than the StampaName (above) as these have to be pressed into a stamp pad for each use, but great value if you need more than one name.
There are really no downsides at all to these - (except perhaps for people who suffer from arthritic fingers). They are quick and easy to do. They withstand very hot washes, hence their huge popularity in Care Homes as well as for school children. Their application requires no ironing or sewing so no need for an iron or needle and thread – what more can one say?
As with everything, they need to be applied properly – on a hard surface and the cap needs to be pressed right down to the base of the pin so that the label is securely fastened – but instructions are supplied and it's easy.
In the days when the iron on labels were not so good and the sticky labels were not so sticky that they stuck to clothes, the Easyfix Clip on labels were one of the most popular but they have been relegated a little further down the list now.
One advantage they have over the iron on labels however is that if you want to be able to remove labels after having finished with items of clothing, this can be done quite easily by just prising apart the clips.
If you enjoy sewing and have time, then these are a perfect choice. The sew on material we use is strong, robust and doesn't fray.
Some customers are surprised when they first see our Sew on Labels as they are different to the traditional embroidered sew on labels. They are printed but just as good and it means they can be dispatched within 24 hours. People sometimes call us to say they are made of paper. They are NOT! We wouldn't be selling bits of paper to sew on and put through the washing machine!
In fact the labels are made of a woven material. If customers call to say they are paper, we ask them to try and rip one – they soon find it's impossible.
These are just what they say they are – except it doesn't have to be an address that is printed. Many customers use the labels for their handmade crafts, homemade goodies or as wedding or other mementoes. They measure approx 4cm x 2.5cm. Please note these are NOT waterproof. We sell gold address labels, silver address labels and white address labels.
We sell Pilot laundry pens as we believe these are the best quality ones on the market. We don't really recommend these as a way of labelling clothes as a name tag is a lot neater looking and longer lasting. Having said that, it's better to name clothes with a pen than nothing at all and as a last minute panic job, pens are great!
General Info on the layout and design of Name Tags.
Remember that the longer the name the smaller the print so it’s best not to make the name longer than it needs to be (e.g. you probably don’t need a middle name or initial) but it's surprising how much can fit on a label and still be perfectly clear and legible!
Upto 3 lines of text can be printed on our normal Iron on labels and Stick on labels. If you need more, or you need the text to be bigger then we can print sticky labels that are 4 x the size of our standard labels. These are very popular particularly as allergy labels. Detailed info about allergies, special diets or conditions can be printed on them and this can be invaluable when sending children off to school, holiday clubs, sports camps or school trips. To order these or for further details please give us a call on 01242 519191.
Iron on SupaTags and Sticky SupaTags can be printed in colour and with pictures or photos on them. Bear in mind that adding an image will inevitably make the text smaller – but usually this doesn’t pose any problem.
You can also upload your own image or photo – so if you child wants their favourite TV or Disney character you just need to find one and upload it. Similarly if they want their photo on their name tags then you just upload it. Photo Tags are a great idea for young children who still struggle to read their names as they will easily identify their belongings with their photo name tags.
Contrary to what some people think, using all Capitals is often not as clear as using lower case letters with just Capitals at the beginning of a name. This is why children are not taught to write their names in capitals at school. Capitals also take up more space so we advise not to use all Capitals. However if you would prefer all Capitals that's fine, the option is there.
We offer several different fonts.
Some are simple, business like and traditional. Others are more fun and funky, others are pretty.
