Our iron-on labels for clothing

Discover our personalized iron-on labels for clothing (by the piece or as part of a pack). The iron-on label is a classic for marking clothing, linen, or professional clothing. They can also be used on shoes, leather goods and many other everyday items that are likely to be lost or left somewhere. For some people, labels for clothes are therefore essential!

Easy to apply, you just need to iron the label and that's it! The iron-on label adapts to all fabric surfaces, but also to shapes and colors. For the little ones, it is possible to find mini-labels for clothes and different things (discover our iron-on labels packs for kids).

Unlike self-adhesive clothing labels, iron-on labels have the advantage of being machine washable and dryer resistant - provided you use quality products. This makes them the ideal accessory to mark your clothes... and avoid misplacing them!

Iron-on Clothing Labels: The Complete Guide

In the past, attaching a label to a garment was a chore: you had to spend time making and sewing it, or finding the right place to stick it so that it would last more than a few days - often with disappointing results. That's because self-adhesive clothing labels weren't made to last very long.

But that was before. Iron-on labels have made labeling clothes easier, faster, and even more fun than with stickers, since you can count on personalized labels for your kids or for yourself. This type of label offers better long term results and resistance: you are sure to keep them on your clothes, shoes and everyday objects for a long time.

Let's find out more about iron-on labels and their different uses.

What is an iron-on label?

You've heard of the garment label. It often takes the form of a rectangle of fabric sewn or glued to the textile, allowing to give indications about the garment in question or to identify its owner. You can find the characteristics of the garment, its components, recommendations for maintenance ... In short, it is its "identity card" in the form of a label that you yourself have attached. We are talking about self-adhesive labels, those that are applied to objects with a simple pressure, once the protective paper is removed.

Iron-on labels are not different from self-adhesive clothing labels at first glance, since they take the same shape and serve the same purpose. But they differ in the way they are attached: an iron-on label has a glued side that adheres to textiles through the action of heat. At home, a simple ironing is all that is needed. In doing so, the label blends into the fabric, is barely noticeable to the touch, and does not bother the wearer (unlike sewn-in labels that tend to scratch). This works for both clothing and shoes. That's why it's also known as a thermo-adhesive label.

Labels using heat seal technology are different from traditional self-adhesive labels. They are not attached to the textiles themselves, but are glued to the brand or context labels. They are quick to apply, but also less resistant and less durable, and it is not uncommon to find your belongings without the personalized labels that go with them!

When are iron-on labels used?

The most common use of iron-on clothing labels is to identify clothing. They are used to indicate the name of the owner to avoid misplacing them (this is the purpose of a label with a first name), or to affix the logo of an establishment (this is the purpose, for example, of a label for bed linen in hotels or hospitals).

But most often, iron-on labels are used to mark the clothes of toddlers who live in a community. It's very simple: if your child goes to the nursery or to school, he can personalize his clothes so that he can easily find them among his friends' things. The same goes for group outings. It's not uncommon for one child's hat to end up in another's bag, for coats to mysteriously get lost in the school hallway, and for children to swap clothes for fun and not be able to retrieve the right ones afterwards. Having personalized labels with the child's name on them makes it so much easier.

Some schools are going all out and requiring name tags. This makes life easier for school teachers who have to make sure that students have the necessary materials and that they don't misplace their clothes, a responsibility that adds to their many duties. Iron-on labels allow them to easily find the owner of a lost item of clothing or accessory, which, by the way, greatly relieves parents - who don't have to buy the same thing three times during the year! Thus, identifying your little one's clothes is part of the preparatory steps for a successful start to the new school year (in daycare or school).

It's easy to see why schools and other childcare facilities require parents to use iron-on clothing labels: this is the safest and most durable technology to ensure that a label will stay in place. (Note that it is possible to find a dedicated pack with a set of labels for school, depending on the level of your child: label pack for kindergarten, label pack for elementary school, label pack for college, etc.)

Of course, iron-on labels have other advantages than just meeting the requirements of certain schools.

What are the advantages of iron-on clothing labels?

The choice of iron-on labels in this case is justified by their multiple advantages:

They are easy to apply: it only takes a few seconds with an iron, so you can apply your own labels at home in the blink of an eye. The operation can even become fun if it is done in the presence of children, each one being able to take care of his own label with name!
They do not irritate the skin of the children, contrary to the sewn labels which can be annoying in the long run, and scratch the delicate skin of our little ones.
They are machine washable, up to 60°C, and dryer safe. Practical, when we know that children's clothes share a mysterious tendency to get dirty constantly! So you don't have to worry about your iron-on label falling off after a few washes or dryings.
They last an average of 10 years, which means that the label will still look great when the garment has aged.
Moreover, iron-on labels are customizable: texts, colors, illustrations... It is also possible to find a pack containing multiple labels for a given situation (for school, for vacations, etc.). You can turn them into real decorative components, and make the label personalization step a fun activity, for clothes that you will never lose again!

How to apply an iron-on label?

Iron-on labels are attached to clothes without glue (unlike traditional stickers). The special feature of iron-on labels is that they are attached to textiles using heat, ideally between 150 and 190°C. At home, all you have to do is use an iron for your clothes labels. However, the delicacy of the process requires that you follow the steps detailed below:

Heat the iron and set it to the "cotton" position, making sure that there is no steam. Be careful: you must use a classic iron, and especially not a central steam.
Place the iron-on label in the desired location on the garment.
Cover the label with a protective paper (or, if you don't have one, with a baking paper).
Press the iron firmly onto the paper (and therefore the label) for 10 to 12 seconds, without moving.
Gently lift the iron and remove the protective paper.
Check that the label is secure by stretching it slightly. If it is not, repeat the operation.
Let it sit for 24 hours before washing. After this time, iron-on labels can be washed at 60°C. 
These instructions also apply to a linen label.
 
Please note that once attached to clothing, iron-on labels can melt if ironed at too high a temperature. Consider avoiding them or using a release paper every time you iron your clothes. If you want to apply iron-on labels to delicate fabrics (polyester, nylon, wool...), follow these same instructions, but press the iron twice for 5 or 6 seconds on the labels (rather than once for 10 or 12 seconds).

And that's it, your label has been applied!

How do I know if my iron-on label is properly attached to the garment?

Once your label is stuck on the garment, you may wonder if it will run away at the first sudden movement. This can happen if it has not been attached at a sufficient temperature. It is therefore essential to test your iron-on label after the operation is complete. This is especially important since some schools require the use of name tags and it would be bad form to have your child's tag disappear!

Let it cool, then take the garment in your hands and stretch it around the edges of the tag: if the tag comes off, even slightly, it was not secured well enough to begin with. If this is the case, repeat the application of your iron-on label (following the instructions listed above), making sure that your iron is sufficiently hot (at least 170°C, cotton or cotton/linen position).

The best thing is to do a first test. If the label does not move afterwards, it means that the temperature of the iron is the right one. You can then attach all the other iron-on labels.

Don't be afraid to wash your clothes once you've attached your iron-on labels: once they've been applied properly, they will withstand multiple washes (even at 60°C) without coming off. So you have nothing to fear for your iron-on labels. However, it is recommended that you wait 24 hours after applying the labels before washing them for the first time.

How do I remove iron-on labels from clothing?

Do you want to remove an iron-on label from a garment? It is true that children grow up quickly and never wear their clothes for very long. However, once an item of clothing is no longer in use, you may want to keep it for the youngest child (when he or she reaches the right age), give it to a friend, or even resell it. It is then necessary to remove the label with his first name. The same is true for the different products and objects that can be marked with labels, beyond clothes: school material, meal containers, etc. (There are also label packs that can be adapted to all situations and needs).

Except that iron-on labels are not easy to remove. This is precisely what makes them durable and qualitative, much more so than self-adhesive labels! So it's no small feat. Moreover, depending on the fabric of the garment to which the label has been applied, it is impossible to guarantee the effectiveness of the removal.

However, here is a method to remove iron-on labels:

Cut a piece of aluminum foil large enough to completely cover the label you wish to remove.
Plug in your iron and heat it to 150°C (wool setting).
Place the foil over the label and position the iron over it, holding the pressure for about 30 seconds.
Remove the foil gently: the label should come with it. If not, gently peel off the label by lifting the edges with tweezers.
If the first attempt didn't work, repeat the process until your iron-on label is sufficiently softened. That's it: you can put more tags on the clothes, replace them with stickers, or just give away/sell the stuff without their tags.

Another option is to leave your iron-on labels in place on the clothes and cover them with new labels - they are thin enough that it doesn't look bad.

Take your pick from our labels, or choose a label pack that suits your needs, and start personalizing your clothes and other stuff that you don't want to lose!