Using Eco-Friendly Tags for Sustainable Garments
The same care a brand takes in designing a conscious product should also be taken when designing labels and packaging. Ideally, you should plan all your paper products from the start of your design process, focusing on creating eco-friendly tags for a more sustainable end product.
When using sustainable tags, you need to focus on three things: the materials used to make them, the way they are printed, and how they are being attached to the garment.
The point of using sustainable materials is to prevent them from ending up in the trash. If you get creative, it can actually end up adding value to your final product.
What should eco-friendly tags be made of?
100% Recycled Paper
Using recycled paper is usually the most obvious option for brands. Almost all suppliers offer some type of recycled paper.
One option is Khadi paper which is made by using old paper, blending it into a paste, and then pressing it into new paper.
Virgin FSC Paper
FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council. They basically run a certification that proves that the wood that was used to make products is sustainably and ethically sourced.
This is a great option to look into for all your paper products like sustainable hang tags, and also your packaging and boxes.
Recycled Cotton Scraps
Factories are using the tiny fabric scraps left on the cutting room floor and making them into paper for eco-friendly hang tags and packaging.
Seed Paper
Seed paper is basically paper that has plant seeds pressed into it. When you are done with the paper, you can plant it outside and flowers or trees will grow!
Since the paper is going to go into the earth and biodegrade, then you don’t want toxic inks that can lead to groundwater contamination. Make sure to choose an earth-friendly, non-toxic dye.
Poo Paper
Elephant and panda are two of the most common animals used to make poo paper.
The paper comes in a variety of colours and has a bit more of a craft feel, kind of like construction paper. The great thing about this kind of paper is that the paper is tree-free, chemical-free, and hand-crafted.
Bamboo And Hemp
Bamboo and Hemp are some of the most environmentally friendly plants that don’t need pesticides or very little water supply. They both have antimicrobial properties, and both get softer with time making them more comfortable to wear as time goes on. They are ideal materials for woven labels and tags.
Wheat Straw
Wheat straw is the stalk of the wheat plant. Because it is not food, traditionally it has been considered waste and is now being used to make paper.
Re-Used Paper
Remember that phrase: reduce, reuse, recycle. You can use paper that already exists to make your tags and packaging.
Compostable materials are another popular option but not everyone composts, therefore some tend to shy away from this option even though the appearance looks great when lined up with other polybags.
What are the tags being attached with?
Metal Safety Pin
Usually, there is a safety pin that will attach the tag to the garment. If you really care about where all of your materials are coming from you might want to use upcycled metals.
Cord/String
Cord or strings can be used to attach the hangtags directly to the brand’s woven labels on the back of the garment. There are many options from plant-based to upcycled factory scraps.
How can it all be reused by your customer?
Think of ways your paper products can be re-used by the customer and not end up in the trash.
Maybe the hangtag can be used as a coaster?
Maybe you can start a garden with the seed paper tags?
Maybe your boxes can become organizers for keepsakes?
A great idea is to use multiple colourful strings for the hangtags that the consumer can be worn as a bracelet.
The possibilities are endless if you get creative.
We are experts in clothing tags
Hangtags and labels are often overlooked when it comes to apparel companies thinking about customer experience.
They not only provide important information to your customers and represent your brand, but they’re also legally required to have the correct information, which is why it is so important to get it right in the first place.
When it comes to eco-friendly tags, things are taken up a level.
We are committed to sustainability, and our plantable seed tags are just one example of this.
A greener business ethos is becoming a focal point of companies and their business models, so getting ahead of the curve is not only the right thing to do in a financial sense but also an ethical one.
Contact us today if you would like to know more about how we can help you and your business promote environmental sustainability, or if you would like more information about our new plantable seed tags.