I thought clothing labels were pretty straight forward.
If the name was attached to the shirt I didn’t really care if it was sewn on, ironed on, or stuck directly to the fabric.
Boy was I wrong.
Until I spent way too much time sewing names onto kids school uniforms and ended up burning a hole in a shirt while ironing on a care label.
Let me introduce you to fabric stickers for clothes.
Trust me. I wish I made the switch myself a long time ago. Stick-on fabric labels aren’t just faster than traditional sew-in labels, they’re way easier than iron-on clothing labels. Here’s why more parents and teachers are making the switch for everyday use.
WHAT ARE FABRIC STICKERS FOR CLOTHING?
Fabric stickers for clothes are adhesive labels that you stick directly onto fabric care labels (or sometimes directly onto the fabric). They require no sewing or ironing!
Fabric stickers
- have adhesive backing
- stick right onto fabric labels or some surfaces
- are quicker than both sew-in and iron-on labels
- come off very few times, even when washed and dried
Premium fabric stickers are typically made with durable, soft materials. Most can pass through the washing machine and dryer without falling off.
Fabric stickers are especially popular for:
- School uniforms
- Daycare clothings
- Nursing home clothing
- Camp t-shirts
- Sports uniforms
- Jackets / Hoodies
- Work uniforms
Soon my whole approach to organizing clothes changed.
Problems With Sew-In Labels
Until trying fabric stickers, I used sew-in labels the majority of the time. Don’t get me wrong. Sewing sounded professional at first. Until I had to sew 50 shirts by hand.
Using sew-in labels requires:
A needle
Thread
Scissors
Time
Energy
Labeling multiple articles of clothing will take you FOREVER.
So what other issues are there with sew-in labels?
Needles can damage delicate fabrics.
Iron-on labels often feel stiff when resting against your skin.
If you make a mistake sewing, fixing it could be almost as difficult as just redoing the whole project.
Needles leave holes in your clothes after you remove the label.
Not very practical for temporary labels.
When you have to label a lot of clothing (like schools and daycare facilities do), sewing takes way too long.
Iron-On Clothing Labels Are More Trouble Than They’re Worth
Using iron-on labels was my next best solution. Or so I thought.
Who wants to sew when you can iron something on?
Well, as it turns out there’s a lot you have to do when ironing on a label.
Make sure your iron is the correct temperature.
Don’t apply so much heat that you damage the fabric.
Apply pressure while ironing.
Let the area cool before moving the cloth.
Carefully test these on delicate fabrics.
I ruined a shirt because the heat damaged the texture of a synthetic sports shirt (don’t worry the stain didn’t come out either).
Suddenly ironing on clothing labels didn’t sound so easy…
Iron-on labels don’t play well with:
- Heat sensitive clothing
- Water proof materials
- Stretch fabrics
- High end clothes
- Situations where you need the label to come off eventually.
A lot of clothing can’t be exposed to high heat. Which limits the amount of clothes you can use them on.
Fabric Stickers Changed Everything
So far fabric stickers have solved nearly every problem I faced with the other options.
Applying fabric stickers is one of the easiest things you’ll do all day.
PEEL → STICK → YOU’RE DONE
No sewing machine.
No iron.
No waiting around for something to heat up.
Best of all, high-quality fabric stickers don’t come off with every wash. Once you find a good brand they’ll usually survive just fine through multiple washes and dry cycles.
Here are a few of my personal favorites:
They’re super quick to apply.
I’ve laid out an entire weeks worth of school uniforms and stuck labels on them in just minutes. Compare that to sew-in labels and it would have taken me hours.
Fabric stickers don’t damage your clothes.
Say goodbye to:
Holes from needles
Burned clothes from irons
Meltdowns when the label beads accidentally melt onto the clothing.
Fabric damaged by tough stitching.
This is ideal for children’s clothes, expensive uniforms, and delicates.
Because they’re made of simple materials, fabric stickers are typically softer than stitched labels. Many people (especially kids) like how they feel against their skin.
Super Convenient For Temporary Labels
Another huge benefit is the ease of taking them off.
Clothes get lost, donate, or handed down all the time.
If you need to remove a label you’ll probably have better luck with sticker labels.
Overall Durability
This used to be my biggest question with fabric stickers.
Will they last?
I knew they wouldn’t last long. Right?
Boy was I wrong again.
The cheap stickers will come off.
Don’t sweat it though, just buy the RIGHT stickers.
High-quality fabric clothing labels:
- Won’t fall off after the first wash
- Are made to handle hot water and laundry detergent
- Can withstand high dryer temperatures
- Are printed with high-quality (washable) ink
- Have strong adhesive that’s reinforced to withstand drying and tumbling.
The quality difference between cheap and decent fabric stickers is night and day.
Buying Low Quality Fabric Stickers vs HIGH Quality Fabric Stickers
Yeah I made this mistake too.
I bought the cheapest fabric stickers I could find.
What happened? Let’s just say I’ll never go back to cheap labels.
Here’s what happened to my cheap stickers:
They began to peel off after a few washes.
The edges started lifting up.
After drying they didn’t stick quite as well.
The printing on the label faded.
They weren’t very smooth and felt rough on clothes.
Some of them would stick to other clothes in the dryer.
Once I started using a higher quality brand I immediately noticed how much better they were.
Hello Soft Fabric Stickers that didn’t pill up when the laundry dried!
Cheap = Low quality printing and adhesive
- Are Fabric Stickers Waterproof?
Most premium fabric stickers will have adhesive that can withstand a few launderings.
The adhesive is not completely waterproof but can usually handle normal wear and tear.
- Can Fabric Stickers Be Washed?
Of course! That’s the whole point.
- Will Fabric Labels Fall Off in the Wash?
Low-quality fabric stickers will come off in the wash. Don’t bother with cheap labels, trust me.
- Do Fabric Labels Stay On?
Premium fabric stickers create a strong bond to your fabric labels. They are typically printed on materials that can handle washer and dryer temperatures.
- Can You Put Fabric Stickers in the Dryer?
You sure can! High-quality fabric stickers can survive both hot and cold cycles.
Fabric Sticker Brands to Consider
My favorite brand (that I mentioned earlier) is K2’ labels. Seriously, life-changing. Check them out!
My second choice are Name Bubbles. They also offer great quality and work really well too!
Comparison: Sew-In Labels, Iron-On Labels, and Fabric Stickers
Now that you’ve learned about all three label types here’s how I rank them.
Sew-In Clothing Labels
Iron-On Clothing Labels
The absolute best solution for families, day cares, and schools.
Final Verdict
Who knew something as simple as fabric stickers could make such a big impact.
Once I eliminated sewing clothes and ironing labels everything about organizing clothes got WAY easier.
Say goodbye to sitting at the kitchen table sewing names onto clothes.
Say goodbye to worrying about burning clothes with your iron.
Oh and did I mention, you’ll save loads of time too!
Fabric stickers are quick, easy, and clean. Don’t forget they’re super durable if you find a high-quality brand.
If you find yourself regularly sorting through school uniforms, daycare clothing, sports uniforms, and family laundry look into fabric stickers. You won’t regret it.