
Can you relabel Wholesale Clothing?
When buying wholesale clothing for your fashion business or boutique, the garments come with branded labels from the company you bought them from.
While these labels describe where the item is made and provide specific care instructions, many businesses don’t want to resell something without their name on it.
If you’re a fashion business owner, you may be wondering, ‘Can I relabel wholesale clothing?’ And while the answer is yes, there are certain rules and regulations that you legally have to abide by to do so.
Today, Stylewise Direct will walk you through all of the guidelines for putting your own label on wholesale clothing, as well as designing custom labels and attaching them to your products.
Understanding the Legalities of Relabeling
It’s absolutely possible to add your own brand labels to wholesale clothing; however, you must comply with the legal aspects to avoid potential disputes.
- Manufacturer’s consent: You must get permission from the supplier before adding your own label to any wholesale clothing. A written agreement can protect both parties from trouble.
- Trademark and copyright: When designing your own brand, it’s normal to get carried away or too inspired by another company. But you mustn’t use any logos, brand names, or designs that have already been trademarked.
- Consumer Rights Act 2015: The wholesale clothing you buy and resell must comply with the Consumer Rights Act 2015. This act states that mislabeling garments that are poor quality or unfit for purpose can lead to fines or customer disputes, so don’t make any false claims, and you’ll be good to go!
- Avoid counterfeit items: Relabeling branded items as your own is completely unethical, and it can get you into a lot of trouble (so don’t do it!)
How to Relabel Clothing Legally
When it comes to labels, there are certain things that you have to legally add to the label. While you can go crazy with the colour or design, you have to include the following:
- Fibre content- clearly indicating the material composition.
- Country of origin- where the clothes were manufactured.
- Care instructions- including how to wash, iron, and dry.
- Size information- This one’s pretty self-explanatory!
- Flammability- Children’s clothes must be labelled as flammable for safety precautions.
It’s important to note that certain patterns, designs, and prints are protected under copyright law by the brand that made them (who knew!) Copying and selling these designs as your own—while not completely impossible—requires a long-winded process that we’re sure you don’t want to get into.
For this reason, it’s best to purchase clothes from wholesale retailers that don’t completely steal the ideas of other designers. Sometimes, going basic is the best way to build your business on wholesale products.
As another side note, always check the supplier's rebranding limits. Some businesses may allow you to relabel the clothes but not modify the item itself (we can see you; slowly put the scissors down and sewing machine away).
Designing Your Custom Labels
Here’s to the fun part! Once you’ve gained permission from the seller to relabel your items, it’s time to get your creative cap on.
When it comes to labels, you don’t want to go too big or too small. As long as you’ve included all of the points from the previous discussion, you’re on the right track.
But let’s hone in a second on how we can weave your brand identity into your labels. The key things to consider are:
1. Who’s my target audience?
Clothes aimed at younger children should include playful or bold labels, while luxury items should be more sophisticated.
2. What’s my brand message?
Think about whether you favour sustainability, craftsmanship, or longevity, and find a way to show this in your label.
3. What’s my brand image?
If you’ve already developed a brand colour palette, font, or slogan, add these details to your label for consistency.
Once you’ve figured out this part, you can move on to phase two.
Choosing the right label
You may not think this is important, but as a business owner, every small detail matters in shaping your brand's identity.
The material of your label can affect both the quality and feel of your clothes:
- Printed labels: Affordable, popular, and versatile, these are printed onto cards or fabric.
- Woven labels: These are commonly seen on high-quality clothes and are made from threads.
- Heat transfer labels: This type of label is applied directly to a garment using heat. It is popular for activewear or subtle logo additions.
Label Practicality
When it comes to labels, being too fancy can diminish their effectiveness, getting in the way of what they are designed to do: inform customers.
Choose a font style and size that is easy to read. If you want to highlight your brand’s name, use a decorative font. Keep any important information in a legible format.
You want your logo to be placed at the top or centre of the label so customers can find it if they need to. But avoid making the mistake of keeping your logo big and all of the important information small (it’s not as effective as you think).
Make sure the print colour isn’t too hard to read against the label's background. Also, incorporate enough white space around the text or graphics to prevent them from appearing overwhelming.
Add Sustainable and Ethical Features
If you’re brand has a unique selling point, then you’ll want to show it off!
Some good features to include are:
- Certifications: If you have any Fair Trade, GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), or OEKO-TEX® certifications, stick them on the label to highlight the ethicality of your brand.
- Eco-friendly materials: Show your customers that your products are made with recycled polyester, organic cotton, or biodegradable materials (only if applicable!)
Before adding all of your labels to your clothes, create a prototype to test how the labels look and feel on the item. Then, you can make adjustments if necessary.
If you lack the supplies to create your own labels in-house, contact third-party companies for help with the production process.
Applying Labels to Garments
Depending on the type of clothing item, labels should be placed in different positions to ensure they don’t cause discomfort and are easy to access when worn.
If you want to separate the logo and care instructions on two different labels for coats, tops, and jackets, place the logo on the neckline and the latter on the lower side seam. For trousers, skirts, and shorts, the label is always placed on the waistline.
Application Method
Last but not least is deciding which application method to use for your label.
- Sewing: This is long-lasting and suitable for most products. Always choose thread colours that match the label and sew it down flat to prevent puckering.
- Heat-pressed: This quick and smooth application involves printing the label directly onto the garment with heat. These are commonly used for activewear and simple t-shirts.
- Patching: Jeans and jackets often feature patched labels, sewn or ironed onto the garment. These are designed from leather or canvas, adding a stylish touch.
Start Your Brand Journey Today with Stylewise
Before we go, you may be wondering what all the fuss is about adding your own labels to wholesale clothing.
You’ve learnt that you can relabel wholesale clothing, but is it worth it? The answer is yes; it’s completely worth it. Not only does it help you get your name out there, but it ensures that your customers won’t forget about you, helping you build a reliable customer base.
At Stylewise Direct, we’re here to help you get the most out of your retail business, store, or boutique. Our wide range of high-quality wholesale clothing for women features the perfect pieces to make your brand stand out.