A very honest Review of each Product
Although very popular these are probably the labels about which we over the years we have had the most complaints. BUT... this isn't because they are no good and don't stay on – but because they do need to be applied properly! The temperature on the iron has to be hot enough for the adhesive on the back of the label to melt fully to ensure the label is completely stuck to the garment. And the silicone paper that is supplied with the labels has to be used.
The problem arises when the label appears to be well stuck – but isn't! It will 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 tend to quickly blame the product rather than the way it is applied. However the iron on labels ARE extremely durable and effective. We have sold millions over the years and customers keep coming back for more. Don't give up on them if they seem disappointing after the first wash – it is purely a question of getting the iron hot enough and as irons differ so much it is difficult to give an exact temperature. We would like to stress that MOST PEOPLE DO NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM!
We changed our Iron on labels a few years ago and whereas we didn't previously recommend them in Care Homes we now do! Previously they didn't always withstand very hot temperatures that are used in Care Homes but these new ones do. Again, provided that they are applied properly they will 'fuse' into the garment, becoming a part of it and will stay on forever.
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 difficult if not impossible! The best thing to do is to get some blank Iron on labels and iron them over the top. See below
Stick on Labels - better known as our Sticky SupaTags!
These are really designed for NON-clothing items such as shoes, bags, lunch boxes, beakers, baby bottles, books and stationery. But, they are so sticky that most of our customers also use them for clothing.
However, if using on clothing it is VERY important to only sticky them onto the silky care labels. If you put them directly onto fabric they will not stick to the fibres and will probably come off in the wash after a wash or two.
If using on other items other than clothing they are very very sticky and waterproof. They will also go through the dishwasher time and time and time again. In fact they will probably last longer than the beaker or bottle that they are stuck onto!
One thing to watch out for – make sure any surface onto which the label is first stuck is dry and clean. Don't pick or peel the label within the first few hours of it being stuck on as this can make it curl at the corners.
The only place where the Stick on Labels can be a bit vulnerable is inside shoes where hot sticky feet will constantly rub on them.
To counteract this problem, we offer clear Label Protectors. These are simply clear labels that fit neatly over the Stick on Labels to protect them.
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.
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 – but it's not so easy that it should cause a problem..
If you can sew, enjoy it and have the time, then these are a perfect choice. They are strong, robust and don'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. However 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!
The sew on labels are in fact 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.
As with the other labels they can be printed in colour, with coloured backgrounds and even with photos.
This is a fantastic idea. It's just like an office stamp but with textile ink that goes through the wash. The ink tends to fade a little after the first couple of washes but this is normal.
The StampaName is so quick and easy to use. One Stamp should label hundreds of garments. The ink pad is contained within the Stamp so 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 and either 50 Iron on Labels or 30 Clip on Labels to counteract this problem.
Ideal when buying for more than one person as extra name strips can be purchased because the MultiStamp takes up to 4 names. Ideal for bigger families or in Care Homes with manu residents. Slightly more fiddly than the StampaName (above) as the MultiStamp has to pressed into the inkpad for each use, but very cost effective.
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 can be printed in Gold, White or Silver. They measure approx 4cm x 2.5cm. Please note these are NOT waterproof.
We sell Pilot Laundry pens as we believe these are the best quality. We don't really recommend these as a way of labelling clothes as a label is a lot neater looking and longer lasting. However good the pen is, the ink usually washes out in time. 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!
If you have already ironed name tags onto clothes and it's now time for those clothes to be handed down to someone else or given to charity, then blank labels can be ironed over the top to make them nameless again. At 4cm x 2cm they are slightly bigger than the printed labels which makes it easy to iron them over the top of existing labels.
Also, if you have a clothing stamp and have some dark items of clothing that can't be stamped, then you can stamp onto the blank label and iron this on instead to label the garment.
Another use of the blank labels is that if you don't want 52 of the same name printed, these labels will come in really handy.....you can handwrite on them with our Pilot Laundry Marker Pen and if you only want one or two labels with one name then that's fine!
If writing or stamping on a label do this first and then iron it on.
These iron on labels are perfect for keeping track of your bed linen and will help you keep your airing cupboard tidy. They are great for labelling all types of bedding - sheets, duvet covers, matching pillow cases when part of a set etc.
Also very useful if you have a holiday home or holiday homes as they will identify your sheets and duvet covers as well as avoiding laundry mix ups. The printing will not fade and the iron on glue will keep the label in place for ever - they cannot be removed!!
General Info on the layout of Labels.
The longer the name the smaller the print but we make sure whatever text is there is as clear as possible, and it's surprising how much can fit on a label and still be perfectly clear and legible!
All the same, if you are wanting a picture as well as a very long name and a telephone number, it may be worth leaving out a middle name or just putting an initial for the first name, or not having a logo.
Contrary to what some people think, using all Capitals is often not as clear as using lower case letters with Capitals at the beginning of a name. This is why children aren not taught to write their names in capitals at school. Capitals also take up more space so we tend not to advise using all Capitals. However if you'd like all Capitals that's fine. Whatever you enter when designing your label will be printed.
We offer many different fonts. Some of classic and traditional, others are a little quirky and more 'fun' looking!
All the labels can be printed with coloured text or a coloured background. Pictures from our own picture gallery can be uploaded - these are mostly little cartoon pictures, but you can also upload your own images. Many people like to upload a photo so that their children or their teachers can easily recognise who 'that lost jumper' belongs to! You can also upload a favourite image - perhaps a photo of your pet, your child's favourite TV character, or a school logo.
