The production of iron-on labels varies depending on the type of iron-on label. The process begins with the selection of materials and ends with packaging and shipping. A deeper understanding of the iron-on clothing label production process is explained below.
Product and Material Selection
Over the course of history, iron-on labels have become an indispensable tool for marking and personalizing garments. Today, Wunderlabel offers a wide range of iron-on labels made of high quality materials:
- Iron-on fabric labels are woven from OEKO-TEX certified polyester yarn, making them a particularly durable option.
- DTF (direct to film) iron-on neck labels are made with water-based ink and allow for design without a white border.
- Name tags are made of polyurethane and are especially flexible.
Production Process
The production process differs depending on the type of iron-on clothing label.
Iron-on Fabric Labels:
- Yarn selection and weaving: The weaving machine spins the OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certified polyester yarn and weaves it using an elaborate damask weaving technique. Using this special weaving technique, the machine guides the yarns precisely over and under each other to create the desired pattern.
- Finishing with an adhesive layer: A special machine applies an adhesive layer to the back of the labels, making iron on labels easy to put to textiles. A film protects the adhesive layer until the label is ironed onto the fabric.
- Cutting to size: After the adhesive is applied, a cutting machine cuts the fabric sheet with the customer's design to the exact label size required.
DTF Neck Labels:
- Printing: The CMYK color printer applies the neck tag design with special liquid ink to a backing film and covers the liquid design with white opaque ink. The white surface prevents the colors of the underlying fabric from showing through or mixing with the printed motif when ironed.
- Applying the adhesive layer: The printing machine pulls the printed film through a bath of fine granules. Dry textile granules adhere to the liquid ink, and residues are stripped off.
- Drying process: Finally, the press passes the liner through a heat machine or infrared oven to dry and gel until a glossy, rubber-like surface is created.
- Cutting: After printing, a cutting machine cuts the neck labels into the desired shape so that the custom design can be transferred to the garment.
Iron-on PU Name Labels:
- Preparation and Printing: The name tags come with an adhesive layer already applied.
- Printing: These labels are printed using the thermal printing process, which allows fast and efficient personalization.
Quality Control
Wunderlabel subjects every label to rigorous quality control. This includes testing for color accuracy, adhesive strength, and overall quality. Only perfect labels leave our warehouse.
Packaging and Shipping
Wunderlabel carefully packs the finished iron-on labels so that they arrive safely at the customer. We use environmentally friendly packaging materials that underscore our responsibility for sustainability.
