Packaging and branding details are often the last thing new brands plan for — and the first thing customers actually notice. Here's what to budget for and prioritize.
Woven vs Printed Labels
Woven labels (fabric labels with the design literally woven into the fibre) offer a more premium, durable finish and are the standard for main brand labels. Printed labels are more cost-effective and work well for care instructions or secondary labelling where premium feel matters less.
Hang Tags
Hang tags are one of the highest-impact, lowest-cost branding touches available — they're the first physical brand impression a customer has with the product, often before the garment itself is unfolded.
Care Labels
Beyond branding, care labels carry required information — fabric composition, washing instructions, country of origin — and specific requirements vary by destination market (the US, UK, and EU each have their own labelling regulations worth confirming with your supplier).
Poly Bags and Primary Packaging
Custom-printed poly bags with your logo are standard for individual garment packaging, with biodegradable options increasingly available at a modest cost premium for brands prioritizing sustainability messaging.
Branded Boxes and Outer Packaging
For bulk shipments, branded outer cartons aren't just aesthetic — clear labelling helps with customs processing and warehouse handling, in addition to reinforcing brand presence if boxes are visible to end customers (e.g., subscription or direct-ship models).
Tissue Paper and Unboxing Inserts
Increasingly common in DTC apparel brands, custom tissue paper and printed inserts (thank-you cards, care instructions, social handles) add minimal cost per unit but meaningfully improve perceived brand value and unboxing experience.
Barcode and Price Tag Labels
If you're selling through retail or marketplace channels, confirm your supplier can produce compliant barcode labels matched to your SKU system before bulk production, not as an afterthought.
Realistic Budgeting
Packaging and branding costs typically add a modest percentage to per-unit cost depending on how many elements you include — hang tags and woven labels are relatively low-cost; premium branded boxes add more. Prioritize the elements customers actually see and touch first.
Getting Started
Provide your supplier with vector files (AI, EPS, or high-res PDF) of your logo and label designs early in the sourcing process — packaging and labelling should be finalized alongside your tech pack, not after production begins.
Need full packaging and branding support for your launch? OSD Apparels handles labels, hang tags, poly bags, and eco-friendly packaging in-house. Request a Quote.