Private Labeling & Finishing: How to Elevate Your Apparel to Premium Status

25 Apr, 2024 By Samantha Warren 259 Views

Want your brand to look like it has its own in-house apparel division?

Private labeling is one of the most cost-effective strategies for both your business and consumers. It allows you to outsource your apparel manufacturing to a trusted provider while displaying your brand name and logo in key places on each garment.

Sounds awesome, right? It is—but it’s also important to remember that not all approaches to private labeling are created equal.

The secret lies in elevating your apparel to a premium status, so your customers view your garments as the best they can find on the market. You can achieve this with the right private labeling techniques and finishings.

At Scrappy Apparel, we have a specialized private labeling program that allows you to take true ownership of your brand. We’ll handle all the time-consuming manufacturing tasks you’d normally have to deal with on your own.

Today, we’re excited to share our recommendations for the private labeling techniques and finishings you can use to charge more for your apparel and help your brand stand out from the rest!

Elevate Your Brand to Premium Status with Scrappy Apparel!


Why Are Finishings So Important?

Finishings are the final stages in the apparel manufacturing process, occurring just before items are packaged and transported to the 3PL warehouse.

Imagine a customer unboxing their garment and finding a mess. You don’t want that!

Now, think of the same customer opening their package to find their new apparel thoughtfully presented and perfectly arranged. That’s the impression you want to make! 

In the apparel industry, finishing touches play a crucial role in defining your brand’s quality and appeal. These details not only elevate the unboxing experience but also enhance the functionality and aesthetic of each garment. 

Proper finishing ensures your garments look and feel premium, whether it’s:

  • The way a shirt is folded
  • The placement of tags
  • The quality of the packaging

Every element contributes to a memorable customer experience and sets your brand apart in a competitive market.

Here are some of the finishing touches we offer at Scrappy Apparel:

Individual Folding in Polybags

Individually encasing your printed apparel in a polybag serves a dual purpose:

  • Safeguarding it during storage and transit
  • Adding an on-brand, delightful finishing touch

The act of opening the sealed bag adds a touch of excitement, heightening anticipation and enhancing the overall impression of the product. That’s why individually folding garments is essential for earning customer loyalty.

Application of UPC Barcodes

Wondering how to make sure people find your items anywhere in the world? UPC barcodes.

A Universal Product Code (UPC), also known as a UPC barcode, is a form of Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) that allows tracking of items across the global supply chain.

Due to its interoperability and standardized format (12-digit numeric code), the UPC remains consistent for each one of your items. All your customers can identify your products with these barcodes.

Fun fact: the UPC code was originally developed to streamline checkout processes and enhance inventory management in grocery stores. 

However, it’s also great for improving inventory management processes across all verticals, including apparel!

What Are the Major Private Labeling Techniques?

Basically, these techniques consist of choosing the right type of labels to use on your garments. You always want your brand to be front and center, but there are different ways of displaying the name and logo. Choose the placement that is most aligned with your brand strategy:

Screen Printed Neck Labels

Screen-printed neck labels are one of our favorite placements.

Unlike traditional woven labels, these labels are printed directly onto the garment’s inner neck area, offering a larger canvas for brand promotion and creativity.

The process involves removing existing woven labels and replacing them with screen-printed tags. We recommend using a soft, light- to mid-grey, water-based ink to ensure the label feels cotton-soft and comfortable against the skin.

Heat Transfer Neck Labels

These are also known as heat press labels or tagless labels because the image, artwork, or label information is fixed directly to the garment.

Heat transfer labels offer exceptional durability, capable of enduring numerous wash and dry cycles without fading, cracking, or splitting. These labels accommodate any design and are versatile for various applications.

For specialty transfers, high-volume orders, and expedited processing, it’s crucial to use a professional heat press for optimal results.

Sewn-in Neck Labels

Also called woven labels, sewn-in neck labels are fabric tags sewn into the neckline of garments.

These labels typically contain the brand name, size, care instructions, and country of origin. They serve both functional and branding purposes, providing essential details for consumers while also promoting brand recognition.

Strategic Placement of Hem Tags

This strategy involves attaching branded tags or labels to specific locations on a garment’s hemline for maximum visibility and impact. They can be placed on the sleeves, hip, neck, hoodie pocket, and much more.

Differing from other types of tags, these are positioned in a way that complements the garment’s design and enhances its overall aesthetic appeal.

Since they can be placed in many different positions, you can create an individualized look for the garment, leaving a lasting impression on customers.


private labeling

Scrappy Apparel: Your Expert Private Labeling Partner

By paying attention to intricate details, you enhance your product’s market readiness and attractiveness.

Scrappy Apparel is your go-to partner for achieving a refined, retail-ready appearance for every garment.

Inventory Management

Managing inventory efficiently is crucial, especially when dealing with fluctuating demand across different retail locations. 

Through our 3PL MGMT program, we dynamically adjust stock levels to optimize sales and minimize waste, ensuring you have just the right inventory where and when it’s needed.

By tailoring inventory to the specific demands of each location, we ensure that popular items are always available, enhancing customer satisfaction. 

This strategic approach reduces unnecessary waste and storage costs, maximizing the efficiency and profitability of your merchandising efforts. 

Whether it’s tour merchandise, seasonal collections, or promotional items, our program helps you manage it all with precision.

Top Quality Control for Your Pieces

When big, international brands choose to work with us, it’s often because of the quality of our work. Not only do we offer private labeling services, but we also carefully fold and polybag each order. You get the full package with us!

At Scrappy Apparel, we specialize in apparel-first fulfillment services, ensuring consistent quality across all areas of the supply chain. Our stringent quality control measures, from production to packaging, guarantee a 5-star experience for your customers.

We meticulously vet garments and conduct thorough inspections to maintain high standards of material quality, print clarity, and durability. Even with rush orders, our efficient quality control processes prevent any compromise on product quality.

A Personalized Touch to Your Clothing

The value of a branded label becomes evident when you can charge higher prices for your garments.

You can use our free neck label templates to create personalized labels for your garments. Simply register for a free account, log in, and navigate to the download page to access the templates.

Whether it’s a mission statement, your favorite joke, or words of wisdom, people will love seeing just how much personality your apparel has.

Private Label Your Garments with Scrappy Apparel!

Define your style with custom apparel created exclusively for you.

Request Pricing Schedule A Call