Learn how to make fabric labels for your handmade items that gives them an extra special touch.

Whenever you buy something from the store whether it be kitchen linens, a pair of jeans or a blanket, they all are adorned with printed labels. Why you ask? Because it serves a purpose either to inform the consumer of how to care for the item, the size of the item and usually the brand logo or name. So my question is, why not add these lables to your own handmade items to set yourself apart from your competitors and give your items a more professional look? They’re even great for those hobbyists who just want to add some personalization to their products.

What I love about this method of making custom name labels, clothing labels, et cetera, is that they’re incredibly easy to do. The hardest part is creating the look, whether it be a logo or simply an abbreviation for your business name. And honestly, if you’re using a program like Canva, it makes it really easy to find the look you’re going for. Creating these labels is as easy as printing your design on special iron-on transfer paper and using your iron to transfer them to your fabric of choice.

I like to add these hang tags to my linen bread bags and flannel blankets that I sell in my Etsy shop because I think it gives them an extra special touch without being over the top. They’re a subtle way to add branding to your handmade items and products. In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through the entire process of making custom fabric labels using Canva, then applying them using a method I find works better than the directions provided in the iron-on transfer paper bundle.

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FAQs

What materials can I use to make custom fabric labels?

For my specific custom sewing labels and for this tutorial, I prefer to use a woven twill tape. However, you can use cotton fabric, satin (although not for this specific tutorial), certain types of ribbon and more. For this tutorial I recommend using a fabric or ribbon that is cotton or is made of a material that can be heated without affecting the fabric itself.

What type of transfer paper should I use to make custom fabric labels?

For these custom labels, since we’re using a light colored twill tape, it’s really important to find an iron-on transfer paper made specifically for light colored fabrics. This ensures the background of your logo/design will be transparent. If you use iron-on transfer paper made for dark fabrics, that will not be the case.

How do I add these custom labels to my handmade items?

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how I make my labels that allows them to be sewn into my handmade items. I like to fold my twill tape in half, add my logo toward the bottom of the fold and leave the two raw edges bare. Then I sew that edge into the hem or seam of my item.

How to Make Fabric Labels for Handmade Items

Tools You May Need:

Materials Needed:

Directions

Create the Label Design in Canva

In Canva, hit “create a design” then search “logo” or 500 px X 500 px.

Design your labels logo using different text and images (see notes).

Create the Labels in Canva

Download the image, then click “create a design” and select “flyer” or 8.5″ x 11″, then upload the image of your new logo design and add it to the 8.5″ x 11″ sheet.

Determine the width of your twill tape (mine was 1″ wide) and adjust the size of the logo or icon to be smaller than that width.

Click on the image, then in the bar that appears above it, click on flip –> flip horizontal (see notes).

Copy and paste the logos so there’s enough to cover one column on the page.

Then select them all by holding down the shift key and clicking on them individually. Once all the logos are selected, click on the three dots in the pop-up above, then hit space evenly –> tidy up –> group.

Copy and paste the grouped column to fill the page.

Load the iron-on transfer paper into your computer properly (see notes) and print.

Applying the Labels to Twill Tape

Heat up your iron and cut the labels either into strips or individually. I prefer to cut mine individually.

Determine the length you want your labels, then cut the twill tape accordingly.

Fold the twill tape in half and press with the iron.

Place the personalized labels onto the twill tape toward the bottom fold with the letters facing down.

Cover the entire label with the iron and press firmly for 5-10 seconds, then press for another 20 seconds by making circles all around the label.

Allow the label to fully cool, then peel off the backing to the sticker.

Place the provided silicone sheet on top of the label, then use the iron to press it once more for another 20-30 seconds.

Allow the paper to cool fully, then peel the woven label off the sheet.

Now the custom labels are ready to be sewn into your handmade items!

Notes

It’s best to use a simple logo simply a few letters that represent your brand to ensure you have a clean looking tags.
It is incredibly important to flip the image so that it is mirrored before printing the labels. If the image is not mirrored, it will transfer onto the twill tape backward.
All printers print differently, so it’s important to know how to load your printer properly so when you print your labels, they will print on the white side of the sheet instead of the back.
You may need to make a few test woven labels before committing because the process can be a bit tricky.
When ironing, you want to use a hard heat-resistant surface, not an ironing board so I use an old t-shirt on top of my wooden desk.
I prefer to follow the directions in this tutorial versus the ones provided because I found I achieved better results following this method.

Custom Fabric Labels

Yield: Fabric Labels

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Learn how to make fabric labels for your handmade items that are fully customizable and that add an extra special touch.

Materials

1" wide twill tape
Transfer paper for light fabrics

Tools

Iron
Old t-shirt
Scissors
Cutting board

Instructions

In Canva, hit "create a design" then search "logo" or 500 px X 500 px.
Design your labels logo using different text and images (see notes).
Download the image, then click "create a design" and select "flyer" or 8.5" x 11".
Upload the image of your new logo design and add it to the 8.5" x 11" sheet.
Determine the width of your twill tape (mine was 1" wide) and adjust the size of the logo or icon to be smaller than that width.
Click on the image, then in the bar that appears above it, click on flip --> flip horizontal (see notes).
Copy and paste the logos so there's enough to cover one column on the page.
Then select them all by holding down the shift key and clicking on them individually. Once all the logos are selected, click on the three dots in the pop-up above, then hit space evenly --> tidy up --> group.
Copy and paste the grouped column to fill the page.
Load the iron-on transfer paper into your computer properly (see notes) and print.
Heat up your iron and cut the labels either into strips or individually. I prefer to cut mine individually.
Determine the length you want your labels, then cut the twill tape accordingly.
Fold the twill tape in half and press with the iron.
Place the personalized labels onto the twill tape toward the bottom fold with the letters facing down.
Cover the entire label with the iron and press firmly for 5-10 seconds, then press for another 20 seconds by making circles all around the label.
Allow the label to fully cool, then peel off the backing to the sticker.
Place the provided silicone sheet on top of the label, then use the iron to press it once more for another 20-30 seconds.
Allow the paper to cool fully, then peel the woven label off the sheet.
Now the custom labels are ready to be sewn into your handmade items!

Notes

It's best to use a simple logo simply a few letters that represent your brand to ensure you have a clean looking tags.
It is incredibly important to flip the image so that it is mirrored before printing the labels. If the image is not mirrored, it will transfer onto the twill tape backward.
All printers print differently, so it's important to know how to load your printer properly so when you print your labels, they will print on the white side of the sheet instead of the back.
You may need to make a few test woven labels before committing because the process can be a bit tricky.
When ironing, you want to use a hard heat-resistant surface, not an ironing board so I use an old t-shirt on top of my wooden desk.
I prefer to follow the directions in this tutorial versus the ones provided because I found I achieved better results following this method.

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Did you try making these custom fabric labels for your handmade items? If you did, I’d really love to see it. Tag me on Instagram (@thesimplehomeplace) to show me your own recreation of this tutorial!