How to Add Your Own Neck Labels to Blank T-Shirts
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To add your own neck label to a blank t-shirt, you have four realistic options: sew in a woven label, print a label inside the neck (screen print, DTF or a heat transfer), add a small loop or hem label, or print your logo on the outside of the neck. Which one is right depends on how many units you're making, how premium the garment is, and what information already sits inside it. Start with an unbranded blank so there's nothing to unpick, keep the size and care details compliant, and test on a single garment before you commit to a run.
Start with what's already inside the garment
Relabelling is far easier when the blank doesn't carry another brand's name. Many wholesale basics arrive with a manufacturer's woven label stitched into the neck seam. Taking that out means unpicking the seam, which costs labour and risks a visible repair on the collar.
Our heavyweight tees and long sleeves are unbranded: they carry a size label and a care/wash label only, ready for your own branding. That applies to the 320 GSM ultra heavy t-shirt, the 300 GSM oversized blank tee, the 265 GSM ecru tee and the 325 GSM heavy long sleeve. You add to the garment rather than strip it back.
Before you design anything, check two things on the blank you've chosen:
- What the existing labels say. Note exactly what is printed on the care/wash label, so you know which details your own label needs to repeat or add.
- Where they're sewn. A label in the back neck seam affects where an inside-neck print or a second woven label can sit.
The four neck-label options compared
| Method | Look and feel | Best suited to | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sewn-in woven label | The most "retail" finish; adds a tactile detail | Established ranges, premium drops, longer runs | Label makers often set minimum quantities; sewing adds handling time per garment |
| Printed inside-neck label | Tagless, nothing against the skin | First drops, merch, mixed small runs | Print quality and wash durability vary by method; plan the artwork to sit clear of the existing labels |
| Loop or hem label | Small outside detail, often at the side seam or hem | Brands building a recognisable signature | Needs a neat stitch line; it's visible, so mistakes show |
| External neck print | Visible branding below the back collar | Streetwear, tour merch, low-quantity orders | It's part of the design, so it doesn't replace size and fibre information |
Sewn-in woven labels
A woven label tells the customer the garment was finished properly. On a heavyweight tee with a 2x1 rib neckline there's enough body in the collar and back neck to take a label without puckering, as long as the stitching is done carefully. The trade-off is commitment: you're ordering labels in advance, usually in a fixed size breakdown, and paying for each one to be sewn in. If your sizes are printed on separate size labels or pips, you avoid tying your woven label to a size breakdown at all.
Printed inside-neck labels
A printed label is the most flexible option for a new brand. You can print it as part of a screen print job, as a DTF transfer, or with a ready-made heat transfer label. Because you only label the garments you're actually selling, there's no stock of unused woven labels sitting in a drawer if a colour or size doesn't move.
On heavier cotton, the main thing is consistency: the same position, the same pressure and the same temperature every time. Always follow the transfer supplier's settings and run a wash test on a sample before printing a batch.
Loop and hem labels
A small woven loop in the side seam or a flag label on the hem is a quiet branding detail that works well on oversized, boxy cuts where the hem is on show. It's a supplement to your neck label, not a replacement for it.
External neck prints
A logo printed on the outside, just below the back collar, is a design choice more than a label. It's popular on tour merch and streetwear because it's visible when the tee is worn. If you go this route, the fibre information (and, in practice, the size) still needs to be inside the garment.
What your label needs to say in the UK
Under the UK's textile labelling rules, textile products must carry a label showing their fibre composition, using the approved fibre names. Trading Standards guidance on labelling of textiles says the label must be durable, easily legible, visible and accessible, and in English. Where the product can be ordered straight from an advert or listing, the fibre content should appear there too, which matters for your online product pages.
In practice, a compliant, professional neck label or label set usually covers:
- Your brand name or logo
- Size
- Fibre composition, for example "100% cotton", using the approved fibre name
- Care instructions, as wash and care symbols or text
Don't remove a label that carries legally required information unless you're replacing it with one that carries the same information. If you're unsure what applies to your product, check with your local Trading Standards service. This is general guidance, not legal advice.
Placement and sizing that look right
- Keep it small. Inside-neck prints generally look best kept compact and centred, sitting a little below the collar seam.
- Centre it on the back neck. Fold the tee in half lengthways and mark the centre point before you press or stitch.
- Mind the existing labels. Position your print or woven label so it isn't fighting the size and care labels already in the seam.
- Match the label to the garment. A cream or ecru base suits a dark ink; a black tee usually suits a white or tonal print.
- Think about garment dyeing. If you're dyeing blanks to a custom shade, decide when the label goes in. Labels and prints added before dyeing go through the dye process with the garment, which can change their colour.
Which approach suits which stage of your brand
For a first drop, a printed inside-neck label plus the existing size and care labels is hard to beat. It looks clean, needs no label stock, and suits small, mixed quantities. Pair it with a sensible size breakdown for your first clothing drop and you're not tying up cash in labels or sizes you won't sell.
Once a style is selling steadily, a woven neck label is worth considering, particularly on your hero products. Be honest about the maths: every label, sewing step and extra handling adds to your cost per unit, so run the numbers the same way you would for the garment itself. Our guide to blank t-shirt margin maths shows how quickly small per-unit costs add up.
If you're moving towards full custom product, you'll reach the point where labels, trims and fabric are all specified from scratch. That's a different decision, covered in cut and sew vs blanks.
Test on one garment first
Every label method behaves differently on different fabrics. A transfer that sits perfectly on a 230 GSM tee may need different settings on a 320 GSM one. Because there's no minimum order on our blanks, you can buy a single garment in the weight and colour you plan to use, apply your label, wash it several times, and check the result before ordering the full run. In-stock blanks are dispatched the next working day from our UK warehouse, so testing doesn't hold up your launch.
If you're adding embroidery to the same garment, read our notes on embroidery placement on heavyweight blanks so the neck label and any back-neck embroidery don't compete for space.
FAQ
Do I have to remove the existing labels from a blank t-shirt?
Not if the blank is unbranded. Our heavyweight tees and long sleeves carry a size label and a care/wash label only, so you can add your own branding without unpicking anything. Keep any label that carries legally required information unless you replace it with one that carries the same details.
Is a printed neck label as good as a woven one?
For many brands, yes. A well-applied printed label is comfortable, looks clean and doesn't need label stock. A woven label gives a more traditional retail finish but needs to be ordered in advance and sewn in. Starting printed and moving to woven as volumes grow is a sensible path.
What information has to be on a clothing label in the UK?
Textile products must show their fibre composition using approved fibre names, on a label that is durable, legible, visible, accessible and in English. Most brands also include size and care instructions. Check current Trading Standards guidance for your product.
Can I put my label on the outside of the neck instead?
You can print your logo on the outside of the back neck as a design feature, but the fibre information still needs to be inside the garment on a label that meets the labelling rules.
Should I add labels before or after garment dyeing?
Plan this before you order. Anything attached or printed before dyeing goes through the dye process with the garment, so its colour can change. If you want a label to stay its original colour, add it after dyeing.
Can I test my label on a single blank?
Yes. There's no minimum order on our blank clothing, so you can order one garment, apply your label, wash-test it and then order your run.
Build your brand on an unbranded blank
The neck label is the first thing a customer reads when they pick up your garment, so start with a blank that leaves room for it. Browse our heavyweight wholesale blanks, from 230 GSM boxy crops to 500 GSM hoodies. We're a UK supplier established in 1972, offering zero MOQ, next-working-day dispatch on in-stock blanks, and DTG, DTF, screen printing, embroidery and garment dyeing when you're ready to scale.