How to Attach Hang Tags to Clothing: Strings, Pins, Seals and Holes

A well-designed hang tag only works if it stays on the garment, hangs the right way round and comes off without damaging the fabric. The attachment method also decides how fast your packing team can work and how the tag looks on the rail. This guide compares the common ways to attach hang tags to clothing, explains where on the garment to fix them, and gives practical numbers for hole size, hole position and string length.

The main attachment methods

Strings: cotton, satin, jute and cord

A string loop is the most flexible option and the one shoppers associate with a finished product. Natural or dyed cotton cord is the all-rounder. Satin or woven ribbon looks softer and suits lingerie, eveningwear and gift items. Jute and twisted paper cord fit natural, denim and eco lines. Waxed cotton keeps its shape and knots neatly. The string is threaded through the tag and then through a buttonhole, a label loop or a small hole in a seam, and closed with a knot, a metal or plastic stopper or a seal.

Elastic loops

A pre-knotted elastic loop is slipped through the tag and looped around a button or through a buttonhole without any tying. It is quick, reusable during sampling and leaves no hole, which makes it popular for knitwear and garments with buttons.

Safety pins

A small safety pin passes through a seam allowance or label and holds the tag without a string. It is slower to apply by hand but gives you full control over where the pin enters, which is useful for delicate fabrics where you can choose an existing seam.

Plastic tag pins with a tagging gun

Plastic fasteners (often called tag pins or barbs) are shot through the fabric with a tagging gun. This is the fastest method on a production or warehouse line. The gun pushes a hollow needle through the material and the fastener passes through it, so the needle size matters:

• Standard needles and fasteners suit denim, sweatshirts, jackets, towels and most medium to heavy fabrics.
• Fine needles and fasteners leave a much smaller hole and are the safe choice for T-shirt jersey and thinner fabrics, silk, satin, lace and fine knits.

Standard and fine guns each need their matching fasteners; they are generally not interchangeable. Always fire the needle through a seam, a label or a seam allowance rather than through the open face of the fabric. On fine knits, a needle can break a loop and start a ladder, so test on your actual fabric first. Choose a fastener length that lets the tag hang freely without dangling far below the hem.

Seal tags and lock pins

A plastic seal closes the string loop with a small disc or lock that clicks shut and can only be opened by cutting. It keeps the loop at a fixed length, looks tidy and gives simple evidence that the tag has not been swapped, which helps when handling returns. Seals can carry your embossed or printed logo. Snap lock pins work in a similar way without a string: a plastic pin passes through the fabric and the tag and locks into its own head.

Hooks, rings and hangers

For accessories such as bags, belts, caps and scarves, the tag can hang from a plastic hook, a metal ring or a display hanger. On bags, the string or ring is usually attached to a handle, D-ring or zip puller rather than through the material.

Which method for which garment

Where on the garment to attach the tag

• Care or brand label loop: the cleanest option. Threading the string or firing the pin through the sewn-in label avoids any mark on the garment itself.
• Side seam: under the arm on tops or at the waistband side seam on trousers, through the seam allowance.
• Buttonhole: the classic position on shirts, jackets and jeans, usually the top buttonhole or the waistband button.
• Collar or back neck: common for shirts and knitwear on hangers, so the tag is visible when the garment hangs.
• Belt loop: a neat position on jeans and trousers.
• Sleeve: for folded knitwear and sweatshirts displayed on tables, so the tag sits on top of the stack.

Decide on the position before you design the tag: it determines which side faces the shopper and how much string you need. Our hang tag design guide explains how to arrange the front and back.

Hole size, position and reinforcement

A hole diameter of about 4–5 mm suits most strings, elastic loops and tag pins. Thicker cords, ribbons or a seal that passes through the tag may need 5–6 mm; check with the string you plan to use. Place the hole centred near the top edge on vertical tags, or in a corner if you want a landscape tag to hang at an angle. Keep its edge at least 5 mm from the edge of the tag so the board does not tear, and keep text and logos clear of the area.

On heavy, multi-layer or frequently handled tags, a metal eyelet reinforces the hole and adds a decorative detail in a colour that can match your buttons or hardware. A thicker board also resists tearing better; see our guide on hang tag sizes and paper weights.

String length

Finished string loops are typically 15–20 cm before knotting or sealing. Use a shorter loop for small items and accessories so the tag does not hang below the product, and a longer one where the string has to pass through a thick seam or a buttonhole on heavy outerwear. If you use a seal, the seal fixes the loop length, so every unit looks identical.

Packing and automation tips

• Order pre-assembled sets. Tags supplied with the string already threaded and knotted, or with the seal attached, save the most time on the line.
• Bundle per style and size. Packs marked by style and size prevent mix-ups when many variants are tagged on the same day.
• Combine with size and barcode information. If tags carry variable sizes or barcodes, order them sorted, and plan the matching size labels at the same time.
• Test before bulk. Tag one garment of each fabric type, fold and pack it as it will ship, and check the tag and fabric after unpacking.
• Protect delicate items. Avoid metal parts touching light fabrics in humid storage and choose fine needles or label loops for thin materials.

We produce the tags, strings, seals and pins together in our own production in Bulgaria, so the complete set arrives in one delivery. See the options on our hang tags page and examples in the Labels 2026 catalogue. Orders usually start at 1,000 pcs per design, and production typically takes 10–20 working days after proof approval.

Frequently asked questions