Labels for Furniture and Upholstery: Sofas, Chairs, Mattresses and Cushions

Labels for furniture and upholstery do a different job from clothing labels. A sofa or armchair is bought once and used for years, so the brand label has to stay legible through cleaning, sunlight and constant friction, while the information labels have to survive under a seat or inside a zipped cover for just as long. If you are asking which labels are suitable for the furniture industry, the short answer is: a mix of woven brand labels, printed information labels, leather or faux-leather tabs and cardboard swing tags, each chosen for a specific position on the product. This guide explains that mix for sofas, chairs, mattresses and cushions, and how to plan it as one set.

Which labels are suitable for the furniture industry

Most upholstered products carry three groups of labels. The first is the brand label, visible to the customer in the showroom and at home. The second is the information label: material content, filling, care and cleaning instructions, batch or order number. The third is the point-of-sale tag that hangs on the product in the shop and is removed after purchase.

• Woven labels carry the brand: a large woven label sewn into a sofa side seam or on the back of a seat cushion looks like part of the upholstery. See our woven labels.
• Printed fabric labels carry text: satin, polyester or cotton tape printed with content, cleaning codes and article numbers. They hold long text in small type.
• Leather and faux-leather labels suit leather sofas, bean bags, ottomans and outdoor cushions, where a debossed tab matches the material.
• Cardboard hang tags show collection name, fabric, colour and article fields in the showroom, attached with string to a leg or armrest.

Brand labels on sofas, chairs and armchairs

Large woven labels on sofas

A sofa is a big object, so a 20 mm wide clothing label disappears on it. Furniture makers usually choose wider woven labels, from about 40 × 40 mm up to 100 × 100 mm, or long rectangular formats such as 30 × 120 mm sewn into a seam as a flag label. On a sofa the classic positions are the outer side of an armrest at the lower seam, the back panel near the base and the zip side of a seat cushion. A woven label in damask quality keeps fine letters sharp, while a satin weave gives a softer sheen on velvet or chenille upholstery. For formats above 50 mm, read our guide to large woven labels.

Flag labels and side tabs

A label folded in half and caught in a seam (a flag or loop label) stands out from the edge and is easy to see without lifting the cushion. It suits chairs, poufs and headboards. Keep the fold short, about 15–25 mm visible, so it does not catch on clothes.

Leather and metal on leather furniture

On leather or faux-leather pieces, a debossed leather tab of 40 × 25 to 60 × 40 mm sewn into a seam looks natural. Some makers add a small metal plate on a wooden frame or a leg; we produce these in zinc alloy, brass, aluminium or stainless steel, always nickel-free.

Information labels: under the seat and inside covers

Information labels are not meant to be seen every day, but they must be found when needed: by a customer cleaning a cover, by a service technician or by a retailer checking an order. The usual place is under the seat platform or on the dust cover under the frame, stapled or sewn. On mattresses, the label is sewn into the border seam at the foot end. On loose cushions, it goes inside the zip opening, on the seam of the inner cushion or the cover.

Many markets have specific labelling rules for upholstered furniture and bedding, for example on filling materials, fire behaviour or the content of the cover fabric. These requirements differ between countries and change over time, so check the rules of each market where you sell and send us the required wording; we produce it exactly as supplied. Printed satin or polyester tape is the usual material for these so-called law labels because it takes long text, small type and several languages on one label.

Care labels for removable covers

Removable sofa and cushion covers are washed like clothing, so they need a proper care label sewn into the cover itself, not only under the frame. Composition and care symbols should match the cover fabric, and the label must withstand the same washing as the cover. A soft printed satin or polyester care label with ultrasonic-cut edges works well; for covers washed often at higher temperatures, a woven care label lasts longer. Add a short instruction such as "close zip before washing" or "dry clean only" where needed. For symbols and wording, see our guide to care label symbols and our care labels page.

Typical label sizes for furniture

These are common starting points; we make custom sizes for every position. Our label size guide helps you compare formats before you order.

Labels for mattresses and cushions

Mattresses

Mattresses usually carry a woven brand label on the border, a long printed label with content and filling information, and often a warranty or care tag. The border label should be wide enough to read from a metre away, typically 60–100 mm. Because mattresses are rotated and turned, many makers sew a brand label on both ends. A printed label with the model, size and production date helps both retailers and after-sales service.

Decorative cushions and outdoor cushions

For decorative cushions, a small woven label of 20 × 50 mm in the side seam is enough, combined with a care label inside the zip. Outdoor cushions face rain and UV light, so choose polyester labels with UV-stable yarns or a faux-leather tab. Printed polyester or Tyvek labels resist water better than paper-based options.

Materials that last on furniture

Furniture labels face friction, light, cleaning agents and a long service life. A few material rules help:

• Polyester yarn and tape for strength, colour fastness and resistance to light.
• Damask weave for small text and fine logos; satin for a softer look on velvet and chenille.
• Heat-cut or ultrasonic edges on information labels so they do not fray when stapled.
• Back coating or a stiffer finish on large woven labels so they stay flat in a seam.
• OEKO-TEX Standard 100 materials where your product line or your buyer asks for tested textiles.

Planning a label set for a furniture collection

The simplest way to keep a collection consistent is to plan all labels together: one brand label design in two or three sizes for different products, one information label template with fields for model, fabric and batch, one care label for removable covers and one showroom tag. Matching colours across woven, printed and cardboard pieces gives the range a clear identity in the shop. We produce woven, printed, leather and cardboard labels in our own production in Bulgaria, so the whole set can be developed, sampled and delivered together.

MOQ, samples and lead time

The minimum order is typically 1,000 pcs per design. Our express label design team turns your logo and text into a digital proof, typically within 24–48 h, and physical samples are available so you can test the label on your actual upholstery fabric. After approval, production typically takes 10–20 working days, with delivery across Europe.

Frequently asked questions