Woven Label Design Tips: Text Sizes, Colours and Artwork Rules

Designing a woven label is closer to designing a mosaic than a print. Every line of your logo has to be built from threads crossing each other on a loom, so the rules are different from screen or paper. A design that respects those rules weaves sharp and reads clearly at 20 mm wide; one that ignores them comes back with broken lines and filled-in letters. These tips explain how the weave limits your design, which minimums to work with and how to prepare a file that goes through proofing quickly.

Think in threads, not pixels

On a jacquard loom, warp threads run along the length of the label and coloured weft threads are inserted across them. The loom decides, thread by thread, which weft colour appears on the surface at each crossing point. The smallest unit of your design is therefore one thread crossing – the woven equivalent of a pixel.

The finer the yarn and the more weft threads per centimetre, the smaller that "pixel" becomes and the more detail the label holds. This is why the weave quality you choose matters more for the design than any other decision. Curves are built as tiny steps, so they look smoother the denser the weave; text running along the length of the label tends to weave more cleanly than very small text running across it, because the weft forms horizontal edges most precisely.

Choose the weave quality to match the detail

High-definition damask

The finest weft yarns and the highest density. Use it for micro text, thin serif fonts, small emblems and detailed crests.

Damask

The standard for brand labels: fine polyester yarns, high density, a thin and flexible label. Most logos and text-based designs work well without simplification.

Satin

A glossy, soft face created by long floating threads. The floats look luxurious but soften edges, so give satin designs slightly bolder lines and larger text than damask.

Taffeta

A crisp, lower-density weave. Ideal for bold logos, simple wordmarks and large volumes; keep fine detail to a minimum.

Compare the qualities in our woven labels collection.

Minimum sizes by quality

The values below are practical guidance for designers. The exact limit depends on the font, the direction of the text and the colours involved, and we check every file against the loom it will run on.

"Negative" lines – thin gaps, the inside of letters such as e and a, or light text on a dark background – need more space than positive lines, because neighbouring threads tend to close them. If your logo is reversed out of a dark background, make letters slightly bolder and widen the letter spacing.

Colours: fewer is stronger

Each colour in a woven label is a separate weft yarn plus the warp, which usually forms the background. Damask labels can carry several weft colours, but each extra colour makes the label thicker and stiffer at the back and limits how finely the others can be placed. Most strong labels use two to four colours.

• Use solid colours only. Gradients, shadows and photographic effects cannot be woven as they look on screen. Shading can be suggested with weave structures, but plan it as a flat design.
• Give each colour enough area. A colour used only in a 0.3 mm outline will barely show.
• Metallic yarns in gold or silver tones add a premium accent, but they are thicker, so reserve them for larger elements.

Matching Pantone colours with thread

Woven colours are chosen from yarn shade cards, not mixed like ink. We select the closest yarn to each Pantone reference you give us. Keep in mind:

• Yarn has texture and sheen, so the same shade looks different from a coated paper swatch.
• Small areas look darker and more saturated next to a contrasting background.
• Satin weaves look lighter and glossier than damask in the same yarn.

Give Pantone references (TPX/TCX textile references are ideal) rather than RGB or CMYK values. For colour-critical brands, approve a physical sample before production.

Background, borders and edges

The background colour is usually the warp colour, so it is the most economical colour in the design and covers the whole label. Black, white, natural and navy backgrounds are the most common; a light logo on a dark ground reads well but needs the slightly bolder lines mentioned above.

For edges, labels are cut from wide woven sheets. Ultrasonic cutting gives soft, sealed edges that do not fray or scratch. A woven border line around the label looks smart, but it highlights any small variation in cutting or folding; if you use one, keep it at least 1.5–2 mm from the cut edge.

Simplify the logo for small sizes

Many brands keep two versions of their logo: the full mark for large labels and patches, and a simplified mark for small neck and flag labels. Typical simplifications:

• remove taglines and small secondary text;
• thicken hairline strokes and thin serifs;
• open up small enclosed shapes and tight letter spacing;
• replace fine outlines with solid shapes;
• drop the colour count to the two or three that define the brand.

If you would rather not do this yourself, our express label design team adapts logos to weaving and sends a digital proof typically within 24–48 h. The process is described in our article on the express label design service.

Readability of small text

Choose sturdy sans-serif or slab-serif fonts with even stroke weights for anything small, such as sizes, web addresses or "Made in" lines. Avoid condensed, script and light weights below about 3 mm. Strong contrast between text and background matters more than size: dark grey on black is unreadable at any height.

How size and fold change the design area

The label you see in your file is not always the area the wearer sees. Folds and seams take space:

• End-fold: both ends fold under, so keep artwork clear of approximately 5–8 mm at each end.
• Centre-fold: the design appears on one or both faces, and the fold line itself must stay free of text. If sewn into a seam, about 8–10 mm disappears in the seam.
• Loop-fold and mitre-fold: the visible face is small; plan a compact mark rather than a full wordmark.
• Straight cut: keep a safe margin of around 1.5–2 mm from all cut edges.

Work out the visible size first, then design inside it. Our guides on label fold types and how to choose label size help with the measurements, and the label size guide lists common dimensions.

File formats

Send vector artwork: PDF, AI, EPS or SVG, with fonts converted to outlines and colours defined as Pantone spot colours. Vector files let us scale and convert your design to the loom without loss. If you only have a JPG or PNG, send the highest resolution available; it will be redrawn as a vector before weaving.

Proof and sample stage

Before production you receive a digital proof showing the label at actual size with dimensions, fold, yarn colours and references. Print it at 100% and hold it against the garment: zoomed screen views hide legibility problems. For new designs, check a physical sample for colour, feel and readability; samples are available before every production run. After approval, production typically takes 10–20 working days, usually with a minimum of 1,000 pieces per design.

Frequently asked questions