Saturday, February 20, 2010

Printing my own labels




To comply with the CPSIA and FTC, there are several things that need to be included on any labeling tag for items marketed for children under the age of 12. This is what will now be on every item I produce... My company name, "curlyQdesign" ; my website, http://www.curlyqdesign.etsy.com/; my location, 11793 USA; and that my items are "Made in the USA of Imported Fabrics {because, seriously... just about every piece of fabric I have, with the exception of my "Central Park toile" is made outside the USA!} The bottom half of the label is flipped upside down, so that when the tag is folded in half, is will be right side up on the "back" - since just about everything I make is reversible, there really isn't a "true" front or back, so I should be in complete labeling compliance. The rest of my label has the "ingredients" or fabric which is usually 100% cotton on one side, and 100% polyester (minky) on the other, so this label reads 50% cotton, 50% polyester. The next 3 lines show care instructions for laundering. The last part of the back of the label is the system I'm using for Date of Manufacturing, 10JFMAMJJASOND11 - {idea from "FayeMaloneDesigns" on an ETSY Forum about labeling} I'm using a non toxic fabric marker to put a dot under the month and year for each item. That way each label design can be used for 2 years!





After developing the label on PhotoShop Elements 8, I then edited the image to be flipped horizontally, so that I could print it out onto iron-on transfer paper by June Taylor and then I ironed the label onto a 7/8" {Offray, CPSIA compliant} white satin ribbon that I will sew into my handiwork!




The finished image before printing onto the transfer sheet looks like this:



I have also read that you can use freezer paper and print directly onto twill tape, this may be another project to try out soon... I will let you know how that works out! But for now, I'm very happy with what I've come up with to satisify the FTC and CPSIA and a very low cost! The iron-on sheets were purchased at JoAnn Fabric {with a 50% off coupon} for less than $5.00 for a package of 3 sheets! I was able to print out 55 of my design labels on one sheet, and 45 of the labels with care instructions on another!

I also just came across this blog which has many suggestions and tips about labels, as well:
http://duhbe.com/blog/?p=627/;

*** Revised at 9:34 pm EST***

Thanks for the concern from the anonymous poster. To the best of my knowledge, I am okay with one label - as long as all of the bases are covered. I also do not "manufacture" my own clothing, I am simply applying an applique to purchased bodysuits, shirts, and other articles of clothing, which are all aready labeled for both the FTC and CPSIA. However for my blankets, bibs, and burp cloths... these labels should be fine.

It really is all so confusing, but here's the link directly from the FTC and their "frequently asked questions" section... hope I've deciphered this corrrectly!

www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pbs/business/textile/bus50.shtm#Frequently Asked Questions

10 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing this. I'm in the market for purchasing new tags and I think I'll give your method a try. Congrats for taking the steps to becoming "official." Enjoy!

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  2. FYI...
    CPSIA and FTC are two different companys and I think their label info must be separated.

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  3. Thanks for sharing this! They look great! I have done something similar, and instead of printing onto the transfer paper, I printed it right onto the ribbon itself. I ironed the ribbon to freezer paper first, then ran it right through the printer.

    I have also read nothing stating that the CPSIA and FTC labels MUST to be separate. As long as all of the information is there, I don't see why anyone would demand that it be displayed on two separate tags.

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  4. Great idea! I've been looking around for tags, but they are just so darn expensive!!

    Definitely going to give this a try. Thanks!

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  5. Do you know if these labels will be exempt from testing?

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  6. I was positive I had read (somewhere) that the iron-on labels were fine... now that I'm looking for it, I can't seem to find it... UGH! I do believe that are fine, but will be placing a call to the people at June Tailor tomorrow, to verify! I know that the ribbon is fine, the non-toxic pens are okay, and the printer ink (CMYK) is okay, now I just need to get {in writing} that my transfer paper is fine, too. I just found this link on Dharma Trading - for another brand of transfer paper,(http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/2443492-AA.shtml?lnav=transfers.html) and it's MSDS http://www.dharmatrading.com/images/public/pdf/msds/msds_ijsp_ink_jet_paper_supersoft.pdf.
    Fingers crossed that I'll have an answer tomorrow! Will keep you posted!

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  7. I just hung up with Amy at June Tailor, and she will be forwarding me the information... but has assured me that they are 100% CPSIA compliant! Yea!

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  8. Thanks so much for checking into that for us all! I will get June Tailor transfers now. Where do you get your ribbon? What brand etc.?

    Thanks again.

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  9. Hi, tried your labels and they work great. I couldn't find any poly/cotton blend or 100% cotton ribbon, which is what apparently the transfers require you use, so I just tried it on the 100% polyester ribbon and I don't see anything wrong with them. I also bought the June Tailor brand printable cotton fabric, which does not fray when cut, I can just print out my labels, cut them out and sew them in. Thanks so much again for listing all this infor for everyone it's been very helpful.

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  10. i found your etsy forum thread and came here... thanks SOOOO much for providing this information--- for free, might i add :) since so many on etsy are selling their info! i'm literally walking out the door to go to JoAnn's to buy everything to make my own (3/8 inch ribbon for my headbands, though). can't thank you enough!!

    alyson :)

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