How Important Can This Little Piece of Fabric Be?

No matter what the industry or market, a brand’s aesthetic–any visual representation of the brand–is incredibly vital in maintaining a customer base and catching the attention of new customers. There is perhaps no industry where this is truer than the clothing industry. In addition to creating a cohesive and distinctive style for a brand in the clothing itself, a clothing brand will have a specific aesthetic with their advertising and more specifically their label.

Why the label?

A clothing brand’s label can be everything. This is no overstatement. A clothing brand’s label can be the most vital element among everything else that goes into a product. This is immensely true when you look at brands like Levi’s. Their label is simply a tiny little red tag with the word “Levi’s” on the back pocket, and any pair of jeans with this tag is instantly recognizable. There is no better way to build a clothing brand than by letting it be known when people like and wear your clothing, and the subtle but distinctive Levi’s label is a perfect way to make this happen. Their advertisements are walking down any street at any time of day, and the wearers don’t have to be self-conscious about being a walking advertisement. If you want to know what jeans someone is wearing, it’s easy to find out.

Another example of the importance of labels with clothing companies is with high-end fashion brands. With many of these brands, the price of any given item is determined solely by the label. Take any piece of Gucci clothing and remove the label and it instantly loses just about all value. In this sense, a label can be worth thousands of dollars. Another point to make here is that a label must also remain constant. If a label changes, you can disappoint a loyal customer base who has grown attached, and you can confuse would be costumers who are fans of older pieces. You want everyone to instantly recognize your label so that a great piece doesn’t miss out on being associated with your brand.

How does this apply to me?

No matter what your goals are with your clothing, having your clothing labels personalized can be a major step toward making something big. Whether you are just having fun making clothing for friends or you are starting your own business, your label is your stamp of approval and authenticity. Your label is proof that all of the hard work that went into your clothing was done by you, and if you’re proud of it, you should want to show that off. If your goal is to grow, make it easy for fans of your work to know who made it so they can find it for themselves. Don’t ever let your label be an afterthought or an insignificant piece of fabric, because if you ever find yourself as the next Levi Strauss, you’d hate to be embarrassed of your label because it’s not something you can easily change.