Manufacturer · Fashion & Home Accessories
A label for a plush toy is usually a soft satin or polyester label sewn firmly into the toy's seam – most often the bottom or side seam, as a hanging flag. It states the manufacturer and their address, product or batch identification, warnings and cleaning instructions, and for sale in the EU toys also carry the CE marking. The label must be secured so that a child cannot tear it off.
Why toys have "long" labels
Anyone who has bought a teddy bear has seen the characteristic long label sticking out of the seam. The reason is that on a small toy there is no other place for all the information required for sale. The label must be permanently attached and stay with the toy throughout its life, because the packaging and hang tag are usually thrown away straight away. That is why toys almost always use a textile label sewn into the seam.
Soft toy labels: what information they usually contain
Toys in the EU are regulated by the toy safety rules (Directive 2009/48/EC and the related harmonised standards of the EN 71 series). The responsibility for determining the exact content of the label lies with the manufacturer or importer, but in practice textile labels on toys usually carry:
- the name or trademark and contact address of the manufacturer or importer;
- a model number, batch number or other product identifier;
- the CE marking;
- warnings where applicable – for example age restrictions;
- cleaning instructions – with ISO 3758 symbols or in text;
- optionally – the composition of materials and filling.
For the content of the label for a specific toy, consult the product's documentation and testing. We produce the label from your text.
Which material is suitable
| Material | Advantages | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Satin | Soft, smooth, legible print | The most commonly used for toys |
| Soft taffeta | Stable, sharp small text | Suitable for a lot of information |
| Non-woven textile | Soft and light | Less resistant to abrasion and washing |
| Woven label | Durable logo | For a separate brand label |
Because children often hold a toy by its label, chew it or rub it against their face, softness and smooth edges are particularly important. Choose ultrasonic cutting or a label whose cut ends go into the seam.
How the label is attached
Sewing into the seam
The label is folded in two and the open ends are placed between the two layers of fabric before the seam is sewn. After the toy is turned right side out, it hangs outside. This is the most secure method – the label is caught by the construction seam.
Seam allowance
The ends of the label must go deep enough into the seam not to slip out when pulled hard. With a very short stitch the material along the seam line can be perforated and tear, so the stitch length should be moderate.
Double seam
On toys for the youngest children a double seam is often made in the label area, or the label is placed in a reinforced seam.
Multi-page labels
When there is a lot of information – several languages, warnings, addresses – the label is made as a booklet of several pages sewn together into the seam. Arrange the content logically: brand and CE on the first page, texts in different languages on the following ones. Number the pages for the workshop. The more compact the text, the smaller the label and the less the child notices it.
A separate brand label
Many toy manufacturers also attach a separate small brand label – for example a woven flag label on a paw or ear. It is part of the design and makes the toy recognisable, while the long information label stays in the bottom seam.
Handmade toys
Makers of handmade sewn and knitted toys who sell online or at markets are also placing products on the market and are responsible for their safety. Good practice is for the toy to have a permanently sewn-in label from the outset with the maker's name, contact details and model identification. If the item is decorative and not intended for play, this should also be clearly stated. If in doubt, check the requirements for your type of product before ordering labels.
Size and layout
A toy label must be long enough to fit the information in a legible typeface, but not so long that it becomes a "tail" for the child to pull. In practice the visible part should be as long as the text requires, with the part in the seam left blank. If the toy is small, consider a narrower tape and more pages instead of one wide label. The tape is most often white for easy reading, but for brands with a distinctive style it can match the toy, as long as the print contrast stays good.
Cleaning
Many plush toys are machine-washed in a bag or surface-cleaned. The label must withstand this and remain legible. Polyester satin and taffeta do not shrink; the print must use textile inks. Test a sample on the same programme you will state in the cleaning instructions.
Common mistakes
- A label sewn only to the surface of the plush – it tears off easily.
- Stiff, sharp edges on a label that the child holds in their hand.
- Type too small when there are many languages.
- No blank margin in the part that goes into the seam.
- A label attached with glue.
Toy labels from Polkom
Polkom, a label manufacturer, produces custom textile labels for textile toy manufacturers and handmade toy makers – soft satin and taffeta labels with your text, logo and symbols, single or multi-page, as well as small woven brand labels. We make a sample and deliver throughout the EU. Send the text and dimensions via our Contact page.
