Manufacturer · Fashion & Home Accessories
Woven label artwork is prepared as a vector file at actual size, with fonts converted to outlines, colours as Pantone and clearly marked seam and fold margins. The more complete the file, the faster the technical design for the loom is made and the closer the sample comes to what you intended. Below is the practical checklist.
Woven label artwork – what the file should contain
- The logo and text in vector format.
- The label outline at actual size.
- Marked fold lines and seam zones.
- Colours with Pantone codes.
- A note on the weave type, cut and fold, if you have already decided.
File format
| Format | Suitable? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| AI, EPS | yes | preferred; fonts in outlines |
| PDF (vector) | yes | exported from vector software, not scanned |
| SVG | yes | check there are no embedded raster images |
| PNG, JPG | conditionally | only in high resolution; the artwork will be redrawn |
| Screenshot, phone photo | no | for reference only, not for production |
Size: work at 1:1 scale
The most common mistake is a logo designed for screen that is then "shrunk" to the size of the label. Draw the label outline in millimetres and place the logo inside at actual size. You will immediately see whether the text is legible. If the label will be folded, draw the total length and fold lines so it is clear which part remains visible.
Margins and safe zone
Leave free space between the logo and the edges of the label. With folded ends the fold takes up part of the length, and when sewn around the perimeter the seam runs a few millimetres from the edge. The logo must not touch these zones. Safe practice is to leave at least a few millimetres of clear margin on each side; the manufacturer will confirm the exact value for the fold.
Typefaces and lines
- Convert fonts to outlines – otherwise the file may open with a different typeface.
- Avoid very thin typefaces – thin strokes disappear in weaving.
- Check the serifs – fine serifs are lost in a standard weave; if needed, use high definition.
- Do not use a font stroke instead of a bolder weight – a thin stroke breaks up.
- Open up the letter spacing – with tightly set letters the gaps may close.
Colours
Specify each colour as a solid Pantone colour, without transparencies or gradients. Include the background colour too – it is also a label colour. If you have no Pantone, send a physical sample. Do not rely on RGB or HEX codes, because they describe light on a screen, not thread.
A label version of the logo
If your brand has a complex logo, it is worth creating a separate "label" version – just as many brands have a separate icon for social media. This version is simplified: thicker lines, fewer elements, no small slogan, sometimes just the initials or the mark without the name. It is used on woven labels, patches, metal logo plates and embroidery – anywhere the size is small and the technology does not allow fine detail.
If you work with a designer, give them the actual size of the label and ask them to check the logo on a 1:1 printout. If the text is hard to read on paper, it will be even harder to read woven. This simple check takes a minute and saves a sample that does not work.
Double-sided labels and the back
With centre-fold labels the two halves can have different content – a logo on one side and a website or "Made in" on the other. Draw both sides and indicate which is the front. Remember that the back of a woven label shows a mirrored, "negative" version of the design – this is normal and not a defect.
Checklist before sending
- Vector file, fonts in outlines.
- Label outline at actual size in millimetres.
- Fold lines and safe margins.
- Pantone codes for all colours, including the background.
- Minimal text, checked at 1:1 scale.
- Weave type, cut and fold (or a request for a recommendation).
- Approximate quantity and number of variants.
The most common problems in files we receive
- A logo inserted as a raster image in a PDF – it looks vector but is not.
- A missing font, automatically substituted on opening.
- Colours in CMYK that do not match the brand Pantone.
- The logo at billboard size, with no indication of the actual label size.
- Several versions of the logo with no indication of which is final.
Each of these problems lengthens preparation, because it requires extra correspondence. A quick check before sending saves days.
Variants and series
If you will have several variants – different ground colours, a children's line, a separate label for accessories – prepare them in one file, each on a separate artboard, with a clear name. The manufacturer can then assess them all at once and you can order samples at the same time. It is good to design the care label and the hang tag in the same file too, to check the unified style.
What you will receive from the manufacturer
Once it receives the file, the manufacturer prepares a technical design for weaving and, if needed, sends a visualisation with suggested corrections: thickened lines, enlarged text, merged colours. Review these corrections carefully – they are the reason the label looks good at actual size. After approval a sample is made.
Design help from Polkom
If you do not have a ready file, Polkom can adapt your logo for weaving. As a manufacturer of woven labels with over 30 years of experience, we know which details survive on the loom and which do not. Send an inquiry with your logo and we will come back with a proposal.
