Hang tags, swing tickets and product labels
A retail swing tag does more than carry a logo. It can introduce the product, hold practical information and make the packaging feel considered. Start with the product, then choose the details that matter to it.
Whether you need a straightforward clothing tag, a folded product guide or a shaped tag for a launch, the first decision is usually the amount of information it needs to hold.
Browse the options at your own pace, then send over what you know. If the feel, colour or weight of the card matters, request a sample pack before settling on a material.
Material selection
There is no single “best” card for every swing tag. The right choice depends on the look you want, the way the tag will be handled and what needs to be printed on it.
Silk, gloss and uncoated card each give artwork a different character. Coated card feels smoother and more polished; uncoated card has a more natural paper feel and can be useful where handwriting is part of the design.
Compare silk card, gloss card and uncoated card before adding lamination or other finishing.
Kraft, recycled and textured card bring more character to the surface itself. They are worth considering when the base material is part of the presentation, but it is always sensible to check a sample before relying on a particular shade or texture.
Use the kraft, recycled and textured card guides to narrow the material direction.
Coloured card lets the base shade do some of the design work. If a tag will face tougher handling or moisture, explain that early too, so the material can be considered alongside the artwork and attachment.
Review coloured card or waterproof tags with the intended product use in mind.
If you are torn between two options, ask for a sample comparison rather than choosing from a screen alone.
Format and shape
The format affects how much information you can include, where the tag sits on the product and how it feels in the hand.
Standard tags work well when the message is short and clear. Folded and concertina tags give you more room for care notes, a product story, sizing or other information that would crowd a single panel.
Start with standard swing tags, folded tags or concertina-fold tags when the layout needs more than one panel.
A circle, oval, heart, shield or custom outline can make the tag feel more distinctive, but the shape still needs to leave room for the key information and attachment point.
Browse the shape library, then use the template library when a dieline is required for planning.
A tag for a garment, bottle, piece of jewellery or parcel has different practical demands. Start with the product type if that is the clearest way for you to narrow the options.
Explore all use cases or move directly to clothing tags, jewellery tags, furniture tags or bottle-neck tags.
Attachment planning
The way a tag hangs is part of the design. It affects the artwork, the balance of the tag and how the customer handles the product.
Decide where the tag will attach before placing logos or small type. A hole or eyelet can become a useful part of the visual design, but it needs enough breathing room around it.
Read the drilled-hole guide with the eyelet guide before setting the position in a dieline.
Cord, ribbon, elastic loops and chains all create a different finish. Think about how the tag will be put on, removed and handled—not just how it looks in a flat design.
Compare strings and ribbons with elastic loops and ball chains.
Surface treatment
Finishes can change the way a tag catches the light, feels in the hand or works as part of the product. They are strongest when they support the design rather than compete with it.
Matt, gloss and soft-touch lamination each change the surface in a different way. Compare them against the card and artwork rather than choosing a finish in isolation.
Compare matt, gloss and soft-touch lamination.
Foil, Spot UV, embossing and debossing are best used to draw attention to a logo, name or small detail. Leave space for them in the artwork from the start.
Explore foil, Spot UV and embossing or debossing.
Die-cutting changes the outline; perforation creates a deliberate tear-off section. Both need a little more planning around the layout, especially if the tag carries essential product information.
Use the die-cutting guide or perforation guide when the structure is part of the product requirement.
Artwork and data
A strong design starts with the actual format—not just a flat mock-up. Size, folds, trim, holes and codes all need a place before the artwork is finalised.
Use a template or guide when you need help placing the essentials. It is much easier to move a logo or barcode before the rest of the design is built around it.
Use the artwork guide, bleed and safe-area guide and downloadable templates as connected preparation steps.
Barcodes, QR codes and changing product data need more than a spare corner. Give them clear space, good contrast and a practical size so they still work on the finished tag.
See barcode and QR-code guidance and variable data printing guidance before finalising the design.
Quote process
You do not need to arrive with every choice made. A few basics give the quote process a useful starting point, and the remaining details can follow as the tag takes shape.
These four details help put the project in context.
That is enough to begin a useful conversation about the tag.
Once you have a direction in mind, these choices make the quote more precise.
Artwork can be uploaded now or shared once it is ready.
Questions before you start
A few common questions to help you get started. If your project has a particular requirement, include it in the quote request so it can be considered in context.
Tell us what you are tagging, roughly how many you need and when you need them. A size, artwork file or material preference is useful too, but it is fine if some of those details are still being decided. We can use the information you have to scope the quote.
Start with the look and job the tag needs to do. Smooth coated card suits clean colour and image-led artwork; uncoated, kraft or textured card gives a different feel. If colour, texture or stiffness matters, a sample is the simplest way to compare them.
Think first about the information that has to fit on the tag and how it will attach to the product. A simple tag is often enough for a logo and price; folded or shaped formats make more room for product details, a story or a distinct look.
Plan the attachment alongside the tag, rather than after the artwork is finished. The product fixing point, the way the tag will hang and the card you choose all affect whether a hole, eyelet, cord, ribbon, loop or chain makes sense.
The finished size, shape, print sides and hole position are the essentials. Keep important type and logos clear of trim and holes, and flag any foil, embossing, barcode, QR code or variable information. The artwork guide and templates are there when you need a starting point.
Yes—provided the code has enough clear space, contrast and a practical final size. Let us know what it needs to do: link to a page, identify a product, carry changing data or support stock control. That affects where it sits in the design.
Both depend on the finished job: quantity, size, card, print, finish, attachment, artwork readiness and destination. Share your required date early, especially if it is linked to a launch, event or delivery deadline.
Begin with the tag style closest to your product. From there, look at materials, finishes, attachments and artwork only where they are relevant. You do not need to decide every detail before asking for a quote.
