Explore Swing Tag Materials
Classic Stocks
Use familiar coated or uncoated surfaces when clear print reproduction, writing or a balanced all-purpose finish is the priority.
Sustainable & Natural
Compare recycled and kraft directions by composition, colour, fibre variation, print contrast and any finishing limitations.
Speciality Materials
Choose a speciality stock where colour, texture, moisture resistance or tear resistance serves a defined product need.
Compare the properties that matter
Start with handling and information requirements. An uncoated surface can be useful when the tag must be written on; coated stocks prioritise a different print character; coloured or kraft boards affect ink contrast; and durable synthetic options address demanding environments. A lamination is a separate surface treatment and should not be treated as a substitute for an unsuitable base material.
Read the guide to card thickness and GSM, then use the material comparison guide to record a shortlist. Request physical samples when colour, stiffness or tactile feel is critical to the decision.
Builder terminology
What the quote form actually offers
The first table uses the exact values sent by the Custom Tag Builder. The second contains research terms that help you describe a requirement; they are not shown as selectable materials unless our team confirms them for the brief.
Selectable in the builder
- Builder optionSingle Side Coated
A coated print face with a different reverse surface. Specify which side carries the main artwork.
- Builder optionBoth Sides Coated
Coated on both faces for artwork or information printed front and back.
- Builder optionKraft Card
Brown kraft board where fibre colour and ink contrast form part of the design.
- Builder optionHolographic Card
A reflective colour-shifting card option that needs artwork checked against the changing surface.
- Builder optionMetallic Card
A metallic base card for designs where the stock itself supplies the reflective effect.
Research before requesting
- GuidanceUncoated and writable card
Use this guide when handwriting, stamping or an untreated paper feel matters.
- GuidanceRecycled card
Covers fibre content, shade variation and evidence to request from a supplier.
- GuidanceTextured card
Explains how surface texture affects small type, solids and fine detail.
- GuidanceColoured card
Covers ink contrast and the effect of printing on a coloured base.
- GuidanceWaterproof or tear-resistant stock
A requirements guide for damp, chilled or high-handling settings.
- GuidanceGloss surface
Compares a glossy surface treatment with choosing a different base card.
What the weight number feels like in the hand
Card weight is quoted in GSM, grams per square metre of the sheet. It is a useful ladder for comparing one card with another, but a tag is judged by how it bends and how it hangs, so it helps to translate the number into handling.
| Weight | How it behaves | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 250–300gsm | Flexes easily and curls if the tag is long and narrow | Small tags, price tickets, inserts and folded tags |
| 350gsm | Holds flat at most tag sizes and survives handling on a rail | The everyday choice for clothing and retail tags |
| 420–500gsm | Stiff enough to stand proud of a garment; noticeably heavier in the hand | Premium fashion, gift and homeware tags |
| 600–700gsm | Barely flexes; edges show as a visible thickness | Statement tags and larger formats that must not droop |
| 900–1200gsm | Two or more sheets laminated into a rigid board with a thick, solid edge | Luxury and furniture tags where weight signals quality |
Folded tags stay at 420gsm or below, because heavier board cracks along the fold. Coloured inks also sit differently on each card: kraft and other brown or coloured boards absorb light colours, so pale ink and white type need a darker card, a foil or a sample check first.
What each card and weight costs
Coated one side at 350gsm is the starting card on most products. Kraft and both-sides-coated card add a little; metallic and holographic boards and the heavy laminated weights cost noticeably more because the sheet itself is more expensive. Prices are for 250 85 × 55mm tags printed full colour on one side (£68.00 as standard), all-inclusive with free UK delivery; each row changes only what it names.
| Option | 250 tags | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Coated one side | £68.00 | No change |
| Coated both sides | £73.44 | +£5.44 |
| Kraft | £74.46 | +£6.46 |
| Metallic | £98.60 | +£30.60 |
| Holographic | £108.80 | +£40.80 |
| 250gsm · lightweight | £65.28 | −£2.72 |
| 420gsm · premium | £73.44 | +£5.44 |
| 600gsm · heavyweight | £89.76 | +£21.76 |
| 900gsm · laminated board | £122.40 | +£54.40 |
| 1200gsm · laminated board | £156.40 | +£88.40 |
Decision context
Choose material by measurable product requirements
Start with the environment and handling period. A short-lived retail ticket, a tag carried through ecommerce fulfilment and a bottle tag exposed to condensation place different demands on the substrate. Material choice should answer rigidity, tear resistance, surface durability and moisture exposure before it answers appearance.
Then match the surface to the information. Coated card can support crisp process colour; uncoated stock can provide a writable surface; kraft and coloured boards change ink contrast; textured card can interrupt very fine detail. Recycled content, fibre source and disposal claims need evidence for the exact stock selected.
Material is connected to size, print, finishing and attachment. A heavy board may need scoring before folding, a dark board may need foil or an opaque print method, and a large tag may benefit from a reinforced hole. Lamination changes the surface but cannot correct an unsuitable base material.
Shortlist by function, compare named samples and record the chosen stock in the quote brief. When two materials look similar, use stiffness, caliper, writability, colour reproduction and finish compatibility to distinguish them rather than relying on broad terms such as premium, natural or eco-friendly.
Request a Sample Pack
The best way to compare surface feel, stiffness and colour is with a physical sample. Request a sample pack and specify the material directions you want to review.
Request Samples