Understanding labels and tags
When we think about sustainable clothing, one of the most important elements to look at are labels. But most of us don’t even bother reading the tags inside our clothes before buying them. Labels and instructions are essential to help us look after and take care of your clothes to make them last longer thus getting more use out of them and not having to buy more.
Thanks to Andrea from Dressthechange, a educational platform where you can find information about sustainable fashion and fashion in general , we had the opportunity of learning some useful information during the Re-Talk live on the @renoon.official Instagram page on November 3rd.
For those of you who didn’t have the chance to watch it, no worries! I have got you covered! By reading this article you can also learn some key points about labels and how to keep your clothes fresh for longer.
What exactly do these labels and tags tell us?
What exactly do these labels and tags tell us, specifically the ones directly attached to the garments?First is the composition, the fibers employed to craft a piece of clothing. Which is not to be mistaken with the kind of fabric; for instance, you will never find a tag “100% velvet”. Then information aboutcare: pictograms designed to illustrate instructions on how to wash, dry and iron the garment which allows you to keep your favorite hoodie for longer. And last, origin and provenence, it’s not mandatory in EU because it’s defined by law that it could be a source of discrimination based on where of the factories are.
Why there are so many labels?
Another great question that Andrea answered for us is: why are there so many labels? It’s a problem that we face mainly with fast fashion clothing. The more globalized the company, the higher the number of labels. That is because super-globalised brands translate the composition and care into several languages. Besides that, every step in the supply chain has to be coded, which means that every factory that processes that garment needs to put its own code on the label. That’s how the number of labels rises. So, a lot of tags could be a red flag…
Why are labels so uncomfortable?
But you might ask yourselves if labels are so important, why are they so uncomfortable? Well it would be a good idea to make those labels less irritating, an alternative would be to print the information directly on the inner side of the fabric (on the back, for example). But that would be an obstacle for the supply chain, so it’s easier to buy a printed label and sew it on last. This means a lack of transparency for us and incomplete information about the social and ecological impact of your clothes.
What does “made in…” mean and is it important?
Andrea also answered the reoccurring question of: What does “made in…” mean and is it important? The made in rules are slightly different from country to country. In Italy, it means that at least two substantial steps of the manufacturing process are actually made in Italy. So the material can be imported, the printing can be done abroad, the lining can be sewn abroad, and so on… Just the assembling and the finishing part have to be done in Italy.
How can we shop sustainably with all these tags?
Well how on earth can we shop sustainably with all these tags? They are impossible to decipher and seem to be hiding a part of the truth. I certainly don’t have time to go around all the stores searching for labels and trying to understand them. That’s why websites such as Renoon were created, a platform where you can be 100% sure that your clothing is sustainably made and sourced. A time saving way to shop while being assured that your actions will have a positive impact on the environment.
To sum up, this is what we have learned from Re-Talk:
1. Tags tell you = about composition, care and origin.
2. Several tags = red flag, more likely to be from fast fashion.
3. “Made in” = does not necessarily mean where the item was manufactured or where the whole production process was.
4. Easiest and less time-consuming way to shop sustainably is by using Renoon.
