HT–01Single-stock hang tag
A direct route for branding, product information, and attachment on one tag. Stock stiffness, hole position, print, foil, and product scale should be reviewed together.
- One-piece format
- Hole geometry
- Product trial
Product identification and retail presentation
Custom hang tags built for the product, data, and packing line.
Specify the stock, size, orientation, attachment, print, finishing, variable data, handling exposure, kitting, and carton plan as one production-ready tag system.
Stock + sizeProduct proportioned
Hole + attachmentAssembly defined
Print + dataOrientation locked
Kitting + QCSKU control planned
Stock and format directions
Choose the tag as a handled component, not a miniature poster.
The sheet must carry the artwork and finishing, hold around the hole or slot, hang at the intended angle, and remain readable after assembly, transport, and retail handling.
HT–01
HT–02Tactile and uncoated direction
Useful when surface feel and restrained graphics lead the design. Fiber direction, ink holdout, foil coverage, emboss definition, edge appearance, and rub should be sampled on the selected stock.
- Material reference
- Foil trial
- Rub review
HT–03Coated or laminated direction
A route for smooth color, surface protection, or a controlled tactile effect. Fold, edge, scratch, blocking, foil adhesion, and write-on requirements can influence the protection choice.
- Color coverage
- Surface protection
- Scuff sample
Purchase specification
Resolve geometry and assembly before approving decoration.
A tag can match the artwork and still fail at the product if its proportions, grain, hole clearance, string length, copy direction, or packing orientation are undefined.
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| Decision | Information to provide | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Stock | Paper or board family, color, surface, caliper or stiffness direction, coating or laminate, recycled-content request if relevant, and any write-on area. | Hand feel, opacity, print character, edge appearance, tear around the hole, warp, finishing response, and consistency with the approved physical sample. |
| Finished size + shape | Width, height, corner shape, die-cut profile, tolerance-sensitive clearances, fold or multi-panel construction, and product scale reference. | Information fit, visual proportion, die-cut edges, small bridges or corners, stacking, application access, and interaction with the product. |
| Copy orientation | Front and back designation, reading direction when hanging, head and foot, hole side, fold sequence, and barcode direction. | Artwork imposed in the correct direction, variable data paired to the right side, tag facing as packed, and copy readable on the attached product. |
| Hole, slot, or eyelet | Diameter or slot geometry, center position from two edges, eyelet material and color, front and back face, and clearance from print or finishing. | Cut quality, edge strength, eyelet setting, surface marks, artwork clearance, and freedom from interference with a fold or embossed detail. |
| String or ribbon | Material, color reference, width or diameter, finished or loop length, knot, seal or fastener, tail direction, and supplied loose or assembled. | Color relationship, fraying, length pairing, knot or seal security, twist, hole fit, application method, and how the attachment rests on the product. |
| Print + finish | Artwork version, color references, front and back coverage, white ink if relevant, varnish or laminate, foil, emboss, deboss, and finish boundaries. | Copy, color, small text, reverse detail, foil coverage, relief, finish register, cracking, set-off, scuff, and clearance around the hole and edges. |
| Variable data | Barcode symbology, data fields, SKU and size logic, sequence, human-readable copy, source file, exception rules, and required record output. | Data-to-artwork mapping, uniqueness where required, quiet zones, contrast, legibility, scan workflow, duplicate or missing records, and SKU reconciliation. |
| Kitting + packing | Tags per product or set, assembly order, SKU grouping, bundle count, separators, bag or carton quantity, carton marks, and mixed-SKU rules. | Correct components, facing direction, count, tangle or bend risk, finish protection, bundle identity, carton traceability, and receiving workflow. |
State dimensions from one agreed datum and show the front, back, head, foot, and attachment point on the dieline. A loose description such as “hole at top” does not define orientation accurately enough for variable data or assembly.
Hole, eyelet, string, and ribbon
Treat the attachment as a small assembly.
The attachment changes the tag's angle, reach, loading method, contact with the product, and packing footprint. A visually suitable cord can still be awkward to thread, too short for the fixture, abrasive against a finish, or difficult to keep untangled.
- Locate from fixed edgesDimension the hole or slot center from two finished edges and record the tag face, rather than positioning it by eye from the artwork.
- Define every componentList eyelet, cord, ribbon, fastener, knot, seal, length, color, loop direction, and whether the assembly is fitted before delivery.
- Trial the real attachment pointCheck threading access, reach, tag angle, product contact, removal goal, and interference with a closure, seam, handle, or display fixture.
- Pack for applicationChoose bundle direction, separators, tail placement, and counts that reduce tangling, bending, surface rub, and SKU mixing at the packing line.
An eyelet can reinforce and decorate the hole, but the tag stock, eyelet setting, hole geometry, attachment load, and edge clearance still need to be approved as one construction.
Barcode, variable data, and durability
Protect the information that must survive the journey.
Static branding, variable retail data, finishing, and surface protection compete for limited space. Define the scan and handling workflow before placing decorative effects around critical information.
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| Risk area | Control in the specification | Approval evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Data handoff | Name the file owner, field definitions, delimiter and encoding, record count, SKU hierarchy, leading-zero rules, exception handling, revision, and transfer method. | Approved sample records representing short, long, unusual, and boundary values, plus a reconciled output count. |
| Barcode layout | Define symbology, intended size, orientation, contrast, quiet zones, human-readable text, surrounding print, and any finish-free area. | Physical tags scanned with the intended device and workflow after printing, finishing, cutting, and handling. |
| Record matching | State how front and back data, multi-tag sets, sizes, colors, prices, serials, and product SKUs are paired and separated. | Spot checks across the run and reconciliation against the buyer's released data, with discrepancies handled under an agreed rule. |
| Surface rub | Identify contact with product surfaces, cord, neighboring tags, bags, cartons, rails, and repeated handling; state the ink and protective construction. | A project-defined rub or handling trial reviewed for ink transfer, foil wear, polish, scratches, loss of contrast, and readability. |
| Moisture or oils | Describe expected humidity, splash, skin oils, product oils, cold-to-room changes, wiping, and exposure time without assuming the tag is protected. | Conditioned samples reviewed for curl, staining, delamination, adhesive or ink change, tearing, scuff, and barcode readability. |
| Packing pressure | Define stacking, bundle count, separators, attachment placement, carton orientation, and contact with emboss, foil, laminate, or dark solid areas. | Packed samples opened after the agreed holding and transport simulation to check blocking, set-off, dents, bends, tangles, and mixed orientation. |
A screen proof can confirm content and general placement, but it cannot establish barcode performance on the selected surface or how foil, coatings, embossing, cutting, string assembly, and pack pressure affect the finished tag.
Sample path and quality control
Approve the tag in the same state it will be received.
The approval record should connect artwork, materials, data, components, assembly, product fit, and packing. Each proof must be clear about what it can and cannot establish.
Lock content and geometry
Confirm dieline, sides, orientation, hole center, artwork, print layers, foil, emboss, variable fields, barcode rules, and required finish clearances.
Judge material and attachment
Review stock, size, stiffness, color, print, foil or relief, cut edge, hole or eyelet, string or ribbon, assembly direction, and product fit.
Scan, handle, and kit
Run representative variable records, scan with the intended device, apply tags to the product, perform the agreed durability checks, and trial the packing sequence.
Inspect and reconcile
Check against agreed criteria for content, color, finish, dimensions, attachment, record matching, scan result, assembly, bundle count, SKU identity, and cartons.
If tags are supplied in SKU kits, the accepted sample should show the exact component order, facing direction, attachment state, bundle method, identification, and count used for production packing.
Buyer questions
Custom hang tag FAQ.
Final stock, attachment, finishing, data, packing, and production recommendations depend on the actual product, artwork, quantity, workflow, and destination requirements.
Share the finished size, orientation, quantity by design or SKU, stock direction, artwork, print and finish, hole position, eyelet if any, string or ribbon specification, attachment method, barcode or variable-data file, kitting plan, delivery country, and target date. A product or packaging reference is useful when available.
Select stock and size around the information hierarchy, product scale, attachment point, desired stiffness, surface feel, print coverage, finishing, handling, and packing method. Review a physical sample on the intended product because caliper, fiber direction, hole clearance, and tag proportions affect how it hangs and handles.
Define hole diameter and center position, clearance from the edge and artwork, eyelet material and color if used, cord or ribbon material, color, width or diameter, finished length, knot or seal, loop direction, and whether tags arrive assembled. Approve the complete attachment on a representative product or fixture.
Yes, barcode, SKU, size, price, serial, or other variable fields can be planned when the buyer supplies the data structure, symbology, artwork rules, sequence, and file format. Confirm contrast, quiet zones, orientation, human-readable copy, record matching, and scan performance using the intended devices and workflow.
Map the tag's contact with the product, fastener, retail handling, transit packaging, moisture, oils, and neighboring surfaces. Then test the approved stock, ink, foil, emboss, coating, and attachment through a defined project-specific handling or conditioning sequence and review rub, scuff, cracking, transfer, tearing, and readability.
Approve the final artwork and dieline, stock, finished size and orientation, print colors, foil or emboss detail, hole and eyelet, string or ribbon assembly, barcode and variable-data proof, product fit, durability checks, SKU matching, bundle or kitting method, carton identification, and agreed quality criteria.
Calculate tag demand and use the barcode, variable-data, attachment, kitting, and QC checklist
Quote custom hang tags
Start with the product and data workflow.
Send the finished size, orientation, stock direction, quantity by SKU, artwork, print and finish, attachment details, variable-data format, product application, kitting plan, delivery country, and target date. We will use those inputs to identify the next sample and production questions.