A booklet care label – a multi-page label stitched together at one edge – is the answer when fibre composition, care instructions, manufacturer details and translations in several languages simply won't fit on a single strip. The problem is typical for brands selling across several EU countries, for garments with lining and padding, and for anything with multiple components. This guide walks step by step through estimating the space you need, the alternatives worth trying before a booklet, and how the booklet itself is made and attached.
Step 1: list what really has to be on the label
Before designing anything, split your information into three groups:
- Required under Regulation (EU) 1007/2011: fibre names and percentages, in the official language of the country where you sell. For multi-component items, composition per component (shell, lining, filling). Composition must be clearly separated from other information.
- Strongly recommended: ISO 3758 care symbols, manufacturer or brand, size, batch number.
- Optional: warnings, brand story, certifications, website address.
Quite often the third group takes up half the space. It can move to the hang tag or behind a QR code.
Satin label 8 cm x 4 cm – satin printing
Woven label 8 cm x 4 cm – with design and logo
Satin label 14 cm x 3.5 cm – logo printingStep 2: shorten before you add pages
Use symbols instead of words
Care symbols are language-neutral – five pictograms (washing, bleaching, drying, ironing, professional cleaning) replace whole sentences in every language. Text advice such as "wash with similar colours" is not mandatory and can go.
Combine languages smartly
Fibre names often match or are close: "Cotton / Coton / Baumwolle" can share one line, with the percentage written once. Some brands put language codes (EN, FR, DE) in front of each line so shoppers can find theirs.
Use both sides
A printed satin label can be printed on both faces, which doubles the area without changing the size. A centre-fold label also gives you two faces and is a standard format for care labels.
Step 3: when it is time for a booklet
If, after trimming, the text still needs a font below roughly 5–6 pt, or a single label longer than 8–10 cm, a booklet is the better choice. An over-long single label curls, pops out of the seam and irritates the skin.
What a booklet label looks like
A booklet is made of several sheets of printed satin or nylon taffeta stacked on top of each other and sewn together along the top edge into the side seam of the garment. Each sheet is printed on both sides, so three sheets give six pages. A typical layout:
| Page | Content |
|---|---|
| 1 | Brand, size, country of origin, style and batch number |
| 2 | Composition in the main market language |
| 3–4 | Composition in additional languages |
| 5 | Care symbols |
| 6 | Manufacturer/importer details, warnings |
Tip: put composition and care symbols on the first pages. Shoppers rarely flip past page two.
Material and printing
- Satin – soft and smooth, takes thermal transfer printing well. Good for next-to-skin garments.
- Nylon taffeta – thinner and lighter, so the booklet is less bulky. Edges can feel firmer.
- Cutting – ultrasonic or hot cutting seals the edge. Stiff edges multiply with every sheet, so a soft edge matters even more than on a single label.
- Ink – check legibility after at least five washes at the highest temperature stated on the label.
Where it goes
The standard position for a care label is the left side seam (as worn, viewed from inside), around 15–20 cm above the hem on tops, and about 5–10 cm below the waistband on trousers and skirts. Only the top edge of the booklet is caught in the seam so the pages can be leafed through. Do not put it in the neck seam – the bulk will be felt.
Many brands put the brand label at the neck and the booklet in the side seam. That separates image from information and is convenient for the buyer.
Example: a lined jacket for three markets
Take a jacket with a polyester shell, viscose lining and polyester wadding, sold in Bulgaria, Romania and Greece. The per-component composition alone, in three languages, runs to 9–12 lines. Add symbols, size, style, batch and manufacturer details and a single label grows to 12–14 cm. A three-sheet booklet solves it: sheet one carries brand, size, style, batch and care symbols; sheet two has composition in Bulgarian on one side and Romanian on the other; sheet three has Greek composition and manufacturer details. Each sheet is about 3 × 6 cm, so the booklet stays thin and is not felt when worn. Note that the symbols sit on the first sheet – they apply to every language and are the first thing anyone looks for before washing.
Common mistakes
- Composition in different languages scattered across pages with no cue – buyers can't find their language.
- Sheets of different lengths stacked carelessly – the booklet looks like an error rather than a solution.
- Too many sheets (more than five or six) – the booklet gets stiff and thick; move extra information online.
- Attaching it only in an overlocked seam without a straight stitch on top – sheets pull out in the wash.
- No batch number – when a complaint comes in, you can't trace the garment.
FAQ
Does composition have to appear in every EU language?
Composition must be in the official language(s) of the member state where the product is made available to the consumer. If you only sell in one country, its language is enough. The regulation text is available on EUR-Lex.
Can I use a booklet on children's clothing?
Yes, but choose the softest material and the minimum number of sheets. Consider printing non-mandatory information directly on the fabric instead.
Can Bul-tex make a booklet label?
We manufacture satin and woven labels to customer designs. For a multi-page label, send the texts and desired size via our contact page and we will confirm the possible format. Ready-made satin and woven labels are in our labels collection.
