Label fold type is a manufacturing decision disguised as a design one. It determines how the label attaches, how many seams it passes through, how much fabric bulk your sewing line handles, and whether the branding shows on one garment face or two. Choosing wrong either wastes sewing seconds per unit or hides the mark you paid for.
Center fold
A single label folded in half, sewn into a seam so one half shows on the inside and the mirrored half shows on the outside of a cuff, placket or hem.
- Best for — neck labels folded inward on tees, cuffs and waistbands where brand visibility must cross to the outside.
- Budget impact — one label per unit, but double the visible print area; the fold allowance (typically 18 mm) must be specified so the logo is not consumed by the fold.
- Risk — with a thick fabric, a double layer at the fold line puckers; ask for thinner 50D damask or reduce the folded overlap.
End fold (Manhattan fold)
One end folded back over the body, creating a tab that shows on the garment face while the label body stays inside.
- Best for — outerwear and denim side seams, where the folded tab reads as a brand flag on the outside.
- Trade-off — three fabric layers at the sewing point, so the operator needs a slower stitch and a topstitch to keep it flat.
Mitre fold
Two corners cut at 45° so the label wraps a right-angle corner cleanly — bag panels, leather patches, collar points and hem corners.
- Best for — any placement where a square label would bubble at a corner.
- Specification — state which corners are mitred and the wrap depth; a symmetric mitre on all four corners costs more than a two-corner mitre.
Straight cut (flat)
No fold at all: a flat rectangle sewn by tacking its corners, or heat/adhesive-applied.
- Best for — hem labels on knitwear, hang-tag loops, and full-surface content such as care and composition text.
- Risk — cut edges will fray unless the finish is hot-knife selvedge or ultrasonic soft cut; on skin-contact positions, insist on ultrasonic.
How fold choice changes landed cost
Fold type barely moves the label price — it moves garment cost. A fold adds one handling step per unit, and a triple-layer end fold on a thick fleece can add seconds per seam at high volume. Quantify it by asking your sewing supplier to run 50 pieces with each option and compare stitch time and rework rate; buyers who skip this test often revert mid-program, which means new labels and new lead time.
Placement-to-fold map
| Garment placement | Recommended fold | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Inner back neck, tee | Straight cut or center fold | Skin comfort, single seam pass |
| Cuff or hem showing brand outside | Center fold | Branding crosses to the outer face |
| Outerwear side seam | End fold | Tab reads as an external flag |
| Bag or leather panel corner | Mitre fold | Wraps 90° without bubbling |
| Knitwear hem | Straight cut, soft edge | No bulk under a soft drape |
Fold dimensions, allowance and edge treatments for each construction are configurable on the woven label specification page, and the physical sample is the only honest way to sign off a fold before bulk.