Labelling school clothes...

[hullywully]

Hoping someone can tell me the most effective way of labelling my DD new uniform ready for sept. Friends of mine use a stamp but it costs a bloody fortune!!! Can anyone recommend an inexpensive yet long lasting way to do this?

[DrMadelineMaxwell]

Permanent pen on the label was all I ever did. If it did fade with washing and they still hadn't grown out of it then I'd go over it again. I have also used those vinyl labels meant for lunchboxes. They stayed in shoes and didn't come off the labels in jumpers etc either.

As a teacher wading through mountains of lost property by the end of the year, thanks for labelling stuff!

[ProudThrilledHappy]

Biro lasts longer and is clearer to read than any of the over priced fabric pens IME

[PlayingForKittens]

I use a stamp from stamptastic. Yes the initial cost is more than a fabric pen but it works and it lasts. My biggest is in year 6 now and I'm still on the same stamp and ink pad as when he started school.

[showerfire]

Biro on the label.

[niknac1]

I got the woven cash labels, sew them in and when done with the clothing take them off clothing to sew in another piece of clothing. I always find sewing the label at the top of jumpers, tops was best but one of my children didn’t like the feel so I had to sew on labels wherever they were. Also sewed an extra label hidden in coat pockets as some people will cut your name/ label out.

[TeenTimesTwo]

Buy a job lot of decent traditional woven nametapes and sew them on properly. If you just sew the ends it doubles as a hanging up loop too which is useful for jumpers etc.

The amount of jumpers in the primary lost property with illegible washed out hand written names was horrific.

Stick on printed labels for other stuff.

B0y enough of both and they will last you right through to y11.

[SheSparkles]

I’m a sewer inner, ds is 16 now and I’m still working on the same pack of tapes bought when he started P1(and I genuinely am using them, the last school trousers I bought cost £16 a pair I’m not letting them go easily )😂

[Acopyofacopy]

Our stamptastic stamp is in its 4th year now, stamped absolutely everything for 2 dcs and it is still going strong.

[AJPTaylor]

just get a stamp from stamptastic. it seems a lot but honestly it is worth it. if your kid is just starting you will have 16 years use.

[JellySlice]

Sharpie or Bic biro (the cheap ones stain much better than fancier ones).

Shoes I label on the inside of the tongue, where there's often a white label. Second best location is inside the shoe just under the outer ankle.

Socks, tights I label with initials in big letters under the sole. Nobody else ever labels them, so only initials are needed.

For hard items like lunchboxes, bottles etc I often use silver markers as Sharpie eventually comes off in the dishwasher. The silver marker will need refreshing every couple of terms. Don't label where they grip. Sometimes I scratch the name in first - the marker lasts longer that way.

[HeyMicky]

I see in woven name labels, which can be reused. I also write in laundry pen on the hem to stop any "confusion" should the clothes go home with someone else and the label disappear

[BikeRunSki]

Sew in name tapes, plus sharpie in the collar/somewhere inside for important items. I also sharpie my phone number into the DC’s coats.

[SouthwarkSkaters]

I use mynametags sticky labels, they are fantastic. DD had the same uniform from reception to Y2 (the smallest size available was too big for her in the beginning) and I’ve lost zero tags in that time. It can also be used in shoes and other belongings, and it washes really well (both in the washing machine and in the dishwasher).

A couple of weeks ago I had to remove the stickers on her cutlery because we moved and the sticker had our old landline. Again, stuck in reception, she’s in Y4 now.

[shoelaces]

Another vote for Stamptastic. I still have the original ink pad too, such great value for money overall. I have 1 child but a tip I saw from someone else was just to get the surname on the stamp, then you can use it for all kids, and any uniform stamped for the older one can be passed down without having to change the name.

I've also used it to stamp plastic storage containers that went in with cakes for a bake sale. Water bottle. Inside of plimsoles. Lunchbox. It's really quick to do all the new uniform each year too.

[ILoveMyMonkey]

I use Sharpie pen and just go over it every now and then. I also write directly on the garment rather than the labels, I'm a teacher and have known of parents cutting out labels on things they've found in lost property to reclaim it as their own .

[Fwend]

Black sharpie on the washing label/insole/inside of lunch box. Job done for less than £1.

[Iwannasnack]

Stickins. Brilliant!!

[Passthecake30]

I sew in labels, school jumpers are too expensive to lose!

Well what I really do is take all the uniform to my mums

Sharpie is good for plastic lunchbox

[BingTheButterflySlayer]

I use sew in labels - start about now and I'm usually done before they break up for summer (I'm sorted buying uniform now for next year). Stickins on care labels if I'm feeling lazy.

With my youngest's organisation problems I label EVERYTHING that's going near school - including socks and pants.

[hullywully]

An incredible response! Thanks all!!! The stamptastics seem a lot but I guess they really do last and putting just the surname is a great idea. I think I will give sharpies a go now for my DD1 Nursery uniform and see if it stands the rest of time. I am not a sewer and my darling mother works full time so doesn’t have time to help. I was worried the sticky labels would come out in the wash but as someone said writing it in another more secret place also stops items actually getting stolen!! I’m also a teacher and know how important it is to label stuff... not to mention the cost of this stuff- seriously- I thought Nursery fees were expensive but at least they get their uniform for free.

[reluctantbrit]

I use iron on labels and apart from the very first batch I never had problems.

I went by the rule that DD needed to find and read her name properly. She only has four letter in each name but I found it hard to write on the clothes label for the few items I couldn’t iron one on.

I found some stick on labels which last the washing machine but for skits, jumpers and shirts I iron.

She accidentally mixed up fleeces one year and I couldn’t read the washed out name at all, in the end I just emailed the whole year to find the owner.

[Ifeelreallylow]

Stamptastic.
Wasn't enormously expensive to set up.
I got just surname so it does the whole family.
All uniform for 2 kids stamped and job completed in 20 mins!!
Had same stamp and ink pad for 2 years now.
I rave about it to anyone who will listen

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

Stamptastic stamp

[Oriunda]

Stamptastic or Stikins. Check if your PTA gets a cut of commission before you order - ours does.

I regularly raid lost property to find unclaimed items and resell - the biro and sharpie names always fade.