Labelling school clothes

[Thistledew]

I apologise for repeating a topic that has been done many times before, but I can't search efficiently on my phone.

What is the best/most efficient/easiest way of labelling school uniform?

I'm competent with a needle and thread but have a 4 month old baby so don't have much spare time or energy.

Stikins.

My third DD is wearing uniform with a range of labels in them - from sisters and friends and the labels never move.

I work in our school office so I know the range of names of items that night belong to DD3

I used sewn labels- Cash I think, but I still have loads left and my DC are grown-up.
Sharpies are fine, so long as they are clear - can get a bit blurry.
The main thing is to name everything, including shoes, shirts, anything that might get taken off. If you only put the name in the label, be aware it can get cut off by thieves.
I've worked in schools for years, and the best thing you can do is to train your child to keep track of their belongings. Most items that go missing are not stolen, they are left in weird places. They eventually make it to Lost Property, but not always straightaway.
Kids are like little animals - I once had a class who mostly didn't have names on their clothes, but could identify whose sweatshirt it was by smell - and it wasn't just one of them, they could all do it! I had to explain that I didn't have that ability, so could they please label their clothes! I have ID'd clothing by the stains before now, but labels is much easier!

Mine are now 15 and 13 so I've moved way past hand sewing in little labels and now its a fabric pen and a scrawled name

Unfortunately they seem to lose just as much kit even at their ages!

Biro/sharpie every time. Life's too short! Write on the washing label. If it washes off/fades, just write it on again!

I use a sharpie and also ordered a white paint pen for those things which a black sharpie wouldn't show up on. Life is to short to sew, that and my sewing is pretty rubbish

I use the stickers. Either from mynametags or stickins I can't remember which. The one in my daughter's t shirts and cardigans have lasted 2 years. Just stick them in with no need to iron or sew.

I use petit ferdinand and have tried several and found they just don't budge!

Thanks all. I've got a sharpie and have also ordered some iron in labels with a distinctive design, which should help DS recognise his own clothes.

Sharpie on the inside of the collar, not on the washing labels as they can be cut out when someone 'accidentally' takes the jumper home and the parents decide to keep it.

@Thisisanillegalbingogame

I can’t recommend Mynametags enough. They are reasonably priced, easy to order, children can choose their own design and mine were delivered two days after ordering last week. They go on anything and last in the washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher. I think mine were £11 (or just over) for 52 stickers which I will get a couple of years use from.

This ^^

I've found they will survive a full school year of washing machine and dishwasher. Also you can put your phone number on them which increases the chances of retrieving lost items. And you can personalise them with colours and pictures which helps reception pre-readers to find their own stuff.

I used to keep a sheet of them in the car to quickly label up the inevitable toys that had "decided" to go to school too.

3 kids in school (primary and secondary) and I agree with other posters - biro or sharpie on the washing label. I just check every so often to make sure its not faded too much and if it has i just write it again. Maybe have to rewrite once or twice a year. Really can't imagine having the patience for anything more than that

Oh and I do work in a school and was the person designated to clearing through lost property for a couple of years. Biro doesn't tend to bleed so I prefer biro

Mynametags all the way. Pens, Sharpies, laundry markers etc all either fade or wash out.