Why do clothes manufacturers sew labels into clothes that ruin them when cut out?

[GoldenCupsatHarvestTime]

I’m a label hater - especially massive inside seam ones that disrupt lines and irritate my skin. Evil things. So I have a special set of stitch rippers and seam scissors to remove them however in recent years I’ve noticed that even when I carefully do this the clothes then have holes where the label was or the stitching pulls loose or rucks. Whyyy are they doing this? Surely nobody wants a large 7 layer flap of labels in a thin camisole top forever? Is it to save money? Laziness?

Either way I hate them. Feel free to share your label/clothing rants here too. There is no point to this thread except to say that labels shouldn’t exist.

Bloody good question Why do they sew labels in fabric that actually hurts, & impossible to cut/ unstitch

it's cheaper and easier to sew the label straight into the seam as opposed to adding it later separately, which would allow it to be removed.

It's just cost saving/ reducing steps. It's drives me mad too. I can normally re-sew the seam but it's very annoying to have to do so.

I hate them too. A warning though... I cut a large white label out of my otherwise totally black leather biker jacket fromAutograph M&S. The jacket developed a surface tear in the leather after a few wears and the assistant was ready to replace it when she saw that I'd removed the label. She said she wouldn't exchange or refund because of this. Nevermind that I had the receipt and there's a huge leather patch inside with Autograph stamped into it and a chain with a disk saying the same and it was also a current item. The jacket cost me £250.

This is so weird because just this morning I was thinking something similar. I have a pair of pyjamas from Asda and for some absolutely unknown reason they had a logo tag sewn on the bottom left of the top, not just any logo tag, one with really pointy corners which weren’t sewn flat so I kept scratching my arm badly on it. I cut it off carefully but of course I now have tiny holes where it had been. There wasn’t even any need for this tag on the pyjamas.

Oh gosh me too and I'm looking at you as one of the major culprits for this M&S 😡

Labels in bras, knickers and vest tops are the absolute worst. Impossible to cut out without leaving a hole. I bought a really useful unpicker set from Amazon but still really hard to get some labels out of clothes as they are sewn in so tightly - why do they do it??

Scratchy labels are a total pita in some cases.
I now buy boxers with printed details on the fabric.

This is another annoying thing. Don’t make something unwearable without a removal that will mean I can’t return it. The great big label was giving me a rash of course I removed it!

The labels in underwear! I am 30 and recently decided that I’m a grown woman and I want a few nice sets that match… nothing sexy but put together and make me feel well presented and put together.

labels on the knickers… 4 layers thick so I cut them out… the delicate lace then unravelled. £8 per pair down the drain.

Country of origin
Fabric details
Care instructions
That all thats .required
I'd be aggrieved at losing £250 on a jacket op.

in principle yes, but I work with something similar (not clothing) and if you sell internationally, labelling requirements are a total pita. Each country has its own, slightly different requirements, all in different languages. So I understand why labels are now massive stacks. However, sewing them into seams so they can't be removed without damaging the item, that is just cost and convenience.

zara is a nightmare for this.

These days they could print a QR code so you could look it up online if you wanted to know washing instructions etc. Half the time you can't read the words anyway.

My bugbear are those where they've included a separate label for multiple languages so there's a book of them attached to the item.

I agree with everyone else. I can't stand labels next to my skin, especially at the back of the neck, they have to come out.
I have cut into the fabric more than once trying to remove them.

@JustbrotherscarlenaNsoul I was very annoyed. I could understand if I hadn’t got the receipt but they were adamant that removing the label made it unrefundable and ineligible for replacement despite a 2 inch surface tear in the arm.

I asked to speak to the manager and a woman came to the desk with a really aggressive attitude and told me that the manager would say the same as she was telling me. I asked for an explanation and she said it was in the T’s&C’s… she said ‘I’ll read them to you if you like’. It was a really horrible situation. No sympathy or apology- it left me never wanting to shop there again.

I wouldn’t have removed the label if it had been black or stitched into the pocket but it was a long white thing and looked awful.

@Petrine they may have been telling porkies. I can only find one line about faulty items in their policy that says Damaged or faulty items do not need their original packaging, be unworn or have their tags in order for us to refund you

I’m ND and have sensory issues with clothing labels.

They are definitely getting more and more annoying.

Just so irritating. The rectangle ones stitched tightly on to the back of the neck area drive me mad - M&S and Seasalt are bad for this. I have to attack them with nail scissors, it takes ages, and leaves a visible mark on the outside.
So annoying!

Yes!! So fucking annoying!!

Bloody stupid sharp pointy corners and massive labels on lacy or sheer clothes that show from the outside! Aaarrrgggh !

this annoys me too. I also hate the labels that are stamped on the back of the neck, especially as I sometimes wear the t shirts back to front and the lettering shows through.

The worst ones are the ones on scarfs. Lightweight silk or cotton scarfs with multiple labels attached, usually the washing instructions on a flappy one sewn into the hem, and then a logo sewn on all four corners so you can’t remove it without causing a hole.

There isn’t even any way they can be hidden as it’s a single layer of entirely decorative fabric. Do they expect people to wear them with the labels attached?

I think it might be referring to the tags that are hanging on garments whilst on the hangers, rather than the stitched in ones inside.

I did challenge the decision at the time but got nowhere. The jacket had only been worn a couple of times and cost £250 so perhaps I should have contacted head office. I somehow doubt I’d get anywhere. They seemed to take an aggressive stance in the shop. No apology for the obvious defect in the jacket or sympathy given.

i pointed out that some of the labels I removed (there were 3 or 4) actually had a line with scissors graphic denoting that they should be cut out - why not an indication that the other label should not be removed. Again no response from them other than ‘it’s in the Ts&Cs’

Yes not only do they use multiple labels(I get it, multiple languages), but not in the usual silky fabric but scratchy, papery fabric that makes an audible rustling noise when you move!

Equally, when you buy socks in a multipack. They attach them together in a such a badly designed manner that when you cut through the offending packaging (no matter how careful you are), you end with a hole in your socks! 🤬

I have found my people!

Can I also add my irritation at the little sticky labels stuck on seam labels. I assume they are some sort of quality control system by the manufacturer but OMG they annoy me, if you don’t spot them and deal with them you can end up identified as machinist 34.