Fabric Labels, Please Stick! Launching New Fashion Sun Protection Designs, Part 2

This is Part 2 in a series about our Heliades Designer/Entrepreneur's experiences launching new and existing fashion sun protective clothing designs.

This series is an update on our entire UPF50+ fashion sun protection clothing line: the UV Sun Gauntlets Collection (UPF gloves and UV arm sleeves), reintroduction of our signature Sol Escape sun protection cape, and launch of two new designs the Sun Shrug and Sun Dickie, plus the Sun Bolero which is in the design idea phase. I'll also cover issues that occurred regarding my heat press, fabric labels, fabric manufacturing and production set backs (there was a fire!).

Part 2: The New Fabric Labels Weren't Adhering Properly To Fabric.

(The first step in ordering new labels is to do a sample run. A sample run is a very small order of 20 or so labels to test colors and positioning. After you test the samples with the fabric, you can evaluate the quality and determine if you want to move forward with bulk production.)

Some of the sample labels were not adhering properly to the fabric despite the calibrations I'd made to the heat press. Since our apparel is made to last and will sun protect your skin for years, we'd like all the components to last as well. You know what a cracked or peeling logo looks like on your favorite t-shirt; we'd like to avoid that if at all possible.

Left: Label properly adhering to fabric. Center and Right: Labels improperly adhering to fabric.

Our fans know I'm particular about all the materials we utilize to make a piece of Heliades fashion sun protective clothing. Like our fabric, our trim and labels are also OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Certified (an international standard certifying our fabric, labels, buttons and thread are harmless to human health -- click on the link to review all the chemicals and heavy metals tested!), and made in a BLUESIGN Partner facility which monitors social responsibility for chemical and emissions manageent as well as occupational health and safety for employees. Our Italian supplier is also REACH compliant because, well, you can't have enough close monitoring of chemicals so they don't end up on your skin, in the air or in our rivers and oceans.

Why am I telling you all this? Because when I had the issue with the fabric labels, I couldn't just run to Joann Fabrics to find a replacement. There are many label manufacturers out there, but it takes time to find a manufacturer that meets our premium criteria and is willing to work with small businesses (read: small minimum order quantities).

Because the fabric and label composition have not changed since my previous production, we hypothesize the film backing used on the labels was the issue. We decided to move forward with producing the new labels which should be ready in a few weeks -- so strictly speaking this issue is not 100% resolved yet. I won't know if this is still a problem until I receive the new labels and test it with the newly repaired heat press.

Go here to read Part 3 of this series!

Please know how much I appreciate you and all your support of Heliades. Our mission remains unchanged: to help stylish, skin-conscious individuals like yourselves defend your glow - maintain healthy skin and a positive self image, and raise awareness about the importance of skin health as it relates to your overall health by protecting skin from UV sun exposure.

Read Part 1 - Repairing A Heat Press Myself

Read Part 3 - Developing Technical UPF50+ Fabric

Read Part 4 - Patterns, Samples + A Fire

Be well,

Sharone

We are a woman-owned brand and emails are a crucial way for us to contact our readers and fans. We regularly provide store offers, tips for keeping your skin healthy, how to's for staying stylish and sun smart, and updates on what it's like to run a small business. Sign up to receive our updates and get 10% off your first order. Give us a try, you can unsubscribe anytime!