An adhesive label is defined above all by its material and its adhesive. A hang tag is not: with no adhesive, what makes it work is its geometry — the size, where the hole is, how much body the film has — and how well it matches the printer that prints it and the fixing that attaches it to the part. That is why the questions to ask when ordering it are different, and why it pays to settle them in order.
This guide goes through the seven details that define a general-purpose hang tag for use without heat: the kind that identifies pallets, coils, profiles, sacks or food product on the shop floor, in the yard or in transit. At the end there is a checklist for ordering one. What a hang tag (or tag) is, when it makes sense compared with an adhesive label and what range is available is explained on the page about hang tags; here we assume you have already decided to hang it.
Dimensions: the content and the printer decide the size
There is no standard size for industrial hang tags. The size comes from three constraints, and it pays to check them in this order:
- What has to fit. A barcode with its quiet zones, text legible from the distance at which it is read (an operator with a scanner at half a metre is not the same as a forklift driver reading from the cab), the logo and the fixed fields. A 1D code needs width; a DataMatrix takes up less space, but requires a 2D reader.
- The printer. The print width of the head (4, 6 or 8 inches on the usual thermal transfer printers) limits one of the two dimensions. If the label is wider than the printer, you can rotate the layout 90° or change equipment, but you need to know this before fixing the size.
- The part and the fixing. The hole and the margin around it take space away from the print, and on a small tag that proportion matters. The tag also has to fit where it hangs without catching during handling or being covered by the strapping or by the package next to it.
A6 and A5 formats are common in industrial identification, but the right size is the one that its content and its printer allow. Also state the hanging orientation: whether the tag hangs vertically, with the hole on the short edge, or horizontally, with the hole in a corner or on the long edge, because it determines how the code is oriented and how the tag goes through the printer.
The hole: position, diameter and reinforcement
The hole is what turns a piece of film into a hang tag, and it is where we see the most failures in specifications: holes too close to the edge, too small for the cable tie, or right where the code was going to be printed.
Position
The usual choice is a hole centred on the short edge or in an upper corner. The closer to the edge, the easier it is for the tag to tear there when pulled; the closer to the centre, the more print area is lost. If the tag is tied at both ends, wrapping around a bale or a package, or hangs horizontally from two points, it needs two holes. Tell us what it will hang from and from where it is read, and we will propose the position.
Diameter
The hole must let through, with some clearance, whatever passes through it: the wire of a hook (1 to 1.8 mm thick in our range), a plastic cable tie, whose head by contrast must not pass through, or a tie wire. We do not give a “standard” diameter because it depends on the fixing and on the size of the tag: tell us which fixing you will use and we will adjust it. If you have not decided yet, the guide to hooks for hang tags explains which reference suits each tag and each fixing point.
⚠ Margin around the hole
Leave enough margin between the hole and the first printed line so that the hook, the cable tie or the wire knot does not cover the code or the field that is read first. It is the most frequent mistake in designs made for an adhesive label and then moved over to a hang tag.
Reinforcement
On card stock, the hole is often reinforced with a metal eyelet or a ring, because paper tears starting at the hole. In the three synthetic films in this guide the material itself is tear-resistant, which is one of the reasons for choosing them, so reinforcement is normally not needed. It is worth considering in two cases: large tags that hang from a single point on a load that moves, and tags that are removed and rehung many times. Reinforcement adds an operation and a cost; tell us how the tag is handled and we will tell you whether it needs it.
Thickness: how much body the tag needs
Thickness decides whether the tag hangs straight or bends, how well it withstands handling and whether it goes through the printer properly. The three general-purpose films cover 100 to 250 µm:
| Material | Thicknesses | Body |
|---|---|---|
| Polyester, Ref. 748 | 125 µm of film, 135 µm in total | Rigid: hangs flat and keeps its shape |
| Polyethylene, Ref. 747 and 749 | 150 µm (747) or 200 µm (749) | Flexible and tear-resistant; the 749 has more body, for large or heavily handled tags |
| Synthetic PP, Ref. 746 | 100, 150, 180, 200 and 250 µm | From thin card to a tag with body for outdoor use |
Values from the technical data sheet of each material.
As a guide, the thinner gauges, from 100 to 150 µm, suit small tags and cards; 200 and 250 µm give body to large tags or ones hung outdoors. More thickness is not always better: a thick film costs more, puts more load on the hole and some desktop printers have a limit on material thickness. Tell us the size and the printer model, and we will propose the thickness.
Material: polyester, polyethylene or synthetic polypropylene
The three general-purpose materials are supplied with no adhesive and no liner, and all three resist water. The choice depends on how the tag is printed, how much it is handled and whether it will be outdoors or in contact with food.
Polyester (PET), Ref. 748
125 µm polyester film (135 µm with the coatings), rigid and with high dimensional stability. It has a print coating on both sides and accepts laser printing on sheets and thermal transfer on rolls. It is the option when printing by laser or when the tag has to hang flat and keep its shape. Technical data sheet for Ref. 748.
Polyethylene (PE), Ref. 747 and 749
High-density polyethylene film, opaque white, 150 µm (Ref. 747) or 200 µm (Ref. 749), flexible and tear-resistant: its data sheet gives more than 16,000 mN in the cross direction and 4,500 or 7,000 mN in the machine direction. It is printed by thermal transfer with a wax-resin ribbon (resin is also valid) and does not accept laser. It is suitable for direct food contact, with its declaration of conformity available on request. The option when the tag is subject to pulling or goes on food product. Technical data sheet for Ref. 747 and 749.
Synthetic polypropylene, Ref. 746
White polypropylene synthetic paper, matt on both sides, in five thicknesses from 100 to 250 µm. According to its data sheet it has excellent outdoor durability and is resistant to moisture and chemicals. It is printed by thermal transfer and by conventional systems (offset, flexography, screen printing), which allows the logo and fixed fields to be preprinted and the variable data added afterwards. The option for product stored in the yard, horticulture and cards. Technical data sheet for Ref. 746.
| What the tag requires | Material |
|---|---|
| Laser printing, on sheets | Polyester, Ref. 748 |
| Hanging flat and keeping its shape | Polyester, Ref. 748 |
| Pulling, bales, heavy handling | Polyethylene, Ref. 747 or 749 |
| Direct food contact | Polyethylene, Ref. 747 or 749 |
| Outdoors, yard, nursery | Synthetic PP, Ref. 746 |
| Offset or flexographic preprint plus variable data | Synthetic PP, Ref. 746, or polyethylene, Ref. 747 or 749 |
| Cards and small tags with little body | Synthetic PP, Ref. 746, 100 to 150 µm |
Guidance based on the technical data sheets. Validation is done with a sample on your printer and in your process.
All three materials are for use without heat. If the part goes through a curing oven, a galvanising bath or a heat treatment with the tag on, the choice changes completely: we explain it in high-temperature labels.
LOTO lockout tags are a separate case: they are products that are already defined, with their text, size and hole, which hang from the lockout device and are not specified with this guide. You will find them in lockout tags.
Fixing: the hook, cable tie or wire determine the hole
The fixing is not decided by the tag but by the part: what attachment point it offers (a strap, a sheet-metal edge, a bar, a mesh, the handle of a sack, the wood of the pallet) and whether the tag is going to be removed and put back. The four systems are compared on the page about hang tags; what matters here is what each one asks of the tag.
- Steel hook. A hole for the hook wire to pass through and a margin of film around it. It goes on and comes off without tools, so it is the usual fixing when the tag changes place during the process. Which reference suits each tag: hooks for hang tags.
- Plastic cable tie. A hole that lets the cable tie through and retains its head. Once closed it can only be removed by cutting it: it is the option for large loads and for tags that must not change place.
- Tie wire. A simple hole; the wire is passed through and twisted. Common on profiles, rebar and steel material, where the metal of the wire is not a problem.
- Bolt. Permanent fixing on machinery or long-life assets: the hole is sized for the bolt and the tag can no longer be replaced without tools. How they are welded and what models there are: weld studs.
Two practical consequences. The hole is sized after choosing the fixing, not before. And if the tag changes fixing during the process (hook in the plant, cable tie at dispatch), it is sized for the more demanding of the two.
Printing and supply format: the printer decides
A hang tag is printed just like an adhesive one, but with no liner, and that changes two things: the format in which it is supplied and how the printer knows where each tag starts.
Thermal transfer
It is the usual system for variable data: batch, weight, destination, code. All three materials accept it. For polyethylene the recommended ribbon is wax-resin (its data sheet also accepts resin); for synthetic polypropylene and polyester, tell us the printer and the use and we will recommend the ribbon, which we also supply. The difference between wax, wax-resin and resin is explained in thermal transfer ribbons. Tags are supplied on a roll or fanfolded, with the hole already punched.
Laser
For short runs, designs that change, or plants without a thermal transfer printer. Of the three materials, only the polyester of Ref. 748 accepts it: it is supplied in A4 sheets or to size, with the tags die-cut and the hole made, to be separated once printed. Polyethylene is not compatible with laser, and the data sheet of the synthetic polypropylene does not state it.
By hand
When the tag is filled in on the shop floor, for example to note a batch, an inspection or a non-conformity, it can also be written on by hand with a permanent marker, either blank or on a tag preprinted with the fields. Test the marker on a sample of the material before putting it into use, especially if the tag will be outdoors or in contact with water or oil.
Fixed preprint plus variable data
The logo, the fields, the company colours or text in several languages are preprinted by offset, flexography or screen printing, and the plant then adds the variable data by thermal transfer. Synthetic polypropylene and polyethylene both accept this; tell us what is fixed and what is variable, and in how many colours.
How the printer detects each tag
With no liner there is no gap between labels for the sensor to see. The printer detects the start of each tag by the hole itself or by a notch in the edge, with the transmissive sensor, or by a black mark printed on the back, with the reflective sensor. This has to be decided when specifying, because the mark is printed and the notch is die-cut. Tell us the printer model and we will confirm which system it supports; for the other decisions about the equipment, see types of label printer.
Checklist: the information we need to quote
With this information the proposal is technical, and the sample is the final confirmation. You do not need to have it all: tell us what you know and we will complete the rest with you.
- Dimensions (width × height) and hanging orientation.
- Hole: how many, position and diameter, or the fixing you will use so that we can size it.
- Fixing: hook, cable tie, wire or bolt, and whether the tag changes place during the process.
- Material and thickness, or the use: handling, outdoors, food contact, laser printing.
- Printer: printing system, make and model, and the sensor it uses if you know it.
- Supply format: roll, fanfold or sheets. For rolls, the core diameter and the maximum outside diameter the printer accepts.
- Preprint: what is fixed (logo, fields, colours) and what is variable.
- Sides: whether it is printed or read on both.
- Quantities: per order and annual forecast.
- Environment: indoors, yard, cold room, transit; and whether the part goes through an oven, because then the material is a different one.
“A hang tag is specified in this order: content, printer, fixing and, only then, hole and thickness.”
Do you have the size and the printer, but not the fixing or the hole? Tell us what you know and we will complete the rest.
Ask with no obligationSummary
A hang tag is defined by seven details: dimensions, hole, thickness, material, fixing, printing and supply format. The first three are geometry and depend on the other four: the content and the printer set the size, the fixing sets the hole and the handling sets the thickness.
For general use without heat there are three films with no adhesive: the polyester of Ref. 748 when printing by laser or when the tag must hang flat; the polyethylene of Ref. 747 and 749 when it is heavily handled or goes on food; the synthetic polypropylene of Ref. 746 for outdoor use, horticulture and cards. In general, none of them needs reinforcement at the hole.
With the checklist completed, the proposal arrives with a sample so that you can validate it on your printer and in your process.
Frequently asked questions
What details do I need to order a hang tag?
The dimensions and hanging orientation, how many holes it has and where, how it will be fixed (hook, cable tie, wire or bolt), the material or the use it will have, the printer it is printed on, the supply format (roll, fanfold or sheets), what is preprinted and what is variable, the quantities and the environment. You do not need to have them all: with the size, the printer and the fixing, the rest can be completed.
Where is the hole of a hang tag placed, and what diameter should it be?
Usually centred on the short edge or in an upper corner, with enough margin so that the tag does not tear and so that the hook or cable tie does not cover the code. The diameter depends on the fixing: it must let through, with some clearance, the hook wire, 1 to 1.8 mm in our range, or the cable tie, retaining its head. There is no standard diameter; it is adjusted to the fixing and to the size of the tag.
Does the hole need to be reinforced with an eyelet?
On card stock, often yes, because paper tears starting at the hole. In synthetic films (polyester, polyethylene and synthetic polypropylene) the material is tear-resistant and normally no reinforcement is needed. It is worth considering on large tags that hang from a single point on loads that move, or that are removed and rehung many times.
What thickness should I choose for a hang tag?
Between 100 and 250 µm depending on size and use. The thinner gauges, from 100 to 150 µm, suit small tags and cards; 200 and 250 µm give body to large tags or ones hung outdoors. The polyester of Ref. 748 is 135 µm and rigid; the polyethylene comes in 150 µm (Ref. 747) or 200 µm (Ref. 749); the synthetic polypropylene of Ref. 746, in five thicknesses from 100 to 250 µm. Also check the thickness limit of your printer.
How does the printer know where each tag starts if there is no liner?
By the hole or by a notch in the edge, with the transmissive sensor, or by a black mark printed on the back, with the reflective sensor. This has to be decided when specifying the tag, because the mark is printed and the notch is die-cut. Tell us the printer model and we will confirm which system it supports.
Can a hang tag be printed on both sides?
The polyester of Ref. 748 has a print coating on both sides. The polyethylene of Ref. 747 and 749 has a treated back, which allows printing on the reverse as well. The synthetic polypropylene of Ref. 746 has the same matt finish on both sides; if you need to print on the back, validate it with a sample on your printer. Tell us when ordering, because it changes the design and the printing process.