Should I leave the tags in a reconstructed garment?

Today’s Crafty Business Advice Question comes from Joy.

I had a question about recon clothing.. I have been purchasing gently used thrift store clothing and or clearance items and refashioning them to sell..Do I cut  the tag out or leave it in?? For example, I have items from J Crew, Old Navy etc. I add things and cut some things out. Do I cut the tag out if I am cutting them up or refashioning them? Not sure what the laws are or etiquette.

I would cut the tags off. Once you recon an item, you’ve made your own unique piece, so the focus and credit should go to you. It’s not illegal either way, of course, so you could leave them if you wanted.

One thing you should be wary of is mentioning the brand names in your item title or description. Calling something a “reconstructed J Crew hoodie”, for example, could get your listing removed on a site like Etsy. While it’s perfectly legal for you to sell such an item, some companies are very protective of their trademarks, and they’ll have your item removed on the basis that you don’t have their permission to use the trademarked name “J Crew”.
Happy crafting!

-Lex

 

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2 thoughts on “Should I leave the tags in a reconstructed garment?

  1. We leave the tags in all of the shirts we print. 1) we are selling their brand even if our art is the focus 2) people have a right to know what brand they are wearing 3) the fiber content and country of origin is important ton the buyer.

    We do attache our shop tag to it however, like a price tag, but with washing info to extend the life of the garment and our contact info to encourage reorders.

    1. I was specifically addressing recycled garments that have been altered from their original state. I definitely see the logic in leaving tags in shirts you’re printing, though it is of course up to the designer whether or not they want to leave the tags in or not.

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