Hang tag sizes: dimensions, hole sizes and safe area
The most common hang tag is 2 × 3.5 in, a business card turned upright; 2 × 4 in is standard too, often for outerwear, and printers also offer about 2 × 2, 2.5 × 4.5 and 3 × 5 in. The hole is drilled or die-cut by the printer: 1/8 in suits thread and fine elastic and 3/16 in twine, ribbon or plastic fasteners, with 1/4 and 5/16 in at some printers, usually at the top center, left or right. With 0.125 in of bleed, a 2 × 3.5 in tag is set up at 2.25 × 3.75 in, 675 × 1125 pixels at 300 ppi.
Hang tag sizes: dimensions, bleed and pixels
Bleed is 0.125 in on every side for inch sizes and 3 mm for metric ones. Pixels are rounded to the nearest whole pixel.
| Size | Inches | Millimeters | With bleed | Pixels at 300 ppi (with bleed) | Notes and template |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 × 3.5 in | 2 × 3.5 in | 50.8 × 88.9 mm | 2.25 × 3.75 in | 600 × 1,050 px 675 × 1,125 px | The most common Free template |
| 2 × 4 in | 2 × 4 in | 50.8 × 101.6 mm | 2.25 × 4.25 in | 600 × 1,200 px 675 × 1,275 px | |
| 2 × 2 in | 2 × 2 in | 50.8 × 50.8 mm | 2.25 × 2.25 in | 600 × 600 px 675 × 675 px | Jewelry and small goods |
| 2.5 × 4.5 in | 2.5 × 4.5 in | 63.5 × 114.3 mm | 2.75 × 4.75 in | 750 × 1,350 px 825 × 1,425 px | |
| 3 × 5 in | 3 × 5 in | 76.2 × 127 mm | 3.25 × 5.25 in | 900 × 1,500 px 975 × 1,575 px | Room for care details or a story |
The hole and what goes through it
Choose the hole by how the tag is attached. A 1/8 in hole takes thread or fine elastic; 3/16 in takes twine, ribbon or a plastic fastener; some printers also drill 1/4 and 5/16 in for thicker cord. The position comes from the printer too, usually top center, top left or top right, and the distance from the edge differs between them, so place your artwork on their template.
Keep text and logos at least 0.25 in clear of the hole, and leave enough card between the hole and the edge that it doesn’t tear when the tag is pulled; one printer recommends at least 3/16 in. Backgrounds can run under the hole, since that part is cut away. A die-cut shape (rounded, arched or custom) needs a dieline on its own layer: see setting up a dieline.
Front, back and the file
Put the brand on the front and the details on the back: price, size, materials, the story, a web address and the SKU or barcode. A barcode needs its quiet zone and enough size to scan, and a retailer may set its own rules: see barcode won’t scan. If the price is written by hand or added on a sticker, leave a plain area for it on an uncoated stock.
Set both sides up as two pages of one PDF at the finished size, with 0.125 in (3 mm) of bleed and text 0.125 in inside the trim. Tags are cut from heavy cover stock, often 14 pt or 16 pt or thicker, so they hang straight. In the US, care instructions on clothing must be on a label permanently attached to the garment, so a hang tag adds to the sewn-in label rather than replacing it. For stick-on product labels, see label sizes.
Questions
- What is the standard hang tag size?
- 2 × 3.5 in, the size of a business card turned upright, is the most common. 2 × 4 in is also standard, and 2 × 2, 2.5 × 4.5 and 3 × 5 in are offered by many printers for small goods or longer text.
- What size is a hang tag in pixels?
- At 300 ppi, a 2 × 3.5 in tag is 600 × 1050 pixels (675 × 1125 with 0.125 in of bleed), a 2 × 4 in tag is 600 × 1200 (675 × 1275) and a 3 × 5 in tag is 900 × 1500 (975 × 1575).
- What size hole should a hang tag have?
- 1/8 in for thread or fine elastic, and 3/16 in for twine, ribbon or plastic fasteners. Some printers also drill 1/4 and 5/16 in. Check that your string or fastener fits through the size you order.
- Can a hang tag have a barcode?
- Yes, usually on the back. Keep it at a size that scans, with its quiet zone clear, and check whether the retailer has its own requirements. The barcode generator makes vector EAN and UPC codes with the quiet zone built in.
If the printer sends the file back
Terms on this page: Dieline, Die cut (die cutting), Bleed, Safe area (safe zone), Quiet zone.
More print sizes, or all of them on one page:
Cards, paper and stationery: Business card · Postcard · Paper · Envelope · Letterhead · Greeting card · Presentation folder
Flyers, brochures and handouts: Flyer · Brochure · Rack card · Door hanger · Menu · Table tent · Bookmark
Stickers, labels and tags: Sticker · Label
Bottle, can and jar labels: Wine label · Beer label · Water bottle label · Candle label · Jar label
Boxes and packaging: Mailer box · Shipping box · Tuck box · Stand-up pouch · Pizza box
Posters, books and calendars: Poster · Book · Calendar
Signs, billboards and vehicles: Banner · Yard sign · Car magnet · Billboard
T-shirts and apparel: T-shirt
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