Even in retail competition in the modern era, brands are becoming more and more focused on the small nuances that differentiate them from others within the same niche. This includes the hang tag, an often neglected yet integral piece of product showcasing. As we progress into 2025, custom hang tags designed with more thought are in higher demand. This is because these not only convey the brand message but are also an influential factor in the purchasing decision, more so when aesthetics and sustainability are of concern. It is critical to pick the proper material for either an eco-friendly product or a luxury fashion line.
Custom hang tags materials choices affect the tags’ aesthetics and eco-friendly footprint. Brands are still leaning towards traditional paper, but are now more open to alternate, stylish, and sustainable options. Coated and organic textures are just a glimpse of what is offered nowadays. Providing retail hang tags or paper hang tags with string, made with best suited materials adds to the product appeal and strengthens the brand message.
Kraft Paper
Kraft paper remains a top choice for custom hang tags in 2025, particularly for brands focused on sustainability and a natural look. With its earthy texture and neutral color, it appeals to eco-friendly businesses and consumers. The material is produced via a chemical pulping method that retains a greater portion of the wood’s strength, which aids in making the tag more durable and tear resistant. Kraft paper is suitable for handmade, artisanal, and organic products and adds a rustic charm that appeals to consumers seeking authenticity.
Its raw and uncoated surface makes kraft paper adaptable to bold logos and minimalist designs, to match the brand’s image. It can be printed with eco-friendly inks, and looks great with jute or hemp twine. For those who like a stringed paper hang tag, kraft works well because of its stiffness and shape retention ability with light support. A number of retail hang tags crafted from kraft paper highlight their biodegradable attributes, thereby reinforcing a sustainable message without compromising design aesthetics.
Coated Paperboard
For companies looking to create sleek and premium custom hang tags, coated paperboard is one of the best options. The glossy and matte finishes of the coated surface bring out the colors and offer a smooth paperboard surface to print on. This paperboard is popular among fashion, cosmetics, and electronics retailers because it projects a clean, professional, and well-established brand. It is also useful in the retail sector because it does not get dirty and is resistant to moisture, which can be a problem in all retail places where presentation is crucial.
Coated paperboard’s smooth surface makes it easier to apply intricate design additions like embossing, foil stamping, and spot UV coating. These additions are perfect to display sophistication and attention to detail, which is often the goal for hang tags in the luxury segment of the retail market. As paper hang tags with string, this material beautifully complements elegant strings like waxed cord or satin. As of 2025, brands wanting eye-catching visuals and durability in the design of their hang tags will continue to prefer coated paperboard.
Cotton and Fabric
The use of Cotton and Fabric is on the rise as brands look for more luxurious and tactile materials for custom hang tags. Unlike paper tags, fabric hang tags are soft and refined, which adds an element of sophistication and elevates the customer unboxing experience. Fabric and Cotton tags are common within the boutique fashion, bridal, and handmade goods industries which emphasize on craftsmanship. Fabric tags offer tags that are woven, embroidered, or printed which provide far greater customization than standard materials.
Although Cotton and Fabric tags are not paper-based, they are often lumped in the same category as paper tags. Woven with threads or fine twine, they fall under the category of paper hang tags with string. While reinforcing premium branding, these tags also hold up well over time as they resist tearing and fraying. In the realm of retail hang tags, fabric hang tags also communicate value and exclusivity which aligns well with the slow fashion and artisanal product movement. Although more expensive to produce, the tactile appeal adds value especially for brands looking to set themselves apart, which makes the investment worthwhile.
Recycled Cardstock
Recycled cardstock is quickly becoming the go-to material for companies looking to produce custom hang tags for eco-friendly brands. It blends aesthetics with sustainability by repurposing post-consumer waste into tag stock. This material is likely to resonate with customers who appreciate sustainability and transparency. Typically, the material is uncoated or only lightly treated, providing the tag with a raw, textured and natural appearance. In 2025, businesses are projected to shift towards recycled materials for brand elements beyond packaging.
These tags accommodate a broad spectrum of design styles, from muted and minimal to bold and graphic. To complete the tags’ eco-friendly presentation, brands commonly use soy-based inks and natural fiber strings like jute or cotton, making them exemplary paper hang tags with string. Recycled cardstock is also advantageous in terms of size and shape, making it suitable for a range of industries from food to fashion. As retail hang tags, they fulfill both aesthetic and environmental functions, providing brands competitive advantage in the sustainability focused markets.
PVC or Plastic Substitutes
Despite the rising importance of sustainability, certain industries still prefer the use of synthetic materials due to their unrivaled strength and resilience. PVC and newer biodegradable plastics are likely to be used in 2025 for custom hang tags that need to be high-stress durable. These materials are commonly found in the construction of outdoor equipment, luggage, and certain class apparel where tags must endure moisture, abrasion, and rough handling. PVC’s pliability, as well as its unmarred surface, allows for intricate designs and multi-shaded prints.
PVC imitator eco-friendly plastics lack the environmental negatives that its predecessor holds. Such biodegradable or recyclable plastics are actively used in retail hang tags as markers that need to be sturdy yet responsible. Such plastics bear high-tech functions like QR codes or NFC chips, thus allowing brands to unleash their creativity. Although these are not paper hang tags with a string, they are practical as they are attached using elastic cords or synthetic string. For brands in need of durable tags, resistant to weather conditions, plastic and its alternates are imperative in the options of materials.