Deep Thinking On Camp Name Tags

 

Name tapes. These little strips of nylon or cloth will ensure that your child doesn't need a new outfit every week, regardless of whether they are at day camp or camp. Towels and underwear can also disappear mysteriously. Even though practical moms strive to think disposable when it comes camp clothing, it can be frustrating to have twelve bathing suits at the beginning of the season and three at the end.

Name tapes are something I've been interested in for a while. These little suckers were something I discovered my first Stick on name labels summer at camp. My underwear fell onto the sports court while returning from camp laundry. It wasn't long until everyone realized it was my underwear, which had been sitting on the #3 tennis court for several days!

I was 16 years old. I was just being hired by an established camp outfitter in town. Although I had hoped to work on the sales floor, I was quickly relegated down to the basement. There, I worked with three other girls sweatshop-style over sewing machines attaching a constant stream of name tapes onto camp orders. We used white thread for light clothes and black thread for dark clothes. You might even say that I had done some research before my children were ready to go to camp.

Sew In Tapes

In the first summer of my children's lives, I hired my seamstress as a seamstress to make their name tapes. These labels will, without doubt, remain on for ever. My children, who already had label issues, couldn't bear the itching of these tags. This method was certainly expensive.

Laundry stamper

The laundry stamp was my next attempt. Although it is useful for labeling last-minute items, the ink faded over time and didn't show up on dark clothes. It is still handy for quick fixes.

Iron-On Name Tapes

The next year, I tried iron-on name tapes. I was shocked when the first set of nylon tapes I ordered came out to be inferior. I quickly reordered fabric varieties. When it was time to iron-on, however, I discovered something. Although the fabric ones stayed on well, they were easily detectable (and could be pulled off by my label-sensitive children). However, the nylon ones adhered perfectly and did not seem to come off. They are also smooth and don’t cause itching. They are my favorite!

Tattoos on Clothing

The newest addition to the name-label market is the clothing tattoo. I'm intrigued by them. These permanent iron-on transfers come in fun, unique colors and shapes. They stick to clothing and can be dried safely. This is the trend that most clothing manufacturers are following (think Hanes(r), new "labeless") underwear. Price is the main problem with clothing tattoos. For 50 tattoos, they will cost you $18.50. This is a lot more than traditional labels. That is why I have yet try them.