Polybag Standards & Labels

Polybag and Polybag Sticker Requirements ....................................................................... 2 Polybag Warning ............................................................................................................ 2 Flat Packed Polybags ...................................................................................................... 3 GOH Polybags ................................................................................................................ 3 Carefree Products Polybags ............................................................................................ 3 Light Sensitive Product Protective Polybags.................................................................. 4 Master Polybags and Carton Liners................................................................................ 4 Adhesive Tape for Sealing Polybags .............................................................................. 5 U.P.C. Label on Polybags ............................................................................................... 7 Shade Sticker on Polybags and Cartons.......................................................................... 9 Vendors Internal Bar Codes on Polybags................................................................... 10 Property Mark Label (for Juicy Couture only) ............................................................. 11

Polybag Standards & Labels

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Polybag and Polybag Sticker Requirements

The purpose of the polybag requirements is to properly protect the garments from discoloration and from becoming soiled.

Polybag Warning

All individual polybags for flat pack and GOH should have English, French, and Spanish warnings printed on the back of bag, as follows: ENGLISH: CAUTION: PLASTIC BAGS CAN BE DANGEROUS. TO AVOID DANGER OF SUFFOCATION, KEEP THIS BAG AWAY FROM BABIES AND CHILDREN SPANISH: ADVERTENCIA: BOLSAS PLASTICAS PUEDEN SER PELIGROSAS PARA EVITAR PELIGRO DE ASFIXIA, MANTENGA ESTA BOLSA FUERA DEL ALCANCE DE BEBES Y NINOS. FRENCH:ATTENTION: LES SACS EN PLASTIQUE PEUVENT ETRE DANGEREUX POUR EVITER TOUT DANGER DE SUFFOCATION, GARDEZ CE SAC HORS DELATTEINTE DES BEBES ET DES ENFANTS The number of repeats is optional. The font size should be at least 20-points. Warning should be printed in Black.

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Polybag Standards & Labels

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Flat Packed Polybags

No. Requirement

2 3 4 5

Polybags must be free of Butylated Hydroxyl Toluene (BHT). This agent will create problems of yellowing. The presence of only a few parts of BHT per million will create garment discoloration. The polybag thickness for a flat packed garment with or without a lip must be 0.00075 to 0.00125 Inches ( 0.019 to 0.032mm) Maximum excess bag tolerance around garment is 1-inch. Polybags should be closed with minimum 2 strips of adhesive tape or heat sealed. See Adhesive Tape Requirements See separate section for Carefree Products polybags

GOH Polybags
No. Requirement

2 3 4 5

Polybags must be free of Butylated Hydroxyl Toluene (BHT). This agent will create problems of yellowing. The presence of only a few parts of BHT per million will create garment discoloration. The polybag thickness for a garment on a hanger must be 0.00075 to 0.00125 Inches ( 0.019 to 0.032mm) Polybag hanger openings for pants/skirts (GOH) must be no more than 2-inches. Polybags must have straight cut at the top of the bag for bottom garments rather than a diagonal cut. Polybags on hanging garments must have no more than 3-inch excess at bottom and should be heat-sealed or taped closed with a minimum of 2 strips of adhesive tape. See Adhesive Tape Requirements Polybags must be the correct size for the garment and should be no more than 1-inch wider than the garment. Poly bags for the top (Jacket, shirts) must follow the shoulder slope of the hanger. See separate section for Carefree Products polybags

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Carefree Products Polybags

No. Requirement

2 3

GOHF and Flatpack polybags should have sealed bottom and a small hole tp allow the fabric to breathe. Note: The hole in the poly bag can be an X cut or 1/8 in diameter. GOHH Pants polybags should have sealed bottom and 1 hole GOHH Jackets should have no holes in bag. Leave bottom of bag unsealed and extend bag 3 inches longer than jacket.

Polybag Standards & Labels

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Light Sensitive Product Protective Polybags

No. All silk and suede leather garments have the potential to fade due to light exposure. Certain high intensity colors are more susceptible to this condition than others.

2 3

All silk, silk blends and suede leather garments are to be shipped in a gray window bag. In every case, the contractor must take precautions to reduce garment exposure to light when the garments are in the factory. The use of dark fabric to cover racks of garments on hangers is recommended. Storage of completed garments in darkened areas is also recommended.
Dark Garment Polybag with Window

6from top to (lowest point) 4 from edge

Master Polybags and Carton Liners

No. Requirement

1 2

Master Polybags must be clear, non-opaque and free of Butylated Hydroxyl Toluene (BHT). Master Polybag thickness should be sufficiently strong to hold the contents without bursting. Medium strength bags - 0.00075 to 0.00125 Inches ( 0.019 to 0.032mm). Maximum strength bags 0.015 to 0.0025 Inches (0.038 to 0.064 mm) Dimensions of the Master Polybag must match the contents. Master Polybags should be large enough to enclose the entire contents but not too large resulting in excess plastic. GOH Master Polybags should not be more than 4 longer than the garments. Child Safety Warning is not required on Master Polybags No stickers are required on Master Polybags Master Polybags should not be sealed GOH Master Polybags should have sloping shoulders and have openings for hangers not more than 3 inches wide.

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Polybag Standards & Labels

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Adhesive Tape for Sealing Polybags

Requirements

Description

All polybags are required to be sealed with either a heat-sealing machine or 3M Brand Series 600 Scotch Tape. This tape is BHT free and uses an acrylic adhesive. This 600 series tape will not change or remove color from certain dyestuffs. Any other tape that is used will be at the contractors liability. Any losses of color from a rubber based or BHT added tape would be charged back to the contractor at 100% of the LDP price of garments. Adhesive tapes that are used to close the plastic garment bags sometimes stain the garments even though they are not in direct contact with the garment itself. The stains are a permanent change and cannot be removed. This can also happen with bags that have an adhesive on the bag itself or with any other adhesive label etc.

We have identified the adhesive tape #600 made by the 3M company as safe (not causing any stains). This tape uses a synthetic acrylic adhesive rather than a rubber based adhesive. Rubber based adhesives (natural and synthetic) need stabilizing additives that contain BHT or other phenols that are known to stain textiles. Although tapes with an acrylic adhesive in general can be considered safe, all such tapes other than the 3M #600 must be tested by the garment manufacturer before use (see testing procedure below). Tapes with rubber based adhesives can be assumed bad and should not be used. Identifying the In order to determine the type of adhesive on a given tape, a product type of adhesive information sheet should be requested from the supplier.
in adhesive tapes and size strips

The type of adhesive used can also be identified by applying a few drops of Methyl Ethyl Ketone to the tape. This chemical will soften and dissolve acrylic adhesives within 10 to 15 seconds, but not rubber based adhesives. Depending on the type of the tape itself, this may also dissolve, but we have not found any relationship of the actual tape to the staining. Only the adhesive seems to do that. Methyl Ethyl Ketone can be purchased in paint stores under several different names: Z-Butanone, AMSCO Solv 5490, Butanone, Methyl Acetone, PCN UCD 15490, PCN UCD 5490, UCD 780, etc. It is a solvent used for thinning certain paints. It is very volatile, noxious, and flammable and must be used with appropriate caution.

Polybag Standards & Labels

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Testing Procedure
Step

To make sure that the tape used does not stain the garments the following test should be performed: Action

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Place a piece of fabric in the plastic bag that the garment will be packed in. A bright royal color is best to show any change but most other strong shades are also affected. Place a piece of the tape on the outside of the bag. It is recommended that for control purposes additional pieces of 3M #600 tape (good = no discoloration) and 3M #500 (bad = will discolor) are placed on the bag along with the tape to be tested. Place the so prepared fabric in a controlled environment of 65 degrees centigrade (150 F) and 90% relative humidity for a period of at least 3 to 4 days (one week is recommended). Moderate pressure should be applied during this period to keep the plastic and the tape in contact with the fabric and the position of the tapes relative to the fabric should not be disturbed. Evaluate the appearance of the fabric. If the tape is bad then a discoloration will be seen exactly where the tape was placed on the fabric (the rest of the fabric will be unaffected). If a control of 3M #500 is used then that must show staining on the fabric, otherwise the test is inconclusive and must be repeated, possibly with a different color fabric. Note: If a control of 3M #500 and 3M #600 is used then a quick evaluation can be done already after one day exposure, if the #500 tape shows the expected staining at that point. A follow up test for the full length of one week is recommended.

Polybag Standards & Labels

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U.P.C. Label on Polybags

Color coded UPC stickers must be placed on all individual polybags on all garments shipped to LCI warehouses. The stickers are essential to ensure product flows smoothly through the warehouse sortation system and must be correctly printed and accurately positioned on all polybags. The color of the sticker must match the size color on the hangtag on the garment in the polybag. See VICS Size to Color Cross-Reference Chart in Labels, Care Codes, Hangtags, Size Strips & EAS section for appropriate color per size. The UPC code on the sticker must match the UPC code of the garment in the polybag. See UPC Label on Cartons

Photo

Color of UPC sticker and Size Color must match

Requirement

UPC Codes must match

The UPC barcode must be 1 3/16-inch long with a bar height of 1 1/8-inch and a quiet zone on each side of minimum. It must be BHT free to prevent garment staining.

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Photo

Requirement

Placement of stickers on GOH is a minimum of 2-inches and a maximum of 3-inches measured from the hook of the hanger (center of hook to center of sticker). The sticker must be positioned against the hanger so the entire barcode is on the front of the garment and the color size portion of the sticker wraps over the top of the hanger at the diagonal perforation for tops and the horizontal perforation for bottoms. For accurate positioning of the sticker, the bag should have a black line, indicating the placement.

Stickers must be aligned as shown with the barcode being vertical.

Note: excess polybag above hanger is folded back so that UPC sticker is supported against hanger with solid color top of sticker folded over top of hanger and holding down excess polybag.

UNACCEPTABLE: Note the excess polybag above hanger. Note UPC sticker is not supported against hanger.

Polybag Standards & Labels

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Placement of UPC stickers of flat pack garments should be center front of polybag.

Shade Sticker on Polybags and Cartons

Purpose Description All cartons and polybags that contain shade-sorted garments, must have a colored sticker attached in the proper location. The colored stickers should be a round disc, 3/4 TO 1 IN DIAMETER. This sticker must be BHT free. Stickers and tapes must be an acrylic adhesive not a rubber based. See Adhesive Tape requirements for adhesive testing procedure.
Note: Write or print the Shade Letter on each sticker Use white dot to designate either shade or construction change of fabric on chase orders.

Sticker

Shade Letter A

Color No sticker required Dark blue Green Yellow Lilac Light blue Orange Red

Pantone Color

Sticker

Shade I

Color White

Pantone Color

B C D E F G H

2935U 340U 101U 257U 2905U 151U 032U

J K L M N O

Black Pink Gold Light green Bright lavender Purple 218U 111U 622U 514U 5205U

Polybag Standards & Labels

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When multiple shades of the same color exist in a style, there must be colored sticker attached to the polybag. All garments that have shade stickers attached should be sorted and packed together. See
Shade Sticker Placement on Cartons
GOH FLAT PACK

Attach sticker to the left side (same side as the hangtag) of the polybag.

Attach sticker to the center of the flat packed bag.

Shade Sticker Placement on Cartons

All cartons that contain shade-sorted garments must have a colored sticker applied to the outside of the carton. The sticker should be placed in the Lot Number area of the carton markings

Vendors Internal Bar Codes on Polybags

This is not a Liz Claiborne requirement but vendors who use bar-codes for internal controls may place these labels on polybag as follows: Must be centered on back of polybag on the reverse side to the UPC sticker Cannot exceed 1 X 1 in size Cannot be color coded, must be white

Polybag Standards & Labels

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Property Mark Label (for Juicy Couture only)

On all Juicy Couture source orders which have been Property Marked, ( e,g. PMX for Palacio de Hierro in Mexico or MRMX for Marmaxx) a label showing that Property Mark must be placed on the polybag of each item on that source order. Apparel: Label dimensions approximately 1 x 1 3/8 Label Color white with black type, Font size 16 PMX Label Placement Hanging Garments Top right corner on the front of the polybag, beside the shade sticker shown above. Folded Garments Bottom right corner on the front of the polybag, 1 in from the edge and 1 up from the bottom of the polybag. Accessories: Label dimensions and color: The label should have the same dimensions and color as the label which is used for UPC code for accessory products. Print the Property Mark instead of the bar-code. Label Placement on polybags : Bottom right corner on the back of the polybag, 1 in from the edge and 1 up from the bottom of the polybag. The UPC code label and the property mark label should not be on the same side of the polybag. Label Placement on boxes: when individual items are shipped in boxes, the label should be placed on the bottom of the box.

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Polybag Standards & Labels

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