Robust merchandise tags, patches, inlays and labels are provided for mounting on garments, fabrics, apparel accessories and other flexible merchandising materials. These are robust enough to withstand processing during manufacturing, including steps such as machine washing, stone washing and chemical treatments, while being capable of remaining on the garment, fabric or the like during inventory handling, merchandising and consumer use. The robust merchandise tags combine a hybrid-slot loop antenna structure with an uncharacteristically large area conductor sheet in the nature of a foil or the like. Overlaminations and fold-over portions also can be included for robustness enhancement.