APPAREL AND TEXTILE CARE SYMBOLS

* Remember, the care label is in your garments to help you clean them safely.

* Follow them and you should end up with good results and if things go wrong it will be someone else's fault. Ignore them and it's likely to be your fault if your clothes get ruined.

* The order of the washing symbols have been formalised so that all countries should now follow the same order and anyone anywhere should be able to understand the system

SYMBOL TYPES

MACHINE WASH SYMBOL

• This symbol solely refers to machine washing.

• Previously the correct temperature for washing has been indicated by a number inside the tub but now there will be a series of dots that do the same job.

MACHINE WASH SYMBOL

• A bar under the tub signifies a gentler treatment in the machine.

gentler treatment

MACHINE WASH SYMBOL

• A stylized washtub is shown, and the number in the tub means the maximum wash temperature (degrees Celsius).

Wash at or below 30°C

MACHINE WASH SYMBOL

• A double bar signifies very gentle handling.

very gentle handling

MACHINE WASH SYMBOL

• A hand in the tub signifies that only (gentle) hand washing (not above 40°C) is allowed.

hand washing

MACHINE WASH SYMBOL

• A cross through washtub means that the textile may not be washed under normal household conditions.

may not be washed under normal

DRY/CHEMICAL CLEANING SYMBOL

• This is the dry cleaning symbol, but the symbol itself doesn't tell the full story.

• There should be an additional letter inside the circle, indicating what type of dry cleaning a garment can be put through.

• In addition, the bar underneath the symbol gives additional information.

DRY/CHEMICAL CLEANING SYMBOL

• A circle identifies the possibilities of professional cleaning.

• A bar under the symbol means clean gently, and two bars means very gentle cleaning.

DRY/CHEMICAL CLEANING SYMBOL

• The letters P and F in a circle are for the different solvents used by professional dry cleaners.

Dry clean, hydrocarbon solvent only

(HCS)

Gentle cleaning with

hydrocarbon solvents

Very gentle cleaning with hydrocarbon

solvents

DRY/CHEMICAL CLEANING SYMBOL

• The letters P and F in a circle are for the different solvents used by professional dry cleaners.

Dryclean, tetrachloroeth

ylene (PCE) only

Gentle cleaning with PCE

Very gentle cleaning with

PCE

DRY/CHEMICAL CLEANING SYMBOL

• A cross symbol means do not dry-clean, Polyolefins.

• Items with special finishes or additions

Do not dry clean

BLEACHING SYMBOL

• An empty triangle (formerly lettered Cl) allows the bleaching with chlorine or non-chlorine bleach.

• Two oblique lines in the triangle prohibit chlorine bleaching.

• A crossed triangle prohibits any bleaching.

BLEACHING SYMBOL

• Non-chlorine bleach only

• Some wools & silks, anything OK with chlorine bleach.

Bleaching with chlorine allowed (obsolete)

BLEACHING SYMBOL

Do not bleach• Do not bleach• Wool, silk.

TUMBLE DRYING SYMBOL

• A circle in the square symbolizes a dryer. • One dot requires drying at reduced

temperature and two dots for normal temperature.

• The crossed symbol means that the clothing does not tolerate machine drying. In the U.S. and Japan, there are other icons for natural drying.

Tumble drying (low

temperature)

Tumble drying (normal)

Do not tumble dry

TUMBLE DRYING SYMBOL

NATURAL DRYING SYMBOL

Line dry Dry flat Drip dryDry in the

shade

NATURAL DRYING SYMBOL

Line dry in the shade

Dry flat in shade

Drip dry in shade

NATURAL DRYING SYMBOL

IRONING SYMBOL

• The ironing symbol lets you know that you can iron a garment or fabric.

• However the dots let you know what temperature you can iron at.

• The iron with up to three dots allows for ironing. • The number of dots are assigned temperatures: One

point means 110°C, two points means 150°C and three points means 200°C.

• An iron with a cross prohibits ironing.

Iron at low temperatu

re

Iron at medium

temperature

Iron at high

temperature

Do not iron

IRONING SYMBOL

WET CLEANING SYMBOL

• The letter W in a circle is for professional wet cleaning.

Gentle wet cleaning

Very gentle wet cleaning

Professional wet cleaning is

not allowed

WET CLEANING SYMBOL

1. Washing Symbols 2. Bleaching Symbols 3. Drying Symbols

4. Ironing/Pressing Symbols

5. Temperature of Water (dry-cleaning) Symbols

SYMBOL TYPES