How to read clothing care labels
In short
A care label comes down to five symbols: the washtub for washing, the circle for professional cleaning, the square for drying, the iron for ironing and the triangle for bleaching. Dots show the temperature, and a crossed-out symbol means that treatment is not allowed.
Care labels are not there to scratch the back of your neck, even if they are sometimes very good at it. Their job is far more useful: they tell you how to look after a garment properly, so you avoid nasty surprises. Who hasn't seen a favourite jumper shrink to fit a ten-year-old, or socks turn blue after a wash with new jeans? Most of these small everyday disasters can be avoided just by reading the label.
Washing: the washtub
The washing symbol is always a small tub filled with water.
- Plain washtub: the garment can be machine washed.
- Washtub with a temperature or dots: the highest temperature it can take (30 °C, 40 °C…).
- Hand in the washtub: hand wash recommended.
- Crossed-out washtub: do not wash in water.
Professional cleaning: the circle
This is the circle, often with a letter inside:
- P or F: dry cleaning, the letter showing which type of solvent to use.
- W: professional wet cleaning (aqua cleaning).
- Crossed-out circle: no professional cleaning.
Drying: the square
It is shown as a circle inside a square:
- 1 to 3 dots in the circle: tumble drying allowed, from low to high heat.
- Crossed-out symbol: do not tumble dry.
Ironing: the iron
It is shown as an iron:
- 1 dot: low heat (110 °C maximum).
- 2 dots: medium heat (150 °C maximum).
- 3 dots: high heat (up to 200 °C).
- Crossed-out iron: do not iron.
Bleaching: the triangle
- Empty triangle: bleaching allowed, with or without chlorine.
- Triangle with two lines: non-chlorine bleach only.
- Crossed-out triangle: do not bleach.
Label missing, or not sure? Bring the item to the shop and we will choose the safest treatment for its fabric.