A laundry symbol, also called a care symbol, is a pictogram indicating the manufacturer's suggestions as to methods of washing, drying, dry cleaning and ironing clothing. Such symbols are written on labels, known as care labels or care tags, attached to clothing to indicate how a particular item should best be cleaned. While there are internationally recognized standards for the care labels and pictograms, their exact use and form differ by region. In some standards, pictograms coexist with or are complemented by written instructions.
Standards
GINETEX, the France-based European association for textile care labelling, was formed in 1963 in part to define international standards for the care and labelling of textiles.
By the early 1970s, GINETEX was working with
ISO to develop international standards for textile labelling, eventually leading to the ISO 3758 standard,
Textiles – Care labelling code using symbols.
ISO 3758 was supplemented in 1993, revised in 2005 and again in 2012 and 2023 with reviews of the standard held on a five-year cycle.
In March 1970, the Canadian Government Specifications Board published 86-GP-1, Standard for Care Labelling of Textiles,[ Standard for Care Labelling of Textiles: 86-GP-1, Canadian Government Specifications Board, Department of Supply and Services; Ottawa: March 1970.] which promoted a symbol-based textile care labelling system in which symbols were colored: green indicated "no precautions are necessary", yellow indicated "some caution is necessary", and red indicated "prohibited". Publication 86-GP-1 was revised several times over the following three decades; the most noteworthy change was in 1979, when temperatures changed from Fahrenheit to Celsius, and any additional instructions were to be added in text, in both English and French. In 2003, the system was withdrawn in favor of a black-and-white symbol-based system harmonized with North American and international standards.
In 1996, in the United States, ASTM International published a system of pictorial care instructions as D5489 Standard Guide for Care Symbols for Care Instructions on Textile Products, with revisions in 1998, 2001, 2007, 2014, and 2018.
American Cleaning institute developed and published their guide to fabric care symbols.
Additional textile care labelling systems have been developed for Australia, China, and Japan.
Pictograms
General
The care label describes the allowable treatment of the garment without damaging the textile. Whether this treatment is necessary or sufficient, is not stated. A milder than specified treatment is always acceptable. The symbols are protected and their use is required to comply with the license conditions; incorrect labelling is prohibited. A bar below each symbol calls for a gentler treatment than usual and a double bar for a very gentle treatment.
Washing
A stylized
washtub is shown, and the number in the tub means the maximum wash temperature (degrees Celsius). A bar under the tub signifies a gentler treatment in the
washing machine. A double bar signifies very gentle handling. A hand in the tub signifies that only (gentle) hand washing (not above 40 °C) is allowed. A cross through washtub means that the textile may not be washed under normal household conditions. In the North American standard, dots are used to indicate the proper temperature range.
In the European standard, the level of wash agitation recommended is indicated by bars below the wash tub symbol. Absence of bar indicates a maximum agitation (cotton wash), a single bar indicates medium agitation (synthetics cycle) and a double bar indicates very minimal agitation (silk/wool cycle).
File:Waschen.svg|Washing symbol
File:Waschen 30.svg|Wash at or below (US, 1 dot, ●)
File:Waschen 40.svg|Wash at or below (US, 2 dots, ●●)
File:Waschen 50.svg|Wash at or below (US, 3 dots, ●●●)
File:Waschen 60.svg|Wash at or below (US, 4 dots, ●●●●)
File:Handwäsche.svg|Hand wash
File:Nicht waschen.svg|Do not wash
Bleaching
An empty
triangle (formerly lettered Cl) allows the
with
chlorine or non-chlorine bleach. Two oblique lines in the triangle prohibit chlorine bleaching. A crossed triangle prohibits any bleaching.
File:Bleichen.svg|Bleaching symbol (allowed for both chlorine and non-chlorine bleach)
File:Bleichen mit chlor.svg|Bleaching with chlorine allowed (obsolete)
File:Sauerstoffbleichen.svg|Non-chlorine bleach when needed
File:Nicht bleichen v2.svg|Do not bleach
File:Nicht bleichen.svg|Do not bleach
Drying
A
circle in the square symbolizes a
clothes 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 US and Japan, there are other icons for natural/line drying.
Tumble drying
File:Trommeltrocknen.svg|Tumble drying symbol
File:Trommeltrocknen 1.svg|Tumble drying (low temperature)
File:Trommeltrocknen 2.svg|Tumble drying (normal)
File:Nicht trommeltrocknen.svg|Do not tumble dry
Natural drying
File:Trocknen.svg|Drying symbol
File:Trocknen (leine).svg|Line dry
File:Trocknen (liegend).svg|Dry flat
File:Trocknen (tropfnass).svg|Drip dry
File:Trocknen (schatten).svg|Dry in the shade
File:Trocknen (leine im schatten).svg|Line dry in the shade
File:Trocknen (liegend im schatten).svg|Dry flat in shade
File:Trocknen (tropfnass im schatten).svg|Drip dry in shade
Ironing
The
iron with up to three dots allows for
ironing. The number of dots are assigned temperatures: one prescribes , two for and three for . An iron with a cross prohibits ironing.
File:Bügeln.svg|Ironing symbol
File:Bügeln 1.svg|Iron at low temperature
File:Bügeln 2.svg|Iron at medium temperature
File:Bügeln 3.svg|Iron at high temperature
File:Nicht bügeln.svg|Do not iron
Professional cleaning
A
circle identifies the possibilities of professional cleaning. A bar under the symbol means clean gently, and two bars means very gentle cleaning.
Dry cleaning
The letters P and F in a circle are for the different
used in professional
dry cleaning.
File:Professionelle_reinigung.svg|Professional cleaning symbol
File:Professionelle reinigung (F).svg|Dry clean, hydrocarbon solvent only (HCS)
File:Professionelle reinigung (F)s.svg|Gentle cleaning with hydrocarbon solvents
File:Professionelle reinigung (F)ss.svg|Very gentle cleaning with hydrocarbon solvents
File:Professionelle reinigung (P).svg|Dry clean, tetrachloroethylene (PCE) only
File:Professionelle reinigung (P)s.svg|Gentle cleaning with PCE
File:Professionelle reinigung (P)ss.svg|Very gentle cleaning with PCE
File:Nicht chemisch reinigen.svg|Do not dry clean
Wet cleaning
The letter W in a circle is for professional
wet cleaning.
File:Professionelle reinigung (W).svg|Professional wet cleaning
File:Professionelle reinigung (W)s.svg|Gentle wet cleaning
File:Professionelle reinigung (W)ss.svg|Very gentle wet cleaning
File:Nicht nassreinigen.svg|Do not wet clean
External links
