Understanding Textile Symbols

Textile care symbols

Textile care symbols are an international system of pictograms that provide instructions for washing, dry cleaning, drying, ironing, and other treatments to the user of a garment or other textile item. These symbols are usually printed on a care label inside a garment or on a fabric strip sewn into the hem.

Textile care symbols are regulated by international standard ISO 3758. This standard defines the symbols, their meanings, and their conditions of use. Textile care symbols are used in many countries around the world, including Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Washing

The wash symbol is a square with one or more waves inside. The number of waves indicates the maximum temperature at which a garment can be washed, in degrees Celsius. A number of waves, a bar, or a cross inside the wash symbol indicate additional instructions such as hand washing, machine washing at low temperature, or machine washing at high temperature.

Dry Cleaning

The dry cleaning symbol is a triangle with one or more circles inside. The number of circles indicates the types of solvents that can be used to clean a garment. A circle, a bar, or a cross inside the dry cleaning symbol indicate additional instructions such as dry cleaning with or without water, dry cleaning with specific solvents, or no dry cleaning.

Drying

The drying symbol is a square with one or more dots inside. The number of dots indicates the maximum temperature at which a garment can be dried, in degrees Celsius. A number of dots, a bar, or a cross inside the drying symbol indicate additional instructions such as air drying, machine drying at low temperature, or machine drying at high temperature.

Ironing

The ironing symbol is an iron with one or more dots inside. The number of dots indicates the maximum temperature at which a garment can be ironed, in degrees Celsius. A number of dots, a bar, or a cross inside the ironing symbol indicate additional instructions such as ironing at low temperature, ironing at high temperature, or no ironing.

How to interpret textile care symbols

To interpret textile care symbols, simply find the symbol that corresponds to the treatment you wish to perform. The number of waves, circles, dots, or bars inside the symbol indicates the maximum temperature at which the garment can be subjected to the treatment, or additional instructions. If the symbol has a cross inside, the garment should not be subjected to that treatment.

Here are some tips for caring for textiles:

• Read the care labels carefully before washing, dry cleaning, or ironing your clothes.
• Follow the instructions on the labels to preserve the appearance and lifespan of your clothes.
• Use cleaning products and detergents suitable for the type of fabric you are cleaning.
• Dry your clothes at a low temperature to prevent them from deforming or shrinking.
• Iron your clothes at a low temperature to avoid burning them.
• To iron leather, you can place a printer sheet to reduce the temperature of your iron's soleplate; or directly on the leather without steam, this operation is called leather glazing.