Care Labels indicate how to clean textile articles in the best possible way

Care symbols give all the necessary information on washing, bleaching, ironing, dry cleaning and tumble drying. Without this information, the consumer can hardly decide on the appropriate care treatment because it does not depend only on the main fabric which composes the textile article. Indeed, all the components of the said textile article shall be taken into account : other fibers, accessories, but also dyeing, finishing treatments and texture.

Using care labels provides the consumer with care information he does not have to decide on. Indeed, the consumer does not have experience and technical support to decide on care treatment.

Observing information given with the symbols, the consumer will avoid wrong treatments and consequently premature wearing out. He will therefore obtain better results.

Care labeling is determined under the responsibility of the garment maker in common interest of textile manufacturers, dry cleaners and of course consumers.

Thus care symbols are recommendations on how to clean a textile article on which they are affixed, they should not be considered as a use guarantee neither as a quality mark.

Symbols refer to maximum permissible treatments that a textile article can bear without irreversible damage. Less severe treatments can always be applied.

Washing

This symbol means that textile articles can be cleaned in an aqueous bath. More generally, the washtub symbolizes the domestic washing treatment (by hand or machine).

The number placed inside the washtub indicates the maximum temperature in degree celsius for machine wash

The hand placed in the washtub means hand wash only.

The washtub can also be underlined (one bar or two bars) to warn the user that a mild or very mild treatment must be used.

Symbol	Maximum Washing Temperature	Care Process
	95° C	Mechanical action normal Rinsing normal Spinning normal
	95° C	Mechanical action reduced (1) Rinsing at gradually decreasing temperature Spinning reduced
	60° C	Mechanical action normal Rinsing normal Spinning normal
	60° C	Mechanical action reduced (1) Rinsing at gradually decreasing temperature Spinning reduced
	40° C	Mechanical action normal Rinsing normal Spinning normal
	40° C	Mechanical action reduced (1) Rinsing at gradually decreasing temperature Spinning reduced
	30° C	Mechanical action much reduced (1) Rinsing normal Spinning reduced
	40° C	Hand wash only
		Do not wash
	50° C	Mechanical action reduced (1) Rinsing at gradually decreasing temperature Spinning reduced
	40° C	Mechanical action much reduced Rinsing normal Spinning normal

Chlorine Based Bleaching

The triangle with Cl inside indicates that the bleaching process (chlorine process) is possible.

Symbol	Care Process
	Chlorine-based bleaching allowed only in a cold and dilute solution.
	Do not use chlorine-based bleach.

Ironing

Dots placed within the symbols (1, 2 or 3 dots) indicate the maximum temperature in degrees celsius for ironing textile articles.

Symbol	Care Process
	Iron at a maximum sole-plate temperature of 200° C
	Iron at a maximum sole-plate temperature of 150° C
	Iron at a maximum sole-plate temperature of 150° C (steam iron may be risky)
	Do no iron

Dry Cleaning

Letters (A, P and F) in the circle refer to the solvents which may be used by dry cleaners.

Underlining the circle indicates that a specific process should be used (mild process with strict limitations on the addition of water and/or mechanical action and/or temperature during cleaning and/or drying).

In this case, self-service cleaning is not allowed.

Symbol	Care Process
	Dry cleaning in all solvents normally used for dry cleaning with normal cleaning procedures
	Dry cleaning in all solvents normally used for dry cleaning except trichloroethylene with normal cleaning procedures. Self-service cleaning is possible
	The bar placed under the circle indicates strict limitations on the addition of water and/or mechanical action and/or temperature during cleaning and/or drying. Self-service cleaning is not allowed
	Only petroleum solvents may be used with normal cleaning procedures
	The bar placed under the circle indicates strict limitations on the addition of water and/or mechanical action and/or temperature during cleaning and/or drying. Self-service cleaning is not allowed
	Do not dry clean - no stain removal with solvents

Tumble Dry

The tumble drying symbol (a circle in a square) must be completed by one or two dots for two different levels of temperature.

Symbol	Care Process
	No restrictions concerning the temperature of tumble drying after a washing process
	Tumble drying possible at lower temperature setting (60° C maximum) after a washing process
	Do not tumble dry