Care Label Symbols: The Five Groups
Care label symbols are a standard set of pictograms that describe how a garment should be looked after. They exist so that a label can be understood without words, in any country. The system has five basic symbols: a wash tub for washing, a triangle for bleaching, a square for drying, an iron for ironing and a circle for professional textile care. Extra marks, such as dots, bars, lines and letters, add detail to each.
The symbols follow an international standard published by ISO, which is the basis of the system used across much of the world. This page describes the symbols in words rather than reproducing the artwork, and you should use the official symbol artwork when you design your own labels. Choosing among the care label symbols for each garment is not only a design decision. It is a promise to your customer that the garment will survive that treatment.
Care labels sit alongside other label content such as fibre composition, which is covered in our guide to UK clothing labelling requirements.
Washing and Bleaching Symbols
The first of the care label symbols, the wash tub, tells you whether and how a garment can be washed. A number inside the tub is the maximum water temperature in degrees Celsius. A bar underneath the tub means a milder process, with reduced mechanical action, and two bars mean a very mild process. A hand in the tub means hand wash only, and a crossed tub means do not wash.
The triangle covers bleaching. An empty triangle means any bleach is allowed, a triangle with two diagonal lines means only oxygen or non-chlorine bleach is allowed and a crossed triangle means do not bleach. Because bleach can damage dyes and fibres, many brands choose the crossed triangle by default for coloured garments.
Washing and bleaching symbols in words
| Group | Symbol described | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Washing | Tub with a number | Machine wash up to that temperature in degrees Celsius |
| Washing | Tub with one bar underneath | Mild process with reduced mechanical action |
| Washing | Tub with two bars underneath | Very mild process |
| Washing | Tub with a hand | Hand wash only |
| Washing | Crossed tub | Do not wash |
| Bleaching | Empty triangle | Any bleach may be used |
| Bleaching | Triangle with two diagonal lines | Non-chlorine bleach only |
| Bleaching | Crossed triangle | Do not bleach |
A plain-language reference. Use the official symbol artwork on real labels and confirm the meaning against the current standard.
Drying, Ironing and Professional Cleaning Symbols
The square covers drying. A circle inside the square means tumble drying is allowed, and dots in the circle show the heat: one dot for lower heat and two dots for normal heat. A crossed tumble dryer symbol means do not tumble dry. A square with a horizontal line inside means dry flat, which is important for heavy knits that stretch when hung.
The iron symbol shows how hot an iron may be. One dot is a low setting with a maximum sole plate temperature of 110 degrees Celsius, two dots are medium at 150 degrees and three dots are high at 200 degrees. A crossed iron means do not iron. The last of the care label symbols, the circle, covers professional care. An empty circle means professional dry cleaning is allowed, and a circle with a W means professional wet cleaning. A crossed circle means do not dry clean.
Drying, ironing and professional care symbols in words
| Group | Symbol described | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Drying | Square with a circle | Tumble drying is allowed |
| Drying | Square with a circle and one dot | Tumble dry at lower heat |
| Drying | Square with a circle and two dots | Tumble dry at normal heat |
| Drying | Crossed tumble dryer symbol | Do not tumble dry |
| Drying | Square with a horizontal line | Dry flat |
| Ironing | Iron with one dot | Low temperature, up to 110 degrees Celsius |
| Ironing | Iron with two dots | Medium temperature, up to 150 degrees Celsius |
| Ironing | Iron with three dots | High temperature, up to 200 degrees Celsius |
| Ironing | Crossed iron | Do not iron |
| Professional care | Empty circle | Professional dry cleaning allowed |
| Professional care | Circle with a W | Professional wet cleaning |
| Professional care | Crossed circle | Do not dry clean |
A plain-language reference. Letters inside a professional care circle give solvent guidance for cleaners, so leave those details to the standard.
How the Twenty Symbols Spread Across the Five Groups
The two tables describe twenty symbols. They are not equally distributed, because washing and drying have more options than bleaching or professional cleaning. Seeing the split helps you plan a label, since the groups with the most choices are where mistakes are most likely.
The twenty symbols by care group
20 symbols on this page
- Washing25%
- Bleaching15%
- Drying25%
- Ironing20%
- Professional care15%
A count of the twenty symbols described in the two tables: five for washing, three for bleaching, five for drying, four for ironing and three for professional care. A map of this page, not trade data.
Choosing the Right Care Instruction for a Garment
Picking care label symbols depends on the fabric, the dye, the construction and any decoration. Start from the fibre composition and then test. Cotton jersey usually tolerates machine washing, but dye and print can limit the temperature. Wool and fine knits often need a mild or hand wash. Embroidery, prints and trims can restrict ironing or tumble drying. The instruction should be the gentlest that is needed to protect the garment, and no gentler than the garment really requires.
Always check the instruction against a wash test on a bulk or pre-production sample, using the method you intend to put on the label. Our guide to garment testing for shrinkage and colour fastness explains what to ask for, and the denim care label guide shows how the thinking applies to jeans.
How gentle the care label tends to need to be by garment type
1 dot = very gentle, 5 dots = tolerant of strong treatment
| Wash temperature | Tumble drying | Ironing | Bleach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton jersey tee | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Heavy cotton fleece hoodie | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Raw or dark denim | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Printed or embellished tee | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Fine knit or blended wool | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
Indicative ratings of how forgiving each garment type usually is, not tested results. Always confirm with a wash test.
Where Care Labels Sit Among Your Labelling Duties
Care labels are only one part of garment labelling. Textile products sold in the UK generally need fibre composition labelling, and other details such as size and country of origin may be needed depending on the product and sales channel. Care instructions are usually treated differently from composition, and as we understand it they are not generally a legal requirement in the UK textile labelling rules, although customers expect them and retailers often require them. Because rules can change, check the current guidance and your retailer's requirements before you finalise a label.
Label content also affects cost and production. Each additional label or print adds a bill of materials line, and labels must be placed correctly on every size. See the custom clothing labels guide for label types, and the garment bill of materials guide for how to list them.
Common Mistakes With Care Label Symbols
The most common mistake is copying care label symbols from a similar garment without testing the new one. A heavy fleece, a printed tee and a dark denim jean may carry different instructions even if they look alike. Another mistake is printing a high wash temperature that the dye or print cannot survive, which leads to fading and returns. A third is leaving out the tumble drying or bleaching symbol, which leaves the customer to guess.
Some brands also mix old and new symbol styles or use artwork that is not the official version, which can make the label hard to read. Finally, labels are sometimes approved on a screen but not checked in physical form, so the symbols come out too small to read. Ask for a printed or woven proof, and read it as a customer would.
Care label mistakes and what to do
| Mistake | Likely result | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| Symbols copied from another garment | Instruction does not suit the fabric | Test the instruction on your own sample |
| Wash temperature too high | Fading, shrinkage or print damage | Wash test at the stated temperature |
| Missing drying or bleaching symbol | Customer guesses and may damage the garment | State all five groups |
| Unofficial or unclear artwork | Label is hard to read | Use the official symbol set |
| No physical proof approved | Symbols too small or smudged | Approve a woven or printed proof |
A general guide to common problems, not an exhaustive list.
Printed vs Sewn Care Labels
Care information can be sewn in as a woven or printed label, or printed directly onto the inside of the garment or on neck tape. Sewn labels are durable and familiar. Printed labels remove the scratchy tag and save a sewing step, but the print must survive washing and should be tested. Whichever you choose, the content and the symbol artwork are the same.
Sewn care label vs printed care label
Sewn label
- Sewn labels are durable and easy to read after many washes
- They allow more text and several languages on a small panel
- They are accepted by most retailers without extra testing
Printed label
- Printed labels remove the scratchy tag and add comfort
- They save a sewing step and a component
- The print must be tested for wash durability and readability
A general comparison. The right choice depends on the garment, the budget and the customer.
Checklist for Writing a Care Label
Before you send label artwork to the factory, run through the checks below. A mistake on a label is expensive, because it affects every garment in the order.
Care label checklist
- Instruction is based on a wash test on a representative sample
- Symbols follow the current standard, with official artwork
- Washing temperature and drying choice suit the fabric and decoration
- Fibre composition on the label matches the fabric certificate
- Language and any extra text suit your sales markets
- Label size, position and attachment are shown on the tech pack
- Any retailer requirements have been checked and met
- The printed or woven proof is approved before bulk
A general list. Add anything your retailer or channel requires.
A care label is a promise to the customer. If you print a machine wash instruction, make sure a washed sample has come through that process with the shape, size and colour you expect.
How Ruhrose Handles Care Labels in Development
Ruhrose develops hoodies, fleece, jersey, denim and woven casualwear with production in Bangladesh and UK buyer support. We help you choose a care instruction to test, check it on a washed sample and confirm the label artwork and position before bulk. We do not publish prices or minimums here, because they depend on the style and quantity. The AATCC publishes test methods used in textile care testing. To talk through your labels, visit Ruhrose and tell us about your garment.