Clothing Labels: A Guide to Avoiding Mistakes

Clothing labels provide essential fabric care information , ensuring your clothes stay in tip-top condition for longer. Learning how to read labels correctly is essential to avoid ruining your clothes when washing, drying, or ironing. In this guide, we’ll explore care symbols , fabric composition , and give you tips on how to keep your clothes in tip-top condition.

Washing symbols: what they mean

Washing symbols are universal and help you understand how to treat your clothes. Here is an overview of the most common symbols and what they mean:

• Tub with water : This symbol indicates that the item can be machine washed. The number inside the tub represents the maximum temperature at which the item can be washed (e.g. 30°C, 40°C).
• Tub with hand : If you see a hand in the tub, it means that the garment should be hand washed and not in the washing machine.
• Circle : The circle indicates that the garment can be dry cleaned. If there are letters or symbols inside the circle, these suggest particular types of solvents to use when dry cleaning.
• Square with circle : This symbol represents the dryer. If there is a dot inside the circle, drying should be done at a low temperature, while two dots indicate that you can dry at a normal temperature.
• Triangle : The triangle indicates whether the garment can be bleached. An empty triangle means you can use any type of bleach, while a crossed out triangle means you should not use bleach.
• Iron : This symbol indicates whether the garment can be ironed and at what temperature. An iron with one dot suggests low temperature, two dots medium and three dots high.

Fabric Composition: How to Interpret It

The clothing label also contains information about the composition of the fabric , which will help you know how to best treat the garment. Here are some of the most common materials and how to interpret them:

• Cotton (CO) : Cotton is a breathable and resistant natural fibre, which can be washed at high temperatures, but tends to shrink, especially with hot washes.
• Polyester (PES) : A durable synthetic fabric, polyester is easy to wash and dries quickly. However, it should not be exposed to excessively high temperatures when ironing.
• Wool (WO) : Wool is a delicate material that often requires hand washing or the gentle cycle of the washing machine. It should be air dried and ironed on a low heat.
• Silk (SE) : A delicate and luxurious fabric, silk requires special care. Dry cleaning or hand washing in cold water is often recommended. It should not be ironed at high temperatures.
• Elastane (EA) : Also called spandex, it is a stretchy synthetic fiber often used in combination with other fabrics to make form-fitting garments. It is generally easy to wash, but should not be ironed at high temperatures.

Learning to read fabric composition will help you make informed decisions about caring for your clothes , avoiding ruining them and maintaining their longevity.

Tips for the care of different materials

Each type of fabric requires a specific care method. Here are some practical tips for treating the most common materials:

• Cotton : You can wash it at medium or high temperatures, but be careful of shrinkage. Iron at high temperatures, but avoid doing it directly on the prints.
• Wool : Use detergents specifically for wool and wash by hand or on a delicate cycle. Dry wool garments flat to prevent them from deforming.
• Polyester : Machine wash at low temperature. Can be tumble dried, but at low temperature. Does not require ironing, but if you do, use medium heat.
• Silk : Hand wash in cold water or take to a dry cleaner for dry cleaning. Avoid the dryer and iron only at low temperatures, using a cloth between to protect the fabric.
• Jeans : Jeans can be machine washed, but to maintain color, wash them inside out and on a cold setting. Avoid the dryer to avoid shrinkage.

Conclusion

Learning how to read clothing labels correctly is essential to keep your clothes in good condition and make them last longer. Knowing the washing symbols and understanding the composition of fabrics will allow you to take care of your clothes in the right way, avoiding common mistakes that could ruin them.