care labels

Care Labeling

Caring about the consumerbeyond the label

Your ChallengesCare labels provide guidelines to consumers and apparel caregivers about the best cleaning procedures to be used for that particular combination of fabric, thread, decoration and construction techniques. Following the instructions on the care labels provide assurance that the appearance and fit of the garment will be maintained after repeated cleaning treatments.

As manufacturers, importers and retailers, your brand value is dependent on each product’s appearance. How do you ensure that care labels placed on your product are understandable for consumers and apparel caregivers, while simultaneously meeting the national and international requirements trade?

Our SolutionsMany countries have mandatory or voluntary standards for care label instructions that apply to either apparel or soft home furnishing products:

U.S.A : Care Labeling of Textile Wearing Apparel and Certain Piece Goods as AmendedEurope: Textiles - Care Labeling Code Using SymbolsCanada: Care Labeling of TextilesAustralia: Textiles - Care LabelingJapan: Care Labeling of Textile Goods

American Care LabelingAccording to the Federal Trade Commission’s Care Label Rule, care labels may be composed of either words or words and symbols. Whether composed of words or words and symbols, care instructions are to appear in the following order of use:

1. Machine Wash/Hand Wash 2. Washing Temperature (hot/warm/cold) 3. Washing Cycle (delicate/permanent press/normal) 4. Bleaching Instruction (do not bleach/only non-chlorine bleach). Not required if both chlorine and non-chlorine bleach can be used. 5. Drying Instruction – (tumble dry/high/medium/low, line dry, flat dry, drip dry) 6. Ironing (do not iron/cool iron/warm iron/hot iron). Ironing instructions are not mandatory if the item is not expected to be ironed. 7. Cautions (wash separately, wash before wearing, etc.) 8. Dryclean (cycle/solvent)

In addition to the care label instructions, manufacturers and retailers must provide labels that:

1. Are permanently attached so they can be easily seen at point of sale. If the product is packaged, displayed or folded so that customers cannot find the label, care information must also appear on the side of the package or on a hang tag. 2. Remain permanently attached and legible for the useful life of the product. 3. Provide care instructions for ordinary use of the garment. 4. Warn about what would harm the garment.

American Care Labeling

ASTM Guide To Care Symbols

Wash

Iron

Dryclean

Bleach

Dry

P FA

Note: This figure illustrates the symbols to use for laundering and drycleaning instructions. As a minimum, laundering instructions should include, in order, four symbols: washing, bleaching, drying and ironing; drycleaning instructions shall include one symbol. Additional words may be used to clarify the instructions.

Dryclean - Normal Cycle Dryclean - Additional Instructions

Iron-dry or Steam

Maximum Temperature

Tumble Dry Cycles

Machine Wash Cycles

Water Temperatures

Tumble Dry Heat Setting

Normal Permanent Press Delicate/Gentle

Normal Permanent Press Delicate/Gentle Line Dry/Hang to Dry

Do Not Wash

Do Not Bleach

Do Not Iron

Do Not Dry(used with do

not wash)

Do Not Tumble Dry

No Steam (added to iron)

In the Shade (added to line dry, drip dry or

flat dry)

Hand Wash

(Maximum)Symbol(s)

(200F)95C 70C 60C 50C 40C 30C

(160F) (140F) (120F) (105F)(65F-85F)

Warning symbols for laundering

Additional Instructions (in symbols or words)

200C(390F)High

110C(230F)Low

150C(300F)

Medium

AnySolvent

Any Solvent Except Trichloroethylene

PetroleumSolvent Only

Do Not Dryclean

ShortCycle

ReduceMoisture

No Steam Finishing

LowHeat

Any BleachWhen Needed

Any Heat High Medium Low No Heat/Air

Drip Dry Dry Flat

Only Non-Chlorine Bleach When Needed

Do Not Wring

European Care Labeling

Individual technical committees of the European Union and International Standards Organisation reviewed existing care label standards and have created a unified system under the ISO scheme which is published as ISO 3758:2005.

The textile care labeling symbols are managed by Ginetex (International Association for Textile Care Labeling). The symbols are registered as international trademarks. Ginetex has 16 member countries, the national committees of which administer the right to reproduce these symbols in their countries. For more information, see www.ginetex.net.

A correct care label for European countries is required to consist of five symbols in the following sequence: washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and professional textile care.

maximum temperature 40 C* hand wash only

* maximum temperature 95 C normal process

iron at a maximum sole plate temperature of 200 C

iron at a maximum sole plate temperature of 150 C

do not iron

iron at a maximum sole plate temperature of 110 C steam-ironing may cause irreversible damage

professional dry cleaning in tetrachloroethene and all solvents listed for the symbol F normal process

professional dry cleaning in tetrachloroethene and all solvents listed for the symbol F mild process

professional dry cleaning in hydrocarbons (distillation temperature between 150 C and 210 C, flash point between 38 C and 70 C)normal process

professional dry cleaning in hydrocarbons (distillation temperature between 150 C and 210 C, flash point between 38 C and 70 C)mild process

professional wet cleaning normal process

professional wet cleaning mild process

professional wet cleaning very mild process

tumble drying possible normal temperature

tumble drying possible drying at lower temperature

do not tumble dry

do not dry clean

* maximum temperature 95 C mild process






* maximum temperature 40 C very mild process

* maximum temperature 30 C very mild process

* Note: The symbols most popularly used in the U.K.

do not wash

any oxidizing bleaching agent allowed

only oxygen / non-chlorine bleach allowed

do not bleach / no bleach

Symbol

Symbol

Symbol

Symbol

SymbolWashing Process

Bleaching Process

Ironing Process

Textile Care Process

Drying Process

Note: ISO 3758 has not been amended to show the change in the ‘Do Not Bleach’ symbol. For a period of time both blackened and line versions of the symbols will be in use.

Japanese Care Labeling

Japanese care instructions, like other care label systems, must be in a specified order. This order is washing, bleaching, ironing, dry-cleaning, wringing, and drying.

1. The word ‘ ’ indicates that neutral detergent should be used.

2. The symbol ‘ ’ indicates that clothes ironed should be covered with another cloth.

3. The sentence ‘ ’ indicates that a net should be used.

95

60

4030

30

40

Washable - maximum temperature 95 C

Machine washable - maximum temperature 60 C

Machine washable - maximum temperature 40 C

Machine washable - with slow water current or gently by hand - maximum temperature of 40 C

Ironed at high temperature(between 180 C - 210 C)

Ironed at medium temperature(between 140 C - 160 C)

Can be dry-cleaned. Use solvent of perchloroethylene or petroleum - based matter

Can be dry-cleanedUse petroleum - based solvent

Wrung gently Cannot be wrung

Cannot be ironed

Cannot be dry-cleaned

Ironed at low temperature(between 80 C - 120 C)

Chlorine-based bleaching allowed Do not use chlorine-based bleach

Machine washable - with slow water current or gently by hand - maximum temperature of 30 C

Gently hand wash only - maximum temperature 30 C

Cannot be washed with water

Hung and drip - dried Laid down to dry

Laid down to dry in the shadeHung and drip - dried in the shade

1. Symbols should be arranged from left to right according to the following sequence

2. For colored products which are not usually bleached, the symbol for possibility of chlorine bleach may be omitted.3. For products which are not usually ironed, the symbols for ironing may be omitted (Except cannot be ironed).4. For products which can be washed with water, the symbols for dry-cleaning may be omitted. (Except cannot be dry-cleaned).5. The symbols should be either in black or dark blue whereas the prohibition symbols are in red on a white background.

30

40

Attached remarks

Washing (with water)

Possibility of chlorine bleaching

Ironing

Dry-cleaning

Wringing

Drying

Labeling method

40

Canadian Care Labeling

The Canadian standard for care labeling has been revised. The new version has symbols in black and white replacing the previous “traffic light” colors of green, amber, and red. The new standard is harmonized with the American and international standards for care labeling using five basic symbols which must appear in the sequence: washing, bleaching, drying, ironing, professional textile care. Any additional information must appear in English and French.

Do Not Wash

Tumble Dry Cycles

Heat Setting

No Steam (added to iron)

PetroleumSolvent Only

Do Not Dry-clean

Do Not Iron or Press

Iron-Dry or Steam

P F

200 C(390F)High

110 C(230F)Low

150 C(300F)

Medium

Wash

Iron

ProfessionalTextile Care

Bleach

Dry

W

Machine Wash Cycles

Normal Permanent Press Delicate/Gentle Hand Wash

Dry-clean - Normal Cycle

Any Solvent Except Trichloroethylene

Do Not Dry(used with do

not wash)

Do Not Tumble Dry

Any Heat High Medium Low No Heat/Air

Drip Dry In the Shade

Normal Permanent Press Delicate/Gentle Line Dry/Hang to Dry

Dry Flat

Any BleachWhen Needed

Only Non-Chlorine Bleach When Needed

Do Not Bleach

(Maximum)Symbol(s)

(200F)95 C 70 C 60 C 50 C 40 C 30 C

(160F) (140F) (120F) (105F) (65F-85F)Water Temperatures

Do Not Wring

Wet-Clean

Do Not Wet-Clean

Guide to Apparel Care Symbols

Australian Care Labeling

Permanent Care Label RequirementThe wording of the label shall be in English and clearly legible.

A. Position of label attachment must be “clearly visible” or “accessible”.

B. For articles which are packaged, displayed or folded in such a way that the information is inaccessible, an extra care label must be given on a wing ticket or adhesive label, or in a pamphlet accompanying the articles.

C. For a label sewn in more than one side, the label shall have similar shrinkage characteristics to the base fabric.

D. For an adhesive label, it should not produce any bubbling or delamination when the garment is subject to cleansing treatment.

The labeling system consists of:

1. Washing temperature (cold, warm, hot, very hot, boil)

2. Agitation (hand wash, short machine wash, gentle machine wash, machine wash) Note: Where appropriate, phrases stating washing temperature and agitation may be combined to form a concise phrase, e.g. warm hand wash, hot machine.

3. *Drying method (may be tumble dried - cold/warm/hot, drip dry, dry flat, line dry)

4. Bleaching instruction

5. *Ironing (do not iron, cool, warm, hot, steam)

6. Drycleaning methods are expressed in symbol as listed below:

Dryclean in any solvent normally used for drycleaning.

Dryclean in perchloroethylene, white spirit or fluorocarbons as normally used in drycleaning.

Dryclean in accordance with but with restricted water amount or mechanical action or temperature during cleaning or drying.

Dryclean in white spirit or Trifluorotrichloroethane.

Dryclean in accordance with but with restricted water amount or mechanical action or temperature during cleaning or drying.

Do not dryclean.

These symbols are to be used in conjunction with the phrase (Drycleanable / Dryclean only/ Drycleaning recommended).

A

P

F

F

P

P

F

Chinese Care Labeling

National Textile Base Standard Technical Sub-committee discussed and voted for revision of GB/T 8685 in the Huangshan annual technical meeting in April 2008. An updated standard GB/T 8685-2008 is issued and is effective from 1 March 2009.

A permanence label shall include symbols of washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and professional cleaning in sequence. Sufficient and appropriate symbols shall be used to ensure garment would not be damaged during cleaning process.

- Maximum washing temperature 40 C - Hand wash

- Maximum washing temperature 95 C - Normal process

- Hang dry

- Hang and drip dry

- Flat dry

- Flat and drip dry

- Hang dry away from the direct sunlight exposure

- Hang and drip dry away from the direct sunlight exposure

- Flat dry away from the direct sunlight exposure

- Flat and drip dry away from the direct sunlight exposure

- Tumble dry - Maximum exhaust temperature: 80 C

- Tumble dry - Maximum exhaust temperature: 60 C

- Do not tumble dry



- Maximum washing temperature 60 C - Mild process






- Maximum washing temperature 40 C - Very mild process


- Maximum washing temperature 30 C - Very mild process

- Do not wash

Symbol Washing Process

Symbol Natural Air Dry

Symbol Tumble Dry

Symbol Bleaching

- Any bleaching agent allowed

- Only oxygen / non-chlorine bleach allowed

- Do not bleach

Chinese Care Labeling

Symbol Iron

Symbol Textile Care Process

- Iron at a maximum sole plate temperature of 200 C

- Iron at a maximum sole plate temperature of 150 C

- Do not iron

- Iron at a maximum sole plate temperature of 110 C - Steam-ironing may cause irreversible damage

- Professional drycleaning in tetrachloroethene and all solvents listed for the symbol F - Normal process

- Professional drycleaning in tetrachloroethene and all solvents listed for the symbol F - Mild process

- Professional drycleaning in hydrocarbons (distillation temperature between 150 C ~ 210 C, flash point between 38 C ~ 70 C)- Normal process

- Professional drycleaning in hydrocarbons (distillation temperature between 150 C ~ 210 C, flash point between 38 C ~ 70 C)- Mild process

- Professional wet cleaning - Normal process

- Professional wet cleaning - Mild process

- Professional wet cleaning - Very mild process

- Do not dryclean

Regional Contacts

Asia Pacific2/F, Garment Centre, 576 Castle Peak Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong, ChinaTel: +852 2173 8888 Fax: +852 2786 1903

North America2107 Swift Drive, Ste 200, Oak Brook, Illinois, 60523 USATel: +1 630 481 3111 Fax: +1 630 481 3101

Latin America8300 N.W. 53 rd Street, Suite 400, Miami, Florida, 33166 USATel: +1 305 513 3000 Fax: +1 305 513 2856

Europe, Africa, Middle EastECOPARC 2, 27400 Heudebouville, FranceTel: +33 2 32 09 36 36 Fax: +33 2 32 09 36 37

For Further Information

Email: [email protected]: www.intertek.com/consumergoods

About Intertek

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