The five symbol families
Every care label uses the same five base symbols, in the same order. Master these and every variation becomes readable.
- Washtub — washing. The number inside is the maximum water temperature in °C (dots are used in the US: one dot = cold, two = warm, three = hot). A hand in the tub means hand wash only; a cross through it means do not wash.
- Triangle — bleaching. An empty triangle allows any bleach. Two diagonal lines inside: non-chlorine bleach only (the most common instruction). Crossed out: no bleach at all.
- Square with circle — tumble drying. Dots set the heat: one = low, two = medium, three = high. Crossed out: do not tumble dry. A plain square with a curve at the top means line dry.
- Iron — ironing. Dots again: one = 110°C (synthetics), two = 150°C (wool), three = 200°C (cotton/linen). Crossed out: do not iron.
- Circle — professional cleaning. Letters inside tell the dry cleaner which solvent to use (P is the common one). Crossed out: do not dry clean.
What the law requires on a care label
Requirements differ by market, but three elements appear almost everywhere:
- Fiber content — e.g. "100% cotton" or "65% polyester / 35% cotton", in descending order by weight.
- Country of origin — "Made in China", "Made in Portugal", etc. In the US this must be conspicuous; sewn into the neck for imported garments.
- Care instructions — via symbols (EU/international, per ISO 3758) or symbols and/or words (US, per the FTC Care Labeling Rule, using ASTM D5489 symbols).
The label must be permanently attached and legible for the life of the garment — which is why care labels are printed on satin or nylon tape with wash-resistant ink rather than paper.
US vs. EU vs. UK: the differences that matter
- United States: written instructions in English are fine on their own; symbols are optional but common. Temperature is shown with dots, not numbers. Fiber content and origin rules are enforced by the FTC.
- European Union: fiber content labeling is mandatory (Regulation 1007/2011); care symbols follow ISO 3758 with temperatures in °C. The GINETEX symbols are trademarked — using them technically requires membership, which your label producer handles.
- United Kingdom: mirrors the EU system post-Brexit; fiber content mandatory, symbols per ISO 3758.
A sensible default layout
For a typical cotton garment sold in the US and Europe, brands commonly use: front of label — brand logo, size, fiber content, origin; back of label — five symbols in order (wash 30°C, non-chlorine bleach, tumble low, iron medium, dry clean P) plus one line of written instructions. Selling in multiple markets? Use symbols plus short English text — the combination satisfies the strictest reading of every major market's rules.
Get the symbols right without becoming a standards lawyer
The practical shortcut: tell your label producer the fabric composition and target market, and have them lay out the label. When you order printed care labels from us, symbol selection and layout are checked free before printing — 500 labels from $35, delivered in 10–15 days.