Every garment needs a care label, and most care labels use a standard set of wash care symbols instead of words. Getting them right protects your customers’ clothing — and in many markets, including care information is a legal requirement. This guide explains what each group of care symbols means and how to put them on your own custom care labels.
Why care labels matter
A clear care label reduces returns and complaints from garments shrinking, fading, or being damaged in the wash. It also signals quality. In the U.S., the FTC Care Labeling Rule requires care instructions on most textile apparel, and other regions have similar rules — so a compliant care label is part of selling clothing.
The five main care symbol groups
Care symbols are grouped by the action they describe. The basic shapes are easy to remember:
- Washing — the tub: A tub of water shows machine washing. A number or dots indicate the maximum temperature; a hand in the tub means hand-wash only; a crossed-out tub means do not wash.
- Bleaching — the triangle: A plain triangle allows bleach; a triangle with diagonal lines means non-chlorine bleach only; a crossed-out triangle means do not bleach.
- Drying — the square: A square with a circle is tumble dry (dots = heat level); plain lines inside a square indicate line or flat drying; a crossed-out square means do not tumble dry.
- Ironing — the iron: An iron shape with dots shows the maximum ironing temperature (one dot = low, three = high); a crossed-out iron means do not iron.
- Professional care — the circle: A circle covers dry cleaning. Letters inside indicate the solvents a cleaner should use; a crossed-out circle means do not dry clean.
A simple rule of thumb: a cross or X over any symbol means “do not,” dots indicate heat or temperature, and lines under a symbol mean “be gentle.”
What to include on a care label
- Fiber content (e.g., 100% Cotton) — usually required.
- Care symbols and/or written instructions.
- Country of origin, if required for your market.
- Your brand name or RN number (optional but professional).
Printed vs. woven care labels
Care labels are most often printed, because printing reproduces small symbols and multiple lines of text clearly and feels soft against the skin. Some brands weave a simple care label, but for detailed care content, printing is usually the better choice. See woven vs. printed labels for the full comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Are care labels legally required?
In most markets, yes — care and fiber-content information is required on apparel. Check the rules for the countries you sell in.
Can I combine my brand label and care label?
Yes. Many brands print care content and the brand name together, or pair a woven neck label with a printed care label in the seam.
Create your custom care label
We can produce printed or woven care labels with the correct symbols, fiber content, and your branding. Start your design or request a free quote and we will help you build a compliant, professional care label.