Complete Guide to Laundry & Care Label Symbols
Every washing symbol, drying symbol, bleaching symbol, ironing symbol, and professional care symbol explained — with visuals. The definitive care label symbols reference for consumers, designers, and apparel professionals.
How Care Symbols Work
Care label symbols are a standardized visual language that tells you exactly how to wash, dry, iron, and clean a garment — without needing to read a single word. The international system, governed by ISO 3758 / GINETEX, uses five base shapes, each representing a care category:
GINETEX requires care symbols to always appear in this sequence: Washing → Bleaching → Drying → Ironing → Professional Care. An X through any symbol means "do not" use that process. Below is every symbol variation in each category.
Washing Symbols
The washtub (tub with wavy water line) is the base symbol for washing instructions. The number inside indicates the maximum wash temperature in °C. Bars underneath indicate reduced mechanical agitation.
Example Care Label Layout
Care labels follow a consistent structure: fiber content and country of origin at the top (required by US law), then care symbols in the universal order — washing → bleaching → drying → ironing → professional care. English care instructions appear below the symbols. Here are two real-world examples showing how different fabrics require different care instructions.
Standard Cotton Garment — Normal wash at 40°C, tumble dry OK, iron on high. Straightforward care for everyday cotton items.
Luxury Silk Blend — Hand wash only, no machine drying, low iron with no steam. Delicate fabrics need gentler care symbols.
The ¼″ seam allowance at the top of each label gets sewn into the garment and won't show on the finished product. Always account for this in your design — don't place important content in the seam zone.
Temperature Variants
| Symbol | Name | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Machine wash 30°C (cold) | Normal agitation at 30°C or below | |
| Machine wash 40°C (warm) | Normal agitation at 40°C or below | |
| Machine wash 60°C (hot) | Normal agitation at 60°C or below | |
| Machine wash 70°C | Normal agitation at 70°C — energy-saving alternative to 95°C | |
| Machine wash 95°C (boil) | Maximum temperature; white cotton and linen only |
Mechanical Restriction Variants
| Symbol | Name | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Gentle cycle 30°C | Reduced agitation at 30°C — single bar under tub | |
| Gentle cycle 40°C | Reduced agitation at 40°C — single bar under tub | |
| Gentle cycle 60°C | Reduced agitation at 60°C — single bar under tub | |
| Very gentle cycle 30°C | Minimum agitation at 30°C — double bar under tub | |
| Very gentle cycle 40°C | Minimum agitation at 40°C — double bar (wool cycle) |
Special Washing Symbols
| Symbol | Meaning | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Hand wash only | Maximum 40°C. Do not machine wash. Gentle hand agitation only. | |
| Do not wash | The garment must not be washed in water at all. |
Bleaching Symbols
The triangle is the base symbol for bleaching instructions. These symbols tell you which types of bleach — if any — are safe to use on the garment.
| Symbol | Meaning | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Any bleach allowed | Both chlorine and oxygen/non-chlorine bleach are safe to use. | |
| Non-chlorine bleach only | Oxygen-based bleach is safe. Do NOT use chlorine bleach. | |
| Do not bleach | No bleach of any kind should be used on this garment. |
Drying Symbols
The square is the base symbol for drying. A circle inside the square indicates tumble (machine) drying. Lines inside the square (without a circle) indicate natural drying methods. Dots inside the circle indicate heat level.
Tumble Drying (circle inside square)
| Symbol | Meaning | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Tumble dry low heat | Maximum exhaust temperature 60°C. One dot = low. | |
| Tumble dry normal heat | Maximum exhaust temperature 80°C. Two dots = normal. | |
| Tumble dry, no heat restriction | Any heat setting is acceptable. | |
| Do not tumble dry | Machine drying is not permitted for this garment. |
Natural Drying (lines inside square)
| Symbol | Name | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Line dry (hang to dry) | Vertical line — hang on clothesline or hanger | |
| Flat dry | Horizontal line — lay garment flat to dry | |
| Drip dry | Two vertical lines — hang while dripping wet, do not wring | |
| Drip flat dry | Two horizontal lines — lay flat while soaking wet | |
| Line dry in shade | Diagonal corner + vertical line — hang dry away from sunlight | |
| Flat dry in shade | Diagonal corner + horizontal line — lay flat in shade | |
| Drip line dry in shade | Diagonal corner + two vertical lines — hang wet in shade | |
| Drip flat dry in shade | Diagonal corner + two horizontal lines — lay flat wet in shade |
Ironing Symbols
The iron shape is the base symbol. Dots inside indicate the maximum sole-plate temperature. Additional markings address steam usage.
| Symbol | Name | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Iron low temperature (110°C) | One dot — synthetics, silk, wool. Use press cloth. | |
| Iron low, no steam (110°C) | One dot with steam crossed — no steam at low temp | |
| Iron medium temperature (150°C) | Two dots — polyester blends, wool with steam | |
| Iron high temperature (200°C) | Three dots — cotton, linen. Steam OK. | |
| Do not iron | No ironing or pressing of any kind |
Professional Care Symbols
The circle is the base symbol for professional textile care. Letters inside indicate the type of cleaning solvent. Bars underneath indicate mechanical restrictions. These symbols are intended for professional cleaners, not consumers.
Dry Cleaning
| Symbol | Name | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Dry clean — perchloroethylene (P) | Normal process with all solvents including perc | |
| Dry clean — perc, gentle | Mild perc cleaning, reduced mechanical action | |
| Dry clean — hydrocarbons only (F) | Normal process, petroleum/hydrocarbon solvents only | |
| Dry clean — hydrocarbons, gentle | Mild hydrocarbon cleaning, reduced action | |
| Do not dry clean | No professional dry cleaning of any kind |
Professional Wet Cleaning
| Symbol | Name | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Professional wet clean (W) | Normal professional wet cleaning process | |
| Professional wet clean, gentle | Mild professional wet cleaning — single bar | |
| Professional wet clean, very gentle | Very mild wet cleaning — double bar | |
| Do not wet clean | No professional wet cleaning permitted |
The Bar System — One Rule for All Symbols
The most useful shortcut for reading care symbols: the bar (underline) system is consistent across every GINETEX symbol category. Once you learn this, you can decode any care label.
| Bars | Meaning | Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| No bar | Normal process — standard agitation, standard heat, standard intensity | Washing, tumble drying, professional care |
| One bar ▬ | Gentle / mild process — reduced mechanical action | Washing (delicate cycle), tumble drying (gentle), professional care (mild) |
| Two bars ▬▬ | Very gentle / minimum process — minimum mechanical action | Washing (wool cycle), tumble drying (very gentle), professional care (very gentle) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the triangle symbol mean on clothing labels?
The triangle on a clothing care label represents bleaching instructions. An empty triangle means any bleach (chlorine or oxygen-based) is safe to use. A triangle with two diagonal lines inside means only non-chlorine (oxygen-based) bleach should be used. A triangle with an X through it means do not bleach the garment at all.
What do the dots mean on care label symbols?
Dots inside care label symbols indicate temperature levels. On ironing symbols: one dot = low heat (110°C, for synthetics), two dots = medium heat (150°C, for wool/silk), three dots = high heat (200°C, for cotton/linen). On tumble dry symbols: one dot = low heat (60°C exhaust), two dots = normal heat (80°C exhaust). More dots always means higher temperature.
What does the circle symbol mean on a clothing care label?
The circle on a care label indicates professional textile care. Letters inside specify the cleaning method: P = dry clean with perchloroethylene (perc) solvents, F = dry clean with hydrocarbon solvents only, W = professional wet cleaning. Bars underneath the circle indicate gentleness: no bar = normal process, one bar = gentle, two bars = very gentle. A circle with an X means do not dry clean.
What is the difference between the one-bar and two-bar underline on care symbols?
The bar (underline) system is consistent across all GINETEX/ISO care symbols: no bar = normal process, one bar = gentle or mild process (reduced mechanical action), and two bars = very gentle or minimum process. This applies to washing symbols (agitation level), tumble drying symbols (mechanical action), and professional care symbols (cleaning intensity).
What does the square with a circle inside mean on laundry labels?
A square with a circle inside is the tumble dry symbol. It means you can use a machine dryer. Dots inside the circle indicate heat level: one dot = low heat, two dots = normal heat, no dots = any heat. An X through the symbol means do not tumble dry. A square without a circle (with lines instead) indicates natural drying methods like line drying or flat drying.
Are care label symbols the same in every country?
No. There are two main systems: the ISO 3758/GINETEX system used internationally (Europe, Asia, Australia, and most of the world), and the ASTM D5489 system used in the United States. While visually similar, they are not identical. In the US, the FTC requires written care instructions — symbols alone are not sufficient. Internationally, the ISO/GINETEX symbols can stand alone without words.
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