The entire care label symbol system, as designed by the ASTM and approved by the FTC, is based upon five basic symbols which represent five basic care operations. These are: a washtub with a water wave for the washing process; a triangle for bleaching; a square for dying; an iron for ironing; and a circle for dry cleaning. Only one safe method of care is required on the label - usually either laundering or dry cleaning.
In addition, the "X" symbol can be superimposed on any of the symbols whenever there is evidence to support that using that process could damage the apparel.
To adequately represent the laundering process, at least four symbols must be used in the following order - washing, bleaching, drying and ironing. If you have evidence that dry cleaning will damage the item, and you wish to warn against it, add the dry cleaning symbol with an X after the four other symbols.
For garments that must be dry cleaned, the dry cleaning symbol must be used at a minimum.
Using additional symbols to clarify proper care.
Additional symbols or words are also used within and below each basic symbol when it is necessary to further define proper care instructions.
Washing: A water temperature must be given if certain temperatures would damage the garment. The following system of dots can be used within the washtub to indicate suggested water temperatures for washing.
Six dots = 95 C/200 F
Five dots = 70 C/160 F
Four dots = 60 C/140 F
Three dots = 50 C/120 F
Two dots = 40 C/105 F
One dot = 30 C/85 F.
Additional symbols or words are also used within and below each basic symbol when it is necessary to further define proper care instructions.
Washing: A water temperature must be given if certain temperatures would damage the garment. The following system of dots can be used within the washtub to indicate suggested water temperatures for washing.
Six dots = 95 C/200 F
Five dots = 70 C/160 F
Four dots = 60 C/140 F
Three dots = 50 C/120 F
Two dots = 40 C/105 F
One dot = 30 C/85 F.
The washing machines used by most U.S. consumers, however, do not heat the water to a precise temperature. In addition, many consumer washing machines cannot attain the very high temperatures indicated by six, five or even four dots. For this reason, the FTC consumer chart (shown below) shows only three dots for hot, two dots for warm and one dot for cold/cool. Unless you intend for your product to be professionally laundered at very high temperatures, you will probably want to use one, two or three dots and explain to the consumer that these correlate to cool, warm and hot.
Underlining the tub once indicates the permanent press cycle, and underlining it twice indicates the delicate-gentle washing cycle.
Bleaching: The triangle means all bleach can be safely used. If chlorine bleach cannot be safely used, diagonal lines should be included within the bleaching triangle to indicate non-chlorine bleach only. If no bleach can be safely used, an X through the triangle should be used to provide a do not bleach warning.
Drying: Additional symbols within the drying process square are designed to indicate the type of drying process to use such as tumble dry, line dry, drip dry, dry flat or dry in the shade. If apparel is designed for tumble dry, but a special cycle is necessary, one underline indicates permanent press while two underlines indicate the delicate-gentle cycle.
Ironing: Additional ironing symbols include dot symbols inside the iron to indicate the proper temperature setting:Three dots = high
Two dots = medium
One dot = low.
A steam burst can be used under the iron to indicate steaming, or it can appear with an X to warn not to steam.
Dry Cleaning: A letter enclosed in the dry cleaning symbol indicates the type of solvent recommended. Additional symbols can be used to provide warnings about parts of the normal dry cleaning process that should be modified or avoided.
As you can see, in a relatively small space, the care symbol system is designed to offer simple, detailed, straightforward care instructions.
Care for some answers to your questions?
Q. Do I have to use symbols?
A. No. You can continue to use written care instructions if you'd like. The conditional exemption approved by the FTC simply give you the option of using care symbols instead of words beginning July 1, 1997. Using care symbols can result in smaller labels, unify care labeling among NAFTA countries and help consumers buy and care for apparel without knowledge of the language.
Remember, if you do choose to use care symbols you must also provide written care instructions with the garment - for example, on hang tags, stickers or package inserts. (Of course, you may simply state the instructions in both words and symbols on the label itself. This mandate is effective for the first 18 months of care symbol usage - July 1, 1997 through December 31, 1998.
Q. Do I have to use symbols?
A. No. You can continue to use written care instructions if you'd like. The conditional exemption approved by the FTC simply give you the option of using care symbols instead of words beginning July 1, 1997. Using care symbols can result in smaller labels, unify care labeling among NAFTA countries and help consumers buy and care for apparel without knowledge of the language.
Remember, if you do choose to use care symbols you must also provide written care instructions with the garment - for example, on hang tags, stickers or package inserts. (Of course, you may simply state the instructions in both words and symbols on the label itself. This mandate is effective for the first 18 months of care symbol usage - July 1, 1997 through December 31, 1998.
Q. Can I use additional explanatory words with the symbols?
A. Yes. In fact, in certain cases, you may want to use additional words with care symbols in order to clarify care procedures. For example, where laundering instructions are concerned, terms such as with like colors, do not pretreat, remove shoulder pads, do not use fabric softener - to name just a few - may be necessary.
Q. Can I put care symbols on the reverse side of the label?
A. Yes. But it is required that either the care label or the detailed care instructions be visible at the point of purchase.
Q. Do the symbols have to be in any order?
A. Yes, they do. For apparel that needs to be laundered, at last four symbols must be used and they must appear in the following order - washing, bleaching, drying and ironing. If you have evidence that dry cleaning will damage the item and you wish to warn against it, you should add the "do not dry clean" symbol last. If dry cleaning is the suggested care, only the dry cleaning symbol with any appropriate additions, needs to be used.
Q. Do the symbols have to be a certain size?
A. Care label symbols do not have to be a specific size. But they do have to meet the existing Care Label Rule requirement of legibility. Of course, it is important to keep in mind, that failure to print legible care symbols may be considered an unfair or deceptive practice and result in civil penalties.
Q. Can the symbols be stacked down the side of the label?
A. Yes, provided they still appear in the proper order and are legible.
Q. Do the symbols have to be a certain color?
A. The care symbols do not have to be a particular color.
Q. How do care symbols meet with NAFTA's call for harmonizing care labeling?
A. One of the motivating factors in the FTC's introduction of care symbols in the U.S. was mandate by NAFTA to unify care labeling. The ASTM care labeling system has been designed to be harmonious with systems in Canada and Mexico. Currently, care labeling in Canada is strictly voluntary. In Mexico, care labeling is mandatory and there are indicators that Mexico is moving toward accepting the FTC rules on care labeling. Keep in mind that, at present, this ruling only applies to the United States.
Q. Do I have to use dots and temperatures in the wash box?
A. The dots must be used: the temperature can be used in addition to the dots if you wish.
Q. Can I use or continue to use European care symbols?
A. No, you cannot. The FTC has concluded that the care symbols developed by the ASTM are more comprehensive in nature than the European care symbols developed by the ISO. Thus, the FTC has ruled that only ASTM-symbols can be used.
Q. Can I put the symbols and the explanations just on the packaging?
A. No. The FTC's conditional exemption specifically states that care symbols must appear on permanent labels within the garment. Explanations of the care symbols must accompany the garment and can be placed, for example, on hang tags, stickers or package inserts.
A. Yes. In fact, in certain cases, you may want to use additional words with care symbols in order to clarify care procedures. For example, where laundering instructions are concerned, terms such as with like colors, do not pretreat, remove shoulder pads, do not use fabric softener - to name just a few - may be necessary.
Q. Can I put care symbols on the reverse side of the label?
A. Yes. But it is required that either the care label or the detailed care instructions be visible at the point of purchase.
Q. Do the symbols have to be in any order?
A. Yes, they do. For apparel that needs to be laundered, at last four symbols must be used and they must appear in the following order - washing, bleaching, drying and ironing. If you have evidence that dry cleaning will damage the item and you wish to warn against it, you should add the "do not dry clean" symbol last. If dry cleaning is the suggested care, only the dry cleaning symbol with any appropriate additions, needs to be used.
Q. Do the symbols have to be a certain size?
A. Care label symbols do not have to be a specific size. But they do have to meet the existing Care Label Rule requirement of legibility. Of course, it is important to keep in mind, that failure to print legible care symbols may be considered an unfair or deceptive practice and result in civil penalties.
Q. Can the symbols be stacked down the side of the label?
A. Yes, provided they still appear in the proper order and are legible.
Q. Do the symbols have to be a certain color?
A. The care symbols do not have to be a particular color.
Q. How do care symbols meet with NAFTA's call for harmonizing care labeling?
A. One of the motivating factors in the FTC's introduction of care symbols in the U.S. was mandate by NAFTA to unify care labeling. The ASTM care labeling system has been designed to be harmonious with systems in Canada and Mexico. Currently, care labeling in Canada is strictly voluntary. In Mexico, care labeling is mandatory and there are indicators that Mexico is moving toward accepting the FTC rules on care labeling. Keep in mind that, at present, this ruling only applies to the United States.
Q. Do I have to use dots and temperatures in the wash box?
A. The dots must be used: the temperature can be used in addition to the dots if you wish.
Q. Can I use or continue to use European care symbols?
A. No, you cannot. The FTC has concluded that the care symbols developed by the ASTM are more comprehensive in nature than the European care symbols developed by the ISO. Thus, the FTC has ruled that only ASTM-symbols can be used.
Q. Can I put the symbols and the explanations just on the packaging?
A. No. The FTC's conditional exemption specifically states that care symbols must appear on permanent labels within the garment. Explanations of the care symbols must accompany the garment and can be placed, for example, on hang tags, stickers or package inserts.
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