Care
Labels: A brief history.
Long before
polyester, acrylic and automatic washing machines came along, consumers could
easily identify a wool or cotton garment and successfully clean it without a
care label. But those days are
long gone. New fibers and new technology have created a vast array of apparel
and textiles - each designed to look beautiful and to stand up to the test of
time. Unfortunately, consumers had no way of knowing just how to properly clean
these items, often damaging both the apparel's beauty and long-lived nature.
So in 1972, the
Federal Trade Commission introduced the Care Labeling Rule which, for the first
time, required manufacturers to label their clothing with instructions for at
least one safe cleaning method for the garment. From this time on, it would be
considered unfair and deceptive for manufacturers or importers to sell items
without care labels.
Two key
goals.
Requiring care labels
actually accomplished two very important goals. First, it helped consumers make
buying decisions based upon the care method required. Some people prefer the
convenience of dry cleaning, others the economy of machine washing. At the same
time, care labels assured that consumers knew how to safely clean their clothes
so that they retained their appearance and performance over time. Something
which the entire apparel industry was all for as well.
One key
revision.
In January 1984, the
FTC made a number of revisions to its Care Labeling Rule based upon findings
that many consumers considered care labels to be incomplete, inaccurate and
inconsistent. The rule was amended to clarify care labeling requirements,
simplify and unify the care label language and provide more specific, detailed
information for consumers. The Rule was also intended to make care labeling
compliance easier for manufacturers which would, in turn, make care labels more
beneficial and informative for consumers.
The
next step: A move toward symbols.
Now, the FTC is
introducing a "conditional exemption" to its Care Labeling Rule. This
exemption, which begins July
1, 1997, allows manufacturers to use certain care symbols in place
of written instructions to communicate a method for cleaning. Originally
proposed in November 1995 and then refined over the following 15 months, this
exemption is designed to further simplify and unify care labels, making them
more helpful to consumers. The symbols to be used have been developed by the
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
Why
care label symbols?
One of the major
reasons behind the introduction of care label symbols is to harmonize American
clothing labeling regulations with those of Canada and Mexico. In
fact, the intent is that the new symbols will become standard in all countries
participating in the North American Free Trade Agreement. This means that
apparel manufacturers will now be able to use the same care label on garments
offered for sale in any or all of these countries. And consumers will be able
to make purchase decisions based upon care requirements, and follow appropriate
care instructions, without knowledge of the language.
Additionally, this
move to care label symbols can help satisfy another consumer demand which is to
decrease the size of care labels. Lately, there's been growing concern among
manufacturers that the higher cost of larger labels are being reflected in
higher apparel cost. Using symbols in place of words is a simple tactic for
saving both space and money.
You should keep in
mind, however, that the upcoming conditional exemption stops short of creating
a global standard for care labeling. This is still a goal of the FTC. It's just
that the FTC does not believe the system of symbols set up by the International
Standards Organization (ISO) and known as Ginetex is as comprehensive as those
developed by the ASTM. Efforts to harmonize the ASTM and ISO care symbol
systems are expected to continue.
Educating
manufacturers and consumers alike.
With a proposed
change of this magnitude, education is a critical factor in the success of the
new care symbols. Consumers need to be made aware of the new care symbols -
what they stand for and how to read them. At the same time, manufacturers need
to be informed so that they know exactly what is required of them. After all,
garments that are made without care label - or with one that provides
inaccurate cleaning instructions - may be found to be in violation of this
rule.
Fortunately, a
comprehensive effort is underway on both fronts. A number of apparel
manufacturers, retailers, suppliers, trade organizations, and consumer groups
have joined with the FTC to form the Care Labeling Education& Awareness
Network (CLEAN). Project CLEAN represents a cooperative effort to provide a
variety of educational messages and materials to consumers about the new care
symbols.
Making
the move to care symbols.
As previously stated,
beginning July 1, 1997,
manufacturers will be able to use ASTM-developed care symbols in place of
written instructions on permanent labels inside of garments.
The use of care
symbols is voluntary. However, if you do choose to use them, the FTC has made
it absolutely mandatory that, for the first 18 months (through December 31, 1998),
written explanations for the care symbols must be provided with the item. This
requirement is aimed at making sure that consumers understand what the symbols
stand for. These explanations do not have to be right on the label, but they
must be somewhere with the clothing or packaging such as on hang tags, stickers
or elsewhere. Of course, if you wish, you can state the instructions on the
label itself, along with the symbols. If you do this, you do not need any other
explanatory material such as a hang tag. The FTC has stated that you, as the
manufacturer, have the flexibility and freedom to choose how to best convey
this information to keep with the overall look of your care, content and brand
identification program.
Understanding
the care label symbol system
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 drying; 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.
|
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. For more
information on individual symbols, please refer to the chart on page 11 which
has been prepared by the Federal Trade Commission.
Extracted from http://www.paxar.com/carelabel/
