Care Labeling

AQM_Session 7
 What is Care Label?
• Care labels indicate how to clean
textile articles in the best possible
way.
• Care symbols provide all the
necessary information on washing,
bleaching, ironing, dry cleaning and
tumble drying.
 Need for Care Labels?
• Without this information, the consumer will face trouble in
deciding on the appropriate care treatment of the textile item
because it does not depend on the main fabric solely.
• Using care labels provides the consumer with care
information he does not have to decide on.
• Thus care symbols are recommendations on how to clean a
textile article on which they are affixed;
• they should not be considered as a use guaranty neither
as a quality mark.
• Symbols refer to maximum permissible treatments that a
textile article can bear without irreversible damage. More
severe treatments can always be applied.

• Care labels often are a deciding factor when consumers

shop for clothing. While some consumers look for the
convenience of dry-cleaning, others prefer the economy of
washable garments. In fact, recent surveys show that
consumers want washing instructions on their purchases
 Who Needs to Label?
• The Care Labeling Rule requires manufacturers
and importers to attach care instructions to
clothing and some piece goods. Thus, the
following categories of people/organizations need
to be aware of the use the care labels-
• Manufacturers and importers of textile wearing
apparel.
• Manufacturers and importers of piece goods
sold to consumers for making wearing apparel.
• Any person or organization that directs or
controls the manufacturing or importing of textile
wearing apparel or piece goods for making
wearing apparel.
What Needs labeling?
 The Care Labeling Rule
• General Requirements as mandated by the U.S. Federal
Trade Commission:
• Care labels must be permanently attached and remain
legible for the life of the garment.
• The label must be readily accessible to the consumer. If
packaging obscures the care label, instructions must
also be printed on the outside of the packaging or on a
hang tag.
• Care label must be written in English. ASTM care
symbols can be used instead of written instruction.
A garment that consists of two or more parts and is
always sold as a unit needs only one care label if the
care instructions are the same for all the pieces.
The label should be attached to the major piece of
the suit. If the suit pieces require different care
instructions or are designed to be sold separately,
like coordinates, then each item must have its own
care label.
 WHAT IS COVERED
• All textile wearing apparel used to cover or
protect the body, except shoes, gloves and hats.
• Items such as handkerchiefs, belts, suspenders,
and neckties are excluded because they are not
used to cover or protect the body.
• Non-woven, one-time use garments are excluded
because they do not require ordinary care and
maintenance.
• All piece goods sold for making home-sewn
apparel.
• An exception is marked manufacturer’s remnants
up to 10 yards when the fiber content is not known
and cannot easily be determined.
• Trim up to 5 inches wide also is excluded.
 EXEMPTIONS
• The following products do not need to have permanently
affixed care labels, although temporary labels must be
provided.
• Totally reversible clothing without pockets, as long as care
information appears on a temporary label and is conspicuous
at point of sale.
• Products that may be washed, bleached, dried, ironed, or
drycleaned by the harshest procedures available, as long as
the instruction “Wash or dryclean, any normal method”
appears on temporary label and is conspicuous at point of
sale.
• Products granted exemptions, e.g., reversible garments, as
long as they still meet the exemption standards.
• Product line exemption applies only to hosiery including
stockings, anklets, waisthigh tights, panty hose and leg
warmers.
• Products granted exemptions in the future on the grounds
that care labels will harm their appearance or usefulness,
pursuant to a petition under amended Rule.
5 basic operations involved in
caring of textile and garments
• Washing
• Bleaching
• Drying
• Ironing
• Dry cleaning
 All labeling must have a
reasonable basis for the care
instructions, including
warnings.
 International Care labeling
system-GINETEX
• Internationally, many countries follow different
care instructions and have different laws and
rules governing the same. The International
Association for Textile Care Labeling (GINETEX)
had, therefore, developed a language-
independent care labeling system in 1975.
• With an aim to promote voluntary care labeling
on international basis, the GINETEX care
labeling system (or international care labeling
system) mainly uses symbols to provide care
instructions. ISO 3758 1991 provides a code of
reference for the use of these symbols.
• The system consists of five basic symbols
Symbols
• A cross on any of them means that
the treatment shall not be used and a
bar under the symbols indicates
milder treatment is needed (broken
bar indicates a very mild treatment).
 LABELING REQUIREMENTS
• Washing - The label must specify whether the
garment should
• be washed by hand or machine.( Wash Cycle)
• A water temperature should be specified - hot,
warm or cold.
• It is permissible to exclude a water temperature if
hot water can be used without damaging the
garment.
 LABELING REQUIREMENTS
• Bleaching It is permissible to exclude bleaching
instruction if
• both chlorine or non-chlorine bleach can be
safely used.
• If chlorine bleach would damage the garment,
but non-chlorine bleach is safe, the label must
state:
• “Only non-chlorine bleach when needed”.
• The label must state “Do not bleach” or “No
bleach” if commercially available bleaches
would damage the garment.
 LABELING REQUIREMENTS
• Drying The label must specify whether the
garment should
• be dried by machine or other method.
• A machine temperature should be
specified - hot, medium or low.
• It is permissible to exclude a temperature
setting if hot setting can be used without
damaging the garment.
 LABELING REQUIREMENTS
• Ironing Instruction must be given if
ironing is needed to improve the
appearance of the garment.
• A temperature setting should be
specified - hot, warm or cool.
• It is permissible to exclude a
temperature setting if hot setting can be
used without damaging the garment.
• If ironing will damage the garment the
label must state: “Do not iron”.
 Ironing Temperature
• Cool Iron : Maximum Sole plate temp
is 110 degree centigrade
• Warm iron : Max Sole plate temp is
150 degree centigrade
• Hot Iron : Maximum sole plate
temperature is 200 degree centegrade
 Labeling Requirements
• Drycleaning If the garment can be drycleaned by
any commercial method - professional and coin
operated
• - the label should read “Dryclean”.
• If any solvent or part of the dry cleaning process
would damage the garment the label must state
which solvent to use such as “Professionally
Dryclean. Fluorocarbon or Petroleum”.
• Warnings The label must specify a warning if
consumer can be expected to use cleaning process
that would damage the garment. The warning must
be clearly stated such as “Do Not Iron” or “Wash
Separately”.
 Care Labeling
• Maintenance Specification
• It is very important that customers be
given accurate care/ maintenance
information , so they can make
informed purchase decisions
concerning care characteristics of
competing products and the product
damage caused by the use of improper
cleaning can be avoided by consumers
and cleaners.
 What customer looks in care
label specifications
• Whether the item should be washed
or dry-cleaned
• Whether the item is colorfast or
should be washed separately
• Whether the item should be dried
by machine
• Whether the item should be washed
by hand or machine
• Whether the item is permanent
press or needs ironing
 What customer looks in care
label specifications…contd.
• Whether both washing and dry-
cleaning are safe
• Whether the item can be bleached or
not
• Whether it can be washed in hot water
• What water temperature to use : hot,
warm, cold
• Whether the item should be drip
dried, hung to dry, dried flat or
tumble dried
• The temperature setting for the
dryer : hot, warm or cold
 What customer looks in care
label specifications…contd.
• Temperature setting for the iron
• Whether the item can be sent to a
commercial laundry
• Whether the item will shrink and
how much
• The above mentioned points give
garment manufacturers a good idea
of what consumers look for in a
care label
 Method of Care Labeling
• Direct Method – Product is
manufactured, tested and then
given the care instructions based
on the characteristics of the
product.
• Indirect Method – Care instructions
are designed based on the ultimate
use of the product.
 Care Label and criteria
• To design proper and effective care
instructions for a product , the following
parameters should be studied:
1.Fibre content of the product
2.Pre –processing of the product
3.Fabric construction and type of the
garment
4.End use of the product

All of these factors are inter related

 Washing vs Product Strength
Fibre Strength Recommendation
Cotton Stronger when wet Hand or m/c wash.
Wringing tension during
washing allowed
Linen and Ramie do Do
Viscose Weaker when wet DO not exert wringing
tension while washing
Silk Elastic and weaker when Do
wet
wool do Do
Polyester Strength unaffected by Hand or m/c any type wash
being wet recommended
Nylon do Do
Acrylic Do Do
Ironing Parameters vs Product
Type
Fibre Safe Ironing Temp. 0 c
Cotton 204
Acrylic 135-148
Acetate 143-176
Linen/Jute/Hemp 230
Wool/Mohair/Camel Hair 148
Nylon 6/Nylon6,6 135-148
Viscose 190
Polyester 148-162
Silk 148
Spandex 135
Triacetate 200-220
Lurex 162
Polyethylene 65
Polypropylene 121
Glass <3200
 Points to think over…
• Common Fibre blends and their
ironing characteristics
• Wrinkle resistant property vs. Fibre
content
• Product content vs Bleaching
Chemicals