Read a T-shirt’s care symbols in order: washing, bleaching, drying, ironing, then professional textile care. The symbols set the maximum or permitted treatment intended to avoid damage to that garment; they do not promise that stains will come out. Follow the shirt’s own label rather than guessing from its fabric name or copying another shirt’s instructions.
What the care-label system covers
ISO 3758:2023, published in December 2023, is the current edition identified on ISO’s standard page. It specifies a symbol code for domestic washing, bleaching, drying and ironing, as well as professional dry and wet cleaning, subject to the standard’s stated exclusions. ISO 3758:2023
Care symbols apply to the textile article as a whole, not just its main fiber. Color, finishes, buttons, zippers and other attached details can affect what treatment is suitable. That is why “100% cotton” is not enough to determine whether a particular T-shirt can be washed hot or tumble-dried. Use the instructions on that shirt’s label. GINETEX’s care-labelling overview
How to read the five symbol families
Read the sequence from left to right (or top to bottom, depending on the label): washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and professional textile care. A cross over a symbol means the treatment it represents is not permitted. GINETEX’s care-symbol explanations
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- SIZE AND CARE IN ONE LABEL: More than a simple clothing size tag, each label combines a clear XS-2XL size marking with five printed care symbols, helping keep essential sizing and garment care information together in one compact label
- 5 PRINTED CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Each garment label shows Machine Wash at 30°C, Do Not Line Dry, Low Iron and Do Not Dry Clean symbols, giving wearers practical alongside the clothing size
- 120 LABELS, XS TO 2XL: Includes 20 labels each in XS, S, M, L, XL and 2XL for 120 pieces total; each white fabric label measures approximately 1.57 x 0.79 in, making it easy to stock multiple common adult apparel sizes
- IRON ON, NO SEWING NEEDED: Apply these fabric size labels with heat instead of sewing individual tags into place, a convenient option for adding size and care information to compatible finished garments and sewing projects
- MADE FOR EVERYDAY APPAREL: Suitable for shirts, T-shirts, blouses, dresses, coats, jumpsuits and other compatible garments where clear size identification and basic washing, drying and ironing guidance are useful
1. Washing: the washtub
A number inside the washtub gives the maximum washing temperature in degrees Celsius. Do not exceed it. A single bar beneath the tub calls for a milder process with reduced mechanical action; two bars call for a very mild process. A lower temperature or gentler cycle than the maximum shown is allowed when appropriate.
2. Bleaching: the triangle
- An empty triangle permits bleaching with any type of bleaching agent.
- A triangle with diagonal stripes permits oxygen-based, non-chlorine bleach only.
- A crossed triangle means do not bleach.
3. Drying: the square
The square frames drying instructions. A circle inside it means tumble drying; dots inside that circle indicate the permitted heat severity. A square without a circle can indicate natural drying methods. If the label does not show a tumble-dry symbol, do not assume the garment is dryer-safe: GINETEX notes that washing and ironing symbols provide some drying indications, but appliance suitability cannot be determined clearly for every textile from program wording alone.
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4. Ironing: the iron
Dots on the iron symbol indicate heat severity. Follow the indicated level and do not exceed it. If the iron is crossed out, do not iron the garment.
5. Professional textile care: the circle
A circle indicates professional textile care. Letters inside it identify the process or solvent, while bars beneath it indicate a milder process. If the label calls for professional dry or wet care, take the garment to a qualified cleaner rather than trying to interpret the process as a home-care instruction.
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Can you put a T-shirt in the dryer?
Check the square symbol on that T-shirt’s label. A square containing a circle indicates tumble drying, and its dots show heat severity; a crossed version means not to use the represented drying treatment. Do not infer dryer safety from the word “cotton” or from another shirt’s label. When no tumble-dry symbol appears, follow any explicit restrictions and avoid treating appliance program names as a substitute for the care label.
What the symbols do—and do not—promise
The label describes the maximum or permitted care treatment intended to prevent damage to the article. A more conservative treatment—such as a lower wash temperature or gentler cycle—is allowed. But a care label is not a stain-removal guarantee: following its instructions does not ensure that all dirt or stains will come out. GINETEX
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- Includes 3 sheets of fabric stickers for a total of 54 labels
How to make a laundry-room sign or chart
Use the same five-family order as a garment label so people can scan a sign consistently: washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and professional textile care. Include the distinctions people are most likely to need: wash temperature and underlines, bleach permissions, tumble versus natural drying, heat dots, professional-care letters and the crossed-out prohibition.
GINETEX publishes an official table showing the symbol families and their variants; consult it when checking a chart’s accuracy: Table of Textile Care Symbols. The care symbols are protected trademarks in most countries, and reproduction or commercial use requires an appropriate license agreement. Before reproducing symbol artwork on a sign, verify the rights and local rules that apply; an official-looking chart is not automatically free to copy. GINETEX’s care-labelling overview
Quick Recap
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