Wash Care Labels

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The wash care label — also called a care label, washing instruction label or care and content label — is the label in a garment that contains the instructions for washing, drying, ironing and otherwise caring for it, with care symbols matching the written text, plus the fiber content, such as 100% cotton or a 60% cotton / 40% polyester blend. In the United States each item of clothing is required to carry a care label, and the Federal Trade Commission maintains the care labeling rules; imported garments also carry an RN number, the Registered Identification Number the FTC issues to U.S. businesses.

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What are wash care labels?

The wash care label is also referred to as a care label, washing instruction label, care & content label, and a few other choice terms.  Essentially, this is the label that you find in a garment that contains the washing instructions for the garment.  When I say washing, I actually mean all elements of care for the garment (washing, drying, ironing, etc.).  For an example, you may find a cotton t-shirt with the following care instructions.
 
MACHINE WASH COLD
 
WITH LIKE COLORS
 
GENTLE CYCLE
 
ONLY NON-CHLORINE
 
BLEACH WHEN NEEDED
 
TUMBLE DRY LOW
 
REMOVE PROMPTLY
 
LOW IRON IF NEEDED
 
Along with the written care instructions, you will also find care symbols that will match to the instruction of the written text. 
 
Some retailers may require bi-lingual care labels.  This is a label with more then one language.  Some retails may require additional languages as well.  The problem is that the care label is intended to be small so that it does not cause the wearer discomfort.  If you add multiple languages to the care label, the label becomes larger.  Keep in mind that the text can not be too small or people will have difficulty reading the instructions.
 
The wash care label also contains fabric content information.  The "content" refers to the fiber content.  For example, a garment can be 100% cotton.  Another example, would be a blended fabric that is 60% cotton / 40% polyester.
 
In the United States, it is required that each item of clothing contains a care label (wash care label).  As a matter of fact, the Federal Trade Commission has a whole list of care labeling rules.  You can check them out at https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/clothes-captioning-complying-care-labeling-rule. 
 
If you are importing product into the United States, the care label will also contain an RN#.  RN stands for Registered Identification Number. It is a number issued by the FTC to U.S. businesses that manufacture, import, distribute, or sell products covered by the Textile, Wool, and Fur Acts. Businesses can use this number on product labels in lieu of the company name.
 
The wash care label will also contain the country of origin.  This means the name of the country that produced the clothing.  Not the country that will be selling the product...
 
Learn more about care labels, woven labels, printed labels, and other types of clothing labels.
 
Thank you for reading this wash care label page.  If you are interested, you can also learn about ISO Care Symbols.

You may want to also learn about country of origin markings which typically get printed on the care label of a garment.

ML5709

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Brand Label Factories

You can find woven label factories in our clothing manufacturers directory.  In that section you will also find care labels and other trimming components needed when producing clothing.

You may also wish to read about NAFTA Care Symbols.

Fashion Industry Network 

Reading a Care Label Before You Wash

The example instructions carried on this page — machine wash cold with like colors, gentle cycle, only non-chlorine bleach when needed, tumble dry low, remove promptly, low iron if needed — show the standard order: wash method and temperature first, then bleaching, drying and ironing. Following that order when sorting laundry prevents the two most common care mistakes: washing a garment hotter than its label allows, which shrinks and fades it, and using chlorine bleach on a garment marked for non-chlorine bleach only. The symbols beside the words carry the same instructions in pictorial form, which is why the ISO care symbols and NAFTA care symbols pages linked from this page are useful when a garment's symbols do not match the set a shopper knows.

Common Questions

What information is on a wash care label?

The care instructions for the garment — washing, drying, bleaching and ironing directions in words and matching care symbols — and the content: the fiber composition of the fabric, such as 100% cotton or a cotton-polyester blend.

Are care labels required in the United States?

Yes. Each item of clothing sold in the United States must contain a care label, under the Federal Trade Commission's care labeling rules. Garments imported into the United States also carry an RN number, a Registered Identification Number issued by the FTC.

Why are some care labels bilingual?

Some retailers require care labels in more than one language, and some require additional languages. The trade-off is size: the label is meant to stay small enough not to discomfort the wearer, while the text must stay large enough to read.

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