Are care-label symbols legally mandatory?

The symbol system itself is the international ISO 3758 / GINETEX standard; the GINETEX symbols are registered trademarks. Some countries embed the system in their mandatory care-labelling law, but the symbols are a voluntary international language. Buyers should follow the labelling rules of the destination market. We can point you to the standard on request.

What does the number inside the washtub mean?

It is the maximum washing temperature in degrees Celsius — never exceed it. 30–40°C covers everyday coloured and synthetic loads, 60°C is for cotton whites and towels, and 95°C is a boil wash for white cotton and linen only.

My fabric is colour-fast, so why does the care label say 'do not bleach'?

Bleach — especially chlorine — can attack fibres and some dye classes even when wash fastness is good. The symbol reflects chemical sensitivity of the whole construction, not just colour loss. We advise the safe aftercare per the finish and dye used.

Can you provide care symbols for the fabric we order?

Yes. For finished woven fabrics we can supply recommended care instructions / symbols per the order requirement — available on request. The final care label on the garment is your responsibility as the brand or maker, because it must meet the destination-market rules.

How to read fabric care labels & wash symbols (ISO 3758 / GINETEX)

On this page

Why a fabric buyer should read care labels
The five-symbol system and its fixed order
Washing (the washtub)
Bleaching (the triangle)
Drying (the square)
Ironing (the iron)
Professional textile care (the circle)
How we support buyers

Why a fabric buyer should read care labels

When you order cloth, the care label is not just a garment-maker's problem. The aftercare a fabric can survive — maximum wash temperature, whether it takes bleach, how hot an iron it tolerates — is set by the fibre, the dye, the finish and the construction you specified. Reading the symbol system lets you check that the recommended care will not undo the performance you paid for (colour fastness, easy-care finish, dimensional stability). It also tells you what you can promise on the finished garment.

The five-symbol system and its fixed order

The international system is defined by ISO 3758 (the current edition is ISO 3758:2023, published 6 December 2023, replacing ISO 3758:2012) and uses the GINETEX symbol set — registered trademarks administered by GINETEX and prepared under ISO/TC 38. Every label carries the same five shapes, always left to right in this order:

1. Washing	🪣 Washtub
2. Bleaching	△ Triangle
3. Drying	▢ Square
4. Ironing	♨ Iron
5. Professional textile care	○ Circle

A cross (×) through any symbol means that process is prohibited. A bar beneath a symbol means use a gentler version of that process.

Washing (the washtub)

The number = maximum wash temperature in °C — never exceed it. 30 and 40 are everyday cold/warm; 60 is for cotton whites, bed linen and towels; 95 is a boil wash for white cotton and linen only.
One bar under the tub = a mild/gentle cycle (reduced agitation — synthetics or easy-care programme).
Two bars = a very mild cycle (wool / delicates programme, minimum agitation).
A hand in the tub = hand wash only, maximum 40°C. ISO 3758:2023 also added a hand-wash-at-ambient-temperature variant (around 20–30°C).
A cross through the tub = do not wash by any method (usually professional cleaning only).

Bleaching (the triangle)

Empty triangle = any bleach (chlorine or oxygen) is allowed.
Triangle with two diagonal lines = non-chlorine / oxygen bleach only — do not use household chlorine bleach.
Triangle with a cross = do not bleach at all; use a bleach-free detergent.

Drying (the square)

Circle inside the square = tumble drying. One dot = low heat (max exhaust ~60°C); two dots = normal heat (~80°C); no dot = any heat setting; cross = do not tumble dry.
Lines inside the square (no circle) = natural drying — line dry, drip dry, or flat dry; a curved line under the square means dry in the shade.

Ironing (the iron)

Dots inside the iron set the sole-plate limit: one dot ≤110°C, two dots ≤150°C, three dots ≤200°C.
Steam ironing may cause irreversible damage on heat-sensitive fibres; ISO 3758:2023 added a specific "do not steam" symbol.
Cross through the iron = do not iron.

Professional textile care (the circle)

P = professional dry cleaning in tetrachloroethene (perchloroethylene) and listed solvents; F = professional dry cleaning in hydrocarbon solvents.
W = professional wet cleaning.
A bar under the letter = a mild process; a cross = do not dry clean / do not professional wet clean.

How we support buyers

We are an integrated woven mill (yarn dyeing → weaving → fabric dyeing → printing → finishing) and can advise the aftercare that suits the specific cloth you order — consistent with the dye class and the finish applied. On request we can supply recommended care instructions / symbols for the finished woven fabric. The final care label on your garment remains the responsibility of you as the brand or garment maker, since it must follow the destination-market labelling rules.

For the underlying performance numbers behind a care claim, see our guides on shrinkage & dimensional stability, colour fastness and the finishing glossary. To start a specification, visit our RFQ page or email gxy@ntboerli.com.