Standardised care symbols (GINETEX, ISO 3758) have five categories: the washtub, the triangle for bleaching, the square with a circle for tumble drying, the iron and the circle for professional care. The number in the tub shows the maximum temperature, for example 30 or 40, and the bars beneath show how gentle the programme must be: one bar for delicate, two for very delicate. Dots in the iron and the dryer indicate the heat level.
The instructions should be set from tests on the fabric and the finished product, not from habit. Choose symbols backed by wash tests.
care-labelginetexsymbols
