What are care labels? 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.
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. Indeed, all the components of the textile need be
taken into account: other fibres, accessories, but also dying, finishing
treatments and texture.
Using care labels provides the consumer with care information he does not
have to decide on. Indeed, the consumer usually does not have the experience
or technical knowledge to decide which care treatment is suitable.Care
labelling is determined under the responsibility of the garment maker in
common interest of textile manufacturers, drycleaners and of course
consumers.
Thus care symbols are recommandations 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.
Who is responsible for labeling and when?
The manufacturer is responsible for proper labeling of textile fiber
products when they are ready for sale or delivery to the consumer.
A "manufacturer" is defined as any person or firm who
manufactures, produces or in any way processes textile fibers or products
made from them. A textile fiber product is considered "ready for sale
or delivery" to the ultimate consumer when the manufacturing or
processing of the product is basically complete. Small details, such as
finishing a hem or attaching buttons, do not excuse the product from the
labeling requirement.
Wool must be labeled as soon as it is converted into a manufactured form,
that is, when the fiber is blended, dyed, combed or twisted in any manner.
(Products intended for export to a foreign country are exempted.) The
importer is responsible for proper labeling of imported textile products.
Custom merchants and tailors are responsible for showing properly labeled
bolts, samples and swatches to customers.
There are three different categories of labeling requirements that affect
textile products:
(1) Fiber content
(2) Country of origin
(3) Care instruction
Complying with the Rule
The Care Labeling Rule requires manufacturers and importers to attach care
instructions to clothing and some piece goods.
Relevant to
- 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.
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Flammability labels
Children's sleepwear, mattress pads, carpets and rugs sold in the United
States are usually labeled "Flame resistant." They are required by
law to meet special flammability standards.
Yard goods intended for children's sleepwear will also be labeled on the
fabric bolt end with a statement such as "Flame resistant, safe for
children's sleepwear." Often cotton flannelettes and other fabrics of
similar weight and textures that are not treated for flame resistance will
be labeled "Not suitable for children's sleepwear."
Flame resistant fabrics are not flameproof. Under certain conditions, they
will still burn, but generally they ignite with difficulty, burn slowly and
self-extinguish when the source of heat and flame is removed. Manufacturers
must include special instructions for care necessary to preserve
flame-resistant properties.
Labels for piece goods
Manufacturers and importers of piece goods fabrics (yard goods) are
required to provide consumer information clearly and conspicuously on the
end of each bolt or roll of fabric. Care instructions must follow the rules
previously stated.
Manufacturers are no longer required to provide fabric retailers with care
labels to give to consumers to sew into the clothes they make, although many
have labels available and will provide them to consumers who ask for them.
Labels about dimensional stability
Some fabrics shrink or stretch out of shape during use and care. A few
terms may appear on the label to help inform consumers about the dimensional
stability of a textile product.
- Preshrunk means some shrinking procedure has been followed but
does not indicate how much more the textile product will shrink
during use and care.
- 3 Percent Shrinkage means that the item may shrink as much as one
inch per yard of fabric, resulting in the loss of almost one garment
size.
- Prewashed is sometimes used on denim to indicate a softer fabric
with some color fading. The garment is less likely to shrink when
washed.
- SanforizedTM, Sanfor-KnitTM, and Sanfor-SetTM are trademarks
owned by Cluett, Peabody and Co. SanforizedTM signifies that the
woven cotton or cotton blend fabric has been tested and conforms to
a precise standard of effective shrinkage control.
- Sanfor-KnitTM signifies high standards of shrinkage control and
easy-care performance in 100 percent cotton and cotton-blend knit
fabrics and garments. Sanfor-SetTM signifies that the woven cotton
or cotton-blend fabric conforms to precise standard of shrinkage
control and easy-care performance.
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Reasonable Basis
You must have a reasonable basis for all care instructions, including
warnings. That means you must have reliable evidence to support the care
instructions. For example, you cannot say "Dryclean Only" unless
you have proof that washing is harmful to the garment. What constitutes
reliable evidence depends on several factors.
- In some cases, experience and industry expertise can serve as a
reasonable basis.
- In other instances - for example, when a dye is used that is
known to bleed or when beads that are known to be damaged often in
drycleaning are used - test results showing that the garment can be
cleaned as recommended without damage may be required.
- When a garment contains several components, you must have
reliable evidence showing that the garment as a whole will not be
damaged when cleaned as directed. The updated Rule clarifies that
results of tests on components of garments can serve as a reasonable
basis as long as you have reliable evidence supporting the care
instructions for the garment as a whole. For example, testing the
components of a garment is not an adequate basis for a "wash"
instruction if the color of one part bleeds onto another when the
finished garment is washed.
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Care
Labelling
