How to read a care label from left to right

Short answer: The symbols on a care label always come in the same order: washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and cleaning. Once you know the order, you can read any label in a few seconds.

The symbols come in a fixed order

A care label is made of symbols that come in a fixed order. First comes washing, then bleaching, then drying, then ironing and finally professional cleaning. The order does not change from label to label. You do not have to memorise each symbol, because the place in the row already tells you which subject the symbol is about.

The order is international

The tub comes first, then the triangle, then the square, then the iron and finally the circle. It is the same on men's bamboo undershirts and on all other clothes in Europe. The shared order means you can read labels from different brands in the same way, as long as the item was sold in Europe.

The tub and the triangle

The tub means washing, and the triangle means bleaching. These are the first two symbols in the row, and they are always read first. The tub tells you how the item is washed, while the triangle tells you whether it may be bleached. Once you have found both, you know the next symbol is about drying.

The square, the iron and the circle

The square means drying, the iron means ironing and the circle means professional cleaning. These are the last three symbols in the row. When you reach the circle, you have reached the end of the label. Many people overlook the circle because it comes last, but it follows the same logic as the others.

Dots and lines show the level

Dots and lines inside a symbol show the level, also on a bamboo hoodie for men. The shape of the symbol gives the subject, while the dots and lines show how much or how little is allowed. Read the shape first and then what is inside it, and you get both subject and level at once.

A crossed-out symbol is always a ban

Whatever shape is crossed out, the line means the action must not be carried out. This also applies to the label on bamboo socks for men and women. A crossed-out circle means, for example, that dry cleaning is not allowed. The line is a clear message, not a recommendation, and it works the same for every subject.

A label in a few seconds

Once you know the order, you can read any label in a few seconds. Start at the tub, move on to the triangle, the square, the iron and the circle, and for each symbol look at the shape, the dots and any lines. That is the whole method, and it works on clothes in Europe without looking anything up.

Five symbols, five subjects

A label typically has five symbols, one for each subject. If a symbol is missing, the manufacturer has set no limit for that subject. It is then wise to choose the gentle alternative. A missing symbol is therefore not a mistake but a sign that there is no ban on that subject.

Frequently asked questions

What if a symbol is missing?

Then the manufacturer has set no limit on that subject, but choose the gentle alternative. It is the safest route when the label says nothing about that subject.

Is the order the same all over the world?

In Europe yes. In the USA words are used instead of symbols. The order is therefore fixed on European labels, while American labels are read as plain text.

How many symbols are there typically?

Five, one for each subject. The five subjects are washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and cleaning, and they appear in exactly that order from left to right across the whole label.