Very often, when buying a thing in a store, people do not pay attention to the label at all, especially since there are a lot of obscure characters. Many people are not interested in deciphering the icons on clothing labels, and when they remember them, it's too late. In fact, it is on these small scraps of fabric that specialists have collected all the useful information for the buyer about the purchased product.
In the article, we will consider the designation of icons on clothing labels, which are divided into several subsections. We will show a graphic image of the symbol and give its detailed decoding. You will learn how important it is to understand this issue, because thanks to proper care of clothes, they will retain their original appearance much longer.
General information
On the inside of clothes on store items, in addition to the manufacturer's tag, you can see a small label that contains information about the composition of the fabric and gives a specialist recommendationcare for such material. Knowing how to act during washing, you can save the fabric from molting, deformation, melting during ironing.
It seems that in the life of every housewife there was a moment of improper handling of a thing. This is an unsuccessfully washed dress that has changed color by several tones, a woolen sweater that has decreased in size or a singed edge of an elegant blouse. An experienced housewife has an understanding of how to properly care for clothes, distinguishes fabrics by touch or appearance, and intuitively knows what temperature can be set on the iron before ironing.
But even she would benefit from knowing what the icons on clothing labels mean. After all, there are instructions about bleaching or the use of chemicals. Therefore, when buying, do not cut off the label with the designations. It is small in size, made of soft fabric, so it will not interfere with wearing at all. But this will give you the opportunity, if necessary, to look and find out important things for yourself.
Types of badges on clothing labels
Symbols on the label have several types. Some point to the composition of the fabric. Most manufacturers write in full what fabric the item is made of, adding a percentage, while others indicate only generally accepted abbreviations.
The rest of the icons are written in one or two rows. Each of them belongs to different types. Let's list further the basic information packed into miniature symbols.
- Washing. This is the first icon in a row that can be recognized bydrawn bowl with a wavy water surface.
- Whitening. The triangular sign indicates the possibility of using bleach when washing or soaking.
- Spin. Such an action is indicated by a square symbol. The interpretation of the icons on clothing labels depends on the internal drawing of the figure or the lines crossing it.
- Ironing. This sign cannot be confused with anything, as an iron is depicted.
- Dry cleaning. In this type of icons, you can see not only lines and geometric shapes, but also English capital letters - A / P / F / CL. Later in the article we will describe their meaning in more detail.
- The last symbol on the tag indicates drying. There are things that can be hung outside using clothespins, and there are things that require drying horizontally or laying out on a towel in the shade.
Brief abbreviations for fabrics
Now a huge number of varieties of fabrics are being produced, I can’t even remember the names of all. The easiest thing to deal with is cotton clothing. It is well washed, ironed at high temperature, dried in the fresh air on clothespins. Housewives rarely have problems with cotton.
If you bought a thing and did not quite understand its composition, then study the decoding of the icons on clothing labels. Perhaps they will help you understand the quality and properties of an unfamiliar fabric. We list some of them:
- LI - linen. This is a durable fabric, but it can shrink when washed, so wash it at a temperature of 30–40 ° C, and iron it with a steamer, especially since linen items are veryare prone to creasing.
- WO - wool. This fabric does not like soaking. Wash carefully, do not rub or squeeze hard. They twist things in a terry towel, dry it unfolded on it.
- PA stands for nylon. This is a synthetic fabric that is quite durable. It washes well at 40 ° C and dries on clothespins, but you need to iron the fabric only at the lowest temperature, otherwise you can burn a hole.
- PES - polyacrylic. Like all polyester fabrics, polyacrylic is only washable at 30°C and cannot be tumble dried.
- EA - elastane material. It is necessary to care for such a fabric, as with all delicate fabrics. Do not dry in the dryer, choose detergents for delicate washing. They iron it depending on which fabric the elastane is combined with in the matter.
- PL - polyester. Washable at both 40°C and 60°C. During drying, creases that are difficult to remove can form. Polyester items do not need to be ironed, but if there is an unsightly crease, a lukewarm iron and a damp interfacing can be used.
- SE - silk fabric. Wash such a delicate matter only at 30 ° C, do not dry it in a dryer or in the sun. You can squeeze lightly in a towel. Ironed with a warm iron, and you can’t splash water on the fabric, as water stains remain.
Designations for washing
The table below shows a detailed explanation of the icons on clothing labels. As you can see, it’s easy to figure it out, especially with the temperature regime of washing. It is indicated by the usual numbers on the water container.
An additional line under the painted bowl means gentle washing. It can be done both in the washing machine and by hand. The temperature is indicated on the icons on clothing labels. The value of delicate washing is expressed in the fact that only neutral detergents are used. Wring out the fabric in a relaxed mode.
If washing by hand, do not rub the fabric or wring it hard. Rinse it better additionally under running water.
Spin different fabrics
Fabric spin marks can be recommended for both machine wash and hand wash. The symbol has the shape of a square with a circle inscribed inside, reminiscent of a graphic image of a washing machine with a round window. If it is not crossed out, then you can schedule a spin program for things. If washing is done by hand, then calmly twist such fabrics.
If a square with a circle in the center is crossed out, then you cannot squeeze out such a fabric. There is also an interesting icon in the form of a twisted towel with two crossed lines. This means that this fabric should not be twisted when washed by hand.
Fabric bleaching
Let's take a look at what the icons on clothing labels in the shape of a triangle mean. If the figure is drawn without additional lines, then things can be bleached. If the icon is crossed out, then it is absolutely impossible. The remaining symbols help you understand the use of whitening products.
On white cotton fabrics place a triangle with the inscriptionCL stands for bleaching with chlorine. If three parallel lines are drawn in the shape inside, then choose a bleach that does not contain such a toxic chemical.
Ironing things
If you have ever encountered the fact that the fabric was wrinkled during ironing or melted from a too hot appliance, then be sure to check the icons on clothing labels. Deciphering the designation of this type of symbol is probably the simplest, and it is clear to many housewives.
Dots are drawn on the drawn iron, the set temperature on the device depends on their number. On new devices, a similar designation. The highest temperature - up to 200 degrees - has a designation of 3 points. A hot iron is used to iron cotton and linen items, jeans and shirts, summer t-shirts and shorts.
Average temperature - up to 150 degrees - is indicated by two dots on the symbol. It is intended for fabrics with the addition of synthetics. But low temperatures - up to 110 degrees, indicated by one dot on the label, are used for synthetics and the outer surfaces of autumn jackets and sportswear.
If the drawn iron is crossed out, then the product cannot be ironed at all. There is another symbol where there are additional lines on the bottom of the iron. This means steaming the fabric. If such an icon is crossed out, then steaming cannot be carried out. This may damage the fabric, ruin the color, or leave unsightly water stains.
Dry Cleaning
Know the meaning of the icons drawn onon the label, in extreme situations where clothing is soiled and requires the use of additional chemicals to clean stubborn stains.
Hints are placed in circles on the label. If a simple circle is drawn, then it is recommended to clean such clothes only in a dry way in dry cleaners. If it is crossed out, it means that in no case should it be dry-cleaned. English letters are often placed in circles.
- The letter A indicates that the fabric will withstand exposure to any solvent.
- The P symbol on the clothing label indicates that the use of common reagents, such as perchlorethylene or bicarbonate, is allowed. You can remove the stain with gasoline, but make sure that the substance does not contain trichlorethylene. If such an icon is additionally underlined at the bottom with a line, then such a fabric should be washed in a gentle mode.
- The letter F allows the use of white spirit to remove the stain, and with an underlined symbol, a gentle treatment is recommended.
In closing
As you already understood, it is very important to know the decoding of the symbols on the label sewn to the clothes from the inside. It depends on how long you will use the thing, whether it will retain a decent look even after several washes. If you know all the information about the fabric and how to care for it, then you will never damage it with an iron when ironing, do not deform the thing when drying or wringing.
