You spent real money on that sweater, and the fastest way to ruin it is to ignore the tag sewn into the seam. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission’s Care Labeling Rule tells manufacturers what that tag must say. Here is how to read it.
1. It Must Tell You How to Clean the Garment
A label has to carry either a washing instruction or a dry cleaning instruction. If a garment can be both washed and dry cleaned, one instruction is enough. The FTC also requires the maker to have reliable evidence behind every instruction.
2. Wash by Hand or Machine, and the Temperature Only If It Matters
The label must say whether to wash by hand or by machine. It gives a water temperature only if regular hot water would harm the product. No temperature on the tag means hot water is not a known danger for that item.
3. Bleach Lines Are Specific
If all bleaches are safe for regular use, the label does not mention bleach. If only non-chlorine bleach is safe, it says “Only non-chlorine bleach, when needed.” If no bleach is safe, it says “No bleach” or “Do not bleach.”
4. Drying and Ironing Follow the Same Logic
The label says whether to machine dry or use another method, and it names a temperature only if high heat would damage the garment. Ironing instructions appear if the garment needs regular ironing, with a temperature only if a hot iron would harm it.
5. Warnings Use Plain Words
When a procedure you could reasonably try would damage the garment, the label must warn against it with “Do not”, “No” or “Only”. It also has to flag products that could harm other items in the wash, for example “Wash separately”. If neither washing nor dry cleaning is safe, the label says “Do not wash – Do not dryclean.”
The label also has to be attached permanently and stay legible for the life of the product. Symbols are optional, as long as the written instructions are there.
Sources
- US Federal Trade Commission, “Clothes Captioning: Complying with the Care Labeling Rule”, page dated May 2014. https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/clothes-captioning-complying-care-labeling-rule
