Clothes Care Symbols Explained: How to Read the Label

Clothes care symbols tell you which washing, drying and finishing treatments a garment can take. Start with the shape, then read any numbers, dots, bars or crosses. The wash tub covers washing, the triangle bleaching, the square drying, the iron pressing and the circle professional cleaning.

That small label is worth reading before the first wash. A familiar fabric name does not tell you everything about the finished garment, especially when it has a print or other details. Here is how to turn the symbols into useful decisions for tees, hoodies, joggers and the rest of your wardrobe.

The five care symbols at a glance

Shape on the label	Treatment	What to look for
Wash tub	Washing	Temperature number, bars underneath, a hand or a cross.
Triangle	Bleaching	Whether it is empty, has diagonal lines or is crossed out.
Square	Drying	A circle for tumble drying, or lines for natural drying.
Iron	Ironing	Dots indicating heat level, plus any crossed-out treatment.
Circle	Professional cleaning	Letters and bars for the cleaner to interpret.

A cross through a symbol means that treatment is not permitted. Read the whole row, including written instructions, rather than stopping once you have found the wash temperature. GINETEX's care-labelling brochure explains these basic shapes and their variations.

Washing: the number and the bars do different jobs

A number inside the tub gives the maximum washing temperature in degrees Celsius. A tub marked 30 means do not exceed 30°C. One bar beneath it calls for a mild process; two call for a very mild process. A hand indicates hand washing, while a crossed-out tub means do not wash.

Temperature is only part of the decision. If a label has a bar, selecting the number while leaving a vigorous programme running has missed another instruction. Look in your machine's manual for the programme that meets the garment's requirements. Names such as “daily” or “mixed” are not enough on their own: check the actual settings.

For a shared load, read the other garments too. A towel and a printed tee may both fit in the drum, but that does not establish that the same treatment suits them. Make groups whose colour and care requirements work together. If you cannot find a suitable shared programme, separate the load.

Drying: a square is not always permission to tumble

A circle inside a square identifies tumble drying. One dot means a lower-temperature drying process; two indicate a normal-temperature process. A cross through that combination means do not tumble dry. Miele's UK care-symbol guide shows these distinctions.

Natural drying uses lines within the square. A vertical line indicates line drying and a horizontal line flat drying; additional details can specify drip drying or shade. Check the complete variation against GINETEX's current symbol reference when you are unsure.

Plan the drying stage before you press start. During an October week of changeable weather, washing a hoodie the night before you want it can leave little room for the instructed drying method. Give yourself time and suitable space, instead of changing the method to meet a deadline. A dryer's gentle setting does not override a do-not-tumble-dry instruction.

Bleaching: check before using a stain treatment

An empty triangle permits bleaching. Two diagonal lines limit this to oxygen or non-chlorine bleach. A crossed-out triangle means do not bleach.

This matters when reaching for a stain remover as well as a bottle labelled bleach. Read the cleaning product's instructions and ingredients alongside the garment's label. Do not assume that a treatment suitable for white household laundry is suitable for a white printed T-shirt.

If the two sets of instructions do not give you a clear answer, leave the treatment aside and ask for product-specific advice. A mark is frustrating, but uncertainty is a poor reason to experiment on the most visible part of a garment.

Ironing: follow the label rather than the cotton setting

Dots inside the iron indicate the permitted heat level: one is low, two moderate and three hot. A crossed-out iron means do not iron. Steam restrictions matter too. GINETEX advises choosing the maximum temperature from the care label rather than the fibre name.

For a printed top, also check any instructions about the artwork. Permission to iron the garment does not tell you to put the soleplate directly on its print. If the label or product advice is unclear, ask before applying heat. A photograph of an uncreased tee is not evidence of a particular ironing setting.

The circle is information for professional cleaners

Letters inside the circle identify professional cleaning processes, while bars indicate restrictions. Show the label to the cleaner. A W refers to professional wet cleaning; it is not an instruction to choose an ordinary home wash.

You do not need to memorise the solvent details to use this part of the label well. Keep it attached and let the professional assess the garment and the permitted process together.

What the current CARVÉ listings actually say

The Lost Horizon graphic tee, Black Core CV Hoodie and Black Core CV Joggers all currently list the same written care advice: wash cool and hang dry.

Those listings do not show the full row of sewn-in care symbols. This guide therefore does not assign a particular bleaching, ironing or tumble-drying symbol to them. Check the label in the item you receive for further instructions. If wording and symbols appear to conflict, ask CARVÉ to clarify before washing.

Our Core tee care guide covers the everyday routine in more detail. Keep sizing decisions separate from laundering: a hotter wash is not a reliable way to turn a garment into the fit you wanted.

A short label-reading routine

1. Read all five treatments. Include the written instructions and any restrictions relating to prints.
2. Check your machine. Match both temperature and process to the label.
3. Check the rest of the load. Combine compatible items rather than everything waiting in the basket.
4. Choose the drying space. Allow time for the specified method.
5. Ask about anything unclear. Keep the product name and a clear photograph of the label handy.

Understanding the label also helps before a purchase: consider whether the listed routine fits the time and drying space you have. If a graphic tee has a useful place in your wardrobe, explore CARVÉ GRAPHIC and read the care information on your chosen design before ordering.