SYMBIOSIS CENTER FOR INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY
FABRIC CARE
LABELLING
ISO 3758:9001 AND ISO 3758:2005

PRIYASHREE RAI
ITBM 2009-11
PRN : 9030241022
Index

Sr. No. Topic Page No.

1 About Care Labels 2

• Care Labels: A brief history.

• Two key goals.
• One key revision.
• The next step: A move toward symbols.
• Why care label symbols?
2 Different care labeling systems: 3
3 European Care Labeling 4
4 International Care labeling system-GINETEX (According to ISO 4
3758:1991)
5 Overview: ISO 3758:1991 vs ISO 3758:2005 11
6 ISO 3758:2005 Care Symbols 12
References

About Care Labels

2
Care Labels: A brief history.
Long before polyester, acrylic and automatic washing machines came along, consumers
could easily identify a wool or cotton garment and successfully clean it without a care label.

But those days are long gone. New fibers and new technology have created a vast array of
apparel and textiles - each designed to look beautiful and to stand up to the test of time.
Unfortunately, consumers had no way of knowing just how to properly clean these items,
often damaging both the apparel's beauty and long-lived nature.

So in 1972, the Federal Trade Commission introduced the Care Labeling Rule which, for the
first time, required manufacturers to label their clothing with instructions for at least one safe
cleaning method for the garment. From this time on, it would be considered unfair and
deceptive for manufacturers or importers to sell items without care labels. [1]

Two key goals.

Requiring care labels actually accomplished two very important goals. First, it helped
consumers make buying decisions based upon the care method required. Some people prefer
the convenience of dry cleaning, others the economy of machine washing.
At the same time, care labels assured that consumers knew how to safely clean their clothes
so that they retained their appearance and performance over time. Something which the entire
apparel industry was all for as well. [1]

One key revision.

In January 1984, the FTC made a number of revisions to its Care Labeling Rule based upon
findings that many consumers considered care labels to be incomplete, inaccurate and
inconsistent. The rule was amended to clarify care labeling requirements, simplify and unify
the care label language and provide more specific, detailed information for consumers. The
Rule was also intended to make care labeling compliance easier for manufacturers which
would, in turn, make care labels more beneficial and informative for consumers. [1]

The next step: A move toward symbols.

Now, the FTC is introducing a "conditional exemption" to its Care Labeling Rule. This
exemption, which begins July 1, 1997, allows manufacturers to use certain care symbols in
place of written instructions to communicate a method for cleaning. Originally proposed in
November 1995 and then refined over the following 15 months, this exemption is designed to

3
further simplify and unify care labels, making them more helpful to consumers. The symbols
to be used have been developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
[1]

Why care label symbols?

One of the major reasons behind the introduction of care label symbols is to harmonize
American clothing labeling regulations with those of Canada and Mexico. In fact, the intent is
that the new symbols will become standard in all countries participating in the North
American Free Trade Agreement. This means that apparel manufacturers will now be able to
use the same care label on garments offered for sale in any or all of these countries. And
consumers will be able to make purchase decisions based upon care requirements, and follow
appropriate care instructions, without knowledge of the language.

Additionally, this move to care label symbols can help satisfy another consumer demand
which is to decrease the size of care labels. Lately, there's been growing concern among
manufacturers that the higher cost of larger labels are being reflected in higher apparel cost.
Using symbols in place of words is a simple tactic for saving both space and money.

You should keep in mind, however, that the upcoming conditional exemption stops short of
creating a global standard for care labeling. This is still a goal of the FTC. It's just that the
FTC does not believe the system of symbols set up by the International Standards
Organization (ISO) and known as Ginetex is as comprehensive as those developed by the
ASTM. Efforts to harmonize the ASTM and ISO care symbol systems are expected to
continue. [1]

Different care labeling systems:

• American Care Labeling System (According to American society for testing and
materials (ASTM))

• European Care Labeling System (According to ISO 3758:2005 and managed by

GINETEX )

• Japanese Care Labeling System

4
 • Canadian Care Labeling System (The Canadian standard for care labeling has been
revised. The new version has symbols in black and white replacing the previous
“traffic light” colors of green, amber, and red.)

• Australian Care Labeling System (In English wording)

• Chinese Care Labeling System (According to GB/T 8685-2008) [3]

European Care Labeling

Individual technical committees of the European Union and International Standards
Organisation reviewed existing care label standards and have created a unified system under
the ISO scheme which is published as ISO 3758:2005.

The textile care labeling symbols are managed by Ginetex (International Association for
Textile Care Labeling). The symbols are registered as international trademarks. Ginetex has
16 member countries, the national committees of which administer the right to reproduce
these symbols in their countries.

A correct care label for European countries is required to consist of five symbols in the
following sequence: washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and professional textile care. [3]

International Care labeling system- GINETEX (According to ISO

3758:1991)
Internationally, many countries follow different care instructions and have different laws and
rules governing the same. The International Association for Textile Care Labeling
(GINETEX) had, therefore, developed a language-independent care labeling system in 1975.

With an aim to promote voluntary care labeling on international basis, the GINETEX care
labeling system (or international care labeling system) mainly uses symbols to provide care
instructions. ISO 3758:1991 provides a code of reference for the use of these symbols.

The system consists of five basic symbols and their full descriptions are shown in the
following.

5
Note: A cross on any of them means that the treatment shall not be used and a bar under the
symbols indicates milder treatment is needed (broken bar indicates a very mild treatment).

WASHING

Maximum temperature 95° C

Mechanical action normal

Rinsing normal

Spinning normal

Maximum temperature 95° C

Mechanical action reduced

Rinsing at gradually decreasing

temperature (cool down)

Spinning reduced

Maximum temperature 70° C

Mechanical action normal

Rinsing normal

Spinning normal

Maximum temperature 60° C

Mechanical action normal

Rinsing normal

Spinning normal

6
Maximum temperature 60° C

Mechanical action reduced

Rinsing at gradually decreasing

temperature (cool down)

Spinning reduced

Maximum temperature 50° C

Mechanical action reduced

Rinsing at gradually decreasing

temperature (cool down)

Spinning reduced

Maximum temperature 40° C

Mechanical action normal

Rinsing normal

Spinning normal

Maximum temperature 40° C

Mechanical action reduced

Rinsing at gradually decreasing

temperature (cool down)

Spinning reduced

Maximum temperature 40° C

Mechanical action much reduced

Rinsing normal

Spinning normal

Do not wring by hand

7
 Maximum temperature 30° C

Mechanical action much reduced

Rinsing normal

Spinning reduced

Hand wash

Do not machine wash

Maximum temperature of wash 40° C

Handle with care

Do not wash.

Be cautious when treating in wet stage

BLEACHING

Chlorine-based bleaching allowed

Only cold and dilute solution

Do not use chlorine-based bleach

IRONING

Iron at a maximum sole-plate

temperature of 200° C

Iron at a maximum sole-plate

temperature of 150° C

8
 Iron at a maximum sole-plate
temperature of 110° C

Steam-Ironing may be risky

Do not iron

Steaming and steam treatments are not

allowed

DRY-CLEANING

Dry-cleaning in all solvents normally

used for dry-cleaning - this includes all
solvents listed for the symbol P, plus
trichloroethylene and 1, 1, 1-
trichloroethane

Dry-cleaning in tetrachloroethylene,
monofluorotrichloromethane and all
solvents listed for the symbol F

Normal cleansing procedures without

restrictions

Dry-cleaning in the solvents listed in the

previous paragraph

Strict limitations on the addition of

water and/or mechanical action and /or
temperature during cleaning and/or
drying

No self-service cleaning allowed

9
 Dry-cleaning in trifluorotrichloroethane,
white spirit (distillation temperature
between 150° C and 210° C, flash point
38° C to 6O° C)

Normal cleansing procedures without

restrictions

Dry-cleaning in the solvents listed in the

previous paragraph Strict limitations on
the addition of water and/or mechanical
action and/ or temperature during
cleaning and/or drying

No self-service cleaning allowed

Do not dry clean

No stain removal with solvents

DRYING

Tumble dry possible

Normal drying cycle

Tumble dry possible

Drying at lower temperature setting

Do not tumble dry

10
Overview: ISO 3758:1991 vs ISO 3758:2005

There also have been a number of revisions made to the care labeling requirements of ISO
3758 last year. Prompted by newer technologies and new fibers, finishes and materials,
labeling requirements had to expand to reflect updated practices. The following is a summary
of the major changes. ISO 3758:2005 should be consulted for specific requirements and
revised graphics.
• Bleaching: While in 1991 it was sufficient to state “chlorine-based bleaching,” now
bleaching encompasses more alternatives: chlorine bleaches or oxidizing bleaching
agents, and oxygen/non-chlorine bleaches. This necessitated changing the symbols to
represent these choices.
• Dry Cleaning: Changes have also been made to “dry cleaning,” which in 1991 had
six symbols. The current standard now refers to it as “professional textile care” and
lists eight symbols, some modified from the previous addition, and three new ones
added to incorporate professional wet cleaning.
• Natural Drying: “Natural drying” symbols are now included as an annex to the main
document, beyond the three tumble-drying symbols which remain the same.
• Tub Graphics: There are also modifications to the drawings of bar lines under the
tub graphics for washing processes. The following represent a sample of the
differences between the 1991 drawing and the 2005 drawing: [2]

[2]

11
New Old New Old

The International Association for Textile Care Labelling (GINETEX) has announced that it
will change the sequence order of its care label symbols to harmonize with those in the 2005
version of ISO 3758, Textiles – Care Labelling Code Using Symbols. This will create a
global practice of listing the five symbols in the order of consumer practice, namely:
washing, bleaching, drying, ironing, professional textile care. (GINETEX member countries
are currently using the sequence: washing, bleaching, ironing, professional textile care,
tumble drying.) The change is now in effect, but industry and the textile trade will have a
transitional period of eighteen months (until the end of 2007) in which to make the
conversion.

ISO 3758:2005 Care Symbols [3]

12
References
[1] Overview: ISO 3758:1991 vs ISO 3758:2005 retrieved from
https://www.iaaqaservices.bureauveritas.com/reach-ccr/regulation_updates/43296.html

[2]About Care Labelling retrieved from http://www.paxar.com/carelabel/

[3] ISO 3758:2005 retrieved from http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:oAZdnMF4-

NUJ:www.intertek.com/uploadedFiles/Intertek/Divisions/Consumer_Goods/Media/PDFs/Ser
vices/Low%2520Res
%2520CompleteCareLabelling.pdf+is+ginetex+care+labelling+in+accordance+to+ISO
%3F&hl=en&gl=in&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESh4RvgHWNL3BZ3XoN9ROYRq9Q81bNgVs
wX4HGnnuVnJoj0R5ctGd23AVObpCzG2PbsXQYXv7ntPJDkuG6aZRIcU7SJXA6hp21_K
BPJQg9LLCMBy89VbtJshbNEiT9kzHxfAjkDo&sig=AHIEtbQRvYzQ-a1JdvIi-
NH3RVQshKN4-A

13