Understanding the care label symbol system. The entire care label symbol system, as designed by the ASTM and approved by the FTC, is based upon five basic symbols which represent five basic care operations. These are: a washtub with a water wave for the washing process; a triangle for bleaching; a square for dying; an iron for ironing; and a circle for dry cleaning. Only one safe method of care is required on the label - usually either laundering or dry cleaning. In addition, the "X" symbol can be superimposed on any of the symbols whenever there is evidence to support that using that process could damage the apparel. To adequately represent the laundering process, at least four symbols must be used in the following order - washing, bleaching, drying and ironing. If you have evidence that dry cleaning will damage the item, and you wish to warn against it, add the dry cleaning symbol with an X after the four other symbols. For garments that must be dry cleaned, the dry cleaning symbol must be used at a minimum. Using additional symbols to clarify proper care. Additional symbols or words are also used within and below each basic symbol when it is necessary to further define proper care instructions. Washing: A water temperature must be given if certain temperatures would damage the garment. The following system of dots can be used within the washtub to indicate suggested water temperatures for washing. Six dots = 95 C/200 F Five dots = 70 C/160 F Four dots = 60 C/140 F Three dots = 50 C/120 F Two dots = 40 C/105 F One dot = 30 C/85 F. The washing machines used by most U.S. consumers, however, do not heat the water to a precise temperature. In addition, many consumer washing machines cannot attain the very high temperatures indicated by six, five or even four dots. For this reason, the FTC consumer chart (shown below) shows only three dots for hot, two dots for warm and one dot for cold/cool. Unless you intend for your product to be professionally laundered at very high temperatures, you will probably want to use one, two or three dots and explain to the consumer that these correlate to cool, warm and hot. Underlining the tub once indicates the permanent press cycle, and underlining it twice indicates the delicate-gentle washing cycle. Bleaching: The triangle means all bleach can be safely used. If chlorine bleach cannot be safely used, diagonal lines should be included within the bleaching triangle to indicate non-chlorine bleach only. If no bleach can be safely used, an X through the triangle should be used to provide a do not bleach warning. Drying: Additional symbols within the drying process square are designed to indicate the type of drying process to use such as tumble dry, line dry, drip dry, dry flat or dry in the shade. If apparel is designed for tumble dry, but a special cycle is necessary, one underline indicates permanent press while two underlines indicate the delicate-gentle cycle. Ironing: Additional ironing symbols include dot symbols inside the iron to indicate the proper temperature setting: Three dots = high Two dots = medium One dot = low. A steam burst can be used under the iron to indicate steaming, or it can appear with an X to warn not to steam. Dry Cleaning: A letter enclosed in the dry cleaning symbol indicates the type of solvent recommended. Additional symbols can be used to provide warnings about parts of the normal dry cleaning process that should be modified or avoided. As you can see, in a relatively small space, the care symbol system is designed to offer simple, detailed, straightforward care instructions. For more information on individual symbols, please refer to the chart on page 11 which has been prepared by the Federal Trade Commission. A closer look at the care label symbol system.