COLUMBUS, Ohio The
next time you do clothes shop
ping. you might see care labels
using pictorial symbols instead of
the written word.
As of July 1, clothing made in
North America that’s sold in
Canada or Mexico in addition to
the United States must have care
labels in English, French and
Spanish or use symbols developed
by the American Society of Test
ing and Materials. The care sym
bols are similar to those used
internationally, but are more
comprehensive and include the
Fahrenheit scale for wash-water
temperatures.
“For die first 18 months, hang
tags will indicate what the sym
bols mean," said Joyce Smith, clo
thing specialist for Ohio State
University Extension. After that,
consumers will be on their own.
“Initially, consumers may find
the new care label system a little
confusing,” Smith said. “But the
system is logical once you under
stand the basic symbols.”
The symbols are composed of
five basic geometric shapes,
marked with various lines and
dots to indicate care instructions.
For example, dote inside the sym
bols for washing and drying indi
cate temperature— the more dots,
the higher the temperature. Hori
zontal lines underneath those sym
bols indicate that more gentle
treatment is needed for the gar
ment
“Think of the lines as a ‘minus*
sign,” Smith said. “The more
lines, the gentler the treatment”
At fust glance the symbols can
look complicated, but there’s
rhyme and reason behind them.
For example:
—Washing instructions come
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I ALL-PLANT LIQUID PLANT FOOD, INC. f
821 State Rd. 511 N., RFD 3, . )
j Ashland, Ohio 44805 j
How To Decipher Clothing Care Labels
in a shape similar to a wash tub,
complete with waves on top. A tub
with one line underneath indicates
the permanent press cycle should
be used. A tub with two lines
underneath indicates the delicate/
gentle cycle. A tub with a hand
reaching into it means hand
washing is recommended.
Dots inside the wash tub indi
cate temperature: one dot for 65 F
to 85 F; two dots for 105 F; three
dots for 120 F; and four dots for
140 F. These temperatures are
comparable to today’s “cold,”
“cod.’’ “warm” and “hot”
—A triangle symbol is used for
bleachitfg instructions. An open
triangle means any bleach can be
used. A triangle with diagonal
lines through it means only non
chlorine bleach can be used. A
dark triangle with an X over it
indicates no bleach should,.be
used.
—Drying instructions come in a
square. A square with a circle
inside means the garment can be
tumble dried. As with the washer
symbol, a line or two underneath
the square indicates a permanent
press or gentle cycle is recom
mended, and dots within the circle
indicate temperature to be used. A
square with a curved line along the
top indicates line drying is recom
mended. “Drip dry” is indicated
with three vertical lines inside a
square, and “dry flat” is indicated
with one horizontal line across a
square.,
—lroning instructions are indi
cated with a symbol that looks a
lot like an iron. Dots again indi
cate temperature, and an X super
imposed over the symbol indicates
the garment should not be ironed.
An iron symbol with two diagonal
lines underneath it and an X
through the lines means the gar-
We watch over every step in the manufacture, assembly and construction of
your building. Morton operates five manufacturing facilities, strategically located
to serve you efficiently.
Our high-volume buying power enables us to purchase the finest raw
materials at the lowest possible price. Components for your structure are
manufactured, fabricated and assembled under the watchful eyes of quality
control experts.
We maintain a fleet of company-owned and operated trucks, enabling our
drivers to unload your building materials quickly and safely.
From that point, a crew of company-trained, company-employed, and
company-insured construction professional* takes over. They are trained to
follow the most efficient and safe construction methods possible, and are
supplied with state-of-the-art equipment and quality materials to make your
facility something to be proud of for years to coma.
CONSUMER GUIDE TO CARE SYMBOLS
O
Wash
"A
Bleach
□
Dry
a
Iron
O
Dryclean
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m clarify w ttlr action.
Copyright 1996
American Society forTaating and MatarMa, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, Waat Conahohockan, PA 1042 S
ASTM Oaelgnatlon: D MS* PCN: 12-454M0-1S
ment can be ironed on the “no
steam” setting.
—A circle indicates the gar
ment should be dry cleaned. Let
ters within the circle indicate to
professional dry cleaners what
solutions should be used. An “A”
means any solvent can be used;
s oog g
nornwl permanent ddleda/ handwnh
proa* gantla
Water --
temptrittirw (i4OF) I (120 F) I (iosfilqsf-mf)
«OC 50C40C 30C
*/***•{•) •• | I•« |
A A
anydaadt only non-ahlortna bleach
whan needed whan needed
TUmbls dry
cvd— lyyi Kyi ivji i... 1
““ BS jJEi* On* dry/
notml permanent ddiedd hanglodry
pran gentle , ,
m
ffiS O@©oO TL
any high rnadhim low no hod/ I__ I
l»d «lr I |
dry flat
Iron-dry
mwrn /nr\ /7T\ fT\
maximum 200 C tSOC HOC
temperature (3*o F) (300 F) (230 F)
high rnadhim lew
Prvcltln Erefwlomlly dryclwn -raquhaamodMaddryelaaning
(A) (?) (?)
normaleyela abort low ■-—.
' •*"• had trichloroethylene advent only
“P” indicates any solvent but
trichloroethylene can be used; and
“F” means petroleum solvents
must be used.
Consumers can benefit from die
symbols in a number of ways.
Smith said.
"y»'yg;iui
‘The symbol* can fit on fewer
or smaller garment labels,” she
said. “International travelers also
will be able to understand the care
requirements of textile itrcms pur
chased while visiting other
countries.”
# MORTON
BUILDINGS
717/624-3331
3368 York Rd.
Gettysburg, PA 17325
800-447-7436
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iy, August 8,
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-817
Warning
symbols for
laundsrlng
a
do not wash
>!<> A «■
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S
do not dry
(ueetfwth
0en«( wash)
23
do not Iron
Additional
instruction*
(In symbols
or words)
laT
do not wring
@
do not
tumbt* dry
□
Inthaahada
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no attain
(addadtohen)
Warning
aymbol
do not dryclaan
908/454-7900
P.O. Box 126,
Phllllpsburg, NJ 08865
Illinois only, call
~1 <BOO-426-6686