Understanding Fabric Labels: A Simple Guide

Those tiny symbols inside your collar are instructions, not decoration — and learning to read them saves garments (and money).

The five basic symbols

A tub means washing: a number is the maximum temperature, a hand means hand-wash only, and a cross means don't wash at all. A triangle covers bleaching — crossed out means no bleach. A square is drying: a circle inside means tumble dry (dots show the heat level), while lines mean line-dry or dry flat. An iron shows pressing, with dots for temperature. A circle means professional cleaning.

The ones people miss

Inside that circle, a "P" or "F" means dry-clean only, a "W" means professional wet-clean, and a crossed-out circle means do NOT dry clean — the solvents will damage it. Dots are the universal shorthand for temperature throughout: more dots, more heat. When a symbol is crossed out, it's an absolute "never," not a suggestion.

When in doubt

Labels fade, get cut out, or simply confuse. If you're unsure, bring the garment to Qsec — we read the fabric itself, not just the tag, and choose a method that protects it. Better a quick question than a shrunk favourite.