A guide to care labels and instructions
_x000D_ When thinking about getting your latest product or design to market the last thing most people think about is its longevity and care once it has been sold._x000D_ _x000D_ Your brand and identity lives on once your customer walks out of the shop! The quality of the garment and its ability to stay as close to ‘new’ as possible says as much about your brand as anything you have designed._x000D_ _x000D_ So when branding your product an essential part of that should be the care of your product after it has been purchased._x000D_ _x000D_ Wash care labels can be overlooked by customers (especially men!) so being innovative with them can bring them to your customer’s attention. However, there are a few rules and regulations you need to be aware of when designing your wash care instructions._x000D_ _x000D_ When it comes to your care label there are four key elements to be mindful of; fibre content, country of origin, care instructions and flammability._x000D_Fibre Content
_x000D_Displaying the material and the fibre percentages of textiles and apparel is a mandatory requirement in the UK. This is specified in the 2012 edition of the Guidance on Textile Products (Labelling and Fibre Composition) Regulations. These regulations state that information about the main fibre content of a garment must be displayed in percentages, e.g. 100% Cotton.
_x000D_ This labelling description must be understandable to the market in which it will be sold so if you are thinking about selling to other markets, i.e. the European Union, then there are different regulations to consider such as multiple languages and text size._x000D_Country of Origin
_x000D_ Country of origin is an unusual regulation because there isn’t a compulsory regulation that requires you to display the country of origin within the EU but trading regulations insist that it is necessary to state this to ensure customers are not misled about the country the product was made in._x000D_ _x000D_ But hey who doesn’t want to advertise that your wonderful garment is Made in Britain?_x000D_Care Labelling
_x000D_ Care labelling is an essential part of you garment finishing and there are many different ways to include care symbols and instructions on your garments. You can use either traditional satin labels that are labels in there own right or even including this information in your logo label or design._x000D_ _x000D_ The inclusion of washing instructions is not mandatory in the UK; however, it is strongly encouraged. We would always recommend the use of GINETEX symbols - the system used throughout Europe._x000D_ _x000D_ For the five main symbols and more detailed information plus an explanation on how to use them visit: www.care-labelling.co.uk_x000D_ _x000D_ Below is an illustration of the five main symbol types:_x000D_- _x000D_
- Wash Temperature/type _x000D_
- Bleaching options _x000D_
- Drying options _x000D_
- Ironing Temperatures _x000D_
- Dry Cleaning options _x000D_
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Flammability
