Manufacturer · Fashion & Home Accessories
Washing symbols for machine laundry are shown as a tub with water. The number inside the tub indicates the maximum temperature in °C. One line underneath means a gentle cycle, two lines mean very gentle, a hand in the tub means hand wash only, and a crossed-out tub means the garment should not be washed with water. These signs help you select the correct program and temperature.
Washing Symbols for Machine Laundry – Main Variants
The tub is always the first symbol on a care label. It provides two pieces of information simultaneously: the maximum water temperature and the level of mechanical action the garment can withstand.
Temperature in the Tub
The ISO 3758 standard uses values of 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 95 °C. The most common on labels are 30 and 40 °C for everyday clothing, and 60 °C for bed linen, towels, and workwear. The number is an upper limit – washing a 40 °C garment at 30 °C is safe, but the reverse can be risky.
Lines Under the Tub
- No line – normal process. Suitable for cotton and linen; the machine can wash and spin at full strength.
- One line – gentle process. Corresponds to synthetic or easy-care programs with reduced agitation and lower spin speed.
- Two lines – very gentle process. Matches wool, silk, and delicate fabric programs.
Hand Wash and Do Not Wash
A tub with a hand submerged indicates the garment should be hand washed only, at a maximum of 40 °C. Many modern machines have a “hand wash” or “wool” program that simulates hand washing, but using it is at the user’s discretion. A crossed-out tub means the garment should not be washed with water at all – professional cleaning is usually required.
How to Match the Symbol with Your Washing Machine Program
| Label Symbol | Recommended Program | Typical Garments |
|---|---|---|
| Tub with 60, no line | Cotton 60 °C | Bed linen, towels, white cotton T-shirts |
| Tub with 40, no line | Cotton 40 °C | Colored cotton, jeans, children’s clothes |
| Tub with 40, one line | Synthetics 40 °C | Polyester, blended fabrics, shirts |
| Tub with 30, one line | Synthetics or delicate 30 °C | Viscose, blouses, garments with elastane |
| Tub with 30, two lines | Wool or delicate 30 °C | Sweaters, knitwear, silk |
| Tub with hand | Hand wash or wool program | Knitwear, garments with beads and embroidery |
Other Tub Symbols You May Encounter
Garments made for the US market sometimes show temperature with dots instead of numbers: one dot for about 30 °C, two for 40 °C, three for 50 °C, four for 60 °C, five for 70 °C, and six for 95 °C. The meaning of the lines remains the same. In Europe, numeric values are expected, so brands selling in the EU use numbers.
Practical Washing Tips
- Sort laundry by the strictest symbol: if the drum contains a garment with 30 °C and one line, wash the entire load under those conditions.
- Dark and bright colours are usually washed inside out to preserve colour and prints.
- Garments with metal buttons, zips, and eyelets should be washed with zips closed to avoid damaging delicate fabrics.
- Do not overload the drum on gentle programs – water needs to soften the movement.
- If the label is faded or cut off, wash at 30 °C on a gentle program until you confirm the fabric type.
Temperature or Program – Which Is More Important?
The two parts of the symbol work together. Temperature mainly affects colour, shrinkage, and grease removal, while mechanical action impacts shape, surface, and seams. For example, a garment labelled 40 °C with two lines should not be washed on a cotton 40 °C program because the agitation and spin will be too strong. Conversely, a wool program at 30 °C is safe even for a garment labelled 40 °C with no lines, though it may clean less effectively.
How the Manufacturer Chooses the Washing Symbol
For the brand, this decision is not a formality. The washing symbol must correspond to the most sensitive part of the garment: main fabric, lining, inserts, threads, embroidery, labels, and accessories. If the base fabric withstands 60 °C but buttons or prints do not, the label shows the lower value. Technologists conduct test washes on samples, compare measurements before and after, and check for shrinkage, fading, or colour bleeding.
A common mistake is copying a symbol from a similar garment from a previous collection without testing the new fabric. Another error is setting overly strict instructions “just in case” – for example, hand wash only for a regular cotton T-shirt. This confuses buyers and lowers the product’s perceived value.
Where the Symbol Is Printed
The washing symbol is the first in the row of symbols on a composite label, usually after the fibre composition. It is printed with textile inks designed to remain legible after multiple washes. On narrow tapes, symbols are placed on a separate line; on multilingual labels, they appear once because they are universally understood. If you want a label matching your brand’s main label style, see our printed labels.
Care Labels by Polkom
Polkom is a manufacturer of accessories and labels for clothing based in Sofia with over 30 years of experience. We print washing symbols, fibre composition, and your logo, produce samples, and deliver across the EU. Send your garment details via the contact page and we will provide a quote.
