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Care Labels
Carel labeling is often confusing, and in the USA it is "Required". Due to the fact that it is regulated, you better make sure to learn the facts. Unfortunately, I do not know all of the facts, but at least we can start the conversation...
Today I received the following question from a viewer of the ApparelSearch.com website:
"if a garment is 100% cotton and the washing label says to wash warm will it, 1. shrink and how much?, and 2. does it mean the garment was prewashed and already shrunk? "
Here is my response:
"That is an interesting question, and I do not think that there is a single answer. Wash warm may have been placed on the care label for one of many reasons. Without doing testing, their is no way for you (the consumer) to know exactly how much the fabric will shrink during washing.
Most large retailers have a shrinkage standard that they require from their vendors, but their is no way for you to determine the shrinkage from looking at the care instructions. Also, I do not think that reading the label will guarantee in one way or the other if the garment (or fabric) had been pre-washed. In all honesty, I am NOT an authority on care labeling, shrinkage, testing etc. You may be better served by asking your question to an actual testing lab. If you go to the main page on Apparel Search, you will find a link along the left border to QUALITY TESTING. If you click that link you will be taken to a section that will provide you information about various testing labs that specialize in textiles. You can ask them your question about what "wash warm" truly means in regard to shrinkage.
Some times "fabric" is pre-washed, and sometimes garments are pre-washed (more rare then fabric washing). Either way, I do not think a typical care label is required to list reference to whether or not the fabric has been pre-shrunk. Again, I am not an expert on that so you should do you own research.
To learn more about care labels, you can visit the Care Label section on the site."
If anyone has any additional thoughts on this subject please advise your comments.
Today I received the following question from a viewer of the ApparelSearch.com website:
"if a garment is 100% cotton and the washing label says to wash warm will it, 1. shrink and how much?, and 2. does it mean the garment was prewashed and already shrunk? "
Here is my response:
"That is an interesting question, and I do not think that there is a single answer. Wash warm may have been placed on the care label for one of many reasons. Without doing testing, their is no way for you (the consumer) to know exactly how much the fabric will shrink during washing.
Most large retailers have a shrinkage standard that they require from their vendors, but their is no way for you to determine the shrinkage from looking at the care instructions. Also, I do not think that reading the label will guarantee in one way or the other if the garment (or fabric) had been pre-washed. In all honesty, I am NOT an authority on care labeling, shrinkage, testing etc. You may be better served by asking your question to an actual testing lab. If you go to the main page on Apparel Search, you will find a link along the left border to QUALITY TESTING. If you click that link you will be taken to a section that will provide you information about various testing labs that specialize in textiles. You can ask them your question about what "wash warm" truly means in regard to shrinkage.
Some times "fabric" is pre-washed, and sometimes garments are pre-washed (more rare then fabric washing). Either way, I do not think a typical care label is required to list reference to whether or not the fabric has been pre-shrunk. Again, I am not an expert on that so you should do you own research.
To learn more about care labels, you can visit the Care Label section on the site."
If anyone has any additional thoughts on this subject please advise your comments.
Tags: care, instructions, labels, washing
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by fashionnetwork on
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I think most of the company just complete the formalities by
labeling these care labeling .so do not mind .
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Permalink Reply by Karen Hartman on -
Hello,
If you are importing your products into the US, there are certain requirements you must follow. If you are interested in learning more. You can go to the US Customs website www.cbp.gov and look up "Marking Requirements"
Cheers,
Karen
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Permalink Reply by Morris Thomas III on -
Is the cotton cream or white? and how much was the cotton garment (in relation to similar garment types)?
Each designer/manufacturer is different. Some designers/manufacturers actually prewash the fabric prior to cutting (which adds cost and they will pass along to the consumer). This ensures that the fibres will not warp significantly during normal wear and tear the customer puts on the garment.
Some designers/manufacturers use the fabric right from the vendor/supplier. The color and feel of natural fibres tend to degrade over time with each use, washing or dry-cleaning. If the garment is not a cream/white, it may fade during pre-shrinking and if color retention is important, the designer/manufacturer may choose to comprimise on potential loss in shrinkage. The cost is important because if a garment is intended to last several years or is of a higher quality, the designer/manufacturer may invest in pre-shrinking the garment prior to cutting.
However, please rest assured that if the garment is "trendy" and relatively inexpensive; chances are that the fabric was not pre-shrunk. You will see warping in the fabric during care.
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Permalink Reply by Apparel1 on
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Morris - you have provided many very good points... Thank you.
Regarding "shrinkage", for those of you that are not too familiar with the subject, do you know why "inexpensive" garments often have shrinkage after washing? Actually, the better question is why didn't the fabric mill "pre-shrink" the fabric? Lets all keep in mind that fabric is one of the more expensive aspects of the garment. If the fabric is not pre-shrunk, "more" fabric is available when it is laid on the cutting tables. If the fabric is pre-shrunk, less fabric exists after this process of pre-shrinking is complete. Therefore, the factory is able to produce more garments if the fabric is not pre-shrunk ... The more garments that can be made with the fabric purchased the better (well, the better in regard to "cost").
Note: not all inexpensive garments have shrinking issues. In addition, not all expensive garments are free of shrinkage...
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Permalink Reply by Subhash Yadav on -
In some country it is regulatory requirement and in somewhere buyers requirement.
Any way wash care is very much important from customer point of view, at least they get an idea how the garment to be treated.
It also represents the brands how much valuable goods u can provide to your customer.
If end user wash the garment as per wash care and after washing he finds the garment shape is
distorted or any quality related issue then it will directly affect the brand image and ur customer
faith will move towards the other brand.
So it is very much necesary to provide exact wash care.
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Permalink Reply by http://www.bastardandfriends.com/about.html on -
Yes, when we first started out, we did't realize that when you tag your products, you have to follow such strict guidlines as far as the tagging. Thanks everyone for your help.
http://www.bastardandfriends.com/
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