THE INDEPENDENT GARMENT CARE DESKINTERNATIONAL ISO 3758:2023 · HISTORICAL U.S. CHARTHow we verify ↗
Decode a label
THE CARE LABEL, EXPLAINEDEST. 2026

Read the tag.
Keep the piece.

A crossed-out dryer? Two lines inside a triangle? Find the exact mark on your clothing label and know what to do next.

FIND A CARE SYMBOL41 ILLUSTRATED ISO MARKS
OR TAP A SHAPE

Choose a shape above, or describe what you see.

Decode my full label View all 41 symbols
Plain-English instructions Sources cited Private by design
OBJECT STUDY 001SELECT A MARK TO READ IT ↓
C/T
GARMENT CAREINTERACTIVE EXAMPLE · NOT YOUR LABEL
001—04

Tap a symbol to see the correct meaning.

03 / DRYING

Do not tumble dry.

Keep this garment out of the tumble dryer. The correct air-drying method must be determined from its other label instructions.

View meaning and source
CHECK THE TAG / EDUCATIONAL REFERENCENOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE SEWN-IN LABEL
STUDY A / CARE LABEL
Textile-inspired interaction, not a photo scanner
01 LOOK AT THE MARK02 MATCH THE SHAPE03 READ THE RULE
01 / LOOK IT UPSymbol library41 source-linked mark explanations02 / UNDERSTAND THE FIBREFabric field guides10 materials, no universal shortcuts03 / MAKE A PLANWash-day plannerBuild cautious groups from saved garments04 / FIX A PROBLEMCare & repair guidesShrinkage, colour loss, standards

01 — YOUR CARE DESK

Build your care
instructions.

Pick the markings you actually see. You can start anywhere, and your instructions update as you go.

YOUR LABEL / ON-DEVICE DECODER
01 / WHERE IS YOUR LABEL FROM?
ISO 3758:2023 • Published standard and public symbol descriptions. About these sources ↗
STEP 01 / 060 selected

Washing

Tub marks tell you how warm and how gentle.

CHOOSE ONE SYMBOL THAT MATCHESSelect the closest exact match. No match? Leave it unselected.
YOUR PRIVATE CLOSET / 02

Your saved garments.

Keep care instructions for the pieces you return to. Saved on this device only — never uploaded or synced.

00 SAVED
Selections from a sample tag cannot be saved. Give a real garment a name first.

Nothing saved yet. Decode a real care tag and save it here.

YOUR DEVICE IS THE DATABASE. Clearing browser storage removes these saved notes.
01 FIND the marks02 TAP what matches03 SAVE your guide
Private by design. Your choices remain in your browser unless you share them.
◎Two reference systemsISO 3758:2023 and the historic U.S. FTC chart are kept distinct.
↗Nothing inferredAn absent mark isn't an automatic permission.
↓Save & shareTake your practical care note into the laundry room.
⌁Works offlineInstall on your phone after your first connection.

CAN'T READ THAT FADED TAG?

Make the mark bigger. Not the claim.

Use a garment-tag photo on your own device to zoom, rotate and adjust contrast. There is no automatic image recognition; you decide which mark matches.

Open private photo magnifier

No image selected. The photo never leaves your device.

Local preview only · No OCR · No server upload · Confirm every chosen mark manually

POPULAR SYMBOL QUESTIONS / TEXT AND IMAGES ARE CRAWLABLE

01 / DRYERSquare with a crossed circleWhat it prohibits, and what to check instead.02 / BLEACHTriangle with two diagonal linesOxygen bleach and why chlorine is excluded.03 / REFERENCEAre ISO and ASTM symbols the same?Understand the edition and regional differences.

03 — THE SYMBOL ATLAS

Find an exact
symbol match.

A searchable, curated collection of laundry care marks, organized by process and reference system.

REFERENCE IN VIEW
International / ISO 3758:2023
This is a curated educational directory, not a licensed reproduction of every official or historical care mark. Read the sourcing policy ↗

04 — MATERIAL MATTERS

Check the fabric.
Protect the finish.

Different textiles react differently to friction, water and heat. Fabric guidance explains risk; your finished garment's label is still the authority.

FABRIC STUDY / 01WOOLFIBRE / NATURAL

01 / DELICATE KNITS

Wool & cashmere

Excess agitation and heat may felt wool; wet knits can stretch out of shape. Some wool is machine-washable — check its label.

FABRIC STUDY / 02LINENFIBRE / PLANT

02 / EVERYDAY NATURALS

Linen

Linen is durable, but garment construction, finishes and heat can affect shrinking and creasing. The care mark sets the ceiling.

FABRIC STUDY / 03TECHFIBRE / PERFORMANCE

03 / PERFORMANCE WEAR

Stretch & activewear

Elastane, bonded seams and performance finishes may be heat-sensitive. Don't assume a tumble dryer is permitted.

Explore the full 10-material care guide →

ONE GOOD RULE

Read the care instructions for the whole article — including its lining, trims, colours and finishes.

05 — THE REFERENCE REGISTER

What the guide
knows—and doesn’t.

The standard, the edition, the limits. We cite primary references and show what the app does not know.

01 / SOURCE REGISTER

A source for every claim.

International interpretations follow the publicly described ISO 3758:2023 symbol system. For U.S. markings we use the FTC-hosted ASTM chart and distinguish that legacy U.S. labeling convention from the latest ASTM D5489-25 edition. These editions are not interchangeable, and the current ASTM edition is not reproduced without access to its licensed text.

ISO 3758:2023 ↗GINETEX care symbol descriptions ↗FTC-hosted U.S. symbol chart ↗ASTM D5489-25 status ↗Woolmark garment advice ↗
02 / HONEST LIMITS

An accurate scope, without hype.

Custom illustrative diagrams help you recognize a mark. They are not an official reproduction of protected care-label artwork. This curated resource does not cover every historical or regional variant, and it cannot inspect your garment or its construction.

GINETEX states that its care symbols have trademark protections and use can require licensing, including for websites. Read GINETEX's licensing position ↗.

03 / YOUR PRIVACY

Nothing to hand over.

The application runs locally after loading. No sign-up, built-in data analytics, garment-photo upload, behavioral tracking or remote AI calls. The photo magnifier processes local files only. Your selections are stored on this device and are encoded into a URL only when you share a guide.

LOCAL-FIRSTOFFLINE-CAPABLENO THIRD-PARTY SCRIPT
Reference editions reviewed 1 November 2026 · v5.0 · reviewed manually, not a live data service

06 — BEFORE YOU WASH

Before you
press start.

Does 30°C mean I have to wash at exactly 30°C?

In the ISO tub marks, the printed temperature is the maximum. A lower temperature can be suitable, but follow the specified cycle and full garment instructions. Lower temperatures may not clean as effectively.

Why are there two different symbol systems?

Many international care tags use ISO temperature numbers. The U.S. FTC-hosted ASTM chart includes temperature dots. Some ironing temperature thresholds differ too. The decoder keeps these references separate so it doesn't silently merge their rules.

Can I tumble dry when the tag doesn't show a dryer?

An absent symbol is not an automatic yes. Look for written instructions and consult the garment manufacturer if needed.

Will this identify the marks from a photo?

No automatic recognition is provided. You can open the local-only photo magnifier to zoom, rotate or increase contrast, then manually confirm the printed mark.

Can I use the guide instead of the sewn-in label?

No. It is an independent educational interpretation aid, not a substitute for the finished garment's instructions. Written manufacturer instructions have priority whenever they clarify or restrict a process.