01 / HOW TO IDENTIFY IT
Match the shape, not just the words.
Look for the hand-iron silhouette. Dots set temperature levels; a crossed iron forbids hot ironing. Some current marks add an explicit steam restriction.
Three dots indicate a high maximum soleplate temperature of 210°C for ironing in the ISO 2023 reference.
02 / WHAT TO DO
The practical decision.
Even if a garment carries the three-dot symbol, check for prints, attached decorations and written care restrictions. Use pressure and moisture appropriate for the finished article, not just the main fibre.
A hotter iron can scorch, glaze, melt or mark fibres and finishes.
03 / WHAT PEOPLE CONFUSE
One small detail changes the meaning.
This is not a universal cotton or linen instruction: many cotton-blend garments carry lower limits.
04 / AFTER YOU IDENTIFY IT
Check the rest of the tag.
The washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and professional-care instructions work together. This page interprets one symbol only; a blank or unreadable mark does not grant permission for any other treatment.
Never replace the maker’s written instructions with a guess based only on material composition or appearance. Read the complete care-label method.