Reading the laundry label: what the symbols on your costume, socks and apron mean
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
6 min reading time
A tub, a triangle, a square, an iron and a circle. That's how, in five seconds, you can read what you can do with a costume, a pair of tights or an apron - and what to do if there's no label inside.
The morning after a party, your costume lies over a chair. There's beer on the sleeve, make-up on the collar, and it smells of smoke. You look for the care label, find a three-centimeter strip with five symbols on it - a tub, a triangle, a square, an iron, a circle - and you have no idea if this thing can be washed at 30 degrees or only by hand.
These five symbols are not random pictures. They are internationally agreed-upon care symbols, and once you can read them, you'll know in five seconds what you can do with a garment. Below is what they mean, plus what that practically entails for the items you buy from us: socks, tights, costumes, capes, and aprons.
Five Symbols, Usually in the Same Order
On a care label, you'll encounter five basic shapes, usually in this order: the wash tub (washing), the triangle (bleaching), the square (drying), the iron (ironing), and the circle (professional cleaning). A cross through a symbol always means: do not do.
The explanation below follows the GINETEX care symbols, the organization behind the wash symbols on European clothing labels.
The Wash Tub: Temperature and the Lines Below It
The number in the tub indicates the maximum wash temperature in degrees Celsius. If it says 30, then 30 is the ceiling - not the recommendation. Lower is always allowed.
The lines under the tub are most often overlooked, yet they make a big difference. According to GINETEX, a single line under a symbol indicates a mild process, and a double line indicates an even gentler process. In practice: less mechanical movement, less spinning, a program with more water. On your machine, this is often the delicate or wool program.
A hand in the tub means hand wash. GINETEX specifies: wash in water between 30 °C and a maximum of 40 °C, gently, without rubbing or wringing. The latter is precisely where things go wrong with mesh fabric and lace - wringing distorts the threads.
A crossed-out tub means the item should not be washed. This is more common than you might think for fancy dress costumes with glued-on details, glued seams, or hard parts.
Bleaching, Drying, and Ironing
The triangle. An empty triangle means any bleach is allowed. A triangle with two diagonal lines inside means: oxygen-based bleaches only. A crossed-out triangle means bleaching is not allowed. Stain removers and colored laundry often fall into this last category in practice.
The square with the circle. The circle inside the square refers to tumble drying. The dots in that circle indicate the temperature: more dots mean a higher temperature. A cross through it means: do not tumble dry. For elastic fabrics - leggings, tights, socks with stretch - this is the symbol to pay attention to, because heat is what makes elastic lose its elasticity.
The iron. The dots indicate a temperature: one dot means approximately 110 °C, two dots for 150 °C, and three dots for 200 °C. Synthetic fibers and shiny fabrics are usually at the lower end of that range.
The circle. Letters in the circle, such as P or F, are for professional textile cleaners and indicate which solvents may be used. For you, the practical message is simple: this goes to the dry cleaner, not in your own machine.
What if there's no label at all?
For party and fancy dress items, a detailed label is often missing, or it's just a single symbol. In that case, choose the most cautious approach: cold water, hand wash, no bleach, do not tumble dry, and air dry on a hanger out of the sun. For a colored or printed item, first test a small area on the inside to see if the color bleeds.
Does a costume primarily smell of smoke or sweat and have no actual stain? Then airing it out is often more effective than washing. A night on a hanger by an open window does more than a wash that could damage the seams.
Per Item: What it Usually Comes Down to for Us
Socks. Cotton-rich socks can usually be washed with colored laundry. A set like the Rainbow Socks One Size, 5 models (€5.00) or the Rainbow Socks size 36-42 or 42-46 (€5.00) will last longest if you wash them inside out and don't tumble dry them on the highest setting - that reduces pilling and keeps colors brighter.
Tights, stockings, and leggings. This is the category where things most often go wrong. Delicate fabrics like those in Black Stockings in 2 sizes (€9.95), the Leopard Print Tights S/M or L/XL (€9.95), and the Neon Green Leggings in 2 sizes (€9.95) will last longest with hand washing or a laundry bag, cold water, and air drying. Zippers and Velcro in the same drum are the biggest cause of snags.
Aprons, gloves, and scarves. A Beer Pong Kitchen Apron (€14.95) or the Pride BBQ and Kitchen Apron (€9.95) gets the most stains and can therefore often be washed hottest - but for a printed apron, pay attention to the ironing symbols: never iron directly over the print. Neon Gloves in 4 colors (€5.95) and a Rainbow Scarf with Fringes (€9.95) should be put in a laundry bag, otherwise fringes and fingers can get tangled with the rest of your laundry.
In Short
The number in the tub is a maximum, the lines below it indicate how rough the machine can be, a cross always means no, and the dots in the dryer and iron are temperature. With these four rules, you can read almost any label. If the label is missing, cold, hand wash, and air dry is the safest bet - and airing out is often enough for party clothes.
Get Started Yourself
For socks, tights, and leggings, look in Socks and Clothing, for costumes and capes in Fancy Dress Clothing and Fancy Dress Accessories, and for aprons in Aprons. If you want to know the care instructions for a specific item, or what materials it contains, before you order? Send an email to info@verpakkingdeals.nl with the product name, and we will look it up for you.
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