Fashion Care Labels: What to Include in Your Tech Pack
Complete guide to garment care labels — FTC requirements, international symbols, content placement, and how to specify care labels in tech packs.
Why care labels matter in tech packs
Care labels are legally required in most markets. In the US, the FTC Care Labeling Rule requires that every garment include care instructions. In the EU, the Textile Regulation requires fiber content labeling. Getting these wrong risks legal issues, customer returns, and retailer rejection.
Your tech pack should specify care label content, material, size, and placement for every garment. Missing care label specifications means the manufacturer either guesses (risky) or comes back with questions (delays production).
US FTC care labeling requirements
US care labels must include:
- Fiber content: all fibers present at 5% or more, listed by weight percentage
- Country of origin: 'Made in [country]' statement
- Manufacturer/importer identification: RN number or company name
- Care instructions: washing, bleaching, drying, ironing, and dry cleaning
- Care instructions must cover the most restrictive reasonable care method
International care symbols
ASTM (US) and ISO 3758 (international) define standard care symbols. Most brands use the ISO/GINETEX symbols for international compatibility.
- Wash tub symbol: wash temperature and method (machine, hand, do not wash)
- Triangle symbol: bleaching instructions (any bleach, non-chlorine only, do not bleach)
- Square with circle: drying method (tumble dry temperature, line dry, flat dry)
- Iron symbol: ironing temperature (low, medium, high, do not iron)
- Circle symbol: dry cleaning instructions (any solvent, specific solvents, do not dry clean)
Specifying care labels in tech packs
Your tech pack should specify: care label material (woven satin, printed, heat transfer), label dimensions, fold type (center fold, end fold), content in text and symbols, and placement (center back neck, side seam, waistband).
AI tech pack generators specify appropriate care instructions based on fabric composition and construction. Cotton garments get different care instructions than silk or synthetic fabrics. The AI includes both text instructions and symbol references.
Common care label mistakes
The most common mistake is specifying care instructions that are wrong for the fabric — recommending machine wash for a garment that should be dry-cleaned, or specifying high-heat ironing for a fabric with synthetic content.
Another common mistake is omitting the country of origin. This is legally required in most markets and must be determined during production planning (it depends on where the garment is manufactured).