New symbols on textile care labels
Since April, there has been a new standard for laundry labeling. This concerns the well-known laundry symbols on textile labels. Among other things, new symbols have been added.
The manufacturer’s care recommendations are an important tool for professional cleaners. A row of symbols on the label indicates the maximum permitted treatment level that the article must be able to withstand several times. These so-called basic symbols for the processes of washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and professional textile care are managed and protected by GINETEX , which once developed the internationally applicable labeling system for textile laundry labeling (standard: DIN EN ISO 3758). It is the result of an agreement with the International Organization for Standardization, ISO. The standard has recently been technically revised.
What are the changes?
New icon “hand wash at ambient temperature”
Until now, there was only one symbol for hand washing: hand in the bath. This well-known symbol describes washing hands at a water temperature of up to 40 °C. A new, additional symbol has been added for hand washing: hand in the bath with an underline. This has an adjusted water temperature. The water temperature must correspond to the ambient temperature. This refers to the room temperature, which is usually between 16 and 22 °C.
New symbol “Ironing without steam”
There is also a new, additional symbol for ironing: an iron with a dot and a crossed-out cloud of steam. The dot means that hot ironing is not permitted: The maximum temperature of the soleplate of the iron of 120 °C must not be exceeded. The crossed-out cloud of steam means that ironing with steam is not permitted.
It should be noted that this new ironing symbol, like all other ironing symbols, refers to the ironing and pressing process in households.
New substances within “P and F in circle”
In the new standard, silicone solvents (decamethylpentacyclosiloxane) are included in addition to hydrocarbons under the symbols with the “F in circle”.
If textiles are marked with “P in circle”, dibutoxymethane can now be used in addition to the solvents and perchloroethylene listed under the symbol F
