How to Understand Care Labels
Care labels look small, but they are essentially the “instruction manual” for your textile. The same garment or towel can stay soft and neat for years—or lose shape, shrink, or pill—depending on how it’s washed, dried, and ironed. That’s why care symbols matter: they translate the manufacturer’s tested recommendations into a universal visual language.
In this guide, we’ll help you read care labels confidently so you can choose the safest settings for washing, drying, ironing, and professional cleaning. Use the table below as a quick reference, and when in doubt, follow the gentlest option—especially for premium natural materials like alpaca, merino wool, cashmere, silk, linen, and cotton.
Care Symbols Table
– Hand wash up to 30ºC
– Gentle machine wash 30ºC
– Hand wash up to 40ºC
– Gentle machine wash 40ºC
– Machine wash up to 40°C
– Machine wash up to 60ºC
– Do not bleach
– Dry cleaning allowed
– Dry clean, gentle
– Do not iron
– Iron at low temperature, up to 110ºC
– Iron at medium temperature, up to 150ºC
– Iron at high temperature, up to 200ºC
– Do not tumble dry
– Tumble dry allowed
– Dry flat
ALPACA GARMENTS
No products were found for this query.
Once you get used to them, care symbols become a fast checklist that protects both the look and feel of your items. A few small habits—lower temperatures, mild detergents, gentle cycles, and careful drying—make the biggest difference in longevity.
If you’re unsure about a specific piece, start with the most delicate setting and avoid high heat. Over time, you’ll learn which methods keep each fabric at its best. Save this table for future reference, and treat your textiles as an investment: the right care keeps them beautiful, comfortable, and ready for everyday use.
