Caring for your clothes: washing symbols and care by fabric
An item from a small brand is made to last if it is cared for properly. What each label symbol means and how to treat each fabric, without overcomplicating it.
Updated 6 November 2026
In short
- Read the label: five symbols (washing, bleaching, drying, ironing, professional cleaning) and a cross means "no".
- Lower temperature, less often: 30 °C cleans everyday clothes; airing replaces many washes.
- Inside out and without overfilling the drum: protects colours, prints and embroidery, and prevents pilling.
- Line dry rather than tumble dry for cotton, wool, viscose and anything containing elastane.
- Each fibre has its own treatment: the table below, by fabric.
By fabric
| Fabric | Washing | Drying | Ironing and other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton | 30-40 °C; inside out if coloured or printed. Whites, up to 60 °C if the label allows it. | Line dry; the tumble dryer shrinks and wears. | Medium-high iron, best with the item slightly damp. |
| Linen | 30-40 °C, gentle cycle. It softens with washing. | Dry flat on a line or rack, stretched out; don't dry completely if you're going to iron it. | Hot iron with steam, or leave it with its creases: that's its look. |
| Wool and cashmere | Cold or 30 °C, wool programme, wool detergent; or by hand without rubbing. Rarely: air between wears. | Flat on a towel, never hung or in the tumble dryer. | Steam without resting the iron on it. Store folded; against moths, clean and in a cloth bag with cedar or lavender. |
| Silk | Hand wash cold with mild soap, or dry clean as per the label. Never wring. | Flat or hung in the shade. | Low iron, inside out, no direct steam. |
| Viscose, modal, lyocell | 30 °C, gentle cycle, inside out; fragile when wet: don't wring. | Hung carefully or flat; no tumble dryer. | Low-medium iron, inside out, best when damp. |
| Polyester and polyamide | 30-40 °C. A wash bag catches the microfibres they shed. | Line dry; they dry very quickly. Tumble dry on low if the label allows it. | Low iron; high heat deforms them. |
| With elastane (stretch jeans, tops, sportswear) | 30 °C, no fabric softener (it damages the elasticity). | Line dry; the tumble dryer and heat destroy the elasticity. | Low iron or none. |
| Jeans | Rarely and at 30 °C inside out, fastened; the first wash on its own or with darks. | Line dry. | No need to iron. |
| Leather footwear | Never in the washing machine. Brush and damp cloth; cream or grease depending on the finish. | Away from radiators, with shoe trees or paper inside. | Waterproof before first use on suede and nubuck. |
The symbols on the label
The washtub is washing: the number is the maximum temperature, one bar underneath means gentle cycle, two bars very gentle, a hand inside is hand wash and a crossed-out tub means no water washing. The triangle is bleach: crossed out, no bleach. The square is drying: with a circle inside it allows tumble drying (one dot, low temperature; two, normal; crossed out, no), and with lines it indicates line drying (vertical, hung; horizontal, flat; diagonal, in the shade). The iron with one, two or three dots shows the temperature; crossed out, do not iron. The circle is professional cleaning: the letter inside is for the dry cleaner.
What makes an item last longer
Wash less and colder, fill the drum to two thirds, close zips and buttons, turn printed items inside out, don't overuse fabric softener, dry in the shade and store wool clean and folded. And mend rather than throw away: a button, a hem or a reinforced elbow takes ten minutes. Many Werop stores carry out or recommend repairs for their items; ask them from the product page.
Frequently asked questions
What do the symbols on the label mean?
Five symbols, always in this order: the washtub (washing, with the maximum temperature; a hand inside = hand wash), the triangle (bleach: crossed out, no), the square (drying: a circle inside is tumble dryer, with one or two dots for the temperature; lines, line dry), the iron (with one to three dots for temperature) and the circle (professional dry cleaning, with a letter for the solvent). A cross over any of them means "no".
What temperature should I wash at?
At the label's temperature at most, and normally lower: 30 °C cleans everyday clothes, uses less energy and wears fibres and colours less. What needs higher temperatures is heavily soiled clothes, towels and bed linen.
How do I wash wool without it shrinking?
Cold or at 30 °C on the wool programme or by hand, with a wool detergent, without rubbing or wringing, and dry it flat on a towel. Heat and friction are what felt it. Between wears, airing is usually enough: wool doesn't hold odours.
How do I avoid pilling?
Pilling comes from friction on short fibres (cotton, wool, acrylic). Wash inside out, don't overload the drum, avoid the tumble dryer and remove the pills with a comb or a fabric shaver: it's not a defect, it's wear.
And stains?
The sooner the better, and with cold water at first (heat sets many stains). Soap or detergent straight on the stain, a few minutes, then the normal wash. For silk, wool and viscose, it's best to check with the store before rubbing.
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