Laundry symbols
Drying symbols
The square means drying. A circle inside is the tumble dryer; lines mean natural drying: on a line, flat, or in the shade.
Tumble dry, normal heatTumble dry on normal heat (exhaust air up to 80 °C). Two dots.Tumble dry, low heatTumble dry on low heat only (exhaust air up to 60 °C). One dot.Do not tumble dryNot for the tumble dryer at any heat setting.Tumble dry, any heatUS symbol: a square with a circle and no dots – tumble dry at any heat.USTumble dry, no heatUS symbol: a filled circle – air/fluff only, no heat.USTumble dry, permanent pressUS symbol: one bar under the square – medium heat with a cool-down at the end to prevent creases.USTumble dry, delicateUS symbol: two bars under the square – gentle cycle, low heat, short time.USLine dryISO symbol: a square with one vertical line – hang to dry on a line or hanger after spinning.Drip dryISO symbol: two vertical lines – hang soaking wet, without spinning, and let it drip.Dry flatA horizontal line in the square – dry laid flat on a level surface.Drip dry flatTwo horizontal lines – lay flat soaking wet, without spinning.Dry in the shadeTwo diagonal lines in the corner – dry out of direct sun. Combined with another natural-drying symbol (here, line dry).Line dry (US)US symbol: a square with a curve at the top – line dry.USDrip dry (US)US symbol: three vertical lines – hang wet without spinning.USDo not wringA crossed twisted cloth – don't wring or twist.US
How to read them
- A circle with 1 dot – tumble dry low, 2 dots – normal, crossed – no tumble dryer.
- A vertical line – line dry, two lines – drip dry. A horizontal line – dry flat, two – drip dry flat.
- Diagonal lines in the corner – dry in the shade, out of the sun.
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Got the whole label?
Pick all its symbols and get the washer, dryer and iron settings in one place.
Decode the labelPrintable symbol chart →01Why do clothes shrink in the dryer?
Heat and tumbling relax the tension in the fibres and felt wool. Cotton jersey and wool shrink the most; over-drying and overloading make it worse.
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