Care Labels for Clothing and Textiles in the EU
What brands must know under GPSR and EU textile law
Care labels are often treated as a branding detail. In the EU, they are also a compliance signal. Incorrect or misleading care instructions can expose brands to customer complaints, product liability claims, and market surveillance action, especially under the General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (GPSR).
This article explains what care labels are, when they are required, how they interact with EU textile law, and how to apply them correctly.
What is a care label?
A care label provides instructions for safe use and maintenance of a garment or textile product. It typically covers washing method and maximum temperature, bleaching instructions, drying method, ironing temperature, and dry cleaning instructions.
Care instructions are commonly communicated using standardized symbols, most often based on the ISO and GINETEX system, which is widely recognized across the EU.
Are care labels legally required in the EU?
Under EU textile law
The Textile Labelling Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011 does not require care instructions. What it strictly requires is accurate fiber composition labeling using correct EU fiber names and percentages that add up to 100 percent, presented in a durable and legible manner.
If a product has no care label at all, it can still comply with textile law, provided composition labeling is correct.
Under GPSR
GPSR changes the practical compliance expectations. Under GPSR, manufacturers must ensure that products can be used safely throughout their reasonably foreseeable lifecycle. If incorrect washing, drying, or ironing could damage the product in a way that creates a safety risk, then care instructions become safety-relevant information.
What this means in practice
If you include care instructions, they must be accurate, standardized, and suitable for the materials used.
Why standardized care symbols matter
Free-text instructions like “wash cold” or “gentle wash only” are risky because they rely on interpretation and language. Across the EU, regulators and retailers typically expect recognized symbols, not ambiguous wording.
Standard care symbols reduce language dependency, prevent consumer misuse, demonstrate due diligence under GPSR, and support liability defenses under the EU Product Liability Directive (EU) 2024/2853.
Common care label symbols explained
Washing
A tub symbol indicates washing. A number or dots indicate maximum temperature. A hand symbol indicates hand wash. A crossed tub indicates do not wash.
Bleaching
A triangle indicates bleaching. A plain triangle allows bleaching, a triangle with lines allows non-chlorine bleach only, and a crossed triangle prohibits bleaching.
Drying
A square indicates drying. A square with a circle allows tumble drying, dots indicate heat level, and crossed symbols prohibit tumble drying. Line dry, drip dry, and dry flat symbols specify the method.
Ironing
An iron symbol indicates ironing. Dots indicate maximum temperature. A crossed iron prohibits ironing. A “no steam” variant indicates ironing without steam.
Dry cleaning
A circle indicates dry cleaning. Letters such as A, P, and F indicate solvent type. A crossed circle indicates do not dry clean.
Important note
Once included on a product, these symbols must match the actual performance of the fabric, not marketing intent.
Care labels for high-end or handmade fashion
Care labels are equally relevant for luxury garments, small-batch collections, and handmade or atelier-produced clothing. Handmade production does not remove compliance obligations. In many cases, limited production increases exposure because defects are easier to trace to individual pieces.
Incorrect care instructions are a common reason why fashion brands face complaints after launch.
Where care labels should be placed
Care labels are typically sewn into the inside seam or neckline, combined with the composition label, or included as a separate but permanently attached label. Best practice in the EU is to place composition first, care symbols below, and size information either on the same label or on an adjacent label.
Removable tags or packaging-only care instructions are not recommended for garments.
Common mistakes we see
Typical issues include using US-only wording without symbols, copying care symbols from suppliers without verification, mixing silk and synthetic instructions incorrectly, using temperatures that are not suitable for blends, and adding symbols without confirming actual material behavior.
These issues often create compliance problems during retailer onboarding or market surveillance checks, particularly when brands are also reviewing broader labelling requirements for GPSR compliance.
How EaseCert supports care label compliance
As part of our Clothing, Footwear and Accessories GPSR Certification, EaseCert reviews fabric composition and construction, aligns care instructions with material behavior, corrects care symbols to EU expectations, and ensures labels remain consistent with the technical file and risk assessment.
Care labels are not just instructions. They are evidence of due diligence.
Final thought
Care labels may not be mandatory under EU textile law, but once included, they become legally relevant safety information under GPSR. Getting them right protects customers, brand reputation, and market access. Correcting care instructions before launch is far easier than fixing them after complaints, EU Safety Gate notifications, or enforcement action.
For brands preparing to enter the EU market, care labels should always be reviewed as part of a broader compliance check, alongside the EU GPSR technical file and the appointment of an EU Responsible Person.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are care labels mandatory for clothing in the EU?
Care labels are not strictly mandatory under the EU Textile Labelling Regulation, which focuses on fiber composition. However, under the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), care instructions become legally relevant if improper care could create a safety risk. Once care instructions are provided, they must be accurate and suitable for the materials used.
Can I use text-only care instructions instead of symbols?
Text-only instructions are legally risky in the EU. Standardized care symbols are strongly recommended because they avoid language barriers, reduce consumer misunderstanding, and are widely accepted by regulators and retailers.
Do handmade or small-batch garments need care labels?
Yes. Handmade or small-batch production does not remove compliance obligations. If care instructions are included, they must be correct regardless of production scale.
Can care instructions be combined with the composition label?
Yes. In fact, combining fiber composition, care symbols, and size information on a single permanently attached label is common practice in the EU, provided all mandatory information remains clear and legible.
What happens if my care label is incorrect?
Incorrect care instructions can lead to consumer complaints, product liability exposure, retailer delisting, or market surveillance action. Under GPSR, misleading safety-related information is treated as a compliance failure.
Does EaseCert review care labels as part of GPSR certification?
Yes. EaseCert reviews care labels as part of the overall GPSR risk assessment and technical file preparation, ensuring that care instructions align with fabric composition, construction, and foreseeable use.
For more detailed external references on textile labelling and care instructions, see the links below: