A fabric's composition and care information tell you almost everything you need to know before you buy: what the cloth is made of, how it must be washed, what heat it can tolerate and whether it can be tumble dried or bleached. Yet many makers glance past this information or find the international symbols cryptic. Learning to read them turns a confusing tag into a reliable guide.
This guide explains how to interpret fiber composition and the standard international care symbols, and how that information should shape your sewing and your finished garment's care.
Reading Fiber Composition
Composition lists the fibers in the cloth by percentage, from highest to lowest. A label reading sixty percent cotton, forty percent polyester tells you cotton dominates the character, with polyester adding durability and wrinkle resistance. The dominant fiber usually drives the fabric's main behavior, while smaller percentages modify it.
Pay special attention to small percentages of elastane, often two to five percent, because even a little fundamentally changes how the cloth stretches, cuts and sews. Composition also implies care: a high natural-fiber content suggests more shrinkage risk and a need for gentler laundering than a stable synthetic.
The Five Families of Care Symbols
International care symbols are grouped into five basic shapes, each governing one process. Learning the five shapes lets you decode any label, even without words.
- Washtub: washing, with a number for maximum temperature and bars or a hand for gentleness
- Triangle: bleaching, with an empty triangle allowing bleach and a crossed one forbidding it
- Square: drying, with a circle inside for tumble drying and lines indicating natural drying
- Iron: pressing, with dots indicating the maximum temperature
- Circle: professional cleaning, with letters indicating the dry-cleaning solvent
Decoding Washing and Temperature
The washtub symbol carries the most detail. A number inside shows the maximum wash temperature in degrees Celsius; a hand in the tub means hand wash only; one or two bars beneath the tub call for a gentler or very gentle machine cycle. A cross through the whole symbol means do not wash, pointing to dry cleaning instead.
Temperature matters for both shrinkage and color. Lower temperatures are gentler on fibers and dyes; many fabrics that tolerate a warm wash will shrink or fade in a hot one. When in doubt, wash cooler.
Pro tip
The iron symbol's dots are easy to misread and important. One dot means low heat for synthetics and delicate fibers, two dots means medium for wool and silk, three dots means high for cotton and linen. A crossed iron means do not press at all, common for heat-sensitive synthetics that will melt.
Why Care Information Affects Sewing
Care guidance is not only for after the garment is finished; it shapes how you prepare and sew. A fabric that must be dry cleaned should not be machine washed for pre-treatment, while a washable cloth should be pre-washed exactly as the garment will be laundered. A no-iron synthetic dictates lower pressing temperatures throughout construction.
Matching all components to the most restrictive care requirement is essential. If a washable shell is paired with a dry-clean-only lining or interfacing, the whole garment effectively becomes dry-clean-only, which may not be your intention.
When the Cloth Has No Label
Fabric bought by the meter, and especially deadstock, often arrives without a care label. In that case, use the stated composition if available, and test. A burn test can suggest fiber type; a swatch wash reveals shrinkage and colorfastness; pressing a corner at increasing temperatures shows the heat tolerance before you risk the whole piece.
Recording what you learn, and keeping a note of fiber and care with leftover fabric in your stash, saves repeating the detective work later and helps you label the garment correctly.
Carrying Care Through to the Finished Garment
When you bring a Minerva Patterns file to life, the fabric's composition and care dictate how the wearer must treat the garment. Choosing fabric, lining and interfacing with compatible care from the start produces a garment that launders as a unit and lasts.
Knowing the composition also lets you select the right needle, thread and pressing approach during construction, so the cloth's properties inform every decision from cutting table to final press.
Frequently asked questions
What does the number inside the washtub symbol mean?
It is the maximum wash temperature in degrees Celsius. Washing at or below that temperature is safe; washing hotter risks shrinkage and fading. A hand in the tub means hand wash only.
What do the dots on the iron symbol mean?
They indicate maximum ironing heat: one dot is low for synthetics, two dots is medium for wool and silk, three dots is high for cotton and linen. A crossed-out iron means do not press the fabric at all.
How do I find care information for fabric sold by the meter?
Use the stated fiber composition where given, then test a swatch by washing for shrinkage and colorfastness and pressing for heat tolerance. Record what you learn so you can label the finished garment correctly.
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