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Keystage 2 - Textiles - Care labels
This activity takes a look at your clothes and how they need to be treated.
Quiz - how does cotton compare with other fabrics?
Fabrics are rigorously tested before they are put on the market so that their characteristics can be protected and guaranteed. Every factory-made item of clothing has a little white care label. Normally it’s sewn into a seam at the side of the garment or at the back of the collar or waistband. Before they are sold, samples of the fabrics are tested to see how well they stand up to washing, ironing and tumble drying. Then care symbols are used to advise us how to treat them.How does cotton compare with other fabrics? Use this chart to put down the care symbols from some of your clothes.
| Washing | Bleaching | Dry cleaning | Drying | Ironing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 = can wash |
 = can bleach |
 = can dry clean |
 = can tumble dry |
 = can iron |
 = wash by hand |
 = do not bleach |
 = do not dry clean |
 = do not tumble dry |
 = iron at a medium heat |
 = wash at 40 degrees C |
 = do not iron |
| Clothing | Washing | Bleaching | Dry cleaning | Drying | Ironing | Special instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choose these materials | |
|
|
|
|
E.g. 'wash dark colours separately' |
| Something made from 100% cotton | ||||||
| Something made from 100% wool | ||||||
| Something made from a maxture of fabrics | ||||||
| My choice 1 (write what materials it's made from) | ||||||
| My choice 2 (write what materials it's made from) | ||||||
| My choice 3 (write what materials it's made from) |
Now write down how cotton compares with other fabrics. It may be possible to wash it in hotter water, or to iron it with a cooler iron, for instance.
Have a look at this link if you want to know more about care labels.
Industrial testing methods are described by the AATCC Council and Precision Processes Textiles.
