When you buy a garment, the little tag inside isn’t just a nuisance: it holds vital information. Fabric composition labels tell you what your clothes are made of, how to care for them—and even reflect on quality, performance and sustainability. In this guide we’ll walk through why composition labels matter, how to read them, and what that means for your custom clothing-labels business.
Why fabric composition labels matter
Fabric composition labels (sometimes called content labels) give you the fibre breakdown of a garment: for example “80% cotton, 20% polyester”. That matters for several reasons:
- Comfort & performance: Natural fibres (cotton, linen, wool) breathe differently to synthetics (polyester, nylon). Knowing the composition helps you anticipate how it will feel and behave. (Sinosilk)
- Durability & care: Blends often combine comfort and strength (e.g., cotton/polyester) so the label signals how the item might age or how it should be washed. (cimmino.com)
- Transparency & regulation: Many jurisdictions require accurate labelling of fibre content; mis-labelling can lead to legal trouble. For example, in the U.S. the Federal Trade Commission enforces rules on fibre content labelling. (Federal Trade Commission)
- Custom label business relevance: If your clients are producing garments, offering them accurate fabric composition labels is part of a professional service. Linking your label-products helps them meet those standards.
Decoding the percentages and fibres
When you look at a label, the first thing you’ll see is a list of fibres and their percentages. For example: 60% cotton, 40% polyester. Here’s how to interpret them:
- The fibre with the highest percentage (usually first) dominates the behaviour of the fabric. So 60% cotton means the item will feel primarily like cotton. (cimmino.com)
- Blends combine fibre properties: A poly/cotton blend gives cotton-comfort with polyester durability.
- Small percentages of functional fibres matter: e.g., 2-5% elastane (spandex) will impart stretch.
- If a fabric is labelled “100% cotton” or “All cotton”, you’re getting a pure fibre.
- Be aware of deceptive labelling: some items market “cashmere” but contain very low percentages. Reading the label tells the truth. (Sinosilk)
Common fibres and their typical behavior
Here’s a quick overview:
- Cotton: Natural, breathable, comfortable. Can shrink if improperly laundered.
- Linen: Strong natural fibre, very breathable, crisp feel; tends to wrinkle.
- Wool: Natural, warm, good for cold-weather garments; may require gentle care.
- Silk: Luxurious, smooth, but more delicate.
- Polyester: Synthetic, strong, wrinkle-resistant, less breathable.
- Nylon/Polyamide: Synthetic, durable, often used in blends or technical garments.
- Elastane/Spandex: A small percentage gives stretch and recovery.
Understanding what each fibre contributes helps you interpret what the end-garment will behave like. (Sinosilk)
Understanding the care symbols & labels
Beyond composition, labels also include care instructions: how to wash, dry, iron, bleach or dry-clean the item. These are often shown as pictograms. (Filtered by PlanetCare | Home)
Here are key symbol-types:
- Washing tub with number: indicates maximum temperature (e.g., “30°C”) or a hand-wash symbol.
- Square with circle/tumble dryer symbol: indicates tumble-dry allowed, with dots for heat-level.
- Iron icon: with dots representing the heat allowed (one dot = low, three dots = high).
- Triangle: bleach instructions (empty = any bleach, lines = non-chlorine, crossed out = no bleach).
- Circle: dry-cleaning symbol; bars under circle mean gentler process.
Knowing how to interpret those symbols ensures garments last longer and behave as the manufacturer intended.
How this matters for offering custom labels
For a company offering custom labels (such as your product line), understanding both what goes on the care/composition label and how end-users interpret it is key. Here’s how you can reflect that in your offering:
- Offer composition label templates that include fibre breakdown, e.g., “80% cotton, 20% polyester”.
- Provide lines for care symbols so garment manufacturers’ end-users can follow them easily.
- Include guidance in your product documentation to help clients attach the labels correctly.
- Link to your “our products” page to show how you can supply woven or printed labels: Our Products.
- For clients who want to try before ordering bulk, reference your sample offerings: Sample.
- From an SEO perspective, linking to relevant pages helps your site’s internal linking structure: link to your blog Blog, about us About Us, contact page Contact.
Practical tips for consumers (and manufacturers)
Here are actionable recommendations:
- When shopping for garments, check the label before purchase: fibre + care symbols.
- For manufacturers, ensure labels are legible, accurate, and comply with regional regulations (e.g., fibre names, country of origin). (Federal Trade Commission)
- For blends, consider how the percentages will affect performance: e.g., a 70% cotton / 30% polyester shirt will behave differently than 100% cotton.
- Always follow care instructions: ignoring the label can lead to shrinkage, colour fade, or fabric damage.
- Consider the sustainability angle: natural fibres may be preferable for skin comfort and breathability; synthetics might last longer but can shed microfibres. (Filtered by PlanetCare | Home)
- For your label business: educate your clients about including full fibre breakdown and proper symbols. It adds value.
Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
- Misinterpretation of small percentages: Don’t assume “cashmere feel” if the label says 2% cashmere and 98% synthetic.
- Wrong care symbol interpretation: For example, a crossed-out iron means “do not iron” not “low heat only”.
- Ignoring regional labelling laws: Some countries require certain fibre disclosures or care statements.
- Skipping label durability: Garments that fade, shrink or lose shape often trace back to poor composition or poor labelling/maintenance practices.
By offering robust label solutions to your clients, you help avoid these issues.
The role of labels in sustainability and consumer trust
Today’s consumers are increasingly conscious of what materials their clothing is made of, and how it was made. Clear composition labels contribute to transparency: they help people know whether they’re buying natural fibres, blends, or synthetics—and what the trade-offs are. For example, synthetic fibres may release microplastics; natural fibres may require more water or have other environmental costs. (Filtered by PlanetCare | Home)
Manufacturers who pair accurate composition labels with ethical sourcing and clear branding earn higher trust. As a label provider you’re part of that chain—helping your clients present verifiable, accurate material information.
Summary
Fabric composition labels are more than just tags inside clothing—they are a gateway to understanding the fabric’s fibre content, care requirements, durability, comfort and sustainability. Whether you’re a consumer choosing better garments, or a manufacturer planning label-production, decoding fibre percentages and care symbols is essential. By offering high-quality custom labels (see our Our Products page) and using sample-orders (see our Sample page), you help bring clarity and professionalism to the finished garment.
For more reading and industry insight, check out our Blog. To learn more about our company and services, visit About Us or get in touch on our Contact page.