How to read clothing labels
A clothing label tells you what a garment is made from, how to care for it, where it was made, and — if certifications are present — what standards it was produced to. Most people skip past them. Reading them takes thirty seconds and tells you more about what you are buying than any marketing description.
Fiber content — what the percentages mean
Clothing labels are legally required in most countries to list all fibers that make up more than 5% of the garment by weight, in descending order of percentage. The highest percentage fiber is listed first. If a shirt is 80% linen and 20% cotton, linen appears first. This applies to the main body fabric; linings, interlinings, and trims may be listed separately. Fibers present at less than 5% may appear as "other fibers" — a catch-all that covers small amounts of elastane, specialty fibers, or undisclosed materials. For most garments this is not a concern, but for people with allergies or strict natural fiber requirements, "other fibers" is a gap in transparency.
What "nylon," "polyester," and "acrylic" mean on a label
All three are synthetic fibers made from petroleum — plastic, in other words. Polyester is the most common synthetic textile fiber globally. Nylon (also called polyamide on European labels) is a stronger, smoother synthetic often used in activewear and hosiery. Acrylic is a soft synthetic used to mimic wool in sweaters and knitwear. None of these biodegrade. All shed microplastics during washing. A garment labeled primarily as any of these three is predominantly a plastic product. Elastane, spandex, and Lycra are the same material — a stretchy synthetic added in small percentages (typically 2 to 5%) to natural fiber garments for stretch. At those quantities the impact is limited, but the garment is no longer 100% natural fiber.
Red flags on clothing labels
Several label patterns are worth scrutinizing. "Other fibers" without specifics leaves the content unclear. "Bamboo" listed as a fiber is almost always bamboo viscose — a synthetic process that bears little resemblance to the plant; the accurate name is "bamboo viscose" or "bamboo lyocell." "Recycled polyester" is still polyester and still sheds microplastics. Unlisted blends — where a brand claims "natural fiber" in marketing but the label shows a significant synthetic percentage — are common in fast fashion. Any fiber content claim on packaging that does not match the sewn-in label should be questioned.
Care symbols explained
The international care symbol system uses five base symbols: a washtub (washing), a triangle (bleaching), a square (drying), an iron (ironing), and a circle (dry cleaning). An X through any symbol means do not perform that action. For washing: the number inside the tub is the maximum temperature in Celsius. A hand in the tub means hand wash only. For drying: a circle inside a square is tumble dry; dots inside indicate heat level (one dot = low heat, two dots = medium, three dots = high). A line under the tub or dryer symbol means gentle cycle. An iron with dots indicates ironing temperature (one dot = cool up to 110°C, two dots = medium up to 150°C, three dots = hot up to 200°C).
Country of origin — what it tells you
Country of origin on a label indicates where the garment was last substantially transformed — typically where it was cut and sewn, not where the fiber was grown or the fabric was woven. A garment labeled "Made in Portugal" may use cotton grown in India, spun in Turkey, and woven in Portugal before being sewn there. Country of origin is a partial indicator of production standards but not a complete one. Some brands voluntarily disclose the full supply chain in their product descriptions or sustainability documentation, which is more useful than the label alone.
How to find certifications on labels
Third-party certifications appear on clothing labels as logos accompanied by a license or certificate number. GOTS certification shows the GOTS logo and a license number verifiable at global-standard.org. OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 shows the OEKO-TEX logo and a number verifiable at oeko-tex.com. Responsible Wool Standard and other fiber certifications may appear on hangtags rather than sewn-in labels. If a brand claims certification in its marketing but the garment label carries no license number, ask the brand directly for documentation. Legitimate certifications are always verifiable through the certifying body's public database.