Tag, You're It: A Crash Course on Reading Clothing Labels (Pt. 1)
How to read clothing tags and the fascinating innovations revolutionizing fashion (specifically, in clothing care and sustainability)
Have you ever looked at a clothing tag and busted out into a Nicki verse trying to decipher it?
Fear no more: let’s explore a quick history of tags, how to read them, and interesting innovations happening in the wonderful world of clothing.
A Brief History
Clothing tags in the US have a relatively recent origin, tracing their roots back to the late 19th century. Rather than being legally required, early labels emerged as a precursor to mass market brands and served as a marketing and lobbying tool for unions.
In 1900, the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) began to incorporate tags on clothing to showcase the quality of their garments, combat counterfeiting, and advocate for fair wages and safe working conditions. Union Labels became so common that the average American could easily recite the famous "Look for the Union Label" jingle.
With the rise of mass manufacturing, labels began to shift into their role as legally mandated consumer protection tools. The FTC's Textile Fiber Products Identification Act of 1939 and the Care Labeling Rule of 1970 established the benchmarks for transparency in clothing production, shaping the labels we see today.
Breaking Down the Modern Clothing Tag
The modern clothing tag consists of 4 main components:
Let's learn how to read each category and explore the latest innovations happening within.
Care Instructions
There are plenty of resources helping consumers read clothing care guidelines. Here is a nifty diagram:
Although this chart may seem daunting, no need to run home screaming. Care consists of only five categories: washing, drying, bleaching, ironing, and dry cleaning. In reality, a label typically contains only a few symbols, written instructions, or a combo of both.
Now that we understand how to read this section, let’s explore the 3 main areas of innovation in clothing care:
Marketplaces
Green chemicals
Next-generation hardware
First off, marketplaces (i.e. "Ubers for laundry") have emerged globally to connect consumers, laundromats, dry cleaners, and delivery personnel.
It’s a massive opportunity: in America alone, 1000 wash loads are started per second (totaling 35 billion loads per year) and 32 million individuals visit laundromats on a weekly basis. As such, it’s a brutal sector with winner-take-all dynamics, evidenced by a graveyard of former startups.
Successful players by region include Rinse (US), Oxwash (UK), Laundrygo (Korea), and Dhobilite (India). Some startups have chosen to diverge from delivery-focused models, placing their bets on the resilience of brick-and-mortar and alternate business models (e.g. Fabric Health delivering healthcare directly at laundromats).
Next, considering that clothing care accounts for 30% of a garment’s total carbon footprint, and that the fashion industry stands as the 2nd-largest polluter globally (only behind big oil), green innovations in this domain are especially exciting.
Several founders have tackled pollution from the chemical side by launching eco-friendly cleaners in sustainable packaging. Noteworthy examples include Blueland, Fill, Frey (1 tree planted per order), Mozi Wash, and Pinkish Pods.
In parallel, hardware innovations have emerged to minimize environmental impact. Xeros, for instance, employs polymer beads to provide a near-waterless washing experience, while Presso has developed the world's first "EcoRobo" dry cleaner.
It is exciting to witness all the innovation happening under the hood of something so traditionally mundane. I’m hopeful we can progress towards future where sustainability in clothing care is no longer revolutionary, but the norm.
Fiber Content
As a consumer, understanding fiber content is paramount. It offers an authentic assessment of garment quality, rather than relying on price or brand typically used as proxies.
First off, what is a fiber? At its core, fibers serve as the fundamental building blocks of fabrics, which, in turn, form the basis of clothing. Any fibers that make up at least 5% of a garment’s composition (or have an outsized impact like Spandex) must be listed on a tag by percentage of weight and in descending order.
The debate over natural fibers (such as cotton, silk, wool, and linen) versus synthetics (like rayon, polyester, nylon, and spandex) has raged on for decades. Polyester is especially controversial given its ubiquity and central role in micro-plastic pollution.
Ultimately, the choice depends on consumer priorities. Natural materials are generally perceived as higher quality, environmentally friendly, and more comfortable, while synthetics offer affordability, ease of care, and durability.
Innovations in materials focus on developing textiles that are less resource-intensive and pollutive. This has led to fabrics made from mushrooms, algae, pineapples, wine, fish skin, and even recycled red solo cups.
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From polyester to pineapple, the range of clothing materials is endless and continues to evolve. Armed with knowledge of fiber construction, consumers can vote with their wallets and drive brands towards sustainability, quality, and affordability. These factors are not mutually exclusive, and it's about time the fashion industry took note.
Stay tuned for part 2 where I dive into manufacturer ID, country of origin, and the innovation revolutionizing fashion supply chains worldwide.
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