Laundry instructions

The most important thing we can do is to use clothes for as long as possible, but this also means taking care of the garment. Below you will find some good advice on how to best take care of your clothes. When it comes to certified protective clothing, it is important to follow the care instructions that came with the garment at the time of purchase to ensure that the protective properties are maintained.

General laundry advice

• Follow the washing instructions, they are there for a reason.
• For certified garments, it is especially important to follow the washing instructions to ensure that the protective properties are maintained.
• Wool has self-cleaning properties, it may be enough to hang it outside.
• If there is a single stain, try to remove it as soon as possible.
• Brush off the worst dirt.
• Empty pockets of stones, screws, and other things before washing.
• Close zippers, Velcro and snaps, but leave other buttons open.
• Wash garments with similar colors together.
• Wash certified garments together with others that have the same certification.
• Wash certified garments when they look dirty to preserve the protective properties.
• Do not use bleach.
• Do not use fabric softener, as it can damage reflective materials, among other things.
   

Washing symbols

The symbol indicates whether home washing is possible or not, both for machine washing and hand washing. The numbers inside the basin indicate the highest temperature (specified in degrees Celsius) the garment can withstand. A cross over the basin means that the garment should not be washed, which may mean that the garment is sensitive to all types of wet treatments or not suitable for washing in home washing machines. A hand in the basin indicates hand washing and a water temperature of 30° C and 40° C. A line under the basin means a gentle washing program, which means less mechanical action, which is achieved by not filling the machine completely and avoiding spinning or spinning for only short periods. Two lines mean a very gentle washing program.

The symbol indicates whether bleaching is possible or not, an empty triangle means that bleaching is allowed both by chlorine bleaching and oxygen bleaching. Two oblique lines mean that only oxygen bleaching is allowed and a cross over means that bleaching is not allowed and that non-bleach detergents should be used. 

The square symbol describes drying. If the square contains a circle, it means tumble drying where the dots inside indicate the tumble dryer temperature. A square with a circle and a cross over means that tumble drying is not suitable. If the square contains lines instead of a circle, they provide instructions for natural drying/air drying. For example, hang dry, drip dry, flat dry, etc.

The symbol provides instructions for ironing. The dots on the iron provide information on the temperature range for ironing. A crossed-out iron means that the garment cannot be ironed and can be damaged.

The circle provides information on professional cleaning, either dry cleaning or wet cleaning, note that this cannot be compared to home washing. The letters in the circle provide information to the professional cleaner about which washing liquids can be used during the washing process. A crossed-out circle indicates that the garment should not be dry cleaned.

Explanation of specific washing symbols

Recommendation: Do not use fabric softener on functional garments and specially treated garments.