What do the washing labels on clothes labels mean?

 This group of UK washing symbols helps you decide if your clothing is safe to wash in your washing machine, and which setting, and what temperature you should use.

It is generally depicted as a bucket filled with water (except for the ‘Do not wring’ symbol). If the garment is machine washable, then you’ll either see dots or numbers inside the bucket symbol, representing the recommended maximum temperature: one dot means 30 °C (meaning that you have to wash your clothing in cold water), two dots 40 °C (warm water), and four dots 60 °C. In case you see one line drawn underneath the bucket, it means that your piece of clothing should be washed on a synthetic cycle, while two lines represent the gentle or wool wash cycle. If you find the hand wash symbol on your garment’s fabric care label, wash the item by hand at 40 °C or lower, or use your washing machine’s hand wash program.

Bleaching symbols on washing labels

Before you turn to your bottle of bleach to make your whites shine like they used to, it’s worth taking a look at your garment’s fabric care label to see if the clothing can handle bleaching agents.

Drying guidelines on clothing labels

In addition to washing and ironing, the laundry process also includes drying. To prevent your garment from shrinking or becoming misshapen when drying, you can find a number of helpful symbols on the fabric care label, informing you of the most surefire way to dry your clothes without causing any damage to the fabric.

A square with a circle inside means that the item can be safely tumble dried, while the number of dots inside the tumble dry symbol indicates what temperature setting to use: one dot stands for low heat, two dots for medium, and three for high heat setting. No dot means that you can tumble dry your clothes on any heat. If you see a bar below the dryer symbol, then use the ‘Permanent Press’ setting, while two bars mean that you have to use the ‘Delicate’ setting. If the symbol is crossed over, do not tumble dry your garment, but let it dry naturally instead. A square with three vertical lines inside represents drip drying, a single horizontal line in the middle indicates flat drying, and a drooping line means hang to dry.

Ironing symbols on fabric labels

Ironing symbols depict an iron with dots inside representing the maximum temperature that you should use to iron the garment.

Dry cleaning symbols on fabric labels

Some garments are better off being handled by a professional: that’s when dry cleaning comes into the picture. The below symbols are intended to help you decide if your piece of clothing should be dry cleaned, and to tell the dry-cleaner what solvent to use.

Additional dry cleaning instructions

When dealing with your most delicate pieces of clothing, your dry-cleaner appreciates every help they get.
That’s why fabric manufacturers include many dry cleaning symbols on clothing labels, represented by the combination of a circle and a straight line.

Types of Garments Accessories & List of Accessories

Basically in the garments three types of accessories we are using. We are elaborating about garments accessories in details for easy understanding.    

1. Basic accessories;
2. Decorative Accessories;
3. Finishing Accessories;

Basic accessories:

1. Thread
   
2. Zipper
   
3. Interlining
   
4. Button for example: Snap button, Plastic button, .Metal button.
5. Label: Main label , Size Label, Wash care label
6. Motif: Leather, Plastic, Batch Metal
7. Pocketing fabric
8. Lining
9. Velcro
10. Elastic
11. Cord
12. Ribbon
13. Toggles
14. Rivet
15. Collar bone.

Decorative Accessories:

1. Elastic tape
2. Buttonhole tape
3. Piping
4. Moiré ribbon
5. Seaming tape
6. Welted tape
7. Ribbed tape
8. Velvet ribbon
9. Bias binding
10. Stamped tape
11. Taffeta ribbon
12. Galloon
13. Fringes
14. Cords
15. Tassels
16. Rosettes
17. Soutache
18. Pompons

Finishing Accessories:

1. Hang tag
2. Price tag
3. Plastic/ poly bag
4. Tissue paper
5. Carton
6. Scotch tape
7. PP belt
8. Tag pin
9. Plastic clip
10. Stiker
11. Butterfly
12. Collar insert
13. Back board
14. Necks insert 

Logistics and outsourcing in the supply chain

 CPFR Models 

Quick response in logistics and SCM ensures product innovation in the market: the logistics supplier can deliver the vision of designers and buyers, reduce and minimize disturbances in the chain and coordinate and consolidate goods, which is especially important when launching new products and ranges. Data collection and the appropriate and relevant technology must be in place for this to work properly. One such example is a Collaborative Planning Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR) model of supply. CPFR is ‘a business practice which reduces inventory costs whilst improving product availability across the chain. Trading partners share forecast and results data over the Internet. CPFR data analyses data and alerts planners and merchandisers at each company to exceptional situations that may affect delivery or sales performance’ (Hines, 2005). Trading partners collaborate to resolve these exceptions in the chain in order to maintain stock and availability. CPFR models have been replicated and adapted for use by many large, international fashion retailers in order to make suppliers responsible for stock management. Good stock management is crucial to success in the fashion industry.

Future of technology 

Some large, international retailers are investing in new technological models of supply, including retail exchanges and e-tail logistics, such as the global net exchange (GNX) and the worldwide retail exchange (WWRE) developed by Walmart. Technology helps fashion retailers with sales information that can be transferred and acted upon quickly. These include the following: EDI (electronic data information) packages for sharing data between supply chain partners; EPOS – electronic point-of sale data collection from stores; and SBO, which is sales-based ordering technology (orders placed to replenish sold stock). Other technology used in SCM includes electronic tagging radio frequency identification tags. Walmart piloted a study in the USA and UK fashion retailer Marks & Spencer has trialed its use on high-value items such as suits and leather jackets. The tags can be used to achieve good visibility in the chain; retailers such as Benetton, Gap and Esprit use the tags to track stock movement in the supply chain. They can be used during transportation and warehousing so logistics teams can identify stock, size and color without unpacking boxes and by scanning stock that is packaged. It cannot be emphasized enough that good relationships and outsourcing are fundamental to the future success of SCM in the fashion business and improvements in technology may be used to enhance these relationships. The focus is on fashion retailers in the future to provide better value and to create greater responsiveness via partnerships.

ELECTRONIC TAGGING 

 UK retailer Marks & Spencer has trialed the use of electronic tagging radio frequency identification tags on high-value items such as suits and leather jackets.

Garment specifications: sampling

Performance testing

All products developed must pass performance testing requirements. It is usually the responsibility of the supplier to ensure that all products meet, or exceed, the standards required by the retailer. Before finalizing or signing an agreement, it is important that suppliers understand and agree the quality-standard requirements of the retailer. It is normal practice to have both fabric and garments tested before the product is delivered; typically, the testing is done at a third-party testing facility such as Intertek or ITS. At times, the buyers and design team will designate the testing lab. Sometimes the retailer (or buyer) will submit the garments for testing; however, often the buyer will require that the supplier submits the fabric and garments directly to the testing laboratory and then provide them with copies of the test results. Final bulk testing is completed before bulk production of garments commences. Accurate records must be kept by the manufacturer and the retailer in case of any faults or customer complaints. Many retailers also undertake surprise testing on garments after they arrive into the stores. This technique is used to discourage suppliers from submitting garments in bulk that do not match up to the quality approved for 

final production.

‘Successful fashion design in commercial terms is based upon providing what customers want frequently before they realize it. In fashion retailing successful design equals sales. If a garment design sells well, the basic shape will be “milked” and reworked in a variety of fabrics and colors and prints.’

Specialist fabrics 

Some garments will require additional testing, such as items that claim to be flame retardant, water resistant, anti-bacterial and so on. So-called ‘smart’ fabrics are used for sport and other performance activities, which need to be fit for purpose; Teflon-coated, breathable and water-repellent fabrics require rigorous testing before use. Even simple products, such as a T-shirt jersey, for example, require certain dye stuffs to withstand washing and to limit the shrinkage of fabric. Children’s apparel requires additional product safety testing.

GARMENT SAMPLING 

By the time it reaches the mass production stage, each garment style will have been technically engineered in order to be as cost-effective and aesthetically pleasing as possible, reflecting the original model and ideas of the designer.