The label is the most useful thing on a garment you have not worn yet: it tells you what it is made of and how to keep it looking new. Here is how to read one, with the fibre names and symbols you will meet most often on Indian ethnic wear.
Fibre names, decoded
Viscose and rayon are the same family: fibres regenerated from wood pulp. They drape and breathe like cotton, take colour beautifully and are usually cooler than polyester, but they are weaker when wet, so wash them gently.
“Art silk” means artificial silk: viscose or polyester made to look like silk. It is easier to care for and more affordable than pure silk, but it is not silk. Blends such as “silk cotton” combine both fibres and behave somewhere between the two.
Georgette, chiffon, crepe and satin are weaves or finishes, not fibres: a georgette can be silk, viscose or polyester, so read the fibre line as well as the fabric name.
The care symbols
A tub is washing: a hand in it means hand wash only, a number is the highest temperature in °C, and a cross means do not wash. A triangle is bleaching; crossed out, no bleach (the usual instruction for coloured and printed pieces).
A square is drying: a circle inside means tumble drying, a line inside means dry flat or hang to dry. An iron shows the heat with dots: one dot low (about 110 °C, for silk and synthetics), two medium (about 150 °C), three high (about 200 °C, for cotton and linen). A circle is professional dry cleaning; crossed out, do not dry clean.
Marks that vouch for the fabric
The Silk Mark, issued under the Silk Mark Organisation of India, is a label that certifies a product is made of pure natural silk. The Handloom Mark identifies fabric woven on a handloom rather than a power loom.
These marks are attached by producers who join the schemes, so their absence does not by itself mean a piece is not silk or not handwoven, but their presence is a meaningful assurance.
When in doubt
Wash heavy zari, sequins and embroidery by dry cleaning; wash cotton and viscose by hand in cold water; never wring; dry in the shade. Spray perfume before you dress, not on the fabric. And test any new colour on a hidden seam before the first full wash.
Easy-care pieces for every day
Questions, answered
Is viscose the same as rayon?
Yes. Viscose is the most common kind of rayon: a fibre regenerated from wood pulp that drapes and breathes like cotton.
What does art silk mean?
Artificial silk: viscose or polyester made to look like silk. It is not pure silk, but it is easier to care for and more affordable.
What do the dots on an iron symbol mean?
The heat setting: one dot is low (about 110 °C), two is medium (about 150 °C) and three is high (about 200 °C).
What is the Silk Mark?
A label issued under the Silk Mark Organisation of India certifying that a product is made of pure natural silk.
