Gown Care Labels

Care labels are intended to help you select the right care for your wedding gown, and when the designer’s name is on a separate label, the care label should list three things.

1. Fiber content of your gown

   Fiber and weave are very different things. The way in which the fiber is woven gives fabric its special look, but the fiber itself may be silk, cotton, linen, polyester, rayon or a combination of many such components. For cleaning, fiber is more important than weave. For example, safe emergency treatment for stained silk is not at all the same as emergency care for stained polyester fiber.

2. Where your gown was made

   Although the designer or manufacturer of your gown may not have offices in the country where your gown was made, the country of origin can be helpful if you need to contact a designer or manufacturer who does not have a location in Australia.

3. Safe cleaning method

   The label may specify either wet cleaning or dry cleaning and usually includes instructions regarding solvent or temperature. However, “do not wet clean” and/or “do not dry clean” are also considered legitimate care instructions.

More about cleaning methods

If the gown is cleaned according to the instructions on the care label, and the gown is damaged, the manufacturer is liable. If the cleaner does not follow the instructions, any damage is the cleaner’s fault. However, most gowns, even the ones with labels that say “do not clean,” can cleaned safely, and a good cleaner can explain the options to you.

Cleaning symbols

Click here to see the five basic symbols often used on labels to show how your gown should be cleaned. Various marks modify the symbols to indicate special instructions for such things as solvent and temperature.