Manufacturers and suppliers of workwear can now use a label code for care that has been specially developed for professional laundries to ensure that the clothing is optimally treated.

The Hohenstein Institute has developed a catalogue of requirements that can be used to competently assign the symbols according to the articles tested. These items of clothing can also be awarded the Hohenstein label for care labelling for workwear.

Before these care symbols can be attached to the items of clothing, however, defined properties must first be tested using defined test washing procedures.

Workwear

Workwear is not only used for many hours, but is also being passed through washing machines, dryers, and finishers. Despite the stress, it should still always be clean, retain its form and colour for a long time, and above all maintain its varied functions long term – even after frequent wear and the many washes that result from this, the Institute reports.

When workwear is prepared in commercial laundries, all processing steps must be adjusted to the specific requirements of the respective workwear, from sorting to specific washing and drying procedures.

Individual symbols

As the washing procedures in commercial laundries are much more complex than those in domestic laundry, and each laundry also uses individual washing procedures, results can differ substantially between them.

The different treatment conditions in industrial laundries compared to domestic laundry primarily result from the size of the machine, the organisation of the washing procedure, the use of detergents and auxiliary agents, and efficient drying methods.

The textiles, which have to be treated in laundries without losing their functions, must therefore be tested in advance to find out if they are suitable for industrial reprocessing and also labelled accordingly.

The care symbols are based on the standard DIN EN ISO 30023 Textiles - Qualification symbols for labelling workwear to be industrially laundered that was specifically developed for industrially laundered workwear. Additionally, the test washing procedures are defined in accordance with the standard DIN EN ISO 15797 Textiles - Industrial washing and finishing procedures for testing of workwear that lists requirements for the machine technology, washing procedure, detergent, and drying procedure.

Symbol components

The care symbols for washing and drying in commercial laundries consist of several individual components. Together, all components result in the following example care labels:

Label for professional industrial laundry is a rectangular box with the word PRO written in capital letters and in negative lettering. This label shows whether an item is suitable for care in a professional laundry.

Washing symbol will feature the selected washing procedure displayed in reverse. The figures in the box for the washing symbol correspond to one of the 8 washing procedures described in ISO 15797.

Selecting suitable symbols

The symbols suitable for the items of clothing are selected after specific properties have been tested. The properties are important for the use of workwear and protective clothing and can be negatively affected during care treatment. Various properties can be taken into account, depending on the material, structure, and use of the article.

The standard DIN EN ISO 30023 excellently defines the properties to be tested, the Institute reports. However, it does not list any requirements for the respective properties, such as dimensional change, colour fastness, or the fraying of seams, for example.

For this purpose, the Hohenstein Institute has developed a catalogue of requirements, which can be used to assign suitable symbols to an article. If the requirements are met, the Hohenstein label for care labelling in commercial laundries is awarded.

www.hohenstein.de