People only just realising what triangle symbol on clothes label means

It turns out there’s a hidden message hanging in every wardrobe, and most of us have been ignoring it. A small triangle symbol stitched into the labels of our clothes is leaving social media users stunned, with many admitting they had “no idea” what it meant until now.

Every piece of clothing you own comes with a set of care symbols, often located on the inner label. While they’re meant to help you wash and maintain your clothes properly, new light is being shed on how few people actually understand what these symbols mean and how misreading them could be ruining your favourite outfits.

One symbol, in particular, is catching attention, the triangle. It’s not just a random shape but it’s a critical indicator of whether your clothing can be bleached.

A plain triangle means the item can be safely bleached with any kind of bleach, while a triangle with two diagonal lines inside means only non-chlorine bleach should be used.

If the triangle has a big “X” through it, bleach of any kind is a no-go.

Experts warn that ignoring these symbols could lead to faded fabrics, weakened fibres, or even irreparable damage, cutting short the life of your t-shirts, jumpers, jeans, and more.

On TikTok, in a video explaining care label symbols, users have been admitting they never knew what the care instructions meant.

“I thought that triangle was just a design,” and “I’ve ruined so many shirts not knowing this!”

Other common clothing label symbols include a tub (for washing), a square (for drying), an iron, and a circle (for dry cleaning). Each one can have additional markings that completely change the instructions.

So next time you’re sorting laundry, it might be worth checking that label as that tiny triangle could be the reason your favourite jumper didn’t survive the last wash.