Dating Vintage Clothing by the Care Label

If an American garment has a permanent, sewn-in label with washing or drycleaning instructions, it was very probably made in 1972 or later. The Federal Trade Commission issued its Care Labeling Rule in December 1971, and it took effect on July 3, 1972. A label that gives care instructions only as symbols, with no words, is usually from 1997 or later on US garments, because that is when the FTC first allowed symbols in place of words.

Quick answer

• Sewn-in care instructions on a US garment: 1972 or later in almost all cases.
• No care label: fits a garment from before 1972, but proves nothing on its own. Labels get cut out, and some items were always exempt.
• US label using care symbols with no words: 1997 or later.
• Traffic-light colored care symbols (green, amber, red): a Canadian label from the system introduced in 1970.
• European care symbols: in use from the 1960s, so they date European garments less sharply than US ones.

The US Care Labeling Rule in four dates

The rule has survived since. In 2020 the FTC proposed repealing it. In 2021 it announced it would not go ahead, after most commenters argued manufacturers would stop giving care instructions, and in December 2023 it formally closed the review.

What the 1971 rule required

The original rule required makers and importers of textile clothing to attach a permanent label giving the regular care needed for ordinary use. "Permanent" is the key word. A 1960s garment might come with care advice on a paper hang tag, which was thrown away long ago. A fabric label sewn into a seam and meant to last the life of the garment is the 1970s change.

Some things were exempt from the start, and many still are:

• Not covered or exempt: shoes, gloves and hats. Handkerchiefs, belts, suspenders and neckties are excluded.
• Temporary labels allowed instead: totally reversible clothing without pockets, and items that can be cleaned by the harshest methods (these could carry "Wash or dryclean, any normal method" on a temporary label).
• Original cheap-washable exemption: the 1971 rule exempted fully washable items that retailed for $3 or less. The current rule only keeps those exemptions while the product still meets the original standard.

So a 1970s necktie, hat or pair of gloves with no care label is normal.

What changed in 1983

The 1983 rewrite (the version still largely in force) made care labels more specific. Under it:

• A label must give either a washing instruction or a drycleaning instruction.
• A washing instruction must say hand or machine and give a water temperature (unless hot water up to 145°F will not harm the item).
• A drying instruction must say machine or other method, with a temperature if machine drying.
• Bleach must be addressed if any bleach would cause harm ("No bleach" or "Only non-chlorine bleach, when needed").
• Warnings are required for steps people would otherwise assume are safe ("Do not iron", "Wash separately").
• The terms "Drycleanable" and "Commercially Dryclean" may not be used.

That last point is a useful clue. If a care label says "Drycleanable" or "Commercially dryclean", it was probably printed before the 1983 rules applied, or by a maker that was not following them. Treat this as a supporting clue, not proof, because enforcement and compliance were never perfect.

In practice, a 1970s care label is often short ("Machine wash warm", "Dry clean only"), while 1980s and later labels tend to give a full sequence ("Machine wash cold, gentle cycle. Only non-chlorine bleach when needed. Tumble dry low. Cool iron if needed."). This difference in style is a tendency, not a rule.

Care symbols: US, Canada and Europe

Symbols are where many people go wrong, because different countries adopted them at different times.

The Vintage Fashion Guild puts the US point plainly: "American garments with ASTM care symbols are almost always modern."

Common mistake: assuming any care symbol means 1997 or later. That only applies to labels made for the US market. A 1970s Italian or German garment can carry washtub and iron symbols perfectly correctly.

How to read a care label for dating

1. Is it permanent? A woven or printed fabric tape sewn into a seam is a care label in the 1972 sense. Paper tags do not count.
2. Is it American? Look for "Made in U.S.A.", an RN number, or a US address. The 1972 and 1997 dates only apply to garments sold in the US.
3. Words or symbols? Words only: 1972 or later (for US garments). Symbols only: 1997 or later. Both: anything from the late 1990s on is most likely, but mixed labels exist earlier on imported goods.
4. Read the wording. "Commercially dryclean" or "Drycleanable" suggests before the 1983 rules. Full washing, drying, bleaching and ironing steps suggest 1983 or later.
5. Check the fibers on the same label. Polyester, acrylic and spandex all have known first dates (see dating by labels).
6. Cross-check with the union label. For example, a red, white and blue ILGWU label (1974 to 1995) with a care label fits; an AFL-CIO-era blue label from before 1963 should not have a care label. See union labels.

Clues that fool people

• "It has no care label, so it must be pre-1972." Not necessarily. Owners often cut care labels out. Look for cut threads or a tag stub at a side seam.
• "It has a care label, so it must be post-1972." Almost always true for US garments, but labels can be added later, and a care label sewn into an older garment by a later owner or seller will mislead you. A care label in noticeably newer condition than the garment, or sewn on with different thread, deserves a second look.
• Home-sewn garments. The rule covers manufacturers and importers, not home sewers, so a 1980s home-made dress needs no care label. Today the rule puts care information on the end of each bolt of fabric, not on the finished garment. Home sewers sometimes added their own labels, so even a care label in a home-sewn garment is not proof that it was made in a factory.
• Reproduction and vintage-style labels. A garment sold as 1950s that carries a modern symbols-only care label is not from the 1950s, whatever its maker's label says. This is one of the quickest ways to spot a reproduction.

Care labels and caring for vintage

For a 50-year-old garment, the original care label is a dating clue, not advice to follow. Fabrics weaken, dyes run and old finishes break down, and a label written for a new garment can damage an old one. Before washing anything, read our guides to cleaning vintage clothing and stain and odor removal.

Not sure what you have? Appraise a photo

Sources

• FTC — Clothes Captioning: Complying with the Care Labeling Rule
• Cornell LII — 16 CFR Part 423, Care Labeling Rule (source notes)
• Cornell LII — 16 CFR § 423.6, Textile wearing apparel
• Cornell LII — 16 CFR § 423.8, Exemptions
• FTC — Care Labeling Rule advance notice of proposed rulemaking, 2011 (rule history)
• Federal Register — Care Labeling amendments, 48 FR 22733 (May 20, 1983), with original rule history
• Federal Register — Care Labeling final amended rule (Aug 2, 2000)
• Federal Register — Care Labeling Rule, termination of rulemaking (Dec 8, 2023)
• Vintage Fashion Guild — Quick Tips for Dating Vintage
• Wikipedia — Laundry symbol