Evening star., 1943-07-20
Read Your Labels
BY Helen Tosf

Almost every day the Woman's s
Department listens to one or more
distressed voices at the other end of
the telephone. The voice says that
she's not sure whether some garment
will wash satisfactorily or, in even
more tragic cases, she has washed a
garment and it has turned out badly,
to put it mildly.
This Is why a recent bulletin on
color fastness of today's fabrics is of
particular interest. This informa-
tive brochure. which has just
reached our desk, points out not only
buying and laundering rules, but
also discusses current fabrics made
under wartime conditions and the
things that are done to make them
color. fast.
First of all, under new Government
regulations, textiles and clothing
will no longer be made in so many
bright or dark shades as in the past.
Those dyestuffs with a high degree
of fastness that are available for
civilian use must be conserved. The
Army and Navy need large quanti-
ties Of especially fast dyestuffs for
uniforms and other equipment,
though the heaviest demand is for
certain colors such as shades of navy
blue and most of the yellow, brown
and olive tones. So, textile manu-
facturers will be required to spread
their supply, and the result will be
lighter shades in all types Of fabrics,
with printed fabrics containing a
lesser amount OF design colors and
highly colored prints more scarce
than in the past. Nor is fashion
stressing any one particular color
scheme this season, to avoid provok-
ing a shortage of dyestuff.
All this is designed, of course, to
insure an even civilian distribution
OF quality dyestuffs and to prevent
the waste of materials and labor.
But the consumer still must be more
than usually careful when purchas-
ing in order to insure fade-resistant
fabrics.
1t is recognized, you know, that
there is no such thing as a color
fast fabric. Color fastness Is rela-
tive, for all colors fade under GER
tain conditions. But you can look
for a high degree of color fastness
in the things you buy, and beware
of broad statements about the fab
ric. Fabrics which have been prop
erly constructed, finished and dyed
will have been put through an in
tricate series of laboratory tests
based on the use to which they will
be put. These fabrics will bear
labels and you can depend upon
them.
Here, then, are some rules for
the consumer-and If you follow
them you will be much happier and
far less extravagant.
l. Ask to see the labels giving the
degree Of color fastness-and read
them carefully.
2. Follow the instructions on the
label.
3. Don't try to wash a fabric la
beled dry cleanable." When 1t Is
labeled hand washable" 1t may be
done at home or by a laundry which
gives hand service. Only those
marked washable" should be put
into machine.
4. Keep the label for future ref
erence. Hand washable fabrics
should be done in lukewarm water,
not over los degrees. Do not dry
in bright or direct sunlight.
5. If you buy cleanable fabric,
it's smart idea to send the tag or
label along with the garment, or
at least tell the cleaner things he
should know in order to treat It
properly.
6. Before washing any garment,
remove all colored buttons, buckles
and trimmings which may not be
fast even though the fabric is.