Care Labels: Will More Information Help Consumers?

Are care labels that give alternative and affirmative information more informative to con sumers than care labels that give only minimal care instructions? Does the consumers' previous experience in caring for fabrics influence their interpretation of care labels? This study shows that many consumers make the correct assumptions about the use of unstated laundry pro cedures when given only brief instructions on a care label. Many consumers, however, are very cautious when directions are lacking on labels. The consumers in the study either excluded the use of the unstated laundry procedure or they tended to use the least vigorous method of care available to them. There was some evidence that previous experience influenced the inter pretation of the brief labels. A bout one hundred fifty women completed a questionnaire in which they were presented with a label that gave minimal care instructions and also with a label that gave the same minimal instructions but also stated additional directions. Actual fabrics were presented with each care label. Respondents indicated the possible use of 17 different laundry procedures for each care label and fabrac. Chi‐square analysis was used to analyze the data.