Line dry (hang to dry)
An ISO 3758 square with a single vertical line inside it, indicating the garment should be hung up to dry naturally on a line or rail.
What it means
The vertical line inside the drying square means line drying: the wet item is hung from a line, hanger or rail so gravity and air do the work. It avoids dryer heat and is the standard natural-drying instruction for most washable clothes.
What to do
Hang the item on a line or hanger, ideally after a gentle spin so it is not dripping. Shape shoulders over a hanger for shirts, and avoid clothes-pin marks on delicate fabric by hanging from seams or using a drying rack.
How to use this term
Use this drying symbol before choosing tumble heat, line drying, flat drying or shade drying.
- Read line dry (hang to dry) with the other symbols on the same care label; the strictest symbol wins.
- Match the instruction to the garment's most fragile part, including trims, lining, prints and finishes.
- If the label, fabric behaviour and stain method disagree, test a hidden area or choose the lower-risk route.
Common mistake
A plain line-dry square confirms the fabric can hang to dry, but it carries no corner shade stripe, so people assume any sunny outdoor line is fine. Yet direct sun can gradually fade dark or bright dyes, so fading, not shrinkage, is often the bigger line-drying risk for coloreds. Turn coloreds inside out or hang them in shade, and save full sun for whites, where it can help brighten.
For the broader method, use the How to Wash Jeans Without Fading and then return to this term when the label changes the safe option.
Related terms
Sources
- ISO 3758:2012 Textiles — Care labelling code using symbols — International Organization for Standardization