Tumble dry, permanent press
An ISO 3758 tumble-dry circle with two bars beneath the square in some chart variants, or the single-bar permanent-press drying cycle, calling for reduced action and a cool-down.
What it means
The permanent-press drying cycle combines moderate heat with a cool tumble at the end so that synthetics and easy-care finishes set without creasing. The bars under the square indicate the reduced mechanical action.
What to do
Select the permanent-press or easy-care dryer setting and unload as soon as it finishes, hanging shirts immediately. Leaving permanent-press items piled in a warm drum re-introduces the very wrinkles the cycle is designed to prevent.
How to use this term
Use this drying symbol before choosing tumble heat, line drying, flat drying or shade drying.
- Read tumble dry, permanent press 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
Do not treat drying as a harmless final step; heat and hanging tension can shrink, stretch or set a remaining stain.
For the broader method, use the Beginner laundry guide 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