Clothing care labels can be one of the most annoying and valuable items on a garment. If placed wrong, sewn on with plastic thread or made from itchy material, they can be irritating as we all know. Before you cut them out, however, it's important to know why they are included in the first place.

Care labels provide guidelines to consumers and professionals like DELIA'S Cleaners about apparel care, and the best cleaning procedures to be used for a particular combination of fabric, thread decoration and construction techniques. Following the instructions on the care labels assures that the appearance and fit of the garment will be maintained after repeated cleaning treatments. While care labels serve as a cleaning guide, they also may influence purchases based on an individual's preference for dry cleaning or home care.

Because the fashion industry is always changing, new fabrics, dyes, and ornamentation are constantly debuting. In turn, care instructions are continually being updated. Care labels provide essential information on fabric content, cleaning instructions, the manufacturer RN numbers, brand names and other details. Today most care labels are printed on the inside of garments or sewing in permanently. If you do attempt to remove the care label, be careful not to damage the garment. Keep the label after it's removed so you can refer to the information as needed. A few of the most common care labels include:

• -�Dry Clean Only or Dry Clean For Best Results-� -" This indicates that the item should be cleaned by a professional cleaner, like DELIA'S Cleaners. As a general rule, wool, silk and acetate fabrics are most appropriate for dry cleaning as well as suits and most sweaters. Any fabric trimmed in suede or leather, or embellished with beads, pearls, rhinestones or sequins also should be dry cleaned.
• -�Machine Wash-� -" While garments labeled machine wash can be cleaned at home, a professional dry cleaner's processes can protect the texture, reduce fabric wear and tear, and minimize color fading and bleeding.
• -�Hand Wash-� -" These labels specify that garments should be soaked and gently rinsed without machines or harsh detergents.

At DELIA'S Cleaners, our professionals use a sustainable cleaning process that safely remove stains, gently cleans your clothes and ensures they are returned in impeccable condition.