Value Village ／ Clothing
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
Tumble dryers are often avoided in Japan as things that "shrink and damage clothes", but since tumble-dry symbols were added to Japanese care labels in 2016 the label itself tells you which garments can go in. Note too that the gas dryers at coin laundries (コインランドリー) behave quite differently from a household washer-dryer.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Square with circle, one dot | Tumble-dry allowed, exhaust temperature up to 60°C (low) |
| Square with circle, two dots | Tumble-dry allowed, exhaust temperature up to 80°C (high) |
| Square with circle, crossed out | Do not tumble-dry |
| Type | Character | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Household drum washer-dryer (heat pump) | Low heat, around 60°C, low electricity cost, takes longer | Everyday cotton and synthetics, towels, sheets |
| Household drum washer-dryer (heater type) | High heat, higher electricity cost, more shrinkage | As above, on the low setting |
| Coin-laundry gas dryer | High heat, strong airflow, fast (around 80°C) | Cotton towels, sheets, futon. Synthetics and prints on the low setting |
[Verify] Check the symbols against the Consumer Affairs Agency's care-labelling guide, the dust-mite conditions against Tokyo Metropolitan Government and National Consumer Affairs Center material, and the accident cases against NITE.
Cotton can shrink by a few per cent in the first few cycles (relaxation shrinkage of the fabric). If the label carries the tumble-dry symbol, this is within what the maker expects. If you are going to tumble-dry a T-shirt, do it from the first wash; start halfway through its life and the shrinkage all comes at once.
High heat and over-drying are the culprits. Use the low setting and take things out before they are bone dry and the wear drops sharply. The fluff in the lint filter is fibre abraded from the fabric, and it will never be zero.
Take things out and fold or hang them as soon as the cycle ends and creases are few, but leave them sitting in the drum and the creases set. The standard trick for shirts is to take them out slightly damp and hang them.
Gas dryers run hot and fast, and synthetics and prints can shrink or melt. Use the low setting if there is one; if not, cotton items only.
Every load. Blocked lint lengthens drying time, raises the electricity bill and occasionally catches fire. The makers also advise having the exhaust duct checked about once a year.
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https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/representation/household_goods/guide/wash_02.html
https://www.nite.go.jp/jiko/chuikanki/
https://www.hokeniryo.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/kankyo/eisei/yokuaru_shitsumon/gaichu/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
Follow the care label and the maker's instructions for any garment, shoe or bag. For expensive or sentimental items, ask a specialist cleaner or repairer.
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