Shoes, Leather and Fabric Labels: Sizing, Fibre Content, Care Labels and What a Listing Should Show

Clothes, bags and shoes are among the most-returned things we buy online, mostly because size, material and care are hard to judge from photos. The product page is where a seller should say what a garment is made of, how to wash it, what a shoe is sized to fit and whether "leather" means leather. This guide pulls together what US regulators and foot-health bodies say about each of those, so you know what to look for and what to ask a seller.

Most of the legal detail comes from US sources, and we say when we have none for the UK or EU. Each section has its own source and "last checked" date. We do not recommend brands, and we do not rate materials.

This guide is based on the public sources listed in each section. We have not tested any product, brand or store mentioned.

Quick checklist

1. Size from your measurements, not from the number on the label, and use the seller's own size chart.
2. Check the fibre content (percentages, largest first) and the country of origin on the listing.
3. Check the care instruction before buying: washing, dry cleaning, bleach and drying.
4. For "leather" items, look for the material in words, and a percentage if it says "bonded".
5. For shoes, measure both feet, size to the larger one, and check toe room and width.
6. Read the returns policy, because shoes and clothes that are worn, washed or personalised are often excluded.
7. If a listing leaves out fibre, origin or care details, ask the seller before ordering.

What a good clothing listing shows

Sources: US FTC, "Threading your way through the labeling requirements under the Textile and Wool Acts"; FTC, "Clothes captioning: complying with the Care Labeling Rule". Last checked: 15 October 2026.

In the United States, most clothing and household textiles (such as bedding, curtains and towels, but not hats or shoes) must carry a label with three things: the fibre content, the country of origin and who is responsible. Care instructions are a separate requirement. A listing that follows the same pattern is easy to compare.

Labels must stay attached until delivery, be in English, use equal-sized lettering and not abbreviate the required terms. Hats, shoes, structural linings and most trims are exempt, and retailers who replace a label must include the required information and keep records for three years.

Why this matters when you shop online

If a listing leaves out fibre content, origin or care details, that is a reason to ask or skip. Our guide to understanding fabric labels covers common terms, and how to read clothing size charts covers measuring. We read the US rules only. We did not read the UK or EU labelling rules for clothing in preparing this guide.

Care labels

Source: US FTC, "Clothes captioning: complying with the Care Labeling Rule" (16 CFR Part 423). Last checked: 15 October 2026.

The US Care Labeling Rule says makers and importers must attach care instructions to covered clothing and some piece goods sold for home sewing. The label must be permanent, readable for the life of the product and visible at the point of sale (on a hang tag or the package if packaging hides it).

A label must:

• give a washing or a dry-cleaning instruction (one is enough if both are safe);
• include details that matter, such as hand or machine washing, water temperature if hot water would harm the item, a bleach rule, the drying method and ironing when needed;
• warn against steps that would damage the item;
• cover every component, including lining, trim, buttons and zips.

The company needs reliable evidence for each instruction.

What the terms mean

What is not covered

Shoes, gloves, hats, handkerchiefs, belts, suspenders, neckties, one-use non-woven garments, institutional uniforms and custom garments made from customer-supplied fabric are not covered. Reversible items without pockets and hosiery have lighter rules.

Takeaways for shoppers

Check the care label or the care text on the product page before buying. A missing care line is a reason to ask. A label that says "for best results, dryclean" means washing may be possible but dry cleaning may look better for longer. A dry cleaner may ask for your consent if you request a method the label does not list. We have not read the full international care-symbol standards, so we do not explain the pictograms here; follow the garment's current label.

Leather, bonded leather and imitation leather

Sources: US FTC, "Leather Guides"; FTC press release, 1996, announcing streamlined guidelines for leather and imitation leather goods. Last checked: 15 October 2026.

The FTC's Leather Guides (16 CFR Part 24) help prevent misleading claims about the makeup of leather and imitation leather products. The FTC page and the 1996 announcement say:

• If an item looks like leather but is not, it should be labelled as not leather, or with its real material.
• Leather that is embossed or treated to imitate another type should disclose its true type.
• Ground, reconstituted or bonded leather that looks like real leather needs a stated percentage of leather (or other) fibre.
• The same disclosures belong in advertising that could otherwise mislead.

The FTC page shows the Guides were retained in 2008 and reopened for comment in February 2019. It does not give an outcome, so check ftc.gov for their current status. It does not define "genuine leather", so we do not either.

What to look for on a listing

1. The material in words: leather, split leather, bonded, polyurethane (PU), vegan leather.
2. A percentage if it says "bonded".
3. Where the material is used: outer, lining or trim.
4. Care instructions and the return policy.

We do not rank leather types by quality or durability, because we have no source for that. Our guides to leather labels and choosing a handbag or backpack online go further.

Shoes: measuring and fit

Sources: AAOS OrthoInfo, "Tight shoes and foot problems"; APMA, "Buying children's footwear". Last checked: 15 October 2026.

Adult shoes (AAOS)

• Try shoes on in a shop first if you can. Once you know a model fits, buying it online is more reasonable.
• Have both feet measured for length and width, since feet can differ.
• No toe should be pinched, crowded or pushed over a neighbour.
• The AAOS says there is "no such thing as a break-in period", so do not count on shoes stretching to fit.
• Check construction: the shoe should flex at the ball of the foot, not through the arch; a firm midsole supports the arch; the heel should not collapse easily when squeezed; and the toe box needs enough width and depth (square is best, round is better than pointed).
• Laces, buckles, Velcro or straps add adjustability. A removable insole lets you add an orthotic or extra cushioning, and a tongue not attached to the upper makes fitting easier.

Children's shoes (APMA)

• Leave about 10 to 15 mm of toe room beyond the longest toe. The toe box should be at least as wide as the widest part of the foot. Avoid narrow, tapered shoes.
• If feet differ, size to the larger foot.
• Check sizing every 4 to 6 months, because feet grow and sizes vary by brand.
• Choose breathable materials such as mesh or leather, and laces or Velcro to keep the shoe secure. Flexible, light shoes suit young children.
• The APMA Seal exists and APMA has a product database. We have not checked any product.

The APMA page does not say how to measure a child's foot or what time of day to do it. Other health-service leaflets we saw gave different intervals for re-checking children's feet (6 to 8 weeks in some), so we do not give one number. For a foot problem, see a podiatrist.

What a shoe size is

Source: ISO catalogue descriptions (the standards are paid documents, so we read only their summaries). Last checked: 15 October 2026.

ISO 9407 (Mondopoint) sizes a shoe by the foot it is made to fit. Foot length is measured standing, with weight on both feet and suitable socks, as the distance between lines touching the longest toe and the back of the heel. Width is measured across the ball of the foot. It is written as a length in millimetres or centimetres plus a width code. ISO 19407:2023 gives conversion tables between Mondopoint, European (Paris point) and UK sizes and others (China, Japan, Korea, US), and its description says national systems grew up without being formalised, so the tables are guidance, not exact matches. That is why a brand's own size chart in centimetres is the safest guide. We have no source for the conversion steps or men's and women's offsets, so we give none.

Our guides to buying shoes online and children's shoes turn this into a checklist.

Clothing size labels

Source: Wikipedia, "EN 13402" (a secondary summary; the standard itself is paid). Last checked: 15 October 2026.

The European standard for clothing size labels, EN 13402, sizes clothes by body measurements in centimetres, with one primary dimension per garment (chest for a men's jacket, bust for a women's). A label shows a range of body measurements, not a single average. Adoption varies by country, and few countries use it for all clothing. For children, the same page says European labelling by height in centimetres is common, and that the US has no mandatory clothing size or labelling standard. The practical lesson is to use measurements and the seller's own chart rather than the label's letter or number. We have no primary source for US-versus-UK size conversions, so we give none.

Questions to ask a seller

See online shopping rights and returns for the rules on cancelling and returning.

What we could not verify

• UK and EU rules on fibre-content, origin and care labelling for clothing.
• The international care-symbol standards.
• US-versus-UK size conversions and shoe size steps.
• The status of the FTC Leather Guides after the 2019 request for comment.
• Definitions of "genuine leather" or other grade names.

Related complete guides

• Online Shopping Rights and Returns: UK, EU, US and Canada Compared: Returns, refunds and what to do if clothes or shoes do not fit.
• Safe Online Shopping: Scams, Fake Reviews, Fake Goods and the Checks That Work: Spotting counterfeit and misdescribed goods.