1960's/70's Gap?

H

Hallie Lienhardt

Registered Guest
Looking for help in determining the year of a vintage sweatshirt I thrifted, but can't seem to find anything similar out there. The logo tag clearly says "gap" but with no "the". The made in the USA screams true vintage to me as does the look, feel, and style. And input and knowledge is greatly appreciated!
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Yes, here are pics of the sweatshirt and the back of the tag with rn number.
 

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Vintagiality said:
I think it’s 90s. These laundry symbols in combination with written care instructions weren’t used before then in the US.
Click to expand...

Oh, I think you're wrong. Laundry symbols were introduced as early as the 50's and these line up with symbols from the 70's. Also Pinnell made nearly 80% of sweatshirts worldwide in the 50-70's. Companies used them as a mill/manufacturer. Thanks, though.
 
Hallie Lienhardt said:
Laundry symbols were introduced as early as the 50's and these line up with symbols from the 70's.
Click to expand...
Care symbols started appearing on clothing labels in Europe in the late 1950s, but it didn’t start catching on in North America until the ‘70s and the combination of words AND symbols occurred in the 90s.
 
I'm going to go with late 1970s/early 1980s on your sweatshirt. I feel that gap tag is familiar... and I wore a lot of Gap clothing in those decades (my high school and college years).

As for the care symbols... they were in use that early but the American requirements were sketchy... I've not been able to find any concrete info with a quick google search. But per THIS University of Tennessee publication: "Through 1998, the care label must include written instructions with the option of using symbols as well. After 1998, either written instructions or symbols must be provided, but not always both."
And note that the OPs shirt does not include the dry cleaning symbol, which I believe became prevalent in the late 1990s.
 
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The Vintage Vendeuse said:
As for the care symbols... they were in use that early but the American requirements were sketchy... I've not been able to find any concrete info with a quick google search.
Click to expand...
The information I cited is actually from a former member who had reached out directly to ASTM and had received a response.

This is what it read:

Here is some actual, useful information for you, direct from the horse's mouth at ASTM (which is the body that oversees U.S. garment-care labeling):

Finally, something of a timeline:

***

Thank you for the explanation. Looking at the FTC website, I found this document (https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/do...-piece-goods/care_textile_products_report.pdf) that indicates the Commission issued the first care labeling rule In 1971 (effective July 3, 1972).


The only additional historical information I can find suggests that in 1989 some D13 members proposed that the US needed to develop a symbol system that met the needs of the FTC Care Labeling Rule. That work began in 1990, and as mentioned, D5489 was first published in 1993, which includes the care symbols. In 1997, the FTC adopted D5489-96c version for the use of symbols as a conditional exemption in lieu of words on a label.


I hope this helps.

Best regards,

Jennifer

Jennifer L. Rodgers

Director, Technical Committee Operations
—

ASTM INTERNATIONAL
Helping our world work better
—
100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700
West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, USA
tel +1.610.832.9694
www.astm.org

*****

So, when dating U.S. garments, the following can be used as guidelines. Not as hard and fast as an ILGWU label (which had clearerstop/start years), but a good piece of additional evidence when dating your item. Remember, this is NOT for European or Japanese garments:

As of July 3, 1972, U.S. garments were required to have permanently-affixed care instructions, not just a hang tag that could be discarded after purchase. That is, if it's got a care label, WITHOUT symbols, and is from the U.S., it is likely (but not absolutely) from 1972 or later.

As of 1993, U.S. market garments also had SYMBOLS (similar but not identical to the long-used symbols from Ginitex, in Europe)

After 1997, U.S.-market garments could use care symbols ONLY, and not merely in addition to, words.

SO:
1972-1993 --> just words
1993-1997 --> words and symbols
1997+ --> words and symbols OR just symbols

If your U.S. garment has ONLY symbols, it's 1997+
If it has NO care label (and one hasn't been cut off or lost), it's pre-1972.
If it's got words and symbols, it's 90s
 
Vintagiality said:
SO:
1972-1993 --> just words
1993-1997 --> words and symbols
1997+ --> words and symbols OR just symbols

If your U.S. garment has ONLY symbols, it's 1997+
If it has NO care label (and one hasn't been cut off or lost), it's pre-1972.
If it's got words and symbols, it's 90s
Click to expand...

Forgive me but I'm still not on board with this... where does it state that symbols cannot be used prior to 1993? It merely implies that symbols were not yet required in the USA.

The following is a screen grab from the Gap's History page on their website and is used for their 1974 notation stating that that year began gap-label products. You can just make out what may be care symbols on the label:

Screenshot (3).png


EDIT: On further review, it may be sizing info, not care symbols.
 
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I’d hazard a guess at c1983-1984. I do remember a craze of these white sweatshirts that my BFF bought into in a big way around then.
 
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