A generic term applied to garments that satisfactorily retain their original neat appearance after repeated wear and home laundering with little or no pressing or ironing. A wash-and-wear garment is essentially free from undesirable wrinkles both during wear and after laundering and retains any original pressed-in creases or pleats. The garments should meet normal consumer demands for durability, color, stability, and shrinkage. The performance of a wash-and-wear fabric or garment depends on several factors, including the types and amounts (percentages) of fibers used, the fabric construction, the finishing treatment, the presence of a colored pattern (either woven or printed), and the methods used for washing and drying. These factors determine, in any specific instance, if a fabric or garment’s performance will meet customer requirements. Variable conditions result in the varying behavior of a specific fabric or garment. Garments are labeled to specify the appropriate care for optimal performance. (Also see EASE-OF-CARE and DURABLE PRESS.)