Tests include planning and preparation time, calibration of apparatus and materials, procedures, verification, evaluation, reporting and confirmation. For complete copies of test methods, machines, and procedures, please contact the Chemical Technologies Design Center.Standard Testing
AATCC/ASTM Industry Standard Procedures and Methods.
Abrasion Appearance
Methods and Procedures AATCC 153-1985. Evaluation of shade changes within a single specimen exhibiting a difference or alteration of a shade.
Abrasion Resistance
Methods and Procedures AATCC 93-1994. Evaluation of the resistance of fabrics to abrasion by measurement of weight loss or strength loss via accelerator method.
Colorfastness to Bleaching with Chlorine
Methods and Procedures AATCC 3-1989. Measuring the resistance of a fabric in any of its color characteristics to the transfer of its colorant to adjacent materials when subjected to solutions of up to 0.3 % chlorine.
Crock
Methods and Procedures AATCC 8-198. Determining the amount of color transferred from the surface of colored textiles to other surfaces by rubbing the material onto a white crock test cloth (both dry and wet tests are done before and after). Assessing comparison with AATCC Chromatic Transference Scale or Gray Scale for Staining and assigning a value.
Durable Press
Methods and Procedures AATCC 88B-1992. Evaluating the smoothness appearance of seams in fabrics after repeated home laundering. Method 88C-1992. Used for evaluating retention of pressed-in creases in home laundering.
Extractable Content of Greige and/or Prepared Goods
Method and Procedures AATCC 97-1989. Measuring the amounts of removable nonfibrous material in a textile substrate.
Fiber Analysis
Methods and Procedures AATCC 20-1990. Physical, chemical, and microscopical techniques for identifying textile fibers into the categories of Natural, Man-made, Animal, or Mineral. Virkler instrumental technique allows further identification breakdown.
Flammability
Methods and Procedures ASTM D3659. Evaluating the burning characteristics of fabric and assessing the flammability properties.
Home Laundry
Methods and Procedures AATCC 61-1994. Colorfastness evaluation through accelerated laundering tests. Measuring color loss and surface changes resulting from detergent solution and abrasive action of home and commercial laundries.
Light
Methods and Procedures AATCC 16-1993. Determining the resistance of a material to a change in its color characteristics as a result of exposure of the material to sunlight or an artificial light source. Procedural methods require Comparison Standard (as defined by AATCC 7 options) and sample of textile to be tested. Both are exposed simultaneously to a light source under specified conditions. The colorfastness of the sample portion exposed, compared to the standard and the unexposed control portion of sample, is evaluated by AATCC Gray Scale For Color Change and assigned a value.
Needle Cuts and Sewability
Method John Goodrich Sewability Tester. Determining sewability of fabric by measuring the needle cuts and average needle pressure obtained when simulating the action of a sewing machine.
Ozone
Methods and Procedures AATCC 109-1992. Determining the resistance of the color of textiles to the action of the ozone in the atmosphere. Procedure and method require that a test specimen and a control specimen be simultaneously exposed to ozone in an atmosphere at temperatures (64 to 82F) with relative humidity not exceeding 67% until the control specimen shows a color change corresponding to that of a standard of fading. This exposure period constitutes one cycle. The cycle is repeated until the specimen shows a definite color change or for the prescribed number of cycles.
Shrinkage
Methods and Procedures AATCC 150-1992. Determining dimensional changes of fabric when subjected to repeated automatic laundering procedures commonly used in the home. Measuring the dimensional change resulting in the decrease in the length or width of a specimen.
Note: Some knitted or woven fabrics with dimensional changes can be restored (in width) and are subjected to restoration force s prior to measuring dimensional changes. AATCC 160-1992.
Sizing and Finishes in Textiles
Method and Procedures AATCC 94-1992. Qualitative identification of various components present on textile fabrics and yarns used to determine appropriate adjustment and modifications needed. Virkler procedure includes infra-red scanning.
Soil Release
Methods and Procedures AATCC 130-1990. Measuring the relative ability of fabrics to release oily stains in home laundering.
Spot Identification
Chemical Technologies methods include both a classical wet chemistry approach as well as an instrumental technique for spot determination. After spot extraction, FTIR microscopy or infra-red scanning identifies substance and allows for non-destructive removal.
Tear (Knits)
Methods and Procedures ASTM 3786-87. Determining the resistance to bursting in knitted and non-woven textiles. This method requires use of a hydraulic diaphragm bursting tester. The garment or fabric is clamped over the expandable diaphragm. The diaphragm is expanded by fluid pressure until the specimen is ruptured. Bursting strength is calibrated by determining the difference between the total pressure required to rupture and the pressure required to inflate the diaphragm.
Tear (Woven)
Methods and Procedures ASTM 1424. Calibrating average force required to propagate a single-rip, tongue-type tear by means of a falling pendulum apparatus to determine tearing strength in commercial textile fabrics. This method takes up to 10 specimens of both the fill yarns and the warp yarns and provides the user an expectation of 90% probability that the test result is no more than 4% of the average above the true average of the lot. Virkler procedures use a minimum of 3 reps on fill and 3 reps on warp yarns.
Tensile (Grab Test)
Methods and Procedures ASTM D5034. The textile material is stretched in one direction to determine the load elongation characteristics, the breaking force, and/or the breaking elongation. This method provides values in both inch-pound units and International System Units. Values are obtained from machine scales, dials, autographic recording charts, or a computer interfaced with the testing machine. Virkler procedures use a minimum of 3 reps of test on warp and 3 reps on fill. Not recommended for knitted fabrics or fabrics with high stretch characteristics (more than 11%).
Whiteness of Textile
X Rite Method calibrating absolute color vs. white standard.
