Testing - Wearlife
The wear life of a garment depends on various factors including design, fit, seam strength, garment maintenance, usage and fabric performance. In terms of analysing the fabric performance there are several tests that need to be considered.
Abrasion Test - BS EN 530
The Martindale test determines the abrasion resistance of fabric using a standard abradant under a defined load. Testing usually gives a pass or fail to a specified number of rubs or the number of rubs required to break two adjacent threads (end point).
Tensile Strength and Extension - BS EN ISO 13934-1
This test determines the load a fabric sample will hold before rupturing. The maximum breaking force and the percentage extension at break are recorded. The amount of extension in a fabric is very important - a degree of fabric elasticity is essential to ensure garment comfort and without an element of give the fabric would break down much more quickly.
Tear Strength
There are several standard methods for tear strength testing using a constant rate of extension, but the principal is the same. A cut of defined length is made in the test sample and when the sample is extended, tearing occurs as a continuation of the cut. The force required to extend the tear over a set distance is recorded.
Colour Fastness
Colour Fastness to Artificial Light - BS EN ISO 105 BO2
Colour Fastness to Washing - BS EN ISO 105 Group C
Colour Fastness to Dry Cleaning - BS EN ISO 105 DO1
Colour Fastness to Rubbing - EN ISO 105-X12 |
