textile-testing-standards

Reference index of fabric and garment test methods used in the apparel industry.

What is Textile Testing?

Before a garment reaches a retail store, the fabric and finished product are subjected to a battery of standardized tests to verify quality, durability, safety, and regulatory compliance. These tests are maintained by organizations like AATCC (American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists), ASTM International, and ISO (International Organization for Standardization).

This dataset provides a structured reference of ~60 standard test methods, pre-built test programs by garment type, and retailer testing requirements by tier.

Test Categories

| Category | Tests | What It Covers | |----------|-------|----------------| | Colorfastness | 9 | Resistance to laundering, crocking, perspiration, light, water, dry cleaning, chlorine, gas fumes | | Physical / Mechanical | 10 | Breaking strength, tearing strength, pilling, abrasion, bursting strength, seam strength | | Dimensional Stability | 8 | Shrinkage (home laundry, commercial laundry, dry cleaning), fabric weight, width, thickness | | Appearance | 6 | Smoothness after washing, garment appearance, bow and skew, spirality | | Flammability | 4 | Clothing flammability (US), children's sleepwear (US), UK and EU standards | | Fiber Content | 4 | Qualitative and quantitative fiber analysis, NIR screening | | Performance / Functional | 6 | Water repellency, water resistance, absorbency, moisture management, air permeability | | Safety / Chemical | 4 | Lead (CPSIA), REACH restricted substances, cord safety, toy safety |

Quick Start

npm install @kobolabs/textile-testing-standards

Look up a test method:

const tests = require('@kobolabs/textile-testing-standards');

// Find colorfastness to laundering
const laundryTest = tests.find(t => t.id === 'aatcc-61');
console.log(laundryTest.name);
// → "Colorfastness to Laundering"
console.log(laundryTest.passCriteria.standard);
// → "Grade 4 minimum (color change), Grade 3 minimum (staining)"

Search by category:

const colorTests = tests.filter(t => t.category === 'colorfastness');
console.log(`${colorTests.length} colorfastness tests available`);
// → "9 colorfastness tests available"

Find tests for a specific garment type:

const swimTests = tests.filter(t =>
  t.applicableGarments.includes('swimwear')
);

Test Programs

Pre-built test suites for common garment types, with priorities and cost estimates:

| Program | Garment Type | Tests | Est. Cost | Est. Time | |---------|-------------|-------|-----------|-----------| | basic-tshirt | Knitted top | 7 | $200-$400 | 5-7 days | | performance-activewear | Performance knit | 9 | $400-$700 | 7-10 days | | childrenswear | Children's | 9 | $500-$900 | 10-15 days | | outerwear | Woven outerwear | 9 | $400-$700 | 7-10 days | | swimwear | Knitted swim | 6 | $350-$550 | 7-10 days | | denim | Woven denim | 8 | $300-$500 | 5-7 days | | woven-shirt | Woven top | 8 | $300-$500 | 5-7 days | | knitted-sweater | Knitwear | 7 | $300-$500 | 5-7 days | | tailored-suiting | Woven tailoring | 7 | $350-$550 | 7-10 days | | intimates-lingerie | Knitted intimates | 6 | $250-$400 | 5-7 days | | workwear-uniform | Woven workwear | 8 | $400-$600 | 7-10 days | | home-textiles-bedding | Home textiles | 7 | $300-$500 | 5-10 days |

Each test in a program has a priority level:

• mandatory -- Legal requirement for the target market. Non-negotiable.
• required -- Industry standard. Expected by all serious buyers.
• recommended -- Best practice. Adds confidence but may not be required by the buyer.

Retail Requirements

Testing requirements vary by retailer tier:

| Tier | Examples | Third-Party Lab | Frequency | |------|----------|-----------------|-----------| | Mass Market | Walmart, Target, Amazon | Required (CPSC-accepted) | Every production order | | Department Store | Nordstrom, Selfridges | Required | Per style or fabric group | | Specialty Chain | Zara, H&M, Uniqlo | Required (approved lab list) | Per fabric and production order | | Luxury | Net-a-Porter, Ssense | Recommended | Per brand onboarding | | Indie / DTC | Own website | Recommended | Per new fabric | | Off-Price | TJ Maxx, Ross | Prior reports accepted | Per PO review | | Marketplace | Amazon, eBay, Etsy | Required for children's (Amazon) | Per listing |

How to Read Test Results

The 1-5 Gray Scale

Most colorfastness and appearance tests are rated on a 1-5 gray scale:

| Grade | Meaning | Typical Interpretation | |-------|---------|----------------------| | 5 | No change | Excellent -- the gold standard | | 4-5 | Slight change | Very good -- passes premium requirements | | 4 | Noticeable change (slight) | Good -- passes most standard requirements | | 3-4 | Noticeable change (moderate) | Acceptable -- minimum for many retailers | | 3 | Moderate change | Marginal -- fails most colorfastness requirements | | 2 | Significant change | Poor -- clear failure | | 1 | Severe change | Very poor -- severe degradation |

Grades are assessed visually by trained technicians using standard gray scale reference cards (AATCC Gray Scale for Color Change or AATCC Gray Scale for Staining). Half grades (e.g., 3-4) are valid.

Physical Test Results

Physical tests report in measured units:

• Breaking strength: Newtons (N) -- higher is stronger
• Tearing strength: Newtons (N) or millinewtons (mN) -- higher is more tear resistant
• Bursting strength: kilopascals (kPa) -- higher is stronger
• Abrasion resistance: rub cycles to failure -- higher is more durable
• Dimensional change: percentage -- negative is shrinkage, positive is growth
• Fabric weight: grams per square meter (GSM)
• Water resistance: millimeters of water column (mm) -- higher is more waterproof

AQL (Acceptable Quality Level)

AQL is not a test method but a sampling system (ANSI/ASQ Z1.4) used during final inspection to determine how many units to inspect from a production lot and how many defects are acceptable. Common AQL levels for apparel:

• Critical defects (safety issues): AQL 0 (zero tolerance)
• Major defects (functional issues, wrong size, wrong color): AQL 2.5
• Minor defects (loose threads, slight shade variation): AQL 4.0

Key Testing Labs

The major third-party testing laboratories for textiles:

| Lab | Headquarters | Global Offices | Specialty | |-----|-------------|----------------|-----------| | SGS | Geneva, Switzerland | 2,600+ offices, 96 countries | Full-service testing, largest global network | | Bureau Veritas | Paris, France | 1,600+ offices, 140 countries | Full-service, strong in consumer products | | Intertek | London, UK | 1,000+ offices, 100+ countries | Full-service, strong in softlines/apparel | | TUV Rheinland | Cologne, Germany | 500+ locations, 69 countries | European market focus, CE marking | | UL | Northbrook, USA | 40+ countries | Safety testing, US market focus | | Hohenstein | Bonnigheim, Germany | Multiple locations | OEKO-TEX testing, fit and wear comfort | | TESTEX | Zurich, Switzerland | Asia offices | OEKO-TEX testing |

Example Script

Build a test program for a garment type and target market:

node examples/build-test-program.js basic-tshirt US
node examples/build-test-program.js childrenswear US,EU
node examples/build-test-program.js performance-activewear US
node examples/build-test-program.js swimwear US

Data Format

Test methods (data/tests.json)

{
  "id": "aatcc-61",
  "name": "Colorfastness to Laundering",
  "standardBody": "AATCC",
  "standardNumber": "AATCC 61",
  "isoEquivalent": "ISO 105-C06",
  "category": "colorfastness",
  "description": "Evaluates color change and staining...",
  "measures": "Color change of specimen and staining...",
  "applicableGarments": ["all-apparel", "home-textiles"],
  "method": "Specimen washed with steel balls...",
  "equipment": ["Launder-Ometer", "Gray Scale..."],
  "passCriteria": {
    "standard": "Grade 4 minimum...",
    "premium": "Grade 4-5...",
    "scale": "1-5..."
  },
  "testDuration": "45 minutes per cycle",
  "sampleSize": "5 x 15 cm specimen + multifiber strip",
  "notes": "Most commonly requested colorfastness test..."
}

Test programs (data/test-programs.json)

{
  "id": "basic-tshirt",
  "name": "Basic T-Shirt",
  "garmentType": "knitted-top",
  "requiredTests": [
    { "testId": "aatcc-61", "priority": "required", "reason": "Wash performance..." }
  ],
  "estimatedCost": "$200-$400",
  "estimatedTime": "5-7 business days"
}

Retail requirements (data/retail-requirements.json)

{
  "id": "mass-market",
  "tier": "Mass Market",
  "examples": ["Walmart", "Target", "Amazon"],
  "requirements": "Comprehensive testing required...",
  "typicalTests": ["colorfastness", "dimensional-stability", ...],
  "certificationRequired": true,
  "thirdPartyLab": "Required (must be CPSC-accepted for US)",
  "frequency": "Every production order or annually"
}

Disclaimer

This database is provided as a reference tool for educational and informational purposes. It does not constitute legal, regulatory, or quality assurance advice. Test methods, pass/fail criteria, and regulatory requirements change over time. Always verify specific requirements with:

• The relevant standard body (AATCC, ASTM, ISO) for current test method editions
• Your buyer or retailer for their specific testing manual and pass criteria
• A qualified testing laboratory for sample preparation and test execution
• Legal counsel for regulatory compliance obligations in your target markets

Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines on adding test methods, updating pass criteria, or expanding test programs.

Built by the team at Kobo -- modern PLM for fashion brands.