Quality Assurance Basics

Perils of Stains

Oil and stain resistance are desirable attributes of fabrics—in the garments we wear to protect us, well, against ourselves! Everyone drops, spills, or sits on some type of soil medium at some point in time. While these “accidents” are harmless, they can be the source of angst when the soil medium stays on the fabric as a stain. Sometimes, stains that can’t be removed may cause the garment to no longer be used and, ultimately, discarded.

Stain Release

Stain release performance after laundering became an important function because the textile-finishing chemistries that were used to create smoothness appearance and dimensional stability also create an affinity for retaining oily stains.

Oil Repellency: Hydrocarbon Resistance

The textile industry needed a test to detect the performance of the soil release finishes. The test for judging how well a finish performed was developed by AATC’s Committee on Stain Resistance; it’s called RA 56, Test Method 118. Oil Repellency: Hydrocarbon Resistance, has been edited, reaffirmed, and used since 1966.

Soil Release: Oily Skin

Being able to figure out whether or not a fiber, fabric or finish stained by an oily soil medium can be removed in laundering is a desirable attribute that a consumer can see.

Fabric Stretch

The next physical property of fabrics to be covered is that of “stretch.” But the attribute of fabric stretch has associated properties that are as important as the stretch characteristic itself.

Stretch is a physical property of fabrics, but the attribute of fabric stretch has associated properties that are as important as the stretch characteristic itself.

Stretch & Growth

Three Flammability Standards for Apparel

Learn about the three flammability standards pertinent to apparel and children’s sleepwear, promulgated and enforced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission in its administration of the Flammable Fabrics Act.

Flammability

The code of federal regulations (CFR) covers the requirements for all textile and apparel items that are to be sold in the U.S. Manufacturers, sourcing agents, brands and retailers must understand and follow the Regulations as serious fines can be levied against companies that violate them. This has financial implications but also and possibly more serious repercussions, including public relations problems.

45-Degree Test

Title 16 CFR Part 16-10 is often referred to as the “45-degree angle test”, a descriptor for the testing apparatus used.

Vertical Test

Learn about the important flammability regulations that apply to children’s sleepwear.

Comfort in Quality Assurance

Learn the fundamental aspects of fabric comfort, including:

• Air Permeability
• Moisture Management
  • Absorbency
  • Wicking
  • Drying
  • Clinging

Air Permeability

An important measurement of protection for some outer garments is the ability to prevent air or wind to move through a fabric. The term windbreaker is often used to describe this attribute for jackets or coats for everyday use. In extreme outdoor cold and windy conditions, wind protection and breathability (which allows perspiration to evaporate, and so, help avoid hypothermia) are real safety concerns for people who must work or choose to be outdoors in such weather. Textiles can provide resistance to air penetration by means of fabric construction, fiber content, chemistries or a combination of these elements.

Moisture Management

The term, moisture management was coined in the early 2000s as new products came into the market with advertising claims such as, “wicks perspiration away from the skin,” “dries faster,” “dual dry,” and more. These claims were not understood by consumers or substantiated by standard test methodology.

Absorbency

An existing AATCC test method is integral to judging whether a fabric has one major attribute of moisture management:  absorbency.  In fact, one of the new moisture management test methods calls for a determination of whether a fabric meets a prescribed absorbency threshold as measured by AATCC Test Method 79.

Wicking (Horizontal/Vertical)

Wicking was one of the marketing terms used in the early 2000s on new products with moisture management claims.  Wicking tests were commonly used long before moisture management claims occurred on textile products; however, there was no standardized procedure.  Efforts were finally undertaken to standardize a wicking test method; discussions found that both vertical and horizontal wicking measurements could help quantify some moisture management properties.

Drying

The moisture management test methods that have been covered so far have dealt with the amount, distances, and time of water movement. The next test methods are those associated with the drying of water from fabrics.

Clinging

AATCC’s R-A 63 Committee continues to work toward consensus on other new test methods to add to the current battery of moisture management tests. Most new test methods evolve from laboratory procedures created by research and development efforts within companies trying to differentiate the performance of new products from their competitor’s products. The Cling Test is an example of a lab procedure that was created to measure another attribute of moisture management.

Performance Water Testing

Performance water testing is focused on the absorption of liquid and its movement on the surface of and/or through a fabric.

Rain/Water

The rain/water tests measure resistance to or repellency of water on the surface or through a fabric.

Rain Test

The rain test was originally published by AATCC in 1947. This standard has been reaffirmed, revised, and used since it was developed.

Water Repellency: Spray Test

The principle of the AATCC 22 Water Repellency: Spray Test is to judge the pattern of water spray on the surface of a fabric specimen under controlled conditions using a visual rating scale.

AATCC Test Methods

AATCC Test Methods 22 Water Repellency Spray Test and 35 Water Resistance (Rain Test) are the most widely used to set performance specifications for coats and jackets.

AATCC Tests

Other tests for water absorbency, repellency, and resistance are standards developed by AATCC. AATCC’s focus for standard test method development is on fabric attributes related to fabric wet-processing and finishing. AATCC does not develop performance specifications for categories of textile end products. ASTM does develop test methods and performance specifications for textile and apparel products. One such test is ASTM D47-72, a water flow test that measures the absorbency of terry fabrics used in towels.