Chapter 03: Testing for Apparel Product

TESTING :
Testing is the method or process by which checking and verifying of materials occurred. It is the
process for evaluating the quality of the objects by accompanying some standard. Testing should
be accomplished using some standard test method to compare the test results.

In garment manufacturing, testing means the required quality of the product which can satisfy
buyers’ as well as consumers’ needs.

HISTORY :
Apparel testing was first institutionalized by AATCC (American Association for Textile
Chemists and Colorists) in 1921.

March 31, 1940 - New York retains the outstanding position as the retail testing ground for
fashion merchandise , and at last 85% of apparel and accessories get their initial test of consumer
response in local stores.

June 17, 1951 - Installation of complete textile testing laboratory in the Chicago Reliance
Manufacturing Company .

April 12, 1955 - A new testing and information center established by New York’s Fashion
Institute of Technology aimed at improving techniques in fabricating textiles into apparels.

1973 – Texanlab was founded. It is now one of the largest independent textile testing institutes in
Asia.

October 1, 2003 - The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has created ASTM
F739 as a standard test method for measuring permeation resistance.

In June 2000, Bangladesh Bureau Veritas Group (Merchandise Testing Laboratories, Inc. or
MTL ) set up the first internationally recognized apparel testing service in Bangladesh .

In January 2002, MTL and ACTS Testing Labs, Inc. combined into one entity .

TESTING METHODS:
Some of the source of standard test methods for apparel testing are :

Standard test methods for apparel testing

Objectives of Apparel product testing:

The main objective of textile testing are:
 To check the quality and suitability of raw material
 To monitor the production (process control)
 To assess the quality of final product
 To investigate the faulty materials
 To set standards or benchmarks
 For R&D (research and development) purpose
 For new product development

Importance of Apparel product testing

1. Checking Raw Materials

2. Monitoring Production
3. Assessing the Final Product
 4. Investigation of Faulty Material
5. Product Development and Research

Checking Raw Materials

The production cycle as far as testing is concerned starts with the delivery of raw material. If the
material is incorrect or sub-standard then it is impossible to produce the required quality of final
product. The textile industry consists of a number of separate processes such as natural fibre
production, man-made fibre extrusion, wool scouring, yarn spinning, weaving, dyeing and
finishing, knitting, garment manufacture and production of household and technical products.
These processes are very often carried out in separate establishments, therefore what is
considered to be a raw material depends on the stage in processing at which the testing takes
place. It can be either the raw fibre for a spinner, the yarn for a weaver or the finished fabric for a
garment maker. The incoming material is checked for the required properties so that unsuitable
material can be rejected or appropriate adjustments made to the production conditions. The
standards that the raw material has to meet must be set at a realistic level. If the standards are set
too high then material will be rejected that is good enough for the end use, and if they are set too
low then large amounts of inferior material will go forward into production.

Monitoring Production
Production monitoring, which involves testing samples taken from the production line, is known
as quality control. Its aim is to maintain, within known tolerances, certain specified properties of
the product at the level at which they have been set. A quality product for these purposes is
defined as one whose properties meets or exceeds the set specifications. Besides the need to
carry out the tests correctly, successful monitoring of production also requires the careful design
of appropriate sampling procedures and the use of statistical analysis to make sense of the
results.

Assessing the Final Product

In this process the bulk production is examined before delivery to the customer to see if it meets
the specifications. By its nature this takes place after the material has been produced. It is
therefore too late to alter the production conditions. In some cases selected samples are tested
and in other cases all the material is checked and steps taken to rectify faults. For instance some
qualities of fabric are inspected for faulty places which are then mended by skilled operatives;
this is a normal part of the process and the material would be dispatched as first quality.

Investigation of Faulty Material

If faulty material is discovered either at final inspection or through a customer complaint it is
important that the cause is isolated. This enables steps to be taken to eliminate faulty production
in future and so provide a better quality product. Investigations of faults can also involve the
determination of which party is responsible for faulty material in the case of a dispute between a
supplier and a user, especially where processes such as finishing have been undertaken by
outside companies. Work of this nature is often contracted out to independent laboratories who
are then able to give an unbiased opinion.

Product Development and Research

In the textile industry technology is changing all the time, bringing modified materials or
different methods of production. Before any modified product reaches the market place it is
necessary to test the material to check that the properties have been improved or have not been
degraded by faster production methods. In this way an improved product or a lower-cost product
with the same properties can be provided for the customer. A large organisation will often have a
separate department to carry out research and development; otherwise it is part of the normal
duties of the testing department.

LIST OF THE TESTS :

In Bangladesh different renowned and internationally recognized testing services are available,
there are also some local services.

Chemical Tests :

1. pH value
2. Color fastness to chlorine & non-chlorine bleach
3. Formaldehyde spot test
4. Nickel spot test
5. Formaldehyde content
6. Color fastness to perspiration
7. Color fastness to sea water
8. Color fastness to washing
9. Color fastness to dry cleaning
10. Color fastness to saliva
11. Fiber content
12. Phenolic yellowing
13. Dye transfer to storage
14. Color fastness to ozone
15. Chlorinated pool water
16. Color fastness to water
17. Ageing test
Accessories Tests:

1. Appearance after storage

2. Resistance to ironing
3. Zipper strength
4. Durability of zipper
5. Operability of zipper
6. Shearing strength of hooks & loops fastener.
7. Peeling strength of hooks & loops fastener.
8. Consecutive adhere / separation exercising on hooks & loops fastener
9. Unsnapping of snap fasteners
10. Security of metallic buttons, rivets etc.
11. Security of button snap
12. Strength of buttons
13. Resistance to wash liquor
14. Button tension, torque & impact test
15. Small parts attachment
16. Zipper and Button toxicity
17. Chain cross wise test of zipper
18. Slider twist off strength of zipper
19. Top stop- zipped
20. Button stop
21. Element slippage strength
22. Open end fastener box test
23. Separating unit cross wise strength
24. Slider pull off strength,puller attachment strength test
25. Slider lock hold strength test of zipper
26. Top stop-unzipped
27. Element pull off strength
28. Closed end test
29. Lateral strength of open attachment test

Dimensional Stability (Shrinkage) & Related Tests :

1. Dimensional Stability to Washing

2. Appearance after Laundering
3. Skewing of Fabrics & Garments
4. Dimensional Stability to Dry Cleaning
5. Appearance after Dry Cleaning
6. Dimensional Stability to Ironing
7. Dimensional Stability to Free Steam
8. Dimensional stability to relaxation
9. Dimensional stability to felting
10. Measurement of Bow & Skew ness
11. Durability wash of garment
12. Garments cleansing
13. Care Label Verification
14. Care label Recommendation
Colour Fastness Tests :

1. Washing fastness test

2. Perspiration (Acid & Alkaline) fastness test
3. Rubbing or Crocking (Dry & Wet) fastness test
4. Water fastness test
5. Light fastness test
6. Organic Solvent fastness test
7. Ozone fastness test
8. Sea Water fastness test
9. Chlorinated Water fastness test
10. Dry Cleaning fastness test
11. Dry Heat fastness test
12. Hot Pressing fastness test
13. Alkali Spotting fastness test
14. Bleaching
15. Chlorine Bleaching
16. Non-Chlorine Bleaching
17. Non-Chlorine Bleaching
18. Actual Laundering
19. Saliva fastness test
20. Phenolic Yellowing
21. Effect of Heat test
22. Shade Variation
23. Acid Spotting
24. Water Spotting
Strength Tests :

1. Tensile Strength test

2. Single Thread or Yarn Strength
3. Seam Performance
4. Tear Strength
5. Bonding Strength
6. Tenacity of Yarn
Fabric Performance Tests :

1. Abrasion resistance
2. Pilling resistance
3. Fabric stiffness
4. Water resistance
5. Oil repellency
6. Soil release
7. Bursting strength test
8. Air permeability test
9. Water vapor permeability
10. Wrinkle or Crease recovery
11. Stretch & Recovery
12. Wicking
13. Absorbency of Textiles
14. Water Repellency test
15. Flammability test

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