Overview of Textile
Performance Testing
OUTLINE
❑ Introduction
❑ Objectives of textile performance testing
❑ Properties evaluated
❑ Factors affecting textile performance testing
❑ Testing standards
❑ Significance
❑ Challenges
❑ Future trends
Introduction
❑ Testing can be defined as the methods or
protocols adopted to verify/determine the
properties of a product.
❑ Textile testing is the term for a whole series of
tests that examine the physical, mechanical and
chemical properties of textiles.
❑ They are processes carried out to ensure clothing
feel good against our skins when put on and
textiles are safe i.e. no harmful substances.
Introduction
❑ Textile performance testing refers to the evaluation
of fabrics and textiles to ensure they meet
specified standards for quality, durability, and
functionality.
❑ Performance testing is used to assess the
functionality and usability of textile products in
relation to their intended purpose and applications.
Introduction
❑ It is a crucial aspect of textile manufacturing,
enabling manufacturers to maintain product
consistency, meet regulatory requirements, and
satisfy consumer expectations.
❑ Textile testing starts with textile fibers and goes all
the way through to the final product.
❑ The fiber test includes the length, strength,
elongation, fineness, and maturity.
Introduction
❑ The yarn test includes linear density/yarn count,
single yarn strength, yarn evenness, and yarn
hairiness, etc.
❑ The fabric test includes bursting strength, breaking
strength, and air permeability, etc.
OUTLINE
❑ Introduction
❑ Objectives of textile performance testing
❑ Properties evaluated
❑ Factors affecting textile performance testing
❑ Testing standards
❑ Significance
❑ Challenges
❑ Future trends
Objectives of Textile Performance Testing
❑ Quality Assurance: Verifying that textiles meet
predefined specifications and quality standards.
❑ Performance Evaluation: Assessing how well a
textile performs under various conditions.
❑ Safety and Compliance: Ensuring textiles meet
regulatory standards for safety and environmental
impact.
❑ Product Development: Providing data to improve
material properties and development process.
Objectives of Textile Performance Testing…
❑ For researchers, testing results aid the development
of new products or new processes, which can save
money and resources before production starts on an
industrial scale.
❑ They also help select the best possible route to
achieve the end product.
Objectives of Textile Performance Testing…
❑ Testing helps in the selection of the best
possible raw materials. “Raw material” is a
relative term; for example, fiber is the raw
material for spinning, etc.
❑ Testing ensures the right product is shipped
to the consumer and that the product meets
the customer specifications.
OUTLINE
❑ Introduction
❑ Objectives of textile performance testing
❑ Properties evaluated
❑ Factors affecting textile performance testing
❑ Testing standards
❑ Significance
❑ Challenges
❑ Future trends
Some Properties Evaluated
❑ Physical Properties
❑ Tear Resistance: Evaluates how easily a fabric tears
when subjected to force.
❑ Abrasion Resistance: Determines the fabric’s
durability when rubbed against a surface.
Some Properties Evaluated
❑ Physical Properties…
❑ Pilling Resistance: The pilling test measures and
determines the resistance of the fabric to pilling or
fuzzing i.e. tendency of fabrics to form pills (small
fiber balls) on the surface.
❑ In this test, the test fabric is rubbed against another
piece of the same fabric.
Some Properties Evaluated…
❑ Mechanical tests
❑ Tensile Strength: Measures the fabric’s ability to
resist breaking under tension.
❑ Elastic Recovery: Assesses the fabric’s ability to
return to its original shape after stretching.
❑ Flexural Rigidity: Measures the stiffness or flexibility
of the fabric.
Some Properties Evaluated…
❑ Comfort Properties
❑ Air Permeability: Evaluates the breathability of the
fabric.
❑ Thermal Resistance: Measures the fabric’s ability to
provide insulation.
❑ Moisture Management: Assesses how well the
fabric wicks and absorbs moisture.
Some Properties Evaluated…
❑ Colorfastness Properties
❑ Washing Fastness: Tests the resistance of fabric
colors to fading or bleeding during washing.
❑ Light Fastness: Measures how resistant the fabric
color is to fading when exposed to sunlight.
❑ Rubbing Fastness: Evaluates how well fabric color
withstands rubbing.
OUTLINE
❑ Introduction
❑ Objectives of textile performance testing
❑ Properties evaluated
❑ Factors affecting textile performance testing
❑ Testing standards
❑ Significance
❑ Challenges
❑ Future trends
Factors affecting Textile testing
❑ Textile testing is affected by the following factors:
❑ (a) Atmospheric conditions affect test results as textile
products are greatly influenced by moisture and
humidity.
❑ Hydrophilic fabrics (NF) attract moisture and elongate
become unstable and sag, or ripple.
❑ Hydrophobic fibers have poor absorbency and are,
therefore, stable.
❑ The standards conditions Temperature 23±2 0C;
Factors affecting Textile testing
❑ Textile testing is affected by the following factors:
❑ (b) The test method adopted will also cause variation in
test results.
❑ (c) The testing instrument is also a vital part and, if not
properly calibrated, can cause serious variation.
❑ (d) Human error is another source of variation.
OUTLINE
❑ Introduction
❑ Objectives of textile performance testing
❑ Properties evaluated
❑ Factors affecting textile performance testing
❑ Testing standards
❑ Significance
❑ Challenges
❑ Future trends
Common Testing Standards and Methods
❑ International Standards: ISO (International Standard
Organization)
❑ American Standards: ASTM (American Society for
Testing and Materials) methods.
❑ European Standards: EN (European Norms)
standards for textile testing.
❑ Others: AATCC (American Association of Textile
Chemists and Colorists) for colorfastness and
chemical testing.
OUTLINE
❑ Introduction
❑ Objectives of textile performance testing
❑ Properties evaluated
❑ Factors affecting textile performance testing
❑ Testing standards
❑ Significance
❑ Challenges
❑ Future trends
Significance
❑ a) Selection of Raw Materials: During textile testing
variation of a fibre or fabric i.e. length, color,
fineness is detected properly. Thus appropriate raw
materials are selected properly (GIGO).
❑ b) Monitoring Production: involves testing samples
taken from the production line to maintain, within
known tolerances, certain specified properties.
Significance…
❑ c) Assessing the Final Product: the bulk production
is examined before delivery to the customer to see if
it meets the specifications.
❑ d) Investigation of Faulty Material: If faulty material
is discovered, the cause is isolated by eliminating
faulty production in the future, thus providing a
better quality product.
Significance…
❑ e) Product Development and Research: In the
changing technological market, 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.
Significance…
❑ f) Consumer Satisfaction: Ensures that end-users
receive high-quality, durable, and functional products.
❑ g) Brand Reputation: Maintains trust in brands by
delivering consistent quality.
❑ h) Cost Efficiency: Reduces the risk of product recalls
and customer complaints by identifying defects early.
❑ i) Sustainability: Helps develop textiles with longer
lifespans, reducing waste and promoting environmental
sustainability.
performance testing and QC
Textile performance testing:
❑ Determines the physical, mechanical, and chemical
properties of textiles.
❑ Assesses the quality of raw materials and the final product.
❑ Predicts how the textiles will perform.
❑ Sets standards and benchmarks.
❑ Used in research and development
❑ Used to develop new products
❑ Used to ensure that textiles retain their intended properties.
performance testing and QC
Quality control
❑ Ensures that products meet requirements by
regulating variables that affect quality
❑ Checks materials, monitors production, and
assess the final product.
❑ Identifies defects and regulates quality levels
throughout production.
OUTLINE
❑ Introduction
❑ Objectives of textile performance testing
❑ Properties evaluated
❑ Factors affecting textile performance testing
❑ Testing standards
❑ Significance
❑ Challenges
❑ Future trends
Challenges
❑ Variability in results due to differences in testing
conditions.
❑ Balancing cost and comprehensiveness of testing.
❑ Keeping up with evolving industry standards and
consumer demands.
OUTLINE
❑ Introduction
❑ Objectives of textile performance testing
❑ Properties evaluated
❑ Factors affecting textile performance testing
❑ Testing standards
❑ Significance
❑ Challenges
❑ Future trends
Future Trends
❑ Automation and Digitalization: Use of automated testing
machines and AI for faster and more accurate results.
❑ Eco-friendly Testing Methods: Development of
sustainable testing processes with minimal
environmental impact.
❑ Smart Textile Testing: Evaluating the performance of
textiles integrated with electronic components.
Conclusion
❖ Textile performance testing is integral to the
production and development of high-quality, functional
textiles.
❖By focusing on physical, mechanical, comfort, and
colorfastness properties, this process ensures that
textiles meet industry standards and consumer
expectations.
❖The future of textile testing is geared toward greater
automation, sustainability, and innovation to address
emerging challenges and opportunities in the industry.
Q&A
