Testing in Eco Textiles
Consumers are becoming conscious in regards to green and environmentally friendly consumer goods. They prefer products that have no harmful effect on the environment. The trend of green consumerism has been extended to textile and apparel products. Major European and U.S textile buyers have responded to this public awareness by viewing their textile products from an ecological standpoint and established certain requirements on textile products by undergoing certain predefined testing procedures.
What is Green Production?
Green production refers to a new mode of manufacture in which pollution control is manipulated in the whole process to reduce the harm to the human being and the environment. The green production aims at making economies on energy consumption, reducing generation and emission of waste and pollutants, achieving efficient use of resources by advanced production technology and management. Since the 1980s, developed countries have been working on the application of high-tech production techniques to exploit new green textile and clothing, which not only meets the consumers’ demands for safe and healthy and promotes the sustainable development of society, but also enhances the product added value. At the same time, a set of regulations and standards of green textile and clothing have been carried out to ensure the implementation of green products and the products’ green properties.The chain of the textile industry is quite long, which includes a successive process such as raising and planting of raw materials, fiber production, spinning, weaving, dyeing, printing, finishing, and garment production and so on. They respectively belong to cotton textile industry (including other natural fiber, such as the wool, silk, flax and so on), chemical fiber industry, printing and dyeing industry and clothing industry. To achieve eco-green of textile and clothing, all industries should enhance cooperation and management from raw material to end product.
Test Parametres and Limits for Garments & Accessories
| Test | Product Class | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I Baby | II In direct contact with skin | III No direct contact with skin | IV decoration material | |
| pH Value | 4.0 – 7.5 | 4.0 – 7.5 | 4.0 – 9.0 | 4.0 – 9.0 |
| Formaldehyde | 20 ppm | 75 ppm | 300 ppm | 300 ppm |
Extractable Heavy Metals
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Pesticides
Hexachlorobenzene
| 0.5ppm | 1.0ppm | 1.0ppm | 1.0ppm |
Chlorinated phenols
| 0.05ppm 0.05ppm | 0.05ppm 0.05ppm | 0.05ppm 0.05ppm | 0.05ppm 0.05ppm |
| Chlorinated organic carriers | n.d. | n.d. | n.d. | n.d. |
Colour Fastness(Staining)
| 3 3-4 3-4 4 2-3 | 3 3-4 3-4 4 2-3 | 3 3-4 3-4 4 2-3 | 3 3-4 3-4 4 2-3 |
| Determination of Odour | n.d | n.d | n.d | n.d |
| Colour Fastness Stringing towards saliva and perspiration | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Nickel Release | image | |||
| Organotin compounds TBT DBT | 0.05ppm 1.0ppm | 1.0ppm N/A | 1.0ppm N/A | 1.0ppm N/A |
Remarks: n.d. = not detected
N/A = not applicable
ppm = parts per million
image = microgram
cm2= square centimetre
