In-House Textile and Apparel Testing

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A range of tests pertaining to textile/apparel construction, aesthetics, durability, and comfort can be performed in-house at DHE’s TAPT Laboratory. For current rates of testing services refer to the OSU Fee Book.  
For more information or to schedule testing, contact Dr. Brigitte Cluver, the TAPT Laboratory Manager.

Brigitte Cluver, PhD
TAPT Laboratory Manager
224 Milam Hall
Corvallis, OR 97331
(541) 737-9586
Brigitte.Cluver@oregonstate.edu

 

Construction-Related Testing

Fabric count

Standard Test Method for Warp (End) and Filling (Pick) Count of Woven Fabrics [ASTM D3775-08]

  • Measures the number of warp yarns and filling yarns that are within one square-inch of fabric.
Fabric weight

Standard Test Method for Mass Per Unit Area (Weight) of Fabric [ASTM D3776/D3776M-09a]  Option C, small width of fabric.

  • Conditioned six-inch by six-inch fabric samples are weighed and expressed as ounces per square yard.
Fabric thickness

Standard Test Method for Thickness of Textile Materials [ASTM D1777-96(2007)]

  • Note:  Although we use this standard as a guide, it is modified because we are using a piece of equipment not specified in the test method.
  • Using SDL Atlas’ M258 Portable Thickness Gauge, the thickness of most knit, woven, and non-woven fabrics can be measured.

 

Aesthetics-Related Testing

Wrinkle recovery

Wrinkle Recovery of Fabrics:  Appearance Method [AATCC Test Method 128-2009]

  • Wrinkling is induced using the AATCC Wrinkle Tester. The level of wrinkling is visually evaluating using the AATCC Wrinkle Recovery Plastic Replicas and a numerical rating is assigned.
Stiffness

Standard Test Method for Stiffness of Fabrics [ASTM D1388-08]

  • Cantilever test option:  Measure based on how fabric bends under its own mass.
  • Heart loop test option:  Measure based on the length of a loop formed by the fabric.  This option is preferred for fabrics that have a tendency to curl or twist
Drape

SDL Atlas Fabric Drape Tester

  • Fabric is draped over a disk within the SDL Atlas Fabric Drape Tester.  A light under the fabric casts a shadow upwards. The shadow is traced onto a test paper ring from which the coefficient of drape is calculated.
  • For more information, refer to:  http://www.sdlatlas.com/product/69/Fabric-Drape-Tester

 

Durability-Related Testing

Tear strength

Standard Test Method for Tearing Strength of Fabric by Falling-Pendulum Type (Elmendorf) Apparatus [ASTM D1424-09]

  • Using SDL Atlas’ Digital Elmendorf Tearing Tester, the force required to continue a tear across a piece of fabric is measured. This test is suitable for both the warp and filling directions of most woven fabrics, as well as the length-wise direction of most warp-knit fabrics.
Abrasion resistance

Standard Guide for Abrasion Resistance of Textile Fabrics (Rotary Platform, Double-Head Method) [ASTM D3884-09]

  • Knit, woven, or non-woven fabric specimens are rotated under abradant wheels. The number of cycles to fabric failure (broken yarn, development of a hole) is recorded and reported.

Comfort-Related Testing

Thermal properties

Standard Test Method for Measuring the Thermal Insulation of Clothing Using a Heated Manikin [ASTM F1291-10]

  • Clothing items are placed on “Newton”, a thermal manikin developed and constructed in 2004 by Measurement Technology Northwest. The insulation provided by the clothing item(s) is quantified and expressed as an insulation value (i.e., Clo-value). These values can be used as a means to compare the insulation provided by different clothing items or clothing systems. Note that this test method concerns only dry-heat transfer (not evaporative heat loss).
Moisture management properties

Liquid Moisture Management Properties of Textile Fabrics [AATCC Test Method 195-2009]

  • Measures liquid transfer behavior of knit, woven, and non-woven fabrics. Using SDL Atlas’ Moisture Management Tester, one-way moisture transfer is objectively measured.