In today’s competitive market, consumers pay more attention to the quality of material and fibre, as compared to their cost and charges. Therefore, textiles need not only be stylish but also consistently well-made and free from hazardous substances.

Sigma Test & Research Centre (STRC) has a complete in-house facility for executing various jobs related to Textile Testing.

STRC’s textile testing lab is adequately equipped with the latest sophisticated analytical instruments and a team of competent & experienced laboratory technicians. They provide accurate & meaningful testing services for a wide variety of textile samples in strict accordance with various National & International Testing standards & specifications.

Following are the Testing Parameters:

BREAKING LOAD:- The maximum force in Newton required to break the fabric.
Test Method:- IS 1969 – 2009.

ELONGATION:- The difference between the length of a stretched specimen at breaking load and its initial length is usually expressed as a percentage of the latter.
Test Method:- IS 1969 – 2009.

TEAR RESISTANCE:- The force in Newton required to tear a specimen.
Test Method: IS 6489 – 1993.

BURSTING STRENGTH: – The maximum fluid pressure is applied to a circular specimen for distending it to rupture. Test Method: IS 1966 – 1975.

FLAMMABILITY:- The characteristics of a material that pertain to its relative ease of ignition & relative ability to sustain combustion.
Test Method: IS 11871 – 1986.

MASS PER UNIT AREA:- It can be defined as the mass in grams of one square metre of fabric.
Test Method: IS 1964 – 2001.

THREADS COUNT:- It can be defined as the number of threads per unit length of fabric.
Test Method: IS 1963 – 1981.

DIMENSIONAL CHANGE OF FABRIC:- The increase or decrease in dimensions that occur in the fabric or garments after the material is soaked in water and agitated for a short period under specified conditions, expressed as a percentage of the corresponding dimension before the treatment.
Test Method: IS 1313 – 1984.

DIMENSIONAL CHANGE OF FABRIC (other than wool):- All woven and knitted fabrics change in dimensions on soaking in water without agitation.
Test Method: IS 2977 – 1989.

LINEAR DENSITY:-

• Cotton Count System – The linear density of cotton yarn is expressed as the number of 768.1m hanks per 453.6 gm.
• Tex System – It can be defined as the mass in grams of 1 kilometre of yarn

Test Method: IS 1315 – 1977.

CRIMP:- The difference between the straightened length of yarn and the length of yarn while in the cloth is expressed as a percentage of the latter.
Test Method: IS 3442 – 1980.

TWIST:- It can be defined as the number of turns about the axis of yarn based on its nominal gauge length before untwisting. It should be preferably expressed as the turn per meter.
Test Method: IS 832 – 2011.

COLOUR FASTNESS:- The fastness is assessed by comparing the change in colour of a treated specimen to the original sample of the fabric.

Type of Colour Fastness

• Colour Fastness to Daylight: –A specimen of textile material is exposed to daylight under the prescribed conditions along with the standard patterns. The fastness is assessed by comparing the change in colour with that of the standard pattern

Test Method: IS: 686 – 1985 & IS: 2454 – 1967.

• Colour Fastness to Washing: –A specimen in contact with one or two specified adjacent fabrics is mechanically agitated under a specified time and temperature in soap or soap & soda solution then rinsed and dried. The change in colour of the specimen is assessed with reference to the original fabric with the greyscale.

Test Method: IS/ISO: 105 – C 10: 2006.

• Colour Fastness to Organic Solvent:- A specimen in contact with adjacent fabric is agitated in an organic solvent, which is commonly used in cleaning or mill processing under specified conditions. The change in colour of the specimen is assessed with the original fabric with the greyscale.

Test Method: 688 – 1988.

• Colour Fastness to Perspiration:- The specimens in contact with two different solutions containing histidine, drained and placed between two plates under a specified pressure in the testing device. The change in colour of the specimen is assessed with the original fabric with the greyscale.

Test Method: IS 971 – 1983.

• Colour Fastness to Bleaching:- A specimen is agitated in a solution of Sodium Hypochlorite, rinsed in water, agitated in a Hydrogen peroxide solution, rinsed and dried. The change in colour is assessed with the original fabric with the greyscale.

Test Method: IS 762 – 1988.

• IDENTIFICATION OF FIBRES:- Fibre identification is an important step in predicting the behaviour of a textile artefact in various environments. Knowing the identity of the fibre(s) is also helpful in planning appropriate conservation treatment(s) and/or storage methods.

Test Method: IS 667 – 1981.

BLEND COMPOSITION:- To find out the number of different fibres in the sample.
Test Method: IS: 1564-1988, IS: 1889-1976, IS: 2005-198, IS: 2006-1988, IS: 3416 -1999; IS: 3421-1988; IS: 6503-1988; IS:6504-1988; IS: 9896-1981.

CHLORIDE AND SULPHATE:- In textile industries, textile material undergoes various treatments in course of which, an extraneous matter of various type as sizing or finish material water-soluble salt (chlorides & sulphates) is gathered by or added to textile materials. Such water-soluble substances, if present in more than certain quantities, may have deleterious effects on the fibrous material.
Test Method IS: 4202 – 1967 for Chloride and IS 4203 – 1967 for Sulphate.

FATTY MATTER CONTENT:-The sample is extracted with the solvent, which is dried and the residue is expressed as fatty matter.
Test Method: IS 199 – 1989.

MOISTURE CONTENT:- When the sample of textile in any form such as yarn, fibre and fabric dried at 105°C, the loss in weight is expressed as the moisture content of the sample.

ASH CONTENT:- When the textile in any form such as yarn, fibre and fabric (which is dried previously) is ignited under prescribed conditions, then the residue left is expressed as the Ash content of the specimen.

IRON & CHROMIUM:- Iron and Chromium are present in large quantities in textile; dyed in mineral Khaki; mineral khaki dyed material is used mainly for defence and civilians as well for making uniforms. The Iron & Chromium content of the fabric would give an indication regarding the amount of mineral khaki present in the textile material.
Test Method: IS 4655 – 1968.

SOLVENT SOLUBLE MATTER:- A known amount of specimen extract with ethyl ether or benzene methanol mixture as a solvent. A solvent is dried and the residue is expressed as the percentage of the weight of the textile material.
Test Method: IS:4390 – 2001.

pH VALUE OF WATER EXTRACT:- The pH of the aqueous extract of the textile affords a useful index to its processing history. In addition, it is becoming more common to demand that the textile in its various forms, shall conform to certain limits in respect of its acidity or alkalinity, often expressed in terms of pH values of aqueous extracts.
Test Method: IS 1390 – 1983.

SCOURING LOSS:- In the cotton textile industries, yarn and fabrics undergo treatments in the course of which extraneous matter of various types is gathered by or added to the original material, which if not scoured or partly scoured may also contain natural impurities such as oil, fats, waxes and pectins.
Test Method: IS 1383 – 1977.

CARBOXYLIC ACID GROUP IN CELLULOSIC TEXTILE MATERIAL:- In the cellulosic textile industries, cellulose in the form of fibres, yarn and fabric comes in contact with different oxidizing agents during the various chemical processing treatments. The action of these oxidizing agents on cellulose may result in the formation of oxy cellulose of acidic character, attributable to the introduction of the carboxyl group into the cellulose chain molecule.
Test Method: IS 1560 – 1974.

BARIUM ACTIVITY NUMBER:- The ratio of the quantity of barium hydroxide absorbed by mercerized cotton to that absorbed by un mercerized cotton under identical conditions multiply by 100.
Test Method: IS 1689 – 1973.

Formaldehyde in Textiles Formaldehyde is released by some textile finishes, such as those conferring crease-resistance, while the garment is new. These finishes are most likely to be used on fabrics that otherwise crease easily, such as cotton or wool. Formaldehyde is very water-soluble, and washing the new garments before wearing will generally reduce the amount of formaldehyde released from the fabric.
Test Method: IS 14563 – 1999.

OEKO – TEX 100 CERTIFICATE.

ZIP TESTING (BS: 3084)
We are having testing facilities for all types of zips which are commonly used in dresses, knitwear, skirts, jeans, trousers, upholstery, lingerie, jackets, light leather goods, sleeping bags, lightweight & inner tents, footwear, leather garments, luggage and many more.

We are performing the following tests as per BS: 3084:

• Puller attachment strength
• Closed-end strength
• Top stop strength
• Open-end fastener box strength
• Single stringer slider retention
• Reciprocation test
• Lateral strength of open-end attachment
• Slider locking device strength.