Textile Testing Lab

Colourfast / Light testing

Colourfast / Crocking test

Comfort –moisture management tester (MMT)

MMT was developed to measure, evaluate and classify liquid management properties of fabrics. Testing can include overall moisture management capability, transport, wetting time on top and bottom surfaces, absorption rate, max wetted radius and spreading speed.  Fabrics can be classified as waterproof, water repellent, rate of absorption, rate of drying, water penetrating or moisture management fabrics. 

Comfort –Sweating Guarded Hotplate

•Thermal resistance and moisture transmission properties are the two major determinants of clothing comfort.

•The Sweating Guarded Hotplate “skin model” measures thermal properties and water vapour resistance of fabrics (or combinations of fabrics) under steady state conditions. Tests simulate heat and moisture transfer from human skin, giving results for permeability, breathability and heat loss from sweat evaporation. 

Comfort –Dry Rate Tester

The popularity of technical garments that claim to provide moisture management for the wearer (wicking, quick dry) requires verification of this property. 

The heated metal plate in this instrument measures the drying rate based on evaporation rate from a wetted fabric. 

Multiple test fabrics can be compared with overlay display of test results on the computer display. 

Comfort –Fabric Touch Tester 

Comfort factors that affect the feel of fabric on the skin are measured by analyzing the surface smoothness, roughness, rigidity, compression and recovery, and thermal conductivity under compression and recovery. These measurements predict the comfort perception of fabrics for their relative softness, warmth and smoothness. 

Detailed Analysis –Electronic Yarn Count

Electronic balance with internal and external custom software to calculate yarn, sliver and roving counts and fabric yield.

Digital readout to computer file

Flammability tester

Automatic timing of flame spread in .1 second increments from ignition 

Laundry –Washer, Dryer and Rotowash

Official Testing Rated Vortex Washer and Dryer –Meets AATCC Monograph Compliant conditions. Washer controls incoming water temperature, precise water fill, agitation strokes per minute and spin speeds, pre-programmed cycles and 24-hour agitation capability.  Dryer meets AATCC Monograph requirements.  Commercial grade design with airflow os220 cu. ft. per minute for fast drying. 

SDL Atlas Rotowash–Measure colourfastnessto washing. 

Water Repellency

Spray Rating Tester 

Measures surface wetting resistance

Conditioning Oven / Incubator

Provides conditioning for test samples

Perspiration and other staining tests can be performed under standard conditions

Strength –Tensile Strength

Instron Tensile strength tester

Measure force required to pull test sample apart

Results are recorded on computer screen

Strength – Bursting Strength

Measure force required to pierce fabric

Surface Strength – Abrasion resistance

Test samples are rubbed against standard abrasive reference fabric and repeated with pre-determined number of rotations.

Observations made when broken threads detected on the test fabric.

Can also be used for pilling tests

Surface – Pilling

Random Tumble Pilling Tester

Provides test results for fabric resistance to surface pilling

ASTM D3512 and ISO 12945/3 and other standards

Visual – Microscope

Digital confocal microscope. Reflected and transmitted light microscope with brightfield and darkfield.

Digital 2-dimensional readout, with measurements.

Useful for textile identification, surface properties analysis and smart textile QC for circuits and connectors.

Useful for gemmology

Visual – Microscope

Laser measuring microscope

3-dimensional X,Y and Z

From 6nm measurements

Useful for textiles and gemmology