European Textile Services Association

ISO 15797 - Standard for Testing Workwear for Industrial Laundry

Briefing

1. Why this standard?

How does a buyer of workwear judge the quality of workwear? Easy! By carrying out tests on shrinkage, colourfastness, seams…and whatever other properties are required. However, in the past, something has been missing… Although workwear might be suitable for “gentle” domestic washing to keep it clean, will it also be possible to wash it using a tougher industrial washing process?

By combining recognised test methods for textiles with ISO 15797, it is now possible to objectively and reliably evaluate in advance whether the workwear in question will withstand tough and high temperature washing procedures (75 C or even 85 C) and high drying temperatures (155 C for 4 minutes) commonly used in industrial laundries.

2. Background

Tougher washing and drying procedures are necessary in industrial laundries in order to ensure comfort, hygiene, health and safety, and a professional image for the wearer.

Washing and drying are important factors in the ageing of workwear. The rate of ageing differs significantly between industrial and domestic washing.

In the past, terms such as “durable” and “wash-resistant” for workwear have been used in a relatively liberal and subjective manner. Objective parameters or test methods to define the industrial laundry process did not exist. Fortunately, ISO 15797 now fills this void.

Previously the only internationally-recognised test method for washing was a standard which used domestic washing machines (ISO 6330). This test method was not a reliable indicator of whether the garment would resist more exacting industrial washing and finishing processes.

In 2002, Working Group 9 of ISO Technical Committee 38, Sub-Committee 2, completed its work on the new standard, a reference standard which is much closer to the reality of industrial washing.

3. Contents of the standard

The draft standard details eight representative washing procedures and two drying procedures. The washing procedures differentiate between:

· Cotton, polyester/cotton, or cotton/polyester fabrics

· White, sensitive coloured or coloured workwear

· Peracetic acid, chlorine, or hydrogen peroxide bleach

The standard differentiates between tumble dry and tunnel/cabinet finishing (155 C for 4 minutes). Another important aspect is that contrary to the ISO 6330 (domestic washing), a complete laundering test consists of a washing and a drying/finishing procedure, in which each specimen is washed in a washer / extractor and then dried / finished according to specific procedures.

Since it is not possible in practice to reproduce large industrial washing processes in a laboratory setting, the draft standard offers a compromise using intermediate equipment.

In order to ensure the reproducibility of the results from ISO 15797, machines and processes are precisely defined and allow little tolerance for variation.

By using ISO 15797, test conditions are much closer to the real-life conditions of an industrial laundry. Moreover, the conditions laid out in ISO 15797 are very different to those specified in ISO 6330 (the reference for domestic washing).

By using ISO 15797 in combination with special textile-related test methods for properties such as shrinkage and colour-fastness, creasing, and seam puckering, the ISO 15797 test procedures aim to provide a basis to test these properties in an industrial rather than domestic laundry context. However, ISO 15797 does not provide a pass/fail test for any of these properties; nor does it provide a certification of conformity.

The standard does not provide instructions and specifications for the procedures and equipment to be used by industrial launderers. Instead, it aims to provide useful additional information for suppliers of workwear, putting both suppliers and purchasers of workwear in a better position to judge the suitability of that workwear for industrial processing.

The standard does not go so far as to provide an evaluation scale or criteria on suitability for industrial laundry. Nor does it state a recommended number of washes.

The standard recommends additional testing of the workwear in the actual industrial laundering equipment and processes to be used by the launderer.

Rather than prescribing a standard for all types of industrial washing and finishing, the standard limits itself to the washing and finishing of general-purpose workwear.

4. Benefits for manufacturers

· Gives clear procedures for testing workwear to ensure it will be of a suitable quality for customers from industrial laundry

· Prevents customers from ending up with large stocks of workwear ill-suited for industrial processing

5. Benefits for laundries

· Reduces the number of tests necessary for new garments, encouraging suppliers to carry out better tests on their own

· Makes it easier for garment purchasers to compare garments from different suppliers (by encouraging garment suppliers to use a common reference test)

· Time savings – reduces time spent on testing ill-suited garments

· Test method provides a reliable screening test for the quality of workwear purchased by laundries in terms of its suitability for industrial processing (additional final in-house testing by the laundry is still recommended)

· Commonly-accepted reference for customers, laundries, garment- and fabric-manufacturers to judge the suitability of their garments and fabrics for industrial processing

· Reduces chances of facing requests for ill-suited workwear to be industrially processed

· Creates awareness of the (higher) quality requirements for garments for textiles rental

6. Benefits for customers of textile service firms

· Gives customers additional information on workwear they purchase or rent in terms of whether it can be industrially processed or not

· Prevents customers from ending up with large stocks of workwear ill-suited for industrial processing

7. Latest developments

In July 2002 the standard was finalised and has been published as an official ISO standard.

E.T.S.A. members are encouraging standards-drafting bodies to include a reference to ISO 15797 in other standards for testing textiles, workwear and protective clothing. This is gradually happening as these standards go through the revision process.

E.T.S.A. members do not want the reference washing and drying processes contained in ISO 15797 to be weakened by introducing less exacting processes, as this would undermine its value as representative of a typical industrial laundry washing and drying process.

In 2005, E.T.S.A. is investigating how the standards could be amended for certain types of protective clothing, including rain protection clothing.

In 2000, E.T.S.A. finalised a series of technical requirements for fabrics to be used for workwear. Fabrics meeting these requirements are likely to be suitable for workwear which is processed in industrial laundries.

E.T.S.A. is currently preparing a set of general guidelines for workwear garments, which include the above-mentioned fabric requirements, but also accessories, design, assembly and construction aspects.

For further information, please contact E.T.S.A. at www.etsa-europe.org or tel. +32 2 282 0990.