Importance of Textile and Garment Testing Laboratories in the Fashion Industry

What is a Textile Testing Lab?

Here is my opinion… a Textiles and Garments Testing Lab is similar to a “quality judge” for clothes, prior to them reaching the stores. There's no place where these items won't be checked, from t-shirts, jeans, to fancy jackets.

Well, it doesn't have to be a matter of style or design. These labs ensure the strength, safety, comfort and durability of the fabric.

Believe it or not, some fabrics can shrivel, fade and even cause discomfort on the skin if not adequately tested. Yeah, it's for that reason that testing is important.

The answer lies in the fact that everyone does!

So, thanks to that, here are the rules. We get dressed on a daily basis. If the quality is bad, it will have a negative impact on comfort, longevity and even health.

For instance, if one purchases a shirt, and it shrinks after washing. Frustrating, right?

All that is avoided by testing labs. They make sure that the clothes are of good quality and work well when in use.

What do you think? Would you want your clothes to wear out, wouldn't you?

How does it work in reality?

Well, in these labs, fabrics and finished goods are tested under various conditions.

They inspect such aspects as:

• The ability of the fabric to resist tears and rips.Fabric durability and strength.

• Colourfastness (Does colour fade or bleed?')

• Shrinkage after washing

• Comfort and breathability

• Chemical safety

What do you think of that? Fabrics are washed, stretched, rubbed and even heated to test fabrics' performance.

Yes, it's more than style, it's about quality.

What does a Lab need to do?

Here is my opinion: a good testing lab should be equipped and have a standard testing method.

They must:

• Abide by the Standards such as ISO, BIS, ASTM etc.

• Use calibrated machines

• Maintain controlled environments

• Record all the test results

Well, some experts examine the feel and finish of textiles. Comfort is a measure that machines cannot measure.

It's similar to technical testing with human testing.

Enthusiasts get to perform some tests on the process or steps to ensure their process is working correctly

So, first, samples of fabrics or garments are taken. After that, various physical and chemical tests are carried out.

Then the analysis of results is carried out. Once it complies with the standards, it gets approved.

If not, suggestions are made for improvement and retesting is performed.

Sounds structured, right?

Benefits You’ll Notice

Believe it or not, testing has the potential to have a huge impact on customer satisfaction.

Some key benefits:

• A higher quality and durability of fabric

• Long-lasting colors

• Said to be less harmful to the skin

• Reduced product returns

It's not like it does not help to establish trust with the brands!

What do you think? Worth it?

Any Challenges?

Yes, fabrics come in many different types, which can make for complicated testing, but they are all cotton, polyester, or a mix of the two.

Also, it has to be done to ensure the consistency of the items for each batch.

However, having systems in place will make it manageable.

So, it isn't really that big a deal.

Final Thoughts

So, the bottom line is that… Textiles and Garments Testing Labs ensure that your clothing not only looks great, but is also comfortable, safe and lasting.

They make sure what you wear on a day-to-day basis is what you'd like.

When you consider it, they're the one that makes your preferred clothing fresh after every wash.

But can you believe it? Garments that appear to look fabulous but don't hold up.

So what do you say is the key to successful testing?