Antimicrobial Fabric Testing: Overview of Key Test Methods
Antimicrobial textiles are gaining popularity, with the market anticipated to reach USD 29.27 billion by 2032. As demand grows, it’s essential to ensure these textiles deliver on their promises. Testing verifies that your antimicrobial textiles effectively inhibit microbial growth, delivering products that function as advertised and safeguard consumer well-being.
This article reviews the main antimicrobial fabric tests, detailing the various testing standards, their applications, and the benefits they offer. By understanding these testing protocols, you can ensure your textile products meet consumer expectations and comply with industry standards.
Antimicrobial Fabric Testing: Why It Matters and How It Works
Antimicrobial fabric testing assesses the efficacy of antimicrobial finishes applied to fabrics, ensuring that they effectively reduce or eliminate the growth of microbes like bacteria. This testing helps you ensure consumer safety by protecting against harmful microorganisms. Testing is also critical to help you support marketing claims of antimicrobial properties.
Various textiles may have antimicrobial finishes and are thus may benefit from testing, including:
Clothing and Apparel: Sportswear, activewear, and everyday clothing.
Healthcare Textiles: Hospital linens, scrubs, and patient gowns.
Home Textiles: Bedding, towels, and upholstery.
Public and Commercial Textiles: Hotel linens, restaurant uniforms, and public transportation seating.
Specialized Textiles: Baby products, military gear, and outdoor equipment.
Antimicrobial testing is based on voluntary standardized methods established by three main organizations:
AATCC (American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists): The AATCC develops standardized test methods for various textile properties, including antimicrobial efficacy. It is widely recognized in the textile industry for its rigorous and reliable testing protocols, which help ensure product quality and consistency.
ISO (International Organization for Standardization): ISO is an independent, non-governmental international organization that develops standards to ensure the quality, safety, and efficiency of products and services including textiles.
ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials): ASTM is an international standards organization that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems, and services.
Key Antimicrobial Testing Methods for Textiles
The main “standards” or test methods for antimicrobial fabric testing are AATCC 100, ISO 20743, and ASTM E2149. While each measures the antimicrobial efficacy of textiles, they differ slightly in specific testing conditions and methodologies
AATCC 100
The AATCC 100 test method is a quantitative procedure used to evaluate the effectiveness of antibacterial finishes applied to textile materials. It assesses both bactericidal (bacterial killing) and bacteriostatic (inhibition of bacterial growth) activity of fabrics over a 24-hour contact period. The AATCC 100 test is applicable to a wide range of textile products.
How it works: In this test, treated and untreated fabric samples are inoculated with bacteria and incubated for 24 hours. After incubation, the bacteria are neutralized and counted to determine the reduction in bacterial presence on treated samples compared to untreated ones.
While AATCC 100 is a good method for basic testing, it can be challenging to perform on fabrics that don't absorb liquids well.
ISO 20743
ISO 20743 outlines quantitative test methods to determine the antibacterial activity of all antibacterial textile products, including nonwovens. It applies to a wide range of textile products, such as cloth, wadding, thread, and materials for clothing, bedclothes, home furnishings, and miscellaneous goods.
The standard covers various antibacterial agents (organic, inorganic, natural, or man-made) and application methods (built-in, after-treatment, or grafting).
How it works: The test involves three main inoculation methods (applying bacteria to the textiles) for determining antibacterial activity.
Absorption Method: This method is suitable for samples that can absorb liquids.
Transfer Method: Simulates the transfer of bacteria from a surface to the textile in real-world use.
Printing Method: Simulates the spread of bacteria through contact.
After applying the bacteria, their activity is measured using either the colony plate count method or the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) luminescence method, both of which are also described in the standard.
You can choose the most suitable method based on the intended use of the textile, the environment it will be used in, and the surface properties of the textile. This ensures that the test accurately reflects real-world conditions.
ASTM E2149
ASTM E2149 evaluates the antimicrobial activity of treated materials under “dynamic conditions”. This means that during the test, the treated samples are constantly agitated or shaken in a bacterial solution.
ASTM E2149 is versatile and can be applied to a wide range of products, including fabrics, which are characterized by irregular shapes or hydrophobic surfaces that render the use of conventional testing techniques impractical. It is used to assess the antimicrobial efficacy of textiles, plastics, coatings, polymers, and other substances containing antimicrobial agents, especially in healthcare, consumer goods, and other areas where there is a necessity to prevent microorganism growth.
How it works: The ASTM E2149 test method involves continuously shaking treated fabric samples in a bacterial solution to ensure constant contact between the bacteria and the treated surface. This standardized test measures the reduction in bacteria on the treated samples compared to untreated controls, providing an accurate evaluation of the antimicrobial treatment's effectiveness.
Choosing the Right Antimicrobial Fabric Testing Protocol for You
Selecting the right test method is crucial for accurately evaluating the antimicrobial efficacy of your textile products. QIMA can help you choose the most appropriate test method for your needs, ensuring that your products meet high standards of safety and effectiveness. Our state-of-the-art laboratories offer comprehensive antimicrobial testing services, providing reliable results and industry-leading turnaround times on test results.
Learn more about our textile testing services or contact us today to book a test.
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