A Complete Guide to ISO 12947: Full Standard System for Determining Fabric Abrasion Resistance by Martindale Method

Abrasion resistance is one of the core performance indicators of textiles, directly determining the service life and user experience of products such as clothing, decorative fabrics, and industrial textiles. To unify the testing methods for fabric abrasion resistance, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has formulated the ISO 12947 series standards, which take the Martindale method as the core and establish a complete technical specification covering equipment requirements, damage determination, mass loss measurement, and appearance evaluation. This series of standards has become the authoritative basis for abrasion resistance testing in the global textile industry, widely used in product R&디, quality control, trade acceptance, and other links. This article will comprehensively analyze the core knowledge of the ISO 12947 series standards to assist industry practitioners in accurate understanding and application.

나. Basic Standard System: Positioning and Composition of ISO 12947

ISO 12947, officially titled “Textiles—Determination of the abrasion resistance of fabrics by the Martindale method”, is a series of standards developed by SC 24 (Subcommittee on Standard Atmospheres for Conditioning and Physical Testing of Textiles) under ISO/TC 38 (Textiles Technical Committee). Adopting a modular design, the series is divided into 4 parts according to testing links and evaluation indicators. Each part is independent yet complementary, forming a complete abrasion resistance testing system. The current valid versions cover content released from 1998 에게 2016, and the core parts were reaffirmed as valid through a review in 2023.
The core objective of the ISO 12947 series standards is to objectively quantify the ability of fabrics to resist repeated frictional damage through standardized Martindale abrasion tests, resolve the incomparability of results caused by different testing methods, and provide a unified technical benchmark for global textile trade and quality control. The core advantage of the Martindale method lies in simulating frictional scenarios in actual fabric use (such as friction during clothing wear and daily wear of decorative fabrics), making test results more consistent with actual performance. 따라서, it has a wider application range compared to other abrasion testing methods.
그만큼 4 parts of the ISO 12947 series standards and their core positioning are as follows:
•ISO 12947-1:1998: “부분 1: Martindale abrasion testing apparatus”, which specifies technical requirements for testing equipment and auxiliary materials, serving as the basic guarantee for subsequent tests;
•ISO 12947-2:2016: “부분 2: Determination of specimen breakdown”, which clarifies the determination method and test process for the abrasion endpoint of specimens, focusing on the evaluation of fabric service life against breakdown;
•ISO 12947-3:1998: “부분 3: Determination of mass loss”, which prescribes the measurement method for mass loss of specimens after abrasion, suitable for scenarios where abrasion resistance is evaluated by mass change;
•ISO 12947-4:1999: “부분 4: Assessment of surface change”, which provides methods for evaluating surface appearance changes of fabrics after abrasion (such as pilling, fuzzing, and discoloration).

II. Core Technical Content: Key Specifications of Each Part

1. ISO 12947-1: Unified Requirements for Test Apparatus
As the basis of method standards, ISO 12947-1:1998 details the structure, technical parameters, and auxiliary material requirements of Martindale abrasion testers to ensure the consistency of test results from different devices. Core requirements include:
•Equipment Structure: The tester shall adopt a design of “relative movement between specimen and abrasive” to realize multi-directional friction of the specimen under specific pressure, with a Lissajous figure movement trajectory, simulating complex frictional scenarios in actual use;
•Key Parameters: The specimen clamping pressure is adjustable, with a conventional test pressure of 9kPa (suitable for most fabrics); 4kPa or 12kPa can also be selected according to product use. The abrasive shall be standard wool fabric or other specified materials, and the service life of felt auxiliary materials is clearly specified to ensure the stability of abrasion intensity;
•Scope of Application: This part of the standard applies to the calibration and verification of testing equipment for woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, pile fabrics with pile height not exceeding 2mm, and nonwovens, providing a basis for equipment compliance in subsequent tests.
The standard also requires regular calibration of equipment to ensure the accuracy of movement trajectory, pressure stability, and friction count. The calibration cycle shall be determined based on usage frequency and metrological regulations.
2. ISO 12947-2: Specification for Determination of Specimen Breakdown
ISO 12947-2:2016 is the most widely used part of the series, focusing on clarifying the determination method and test process for the “breakdown endpoint” of fabrics after abrasion. It applies to various textiles (nonwovens require special negotiation) but excludes coated fabrics and laminated fabrics (such fabrics shall refer to derivative standards or negotiated test conditions). Core content includes:
•Sampling and Pretreatment: For patterned fabrics, at least 2 specimens shall be taken to ensure representativeness, avoiding seams, defects, and other flawed areas during sampling. Specimens shall be conditioned to equilibrium in the standard atmosphere specified by ISO 139 (temperature 20±2℃, relative humidity 65±5%) to ensure stable fiber state;
•Test Process: Fix the conditioned specimen on the fixture, apply specified pressure to contact with the abrasive, stop the machine to check the specimen state at set interval counts, and record the friction count when the breakdown endpoint is reached. The standard adjusts the upper limit of abrasion test interval counts to 50,000 타임스, and the upper limit of observation interval when breakdown is expected to 6,000 타임스, improving test efficiency;
•Determination of Breakdown Endpoint: The endpoint is defined by fabric type. Mechanically piled fabrics (formed by fuzzing of base fabric yarns) take yarn breakage as the only endpoint; the breakdown endpoint for nonwovens is the appearance of a hole with a diameter of at least 2.5mm (more reasonable than the 0.5mm in the old version, consistent with actual use scenarios); for pile fabrics, the endpoint can be determined by “exposed abraded area” or yarn breakage, replacing the requirement of “complete abrasion (abraded area exceeding 3/4)” in the original standard, which is more in line with the discard threshold in actual consumer use;
•Result Expression: The minimum friction count from parallel specimen tests is used as the final result instead of the average value, more strictly reflecting the lower limit of product wear life and providing an accurate basis for quality control.
게다가, the standard clearly stipulates that pills or fiber aggregates on the specimen surface shall not be removed during the test, and surface changes shall be observed simultaneously. If necessary, the color change after 6,000 friction cycles shall be evaluated in accordance with GB/T 250 to ensure comprehensive evaluation.
3. ISO 12947-3: Method for Determination of Mass Loss
ISO 12947-3:1998 is suitable for scenarios where abrasion resistance is quantified by mass loss. Its core is to measure the mass change of fabrics after a specified number of friction cycles, reflecting the degree of fiber shedding and yarn abrasion. This part of the standard applies to various textiles (including nonwovens) but excludes fabrics with low wear life specified in the standard.
The core process includes: accurately weighing the conditioned specimen, completing the test according to the preset friction count, reweighing after removing loose surface fibers (without damaging the base fabric), and calculating the mass loss rate (expressed as a percentage). The standard puts forward clear requirements for balance accuracy to ensure that mass measurement errors are within the allowable range. 그 동안에, Technical Corrigendum 1 (2002) was released to correct detailed deviations in mass loss calculation, improving the rigor of the standard. It should be noted that mass loss and abrasion resistance are not absolutely linearly related and shall be comprehensively judged in combination with fabric structure and fiber type.
4. ISO 12947-4: Evaluation System for Surface Change
ISO 12947-4:1999 focuses on the evaluation of surface appearance changes of fabrics after abrasion, making up for the limitation of evaluating abrasion resistance only through breakdown or mass loss, and is more in line with consumers’ demand for long-term appearance performance of products. This part of the standard applies to various textiles, with core content including:
•Evaluation Indicators: Covering pilling grade, fuzzing degree, discoloration, gloss change, and surface damage marks (such as snags, holes), 등.;
•Evaluation Methods: Visual evaluation is conducted by professionals or through image analysis systems using tools such as standard gray scales and pilling rating samples, with clear rating standards and observation conditions (such as light source, observation distance);
•Application Scenarios: Commonly used for products with high requirements for appearance stability, such as clothing fabrics and decorative fabrics, providing a basis for product design and quality grading.

III. Scope of Application and Practical Boundaries

The ISO 12947 series standards cover most textile types, including woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, nonwovens, pile fabrics, furniture decorative fabrics, industrial textiles, 등., with application scenarios spanning the three major fields of clothing, household use, and industrial use. 하지만, the following application boundaries shall be clarified:
Applicable Scenarios: It can be used for routine abrasion resistance testing of various fabrics, process optimization in product R&디 (such as adjusting yarn density and fabric structure to improve abrasion resistance), quality indicator agreement in trade contracts, and compliance verification by third-party testing institutions. For pile fabrics with pile height ≤2mm, tests can be conducted directly in accordance with the standard; for fabrics with pile height exceeding 2mm, test parameters shall be adjusted through negotiation.
Non-Applicable Scenarios: ISO 12947-2:2016 explicitly does not apply to coated fabrics and laminated fabrics, which shall refer to national derivative standards (e.g., Chinese national standards supplement test requirements for coated fabrics). Low-weight nonwovens (such as thin melt-blown fabrics) break down after a small number of friction cycles, making it difficult to obtain valid data through standard methods; relevant parties shall negotiate to adjust test pressure and observation intervals. For thick pile fabrics with pile height exceeding 2mm, special adjustments to fixtures and abrasive contact methods are required.

IV. Practical Value and Industrial Application

As a globally unified abrasion resistance testing specification, the ISO 12947 series standards play an irreplaceable role in the textile industry chain, with practical value mainly reflected in three aspects:
1.Quality Control and Product Grading: Enterprises can quantify product abrasion resistance through this series of standards and establish a quality grading system. 예를 들어, clothing fabrics can be distinguished into high-end (high abrasion resistance) and ordinary products based on abrasion breakdown counts, and sofa decorative fabrics can determine durability grades through surface change evaluation, providing clear quality references for consumers;
2.아르 자형&D Innovation and Process Optimization: 아르 자형&D personnel can analyze the impact of fiber type, yarn structure, fabric weave, finishing process, and other factors on abrasion resistance through standard test data, and optimize product design targetedly. 예를 들어, improving the wearing abrasion resistance of denim fabrics by adjusting warp density and preshrinking process;
3.International Trade and Compliance Guarantee: In international textile trade, the ISO 12947 series standards provide a unified quality judgment benchmark for both supply and demand parties, avoiding trade disputes caused by different testing methods. Most international procurement contracts explicitly reference this standard as the testing basis for abrasion resistance indicators to ensure transaction fairness.
V. Connection and Differences Between International and National Standards
The ISO 12947 series standards have been adopted by most countries around the world, forming corresponding national standards. 그 동안에, some countries have made technical adjustments in combination with local product characteristics:
•Equivalent Adoption and Transformation: The Chinese national standard GB/T 21196 series adopts the ISO 12947 series standards equivalently. 그 중, GB/T 21196.2-2023 corresponds to ISO 12947-2:2016. On the basis of consistent core technical content, it supplements the scope of application and related test requirements for coated fabrics, and deletes some alternative standard atmosphere clauses, which is more in line with domestic industrial needs. European EN ISO 12947, American ASTM D4966 (referencing the Martindale method), Russian GOST ISO 12947, and other standards are highly consistent with the original ISO standards, only adapting to local standard systems in expression format;
•Key Differences: On the basis of ISO, Chinese standards clarify the method for selecting batch sample quantity and provide supplementary provisions for specimen preparation and endpoint determination of coated fabrics. Some countries further quantify the “exposed abraded area” endpoint in ISO 12947-2 to improve operational consistency;
•Reference Association: This series of standards needs to be used in conjunction with ISO 139 (standard atmosphere), ISO 250 (color fastness rating), and other standards to ensure the unity of test environment and appearance evaluation. All national transformed standards retain these reference relationships.

VI. Common Misunderstandings and Precautions

In the practical application of the ISO 12947 series standards, the following common misunderstandings shall be avoided to ensure accurate and reliable test results:
•Misunderstanding 1: Evaluating abrasion resistance by a single indicator. Abrasion resistance is a comprehensive performance that requires multi-dimensional evaluation combining breakdown count, mass loss, surface change, 등. 예를 들어, some fabrics have small mass loss but severe pilling after abrasion, which shall still be judged as poor abrasion resistance;
•Misunderstanding 2: Ignoring the impact of specimen conditioning. Temperature and humidity change fiber strength and fabric structure; failure to condition in the standard atmosphere will lead to deviations in test results. Especially for fabrics with hygroscopic fibers (cotton, wool), the conditioning equilibrium time shall not be less than 24 시간;
•Misunderstanding 3: Uniformly applying test pressure. Pressure shall be selected according to the actual use of the product. 예를 들어, 4kPa for light clothing fabrics and 12kPa for heavy industrial fabrics. Blindly applying the standard 9kPa pressure will deviate from actual use scenarios;
•Precautions: Test abrasives and felt shall be replaced regularly to ensure stable abrasion intensity. For pile fabrics, the fabric type shall be accurately distinguished to avoid misjudgment of the breakdown endpoint. Test reports shall detail equipment parameters, specimen information, and endpoint determination basis to ensure traceability of the test process.

VII. Conclusion

Through modular design, the ISO 12947 series standards establish a complete fabric abrasion resistance testing system from equipment calibration and breakdown determination to appearance evaluation. Its core advantages lie in test scenarios close to actual use, accurate quantitative results, and strong international universality, making it the core technical basis for quality control and trade in the textile industry. Accurately understanding the scope of application and technical requirements of each part of the standard, and reasonably selecting test methods in combination with product use, can not only improve enterprises’ quality control level and R&D efficiency but also effectively avoid international trade risks. With the development of textile technology, this series of standards will continue to iterate and optimize to further adapt to the testing needs of new fabrics (such as smart textiles and composite fabrics), providing support for the high-quality development of the industry.

Our product GA-4014 Martindale Pilling Tester meets this standard.

GA-4014 마틴데일 필링 테스터

테스트 표준 :
Wear-resisting: GB/T 21196.2, GB/T 13775, ISO 12947, ISO 17704, ISO 5470-2, ASTM D4966, iws-tm 112, BS 2543, BS 3424-24, BS 5690, BS 8428, 중, P19, 다음 18, SN 198529, TWC 112, JIS L1096
Pilling: GB/T 4802.2, ISO 129+ 45-2, ASTM D4970, IWS TM 196, 중, P17, Next TM26, SN 198525

적용 범위:
Used for measuring wear resistance, pilling performance and surface changes of woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, woven fabrics, coated fabrics and non-woven fabrics.

시험 모드:
방법 1: the circular sample and the same material fabric are rubbed by li sha, such as Lissajous graphic movement trajectory, and then, after the specified number of revolutions, the grading of the sample starting pilling will be evaluated.The principle corresponds to the test of the degree of pilling of the fabric with standard requirements.(24 * 24 mm)
모델 2: round fabric sample under certain pressure, and standard abrasive according to Li Sha as (Lissajous) and track curve of friction each other, cause the sample damaged, expressed as a sample broken wear-resisting times wear-resisting performance of fabric.The principle corresponds to the test of wear resistance of the fabric.(60 * 60 mm)
Pattern 3: circular fabric sample under certain pressure, and standard abrasive friction each other in a straight line trajectory for, cause the sample damaged, expressed as a sample broken wear-resisting times wear-resisting performance of fabric.The principle corresponds to the test of wear resistance of the fabric.(100 mm)

Device Characteristics :
1.There are three modes:
Pattern 1, enveloping surface is 24 x 24mm li sha ru (Lissajous) graph track
Pattern 2, enveloping surface is 60 x 60mm li sha ru (Lissajous) graph track
Pattern 3,The motion path of the moving path is 100mm
2.Two ways of counting, counting and counting.
3.The design of the non-flipping guide plate shall not be moved.
4.PLC modular control, 7-인치 컬러 터치 스크린, Chinese and English double-menu operation.
5.No brush motor drives, running smooth and noiseless.
6.Grinding head, heavy hammer and other key components adopt high quality 316 스테인레스 스틸.
7.Import roller bearing, reduce the friction force of the guide rod, each table adopts CNC grinding machine to form, ensure that each station is in the same plane, and ensure that each station test result is consistent.

기술적인 매개변수 :
1.Number of stations: 9 비트
2.Counting range: 0 ~ 999999 타임스
3.Maximum dynamic range: horizontal: 60.5 + 0.5mm vertical: 24 + 0.5mm
4.Pressure quality:
ㅏ, gripper: 198 + 2 2g
비, material specimen weight: 395 + 2 2g
1.Sample weight of furniture decoration: 594 + 2 2g
디, B type clamping device: 155, 플러스 마이너스 1 g
이자형, stainless steel butterfly plate: 260 + 1g
5.Effective friction diameter of grinding block:
Type A 198 g (1.96 N) friction head Φ 28.65 + / – 0.05 mm
Friction type B 155 g (1.52 N) Φ 90 + / – 0.10 mm
6.The relative movement speed of the clamping device and the grinding table: 50 + 2rpm(30-70r/min adjustable)
7.Quality of sample weight: 2385 + 10g
8.외부 치수: 850 엑스 650 x 350mm
9.전원공급장치: Ac220V 50Hz 500W
10.무게: 150킬로그램

Product link:

https://www.gonoava.com/product/ga-4014-martindale-pilling-tester/

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