A Complete Guide to ISO 105: The Global Standard System for Textile Colour Fastness
In the quality control and international trade of apparel, home textiles, and technical textiles, there exists a fundamental standard system that runs through the entire industrial chain — ISO 105 Textiles — Tests for Colour Fastness. Developed by ISO/TC 38 (Textiles Technical Committee), it is the most widely recognized and applied global specification for evaluating the dyeing performance of textiles. 国际标准化组织 105 serves as the core criterion for determining colour fading, staining, and discoloration, whether for factory outgoing inspection, cross-border customs clearance, or internal quality risk control for brands. This article systematically breaks down the architecture, core modules, testing principles, grading rules, and practical guidelines of ISO 105, enabling industry professionals to fully master this standard system.
1. Basic Positioning and Core Definitions of ISO 105
1.1 Core Standard Positioning
国际标准化组织 105 is not a single standard but a comprehensive collection consisting of dozens of sub-parts. Its primary objective is to unify test methods, exposure conditions, grading protocols, and terminology for textile colour fastness worldwide. It eliminates testing discrepancies across countries and laboratories and achieves mutual recognition of test results on a global scale.
This standard applies to all fibre types (natural, synthetic, regenerated) and all textile forms (yarns, fabrics, carpets, finished garments) that are dyed or printed. It covers quality inspection and control across the entire supply chain, from raw dyes and fibres to end products.
1.2 Core Terminology: What is Colour Fastness?
As defined in ISO 105-A01 (General principles), Colour Fastness refers to the ability of a textile to resist physical and chemical influences during processing, use, and cleaning, without undergoing discoloration, fading, or colour transfer to adjacent materials. The evaluation covers two critical dimensions:
•Change in colour of the test specimen: Alterations in shade, hue, or chroma of the textile itself;
•Staining on adjacent fabrics: The transfer of dyestuff from the test specimen to specified adjacent white fabrics.
1.3 Standard Development Background
国际标准化组织 105 was first published in 1978, initially comprising 13 foundational parts. Through continuous revision, splitting, and supplementation, original chapters have been developed into independent sub-standards, forming the modular system in use today. All sub-standards are centrally revised by ISO/TC 38 SC1 (Subcommittee 1: Dyed and Printed Textiles and Colorants) to ensure systematic consistency. The latest revisions are adapted to modern textile technologies, eco-friendly dyestuffs, and contemporary care regimes.
2. Overall Architecture of ISO 105 (Letter Coding Logic)
国际标准化组织 105 adopts aletter prefix + two-digit number coding structure. Each letter represents a major test category, while the digits denote specific test methods. This hierarchical framework enables straightforward retrieval and industrial application. The core series and functions are listed below:
| Series Code | Category | Functions & Key Standards |
| Series A | General Principles & Grading | System rules, grey scale grading, instrumental assessment; Key: A01 (General), A02 (Change Grey Scale), A03 (Staining Grey Scale), A05 (Instrumental Grading) |
| Series B | 光 & Climate Fastness | Resistance to daylight, artificial weathering, UV radiation; Key: B01 (Daylight), B02 (Xenon Arc Exposure) |
| Series C | Washing & Laundering Fastness | Domestic/industrial laundering with variable temperature & detergent; Key: C05 (测试 5), C08 (Low-temperature bleach washing) |
| Series D | Dry Cleaning Fastness | Colour resistance to perchloroethylene and other dry-cleaning solvents |
| Series E | Aqueous Fastness | Resistance to water, perspiration, rain; Key: E01 (水), E04 (Acid/Alkaline Perspiration) |
| Series G | Heat Action Fastness | Resistance to ironing, hot pressing, and oven drying discoloration |
| Series N | Bleaching Fastness | Resistance to chlorine, 氧, and chlorite bleaching; Key: N04 (Sodium Chlorite Bleaching) |
| Series X | Rubbing Fastness | Dry & wet colour transfer by friction; Key: X12 (General rubbing, including pile fabrics & carpets) |
| Series Z | Dyestuff Auxiliary Tests | Dye solubility, strength, dusting, dispersion stability; Key: Z09 (Cold-water solubility), Z05 (Dust emission) |
The primary advantage of this modular structure is that manufacturers can select targeted test items based on end-use requirements without conducting the full suite of tests, significantly reducing testing costs and lead time.
3. In-depth Analysis of Core Modules (High-frequency Mandatory Tests)
3.1 Series A: Foundation of the Entire System (General Rules & Grading)
Series A contains no environmental exposure procedures; it defines universal rules governing all colour fastness tests. All other sub-standards must comply with Series A specifications:
•ISO 105-A01:2010: General principles, specifying universal test requirements, terminology, methodological limitations, and specimen preparation rules — essential reading for beginners;
•ISO 105-A02/A03: Physical grey scale standards for assessing colour change and staining, serving as the benchmark for visual grading;
•ISO 105-A05: Guidelines for instrumental grading to replace human visual assessment, eliminating subjective deviation and becoming the mainstream method for advanced laboratories.
3.2 ISO 105-X12: Rubbing Fastness (Mandatory for Shipment)
ISO 105-X12:2016 is one of the most frequently applied standards in the textile industry. It applies to yarns, fabrics, carpets, and all fibre-based products, evaluating colour transfer caused by frictional contact.
测试原理: The specimen is mounted on a crockmeter, and rubbed reciprocally with standard white cotton under dry conditions and wet conditions. The white rubbing cloth is then assessed for staining. This is a mandatory test for apparel and home textile cross-border orders; poor wet rubbing fastness of dark-coloured fabrics is the most common quality non-compliance issue.
3.3 Series C: Washing Fastness (Critical for End-use Care)
Series C simulates domestic and industrial laundering processes, adjusting temperature, duration, detergent composition, and mechanical action to replicate real-world care scenarios:
•ISO 105-C05: No.5 standard wash test with moderate severity, the mainstream condition for general apparel;
•ISO 105-C08: Phosphorus-free reference detergent with low-temperature bleach activator, designed for modern eco-friendly household laundering to evaluate discoloration and staining risk under low-temperature bleaching conditions.
Test Flow: Sew specimen with adjacent fabrics → agitate in detergent solution → rinse and dry → grade colour change and staining, fully replicating core household laundering procedures.
3.4 Series E: 水 & Perspiration Fastness (Mandatory for Skin-contact Products)
•ISO 105-E01:2013: Colour fastness to water, simulating rainwater, immersion, and humid environments to evaluate aqueous dye migration;
•ISO 105-E04: Colour fastness to perspiration, including acid perspiration (human sweat simulation) and alkaline perspiration. It is compulsory for underwear, children’s clothing, and sportswear. Acid-base components in sweat accelerate dyestuff hydrolysis and migration, causing more severe fading than pure water.
3.5 Series B: Light Fastness (Key for Outdoor Textiles)
ISO 105-B01 simulates natural daylight exposure, while ISO 105-B02 uses a xenon arc lamp for accelerated artificial weathering, evaluating long-term fading and discoloration of textiles. This applies to outdoor home textiles, sunshade fabrics, automotive textiles, and outdoor apparel. Insufficient light fastness leads to greying and obvious colour difference during long-term service.
4. Grading Rules: Grey Scale System & Evaluation Logic
国际标准化组织 105 adopts a unified 5-level, 9-step grading system based on the A02 (colour change) and A03 (staining) grey scales. Higher grades indicate better colour fastness:
•Primary grades: Level 1 (worst) to Level 5 (excellent);
•Intermediate half-grades: 1-2, 2, 2-3, 3, 3-4, 4, 4-5 for refined error differentiation;
General Industrial Acceptance Thresholds:
•Skin-contact textiles: Perspiration & water fastness ≥ Grade 3-4;
•General apparel: Dry rubbing ≥ Grade 4, Wet rubbing ≥ Grade 3;
•Outdoor products: Light fastness ≥ Grade 4;
•High-end home textiles: All items ≥ Grade 4.
Two grading methods are permitted: visual assessment (using grey scales and standard light sources, low cost) and instrumental colour measurement (compliant with A05, data-driven, free of subjective bias, preferred by high-end supply chains).
5. Core Differences Between ISO 105, GB and AATCC Standards
Industry practitioners often confuse ISO, 国标, and AATCC systems. Their key differences are summarized below:
| Standard System | Issuing Body | Core Characteristics | Application Scenarios |
| 国际标准化组织 105 | 国际标准化组织 | Globally unified, mild test conditions, rigorous grading, full result mutual recognition | Global trade, EU & Southeast Asian markets, international brand audits |
| 国标/T (中国) | SAC (中国) | Identical adoption of ISO 105 with equivalent technical parameters | Domestic China market, local quality inspection reports |
| 亚洲航空技术中心 (美国) | 亚洲航空技术中心 | More rigorous test conditions, different equipment parameters | North American market, US brand order compliance |
Key Note: The majority of Chinese national colour fastness standards are identically converted from ISO 105. Test reports issued per ISO 105 in China are directly accepted for international customs clearance without secondary conversion.
6. Industrial Practice: Common Misconceptions & Compliance Guidelines
6.1 Common Industrial Misconceptions
•Myth 1: Dark colour equals poor fastness. In fact, fastness depends on dye molecular structure and fixation technology; certain dark reactive-dyed fabrics can reach Grade 4 或更高;
•Myth 2: Wet rubbing fastness is equivalent to washing fastness. The two mechanisms differ fundamentally: wet rubbing refers to contact transfer, while washing refers to dye dissolution in water. They require separate testing and control;
•Myth 3: Outdated standard versions remain valid. 国际标准化组织 105 sub-standards are revised periodically (例如, X12, E01). Reports based on obsolete versions may be rejected by overseas clients.
6.2 Supply Chain Compliance Recommendations
1.Targeted test selection: Define ISO 105 items based on end use. Mandate perspiration/water fastness for children’s wear, light fastness for outdoor textiles, and wet rubbing control for dark fabrics;
2.Raw material control: Prioritize dyestuffs compliant with Series Z (high cold-water solubility, low dust emission) with matched fixing agents to improve fastness at the source;
3.Standardized reporting: Include the full standard number with the publication year (例如, ISO 105-X12:2016) on test reports to avoid customs rejection due to version mismatch;
4.Data traceability: Adopt A05 instrumental grading for high-end orders to retain colorimetric data and eliminate disputes over visual assessment.
7. 结论
国际标准化组织 105 is not merely a single test specification but a structured, modular, and globalized system for textile colour stability evaluation. Covering foundational grading rules (Series A), daily care scenarios (Series C & 乙), physical friction (Series X), light aging (Series B), and dyestuff performance control (Series Z), it addresses colour quality assessment across the entire textile lifecycle.
For textile professionals, mastering the coding logic, core items, and grading rules of ISO 105 not only ensures compliance with quality inspection and cross-border trade requirements but also guides optimization of dyeing and finishing processes. This fundamentally improves product quality and reduces return and compliance risks. In the global textile supply chain, proficiency in ISO 105 represents the universal language of colour quality control.
Our product GA-1201 Electric Friction Fastness Tester meets this standard.
GA-1201电动摩擦牢度测试仪
According to standard:
Iso-105, 美国材料试验协会, D2054, 亚洲航空技术中心, 8, jis-lo849
使用
This instrument for integral design, 主要由底座组成, friction transmission mechanism and the counter, the sample with the sample holder and the side of the sand paper on the base, shake the handle to make friction head on the sample with white cotton relevant provisions of the reciprocating motion, make the white cotton cloth and sample rubbing against each other, friction observed and gray card after ten times compared to assess degree of glue on the white cotton cloth color, stain on the sample of the fabric or judge the stability of the surface coating, and provide reference data for evaluation and selection of materials.This instrument is suitable for yarn, 色织的, printing and dyeing and other textiles and all fabrics on or inside toy products.
技术参数
样品区: 140*50毫米
摩擦速度: 60每千次展示费用
摩擦载荷: 9氮
摩擦行程: 100毫米
Friction cone: less than 16or 19*25mm for selection
柜台: 液晶显示屏, 0 〜 999,999
产品: 53 * 40 * 32 厘米
机器重量: 20公斤
Electrical sources: 1∮, 交流220V, 3A
Product link:
https://www.gonoava.com/product/ga-1201-electric-friction-fastness-tester/
Contact:
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