Overview
ISO 675:2014 - Textiles - Woven fabrics - Determination of dimensional change on commercial laundering near the boiling point - specifies a laboratory method to measure dimensional change (shrinkage or stretch) of woven fabrics after a single commercial laundering cycle conducted near the boiling point. The method was developed principally for cotton fabrics but may be applied to other cellulosic woven fabrics with caution. It is intended for textile testing, quality control, and comparative evaluation of fabric behavior during high‑temperature laundering.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope: All types of woven fabrics; assessment after one or repeated launderings (repeat cycles reported separately).
- Specimen preparation: Preferably full width and at least 600 mm long; cut with sides parallel to warp and weft; marks and conditioning per ISO 3759 and ISO 139; at least 500 mm between adjacent marks.
- Washing apparatus: Horizontal cylindrical reversing laundry machine (wash wheel) with cage diameter ~400–600 mm, peripheral speed ~50–55 m/min, and fins/lifters to lift and drop the load. Load mass: 8–50 kg air‑dry fabric per m3 of cage space.
- Laundering procedure: 60 min total cycle; water heated to boiling within 10 min; add ~2 g/l anhydrous sodium carbonate; maintain temperature not less than 80 °C during wash; add soap solution to give running suds (note and report if >5 g/l soap used). Two rinses heated to 60 °C at 40–45 min steps.
- Water and reagents: Use soft water (≤50 mg/kg hardness). Soap stock solution preparation and composition are specified (example: dissolve 0.5 kg soap in 4 L hot water).
- Extraction and pressing: Extract excess water using a centrifugal extractor or equivalent (target moisture retention 50–100% of air‑dry mass). Press on flat bed press (specimen up to 600 × 600 mm) at 150 °C ±15 °C and minimum pressure 3.0 kPa.
- Evaluation and results: Condition specimens to standard atmosphere (ISO 139). Measure dimensions to nearest 1 mm per ISO 3759. Express dimensional change as percentage to 0.1% (negative = shrinkage, positive = stretch). Report mean values separately for warp and weft.
- Reporting requirements: Include reference to ISO 675, sample description, specimen positions, number of cycles, soap amount, and other specified items.
Applications and users
ISO 675:2014 is used by:
- Textile manufacturers and mills for fabric performance and quality control
- Garment and home‑textile producers verifying shrinkage claims
- Independent testing laboratories and conformity assessment bodies
- R&D teams developing low‑shrink or pre‑shrunk fabrics
- Procurement and specification writers requiring standardized shrinkage data
Keywords: ISO 675:2014, dimensional change, woven fabrics, commercial laundering, shrinkage test, textile testing, boiling point laundering, wash wheel, soft water.
Related standards
- ISO 3759:2011 - Preparation, marking and measuring of fabric specimens and garments
- ISO 139 - Standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing