Overview
ISO/TR 11827:2012 - Textiles - Composition testing - Identification of fibres - is an informative Technical Report from ISO that describes systematic procedures for identifying both natural and man‑made fibres. It is intended to support fibre identification and to coordinate with quantitative methods for analysing fibre blends. The report is practical, non‑normative guidance useful to laboratories, manufacturers and regulators involved in textile composition testing.
Key topics
- Scope and purpose: Identification of textile fibres (animal, vegetable, mineral, artificial and synthetic, including bicomponent fibres) and coordination with quantitative blend analysis.
- Techniques covered:
- Microscopy (light microscopy with transmitted light, polarised light, refractive‑index matching; photomicrographs in Annex B)
- Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) (Annex C)
- Flame and combustion tests
- Staining and solubility tests (reagent recipes and solubility tables in Annex D)
- Infrared spectroscopy (FT‑IR and ATR; example spectra in Annex E)
- Thermal analysis (DSC, TGA; thermal transition data in Annex F)
- Density measurement methods (density gradient columns; Annex G)
- Other instrumental methods (EDX elemental analysis, refractive index determinations)
- Apparatus and reagents: Lists required equipment (microscopes, FT‑IR, DSC, TGA, melting point devices) and gives preparation instructions for common solutions (zinc chloride/iodine, NaOH/CaO mix, chloroform/trichloroacetic acid, chlorine bleaching per ISO 1833‑4).
- Practical procedures and examples: Detailed example workflows combining microscopy, solubility tests, FT‑IR, thermal or combustion methods for common identification scenarios (see Clause 8 and annexes).
- Safety note: Emphasises chemical and operational safety for reagents and thermal tests.
Applications and users
ISO/TR 11827:2012 is useful for:
- Textile testing laboratories performing fibre identification and composition verification
- Manufacturers and quality control teams validating raw materials and finished goods
- Customs, regulators and conformity assessment bodies verifying labelling and import requirements
- Retailers and product assurance teams checking fibre composition claims
- Forensic and research labs requiring reliable fibre identification workflows
Keywords: ISO/TR 11827:2012, fibre identification, textile composition testing, FT‑IR, microscopy, solubility tests, thermal analysis, density measurement.
Related standards
- ISO 1833‑4 - Quantitative chemical analysis (bleaching/hypochlorite methods)
- ISO 2076 - Man‑made fibres - Generic names
- ISO 6938 - Natural fibres - Generic names and definitions
This Technical Report provides a practical reference for selecting and combining analytical techniques to identify fibres reliably and to support blend analysis.