Did your functional apparel claim meet expectations

In a highly competitive market, functional apparel can differentiate your textile and garment products as consumers seek clothing that not only looks good but also provides added benefits. As a textile and apparel brand or manufacturer, it is important to consider whether your functional apparel claims are meeting the expectations of your customers.

In this article, we will explore the three main categories of functional apparel: Protective, comfort, and durable functions.

Protective functions

For protective functions, it is important to follow industry testing standards to ensure that your apparel products provide the level of protection that you claimed. For instance, if your protective apparel claims to offer protection against UPF, it should be tested to EN 13758 to meet the ultraviolet protection factor (UPF-value), which indicates the level of protection provided.

Similarly, if you are marketing apparel such as a jacket as waterproof, you should test it to meet the waterproof standard, for example, ISO 811, GB/T 4744 and 4745. These standards are designed to evaluate the waterproof performance of textiles.

Comfort functions

Quick dry, stretchable, and breathable textiles are examples of comfort functions, especially for clothing that is designed for active wear or outdoor activities. These functions can also be tested using industry standards.

For example, when you are marketing a pair of quick dry running shorts, the AATCC 199 standard is one of the industry standards to measure the rate of water vapour transmission through the fabric. It simulates drying at body temperature or performing testing at temperatures that simulate conditions of use.

If your apparel is marketed as breathable, it should be tested to meet the ASTM D737 standard. This test measures the air permeability of textile fabrics.

Durable functions

Clothing that is designed to be durable can withstand wear and tear and retain its shape and performance over time. Abrasion-resistance is one of the most common durable functions in textile products. Conducting an abrasion-resistance durable test can assess the ability of textile to resist wear and tear caused by friction.

Besides, it is also important for your apparel products to have a certain extent of wrinkly recovery ability to extend their life cycle. AATCC 128 is one of the industry standards for wrinkly recovery tests to determine the appearance of textile fabrics after induced wrinkling.

Why choose the Eurofins Softlines & Leather network of laboratories?

Functional apparel provides a range of benefits to consumers, from protection, comfort to durability. By following industry standards for each type of functional attribute, you can ensure that your functional apparel claims meet the expectations of your customers.

Beyond traditional physical testing, our network of laboratories offers footwear and textile performance tests to determine the performance and delivery of a product's special claims, covering a variety of international standards including GB/T, AATCC, ISO, EN, and ASTM to meet your needs, helping you to build trust and credibility with your target audience and set your functional apparel products apart from competitors.

For more details, please click here to learn more about our footwear and textile performance testing service.