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"National General Safety Technical Code for Textile Products" is a compulsory national standard established according to the laws and regulations in "The Standardization Law of The People's Republic of China" and "Law of the People's Republic of China on Product Quality".
Textile products will be added in with finishing agent during the printing, dyeing and finishing processes, such as various dyes and additives. While these finishing agents may more or less contain or produce harmful substances. When the residues of harmful substances in textiles reach a certain amount, they will harm people's skin, and even human health. Therefore, it is necessary to make the most basic technical requirements for the safety aspect of textile products, so that the textile products may not harm human health or personal safety in the production, circulation and consumption processes.
Considering the wide range of use for textile products, this technical specification clearly specifies the application scope. Those not within the scope of this technical specification is listed in Annex A.
This technical specification only makes requirements for the basic safety performance of textile products; other requirements are implemented according to corresponding standards.
This technical specification will replace GB 18401-2001 "Textiles--Limit to Formaldehyde Content" from the implementation date hereof.
This technical specification is put into force on January 1, 2005. The products produced before January 1, 2005 and meet the requirements by corresponding standards are allowed marking in the mark; the transition period is one year till January 1, 2006. After the implementation of this technical specifications, if the general safety specification in standards and other technical documents related to the textile products do not meet the technical specification, it shall subject to this technical specification.
Annex A and Annex B in this technical specification are informative and Annex C is normative.
This technical specification is proposed by China National Textile and Apparel Council.
This technical specification is under the jurisdiction of Technical Committee on Textiles of Standardization Administration of China.
Standardization Institute of Textile Industry and the State Quality Supervision and Inspection Center for cotton textile products is responsible for drafting.
Chief drafting staffs: Zheng Yuying, Xu Lu and Wang Baojun.
The Standardization Administration of China (National Standardization Authority) is responsible for the explanation of this technical specification.
NOTE: The English version has been translated directly from the Chinese Standard GB 18401-2003. In the event of any discrepancy in the process of implementation, the Chinese version shall prevail.
National General Safety Technical Code for Textile Products
1 Scope
This technical specification specifies the general safety specification, test methods, test rules, implementation and supervision for textile products. Other requirements are implemented according to relevant standards.
This technical specification is applicable to the textile products for clothing and decoration produced, marked and used in China. The export products may be implemented according to the contractual provisions.
The products listed in Annex A are not within the scope of this technical specification, unless otherwise agreed by the supplier and the purchaser or otherwise specified by the state.
2 Normative References
The following documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of this technical specification. For dated reference, subsequent amendments (excluding amending error in the text) to, or revisions of, any of these publications do not be applied. However, the parties whose enter into agreement according to these specifications are encouraged to research whether the latest editions of these references are applied or not. For undated references, the latest edition of the normative document is applicable to this technical specification.
GB/T 2912.1 Textiles--Determination of Formaldehyde--Part 1: Free and Hydrolized Formaldehyde (Water Extraction Method)
GB/T 3920 Textiles—Tests for Colour Fastness—Colour Fastness to Rubbing (GB/T 3920-1997, egv ISO 105-X12: 1993)
GB/T 3922 Textiles--Testing Method for Colour Fastness to Perspiration (GB/T 3922-1995, egv ISO 105-E 04.1994)
GB/T 5713 Textiles-Tests for Colour Fastness-Colour Fastness to Water (GB/T 5713-1997, egv ISO 105-E01.1994)
GB/T 7573 Textiles—Determination of PH of Aqueous Extract (GB/T 7573--2002, ISO 105-E01: 1994, MOD)
GB/T 17592.1 Textiles--Test Method of the Use of Banned Azo Colourants--Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrography Method
GB/T 18886 Textiles-Tests for Fastness-Colour Fastness to Saliva
3 Terms and Definitions
The following terms and definitions are applicable to this technical specification.
3.1
Textile products
It refers to the products of taking natural fiber and chemical fiber as principal raw material, and being spinned, weaved, dyed and other processing techniques or then sewed, composited, such as yarn, fabric and finished products.
3.2
General safety specification
It refers to the general requirements to guarantee textile products are innoxious to human health.
3.3
Products for babies
It refers to the textile products used for babies no older than 24 months.
3.4
Products with direct contact to skin
It refers to the textile products that most area of the products direct contract to the skin when being worn or used.
3.5
Products without direct contact to skin
It refers to the textile products that do not directly contract to skin or only a small part of area directly contract to skin when being worn or use.
4 Product Classification
4.1 Products can be divided into three classes:
Class A: products for babies;
Class B: products with direct contact to skin;
Class C: products without direct contact to skin.
The typical examples for three classes of products are listed in Annex B.
4.2 The products that can be put into service only after being reworked by users are classified according to end use.
5 Technical Requirements
5.1 See Table 1 for the general safety specification of textile products
Table 1
Item Class A Class B Class C
Formaldehyde content /(mg/kg) ≤ 20 75 300
PH value a 4.0〜7.5 4.0〜7.5 4.0〜9.0
Colour fastnessb/level ≥ Waterproof (discolor and staining) 3-4 3 3
Resistant to acid-perspiration (discolor and staining) 3—4 3 3
Resistant to alkaline-perspiration (discolor and staining) 3--4 3 3
Resistant to dry friction 4 3 3
Saliva-proof (discolor and staining) 4 — ―
Peculiar smell No
Dyes that can dissolve aromatic amine C Forbidden
a The products that must be wet processed during the subsequent processing; pH value may be broadened to 4.0~10.5.
b No require for the bleaching products during washing.
c See Annex C for the carcinogenic aromatic amines that are not allowed to be resolved from dyes under reducing condition.
5.2 Products for babies shall meet the technical requirements of Class A products; products with direct contact to skin shall meet the technical requirements of Class B products; products without direct contact to skin shall meet the technical requirements of Class C products.
5.3 The products for babies must be noted with "products for babies" on the operating instructions. Other products shall be noted with corresponding safety technical requirements type on the operating instructions.
Note: The products for babies with height no taller than 80cm is considered as the products for babies.
6 Test Methods
6.1 Formaldehyde content is measured according to GB/T 2912.1.
6.2 PH value is measured according to GB/T 7573.
6.3 Colour fastness to water is measured according to GB/T 5713.
6.4 Colour fastness to acid alkali perspiration is measured according to GB/T 3922.
6.5 Colour fastness to dry friction is measured according to GB/T 3920.
6.6 Colour fastness to saliva is measured according to GB/T 18886.
6.7 Peculiar smell
Peculiar smell is determined by olfactory. The umpire shall be professional who has passed training and assessment.
Carry out the inspection for this project immediately after unsealing the sample. The test shall be carried out at the clean environment without unusual smell. The operator must wear gloves, pick up the sample with both hands and near the nasal cavity, carefully sniff the samples smell. If one of or several of stale taste, high-boiling oil flavor (such as gasoline, kerosene smell), fish smell, aromatic odor is detected out, it is judged as "with peculiar smell", and record the smell type. Otherwise it is judged as "without peculiar smell".
Three people shall carry out the inspection independently and take the result accordant with two people as the inspection result.
6.8 Dyes that can dissolve aromatic amine are implemented according to GB/T 17592.1; the detection limit is 20 mg/kg.
Foreword I
1 Scope
2 Normative References
3 Terms and Definitions
4 Product Classification
5 Technical Requirements
6 Test Methods
7 Test Rules
8 Implementation and Supervision
9 Legal Responsibility
Annex A (Informative) The Catalogue of Textile Products out of the Scope of This Technical Specification
Annex B (Informative) Samples for Textile Products Classification
Annex C (Normative) Carcinogenic Aromatic Amines List Which are not Allowed to be Resolved from Dyes at Reducing Condition.
