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This Standard replaces GB 18401-2003 National General Safety Technical Code for Textile Products. The main technical differences between this Standard and GB 18401-2003 are listed below:
•“Home use” has been added to the scope of application, and “Use” and “Except when otherwise agreed by both demand and supply parties” have been deleted;
• Quoted standard of GB/T 23344 has been added to Chapter 2;
• Infant age has been altered from 24 months to 36 months;
• Product 4.1 categorisation from A, B and C coding has been changed to a verbal description;
• The pH value in category B of Table 1 has been changed from 4.0~7.5 to 4.0~8.5;
• Products in Footnotes a and b of Table 1 have been confirmed to be “non-end products”;
• Footnote c of Table 1 has been updated, with the limit value for decomposable carcinogenic arylamine set to ≤20mg/kg;
• Note 5.2 has been updated to include “regulations governing exemption from testing for colourfastness to perspiration for hanging products such as curtains”;
• Note 5.3 has been updated to include “product categorisation by piece”, and the 80 cm measurement in the Note has been changed to 100 cm;
• The examination limit set in 6.8 has been deleted;
• Footnote 7.4 has been added to the main texts;
• A.11, A.12 and A.13 have been added to Appendix A, and A.9 has been changed to “rag crafted products”;
• Some samples in Appendix B have been adjusted;
• “4-Ammoazobenzene” has been added to the list in appendix C;
• Appendix D has been added.
This Standard only specifies requirements for the general safety of textile products; other requirements should adhere to the relevant standards.
Appendix C of this Standard is normative , while Appendices A, B and D are for reference.
This national standard was proposed by the China National Textile and Apparel Council.
This national standard is under the jurisdiction of the National Technical Committee on Textiles of the Standardisation Administration of China.
This Standard was drafted by the Textile Industry Standardisation Research Institute and the China Textile Quality Supervision and Testing Centre.
This Standard was drafted by: Zheng Yuying, Xu Lu and Wang Baojun.
Historical publication of this standard: GB 18401-2001, GB 18401-2003.
National General Safety Technical Code for Textile Products
国家纺织产品基本安全技术规范
1. Scope
This Standard defines the general safety technical requirements for textile products, test methods, testing, implementation and supervision principles. Other requirements for textile products should adhere to the relevant standards.
This Standard is applicable to the manufacture and sale of garment, decorations and household textile products. Products for export should adhere to the clauses in the respective agreements.
Note: Products listed in Appendix A do not fall under the categories of this Standard, unless otherwise indicated by the government.
2.Normative Reference
The following normative documents contain provision which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of this national standard. For dated reference, subsequent amendments to, or revisions of, any of these publications do not apply. But the parties to agreements based on this standard are encouraged to investigate the possibility of applying the latest editions of the standards indicated below. For undated references, the latest edition of the normative document referred to applies.
GB/T 2912.1 Textile formaldehyde determination. Part I: free formaldehyde and hydrolyzed formaldehyde (hydro-extraction method) (GB/T 2912.1-2009, ISO 14184.1:1998, MOD)
GB/T 3920 Textile colourfastness test. Colour rub-fastness test. (GB/T 3920-2008, ISO 105-X12:2001, MOD)
GB/T 3922 Textile colourfastness to perspiration test method (GB/T 3922-1995, eqv ISO 105-E04:1994)
GB/T 5713 Textile colourfastness test. Colourfastness to water resistance test. (GB/T 5713-1997, eqv ISO 105-E01:1994)
GB/T 7573 Textile determination of pH value of hydro-extraction liquid. (GB/T 7573-2009, ISO 3071:2005, MOD)
GB/T 17592 Textile determination of forbidden azo dyes.
GB/T 18886 Textile colourfastness test. Colourfastness to saliva.
GB/T 23344 Textile determination of 4-Aminoazobenzene
3. Terms and definitions
The following terminology and definitions are applicable to this Standard.
3.1 Textile products
Products whose main materials comprise natural and chemical fibres, processed using procedures including reeling, knitting, and dyeing, combined with stitching and compounding processes. Examples include yarn and textile and finished products thereof.
3.2 General safety specification
Fundamental specifications required to ensure fabric products are not harmful to human health.
3.3 Textile products for infants
Textile products that are worn or used by infants at/below 36 months of age.
3.4 Textile products with direct contact to skin
Textile products with large areas in direct contact with human skin when worn or used.
3.5 Textile products without direct contact to skin
Textile products with little or no area in direct contact with human skin when worn or used.
4. Product categorisation
4.1 Products are sorted by end use into three categories:
• Textile products for infants
• Textile products with direct contact to skin
• Textile products without direct contact to skin
4.2 Products that can only be used after further processing by the customer (such as: cover materials, yarn) should be categorised in accordance with their end use.
5. Requirements
5.1 General technical safety specifications for textile products are sorted into three categories: A, B and C categories - see Table 1.
Table 1
Item A B C
formaldehyde % (mg/kg) ≤ 20 75 300
pH value a 4.0~7.5 4.0~8.5 4.0~9.0
Dyeing colourfastnessb/(level) ≥ water-resistant (colour deterioration, staining) 3-4 3 3
colourfastness to acidic perspiration (colour deterioration, staining) 3-4 3 3
colourfastness to alkali perspiration (colour deterioration, staining) 3-4 3 3
colourfastness to Coulomb friction 4 3 3
colourfastness to saliva (colour deterioration, staining) 4 - -
Peculiar odour n/l
Decomposable carcinogenic arylamine dye c /(mg/kg) Forbidden
a The pH value can be adjusted to 4.0~10.5 for non-end products that must undergo wet processing in further processing procedures.
b Not applicable to: non-end products that must undergo washing and fading processes, products that are of original colour or bleached products; traditional handcrafted products such as tie dyed or wax printed products. Only baby/children products need to be tested for colourfastness to saliva.
c Please see appendix C for list of decomposable carcinogenic arylamine dyes, limit value: ≤20 mg/kg.
5.2 Textile products for infants should comply with requirements in category A; products in direct contact with skin should comply with requirements in category B; products not in direct contact with skin should at least comply with requirements in category C; of these, testing for colourfastness to perspiration of hanging and decorative products such as curtains is not required.
5.3 Textile products for infants should be labelled ‘products for infants’. Other products must be labelled with explanations as to which general safety technical specifications (such as category A, B or C) they comply with. Products should be labelled to a single category in accordance to their component parts.
Note: Products normally suitable for children below a height of 100 cm can be deemed as textile products for infants.
6. Test method
6.1 Determination of formaldehyde should be performed in conformance with GB/T 2912.1.
6.2 Determination of pH value should be performed in conformance with GB/T 7573.
6.3 Determination of water resistance should be performed in conformance with GB/T 5713.
6.4 Determination of colourfastness to acid/alkali perspiration should be performed in conformance with GB/T 3922.
6.5 Determination of colourfastness to coulomb friction should be performed in conformance with GB/T 3920.
6.6 Determination of colourfastness to saliva should be performed in conformance with GB/T 18886.
6.7 Peculiar odour is determined through the olfaction method, to be performed by professionals with proper training and assessment.
This determination process should be performed immediately after opening the sample. The process should be conducted in an environment that is free of peculiar odours. The test performer should wash their hands and wear gloves, then hold the sample close to their nostrils, and carefully smell the smell borne by the sample. In the event that one or several smells including mould, high-boiling range fossil fuels (such as petrol, kerosene), fishy smells or aromatic hydrocarbons are noticed, the sample shall be determined to ‘have a peculiar odour; the type of smell should also be recorded. Otherwise, the sample shall be determined to ‘have no peculiar odour’.
The determination process shall be performed by two persons, and the result confirmed by the consistency of the results from the two testers. If the results are inconsistent, one further tester shall perform the determination process, and the final result shall be confirmed by the two consistent results out of the three persons.
6.8 Determination of decomposable carcinogenic arylamine dye should be performed in conformance with GB/T 17592 and GB/T 23344.
Note: In general, GB/T 17592 is first applied; when aniline and/or 1,4-phenylenediamines are found, GB/T 23344 is then applied.
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.