Tensile testing of garments

Throughout their lifecycle all garments will be subjected to tensile loads. A quality garment is one which will sustain such demands - both under conditions of normal use and reasonably foreseeable abuse. Consequently quality departments, both of clothing retailers and manufacturers, recognise that tension testing constitutes an absolutely key component of product evaluation procedures.

These tests involve the assessment of parts of a garment that have implications for product durability, for example: strength of vulnerable seams, and `pull off` characteristics of buttons and stitched-on decorations. However they also involve ensuring that some components, for example: press-studs, poppers, zip fasters, hook-and-loop fasteners, and elasticated waists/cuffs are neither too weak nor too stiff.

Mecmesin have been designing, manufacturing and supplying force and torque testing systems worldwide for over twenty years. Their Application Engineers specialise in developing custom-designed fixturing to meet the specific testing requirements of individual customers. A number of such ‘Test to Failure’ systems have been installed at key suppliers to a leading UK retailer. The test stand and force gauge were able to be used for a range of different tensile tests by using special gripping fixtures for each group of tests. One typical test involving a stitched-on decorative badge is illustrated.