Standards Update - AATCC RA60 Colorfastness to Washing

Release Date 01.19.09

Editor’s note: This article is featured in the Fall 2009 issue of SDL Atlas Update, the company’s quarterly newsletter. To sign-up to receive the newsletter, send us an e-mail at info@sdlatlas.com.

AATCC made a Standard Reference Liquid Detergent available to its members and research committees in 2003. Recently, AATCC Committee RA60, Colorfastness to Washing, completed a detailed study of the Standard Reference Liquid Detergent in several test methods. The committee has balloted and approved the use of the Standard Reference Liquid Detergent as an alternate to the powder standard reference detergent in test methods 61, 172, and 190. Final approval is subject to the ballot through the AATCC Technical Committee on Research followed by publication.

The 2003 Standard Reference Liquid Reference Detergent is available in versions with optical brighteners and without optical brighteners (WOB). Tests involving color change or staining evaluation will use the WOB version. Since the formulation of powder and liquid detergents involve different building agents, the detergency action may be different and inter-comparison of the two detergent types cannot be made.

AATCC test method 61 has also been revised to include a new option test 1B for evaluating the colorfastness of textiles that are expected to withstand repeated hand laundering at cool temperatures. Specimens subjected to this test should show color change similar to that produced by five typical careful hand launderings at a temperature of 27 ± 3°C (80 ± 5°F).