Overview
ISO 13936-2:2004 - "Textiles - Determination of the slippage resistance of yarns at a seam in woven fabrics - Part 2: Fixed load method" specifies a laboratory method to measure seam slippage (yarn movement at a sewn seam) for apparel, upholstery and stretch woven fabrics (including elastomeric yarns). The standard defines specimen preparation, sewing conditions, the test principle (fixed load applied by a CRE tensile machine) and reporting requirements so manufacturers and test labs can quantify seam opening under load.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope: Applies to woven apparel and furnishing fabrics; not intended for industrial fabrics (e.g., belting).
- Test principle: A folded, stitched fabric strip is clamped in a constant-rate-of-extension (CRE) machine and loaded; the width of the seam opening is measured at the widest point.
- Specimens and sewing:
- Specimen size: cut to 200 mm × 100 mm (long side aligned to warp or weft to test both directions).
- Fold and stitch with the seam 20 mm from the fold; cut 12 mm from the seam through both layers.
- Stitch type: lockstitch type 301 (needle + bobbin thread). Thread, needle and stitch density requirements are specified in the standard.
- Test equipment & settings:
- CRE tensile testing machine with metrological confirmation per ISO 10012 and force-measuring accuracy per ISO 7500-1.
- Gauge/clamp separation set to 100 mm; constant rate of extension nominally 50 mm/min (tolerance given in the standard).
- Clamp area and jaw-face requirements are defined to prevent specimen damage or slippage.
- Data acquisition: minimum sampling frequency specified for force recording.
- Measurement & reporting:
- After reaching the prescribed load, reduce to 5 N and immediately measure seam opening to the nearest millimetre.
- Report mean warp and weft seam opening, maximum force applied, number of failures, specimen identification and any deviations.
Applications and users
ISO 13936-2:2004 is used for:
- Quality control and incoming inspection by apparel and upholstery manufacturers.
- Product specification and comparative performance testing (fabric selection, seam system evaluation).
- R&D and failure analysis of sewn textiles (assessing thread, stitch and seam design).
- Textile testing laboratories and certification bodies who provide objective seam-slippage data for contracts and standards compliance.
Key stakeholders: textile engineers, garment technologists, upholstery product developers, testing laboratories and standards/quality managers.
Related standards
For numeric force values, stitch densities and full procedural tolerances, consult the full ISO 13936-2:2004 document.
Open preview (PDF)Textiles — Determination of the slippage resistance of yarns at a seam in woven fabrics — Part 2: Fixed load method