The American Association for Textile Chemists and Colors (AATCC) Research Committee twice a year reviews documents related to standards, test methods, and assessment procedures in textiles. Thus, in January the AATCC issued Technical Manual 2020 and recently published updates in the 2020 AATCC Technical Manual Mid-Year Supplement.

In the updated document, the AATCC announced the revision of 10 test methods and 1 monograph. The revised methods and monograph are fixed in the following standards:

• AATCC TM16.3-2020, Test Method for Colorfastness to Light: Xenon-Arc   This test method provides the general principles and procedures for determining the colorfastness to light of textile materials and is applicable to textile materials of all kinds and for colorants, finishes and treatments applied to textile materials. There are three test options:

1-Xenon-Arc Lamp, Alternate Light and Dark

2-Xenon-Arc Lamp, Continuous Light, Black Standard Option

3-Xenon-Arc Lamp, Continuous Light, Black Panel Option

• AATCC TM26-2020, Ageing of Sulfur-Dyed Textiles: Accelerated This test method describes a procedure that helps to determine the deterioration possibility of  sulfur-dyed textile materials under normal storage conditions  

• AATCC TM94-2020, Finishes in Textiles: Identification This test method allows identifying finish components present on textile fabrics, yarns or fibers.

• AATCC TM97-2020, Test Method for Extractable Content of Textiles This test method determines the amount of water, enzyme and organic-solvent extractable matter of fibers, yarns or fabrics containing cellulosic fibers other fiber types in their greige and/or prepared state of processing.

• AATCC TM112-2020, Test Method for Formaldehyde Release from Fabric: Sealed Jar  This test method applies to textile fabrics that evolve formaldehyde, particularly fabrics finished with chemicals containing formaldehyde.

• AATCC TM133-2020, Test Method for Colorfastness to Heat: Hot Pressing  This test method determines the resistance of the color of textiles when subjected to hot pressing. Tests are given for hot pressing when fabric is dry, damp and wet.

• AATCC TM169-2020, Weather Resistance of Textiles: Xenon Lamp Exposure  This test method provides a procedure for the exposure of textile materials of all kinds  in an artificial weathering apparatus using controlled conditions of test. This test method includes procedures for both controlled wetting and no wetting of the specimen.

• AATCC TM183-2020, Transmittance or Blocking of Erythemally Weighted Ultraviolet Radiation through Fabrics This standard describes  a test method that is used to determine the ultraviolet radiation blocked or transmitted by textile fabrics intended to be used for UV protection.  The method allows to measure this fabric property with specimens in either the dry or wet status.

• AATCC TM195-2011e2 (2017)e3, Liquid Moisture Management Properties of Textile Fabrics This standard gives information on the test method for the measurement, evaluation and classification of liquid moisture management properties of knitted, woven and nonwoven textile fabrics.  Actually, the revision of this test methods concerns only editorial changes

• AATCC TM206-2020, Test Method for Free and Hydrolyzed Formaldehyde: Water Extraction This test method is applicable to non-hydrophobic textile fabrics that may contain free or hydrolyzed formaldehyde. It is based on the water extraction process and a subsequent colorimetric analysis of the amount of free and hydrolyzed formaldehyde extracted.

• AATCC M12-2020, Style Guide for Writing Test Methods and Procedures  AATCC M12-2020 contains general guidelines for the organization and content of AATCC test methods, evaluation procedures, and laboratory procedures.

As you can notice, the standards contain letter codes such as “TM”, “M”, “e”. “TM” is an abbreviation for test methods and “M” shows that standards relate to monograph. Also the AATCC develops laboratory procedures and evaluation procedures that are encoded in the standards as “LP” and “EP” respectively.

Small letter “e” shows that some editorial changes were made in the standard as for AATCC TM195-2011e2 (2017)e3, Liquid Moisture Management Properties of Textile Fabrics.

You also can find the AATCC standards with the small letter “t”. It means that some additional technical changes were made in the same year.

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