ISO 13629-2-2014 PDF

Full title and description

Textiles — Determination of antifungal activity of textile products — Part 2: Plate count method. This International Standard specifies a quantitative plate‑count test procedure to determine the antifungal activity (fungistatic or fungicidal effect) of treated textile materials, including fibres, yarns, fabrics, clothing, bedclothes, home furnishings and similar products.

Abstract

ISO 13629-2:2014 defines a laboratory plate‑count method to quantify antifungal activity on textile samples. The method uses inoculation with reference fungal spores, neutralization and colony counting after incubation to calculate a numerical activity value (A) that classifies the level of fungistatic or fungicidal effect of the treated textile compared to controls. The standard specifies sampling, inoculation (absorption or transfer), culture media, incubation conditions and result reporting.

General information

• Status: Published (International Standard; confirmed at 5‑year review).
• Publication date: June 2014 (2014‑06).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 59.080.01 (Textiles in general).
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2014).
• Number of pages: 17 pages (ISO published text).

Basic bibliographic and lifecycle details as published by ISO.

Scope

This part of ISO 13629 specifies a quantitative plate‑count method for determining antifungal activity of textile products. It is applicable to a wide range of textile items (fibres, yarns, fabrics, garments, bedding, upholstery and other textile goods) and is intended to determine whether a treated textile exhibits fungistatic or fungicidal behaviour under the specified test conditions. The procedure includes sample preparation, choice of inoculation method (absorption for water‑absorbing samples or transfer for non‑absorbing samples), preparation of fungal spore suspensions, incubation and colony counting to calculate activity.

Key topics and requirements

• Test principle: inoculate treated and control textile specimens with a defined fungal spore suspension, incubate, extract organisms with a neutralizer, perform dilutions and plate on appropriate agar for colony forming unit (CFU) counts.
• Reference fungi: use standard reference strains (commonly Aspergillus brasiliensis, historically cited as Aspergillus niger) as specified in the normative annexes.
• Two inoculation approaches: absorption method for samples that take up liquid and transfer method for non‑absorbing samples; sample sizes and preparation differ by method.
• Incubation and conditions: typical incubation at about 30 °C for 48 h (as specified in the test procedure) before plate counting.
• Calculation and interpretation: the activity value A is determined by comparing log CFU growth on treated vs control samples; interpretation thresholds provided in the standard (e.g., A < 1 = no effect; A between 1 and 2 = small fungistatic; A between 2 and 3 = medium fungistatic; A > 3 = complete fungistatic; treated sample with 0 CFU after incubation is considered fungicidal).
• Reporting: the standard specifies test report contents including sample identification, inoculum, method used, incubation conditions, raw counts, dilutions, calculated A value and conclusion on fungistatic/fungicidal activity.

Typical use and users

Used by textile testing laboratories, materials and textile manufacturers, R&D groups assessing antifungal treatments, quality control units and regulatory bodies assessing claims for antifungal textiles. Laboratories performing compliance testing, product development teams validating antimicrobial finishes, and conformity assessment bodies typically use this method as one part of biological‑performance testing.

Related standards

ISO 13629 is a multipart series. Part 1 (luminescence/ATP method) covers an alternative quantitative approach; the earlier ISO 13629‑1:2012 has been withdrawn and a revised Part 1 edition was published subsequently. ISO/TC 38 (Textiles) is the responsible technical committee. Practitioners often refer to relevant national/adopted versions (e.g. EN/BS variants) and to complementary antimicrobial/antifungal test methods (AATCC, ASTM standards) when assembling a full testing program.

Keywords

antifungal; fungistatic; fungicidal; plate count; textile testing; Aspergillus brasiliensis; inoculation; incubation; neutralizer; CFU; ISO 13629; biological performance; textile finishes.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 13629-2:2014 is an International Standard that specifies a plate‑count laboratory method to quantitatively determine the antifungal activity of textile products.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers sample preparation, recommended reference fungi, inoculation methods (absorption or transfer), incubation, extraction and neutralization, plating and colony counting, calculation of the activity value (A), interpretation criteria and reporting requirements for treated textiles.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Accredited textile test laboratories, manufacturers developing or claiming antifungal treatments, product development and quality assurance teams, and regulators assessing product claims.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 13629-2:2014 is published and was confirmed at its 5‑year review; as of the ISO publication lifecycle information it remains the current Part 2 edition. Users should check ISO national bodies or ISO catalog for any later amendments or revisions before relying on the method for compliance.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — ISO 13629 is a multipart standard on antifungal activity of textiles; Part 1 covers a luminescence (ATP) method and Part 2 is the plate‑count method described here. Revisions of Part 1 and related documents have been published in the ISO catalogue.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: antifungal, plate count, CFU, fungistatic, fungicidal, textiles, inoculation methods, Aspergillus brasiliensis, neutralizer, ISO 13629.