ISO 105-X04-1994 PDF

Full title and description

ISO 105‑X04:1994 — Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part X04: Colour fastness to mercerizing. Specifies a laboratory method to determine the resistance of textile colour to the action of concentrated sodium hydroxide used in mercerizing processes, with assessment of change in colour and staining of adjacent fabrics.

Abstract

The standard describes a procedure in which a test specimen (usually cotton or a cotton blend) is treated with a specified sodium hydroxide solution while in contact with an adjacent fabric, then rinsed, acidified, rinsed again and dried; the change in the specimen's colour and staining of the adjacent fabric are evaluated using the grey scales for change and for staining.

General information

• Status: Published — confirmed and retained as the current edition following systematic review (confirmed 2020).
• Publication date: 1994-08/1994-09 (Edition 4, published 1994).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 59.080.01 (Textiles — tests for coloured textiles and colorants).
• Edition / version: Edition 4 (1994).
• Number of pages: 2 (official ISO bibliographic record).

Scope

This part of ISO 105 specifies a laboratory test method to determine the resistance of dyed textiles — primarily cotton and cotton-containing blends — to mercerizing conditions (concentrated sodium hydroxide). It covers sample preparation, treatment with the specified caustic solution while in contact with adjacent fabric, neutralization/acidification, rinsing and drying, and the visual assessment procedures for both change in colour and staining of adjacent fabrics. The method is intended for assessing how dyes behave during industrial mercerizing operations.

Key topics and requirements

• Test object: dyed textile specimen, mainly cotton or cotton blends.
• Reagent: specified concentration of sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) for mercerizing simulation.
• Procedure steps: contact with adjacent fabric, alkali treatment, rinsing, acidification/neutralization, final rinsing and drying.
• Assessment: visual grading of change in colour and staining using ISO grey scales (change and staining).
• Applicability: quality control, research and development, and conformance checking where mercerizing is used or simulated.

Typical use and users

Used by textile test laboratories, dye and chemical manufacturers, fabric mills, garment/finished‑goods quality assurance teams, and R&D departments to evaluate dye performance under mercerizing conditions and to check suitability of dyes and dyeing recipes for mercerizing processes. Accredited testing/contract laboratories offering ISO 105 series testing commonly perform these methods.

Related standards

ISO 105 is a multipart series covering general principles (e.g., ISO 105‑A01) and many specific fastness tests (parts B, C, E, X, Z, etc.). ISO 105‑X04 is one of the 'X' miscellaneous test parts; related parts include ISO 105‑A01 (general principles and lists of parts) and other X‑series tests for chemical processes (for example X06, X12, etc.). For additional colour‑fastness categories see the full ISO 105 series index.

Keywords

mercerizing, sodium hydroxide, caustic soda, colour fastness, colour fastness to mercerizing, textile testing, ISO 105, cotton, grey scale, staining, quality control

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 105‑X04:1994 is an ISO test method that specifies how to evaluate the colour fastness of textiles (mainly cotton) to mercerizing (treatment with concentrated sodium hydroxide).

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers specimen preparation, exposure to specified NaOH conditions in contact with adjacent fabric, rinsing and acidification, drying, and assessment of change and staining using ISO grey scales.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Textile test laboratories, fabric and dye manufacturers, mills and QA teams use it for R&D and routine quality control where mercerizing or its effects on dyes need to be assessed.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The 1994 edition (Edition 4) remains the published ISO edition and was last reviewed and confirmed in 2020, so it is retained as the current edition in the ISO catalogue.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — ISO 105 is a multipart series of colour‑fastness tests; ISO 105‑X04 is one part of that series (the A‑parts give general principles and an index of parts).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Mercerizing; sodium hydroxide; caustic soda; colour fastness; staining; grey scale; cotton; ISO 105; textile testing.