ISO 13935-1:2014

Overview

ISO 13935-1:2014 - Textiles - Seam tensile properties of fabrics and made-up textile articles - Part 1 specifies the strip method for determining the maximum force to seam rupture when force is applied perpendicular to a straight sewn seam. The procedure is intended mainly for woven fabrics (including elastomeric or mechanically/chemically stretched woven fabrics) and applies to seams prepared from sewn articles or sewn specifically for testing. The method requires constant-rate-of-extension (CRE) tensile machines and is not normally applicable to geotextiles, nonwovens, coated fabrics, textile‑glass woven fabrics, or carbon‑fibre and polyolefin tape yarn fabrics.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Test principle: A specimen with a seam at mid‑width is extended perpendicular to the seam until rupture; the maximum force (N) is recorded.
• Strip test definition: Full width of the specimen gripped in the machine jaws.
• Specimen preparation:
  • Laboratory samples produce at least five specimens of 100 mm width.
  • Fray areas with four 25 mm cuts made 10 mm from the seam and frayed to produce an effective width of 50 mm, maintaining full 100 mm width within 10 mm of the seam.
  • Only straight seams are tested (curved seams excluded).
• Machine and metrology:
  • Use a CRE testing machine with metrological confirmation per ISO 10012.
  • Force measurement accuracy: class 1 per ISO 7500-1 (±1% error) or state if class 2 used.
  • Minimum data acquisition: 8 samples/sec if using data acquisition.
  • Machine settings: gauge length 200 ±1 mm, rate of extension 100 mm/min (±10%).
  • Jaws must hold specimens without slippage or cutting; serrated or capstan jaws may be used for stretch fabrics.
• Conditioning: Preconditioning and testing atmosphere per ISO 139 (recommend ≥24 h relaxed conditioning).
• Result handling: Record maximum force and rupture mode (fabric tear, seam failure, thread break, thread pull‑out). Exclude tests that fail by fabric or jaw tear and repeat to obtain five valid seam ruptures.

Applications and users

• Quality control and production testing for garment and textile manufacturers.
• Material selection and R&D for textile engineers evaluating seam performance.
• Testing laboratories performing conformity checks and supplier verification.
• Specifiers and procurement teams requiring verified seam strength data for technical specifications and product claims.
• Useful when comparing seam strength to fabric tensile strength provided the same test type and conditions are used.

Related standards

• ISO 13935-2: Grab method for seam rupture (complements Part 1)
• ISO 13934-1: Tensile properties of fabrics (for fabric maximum force comparisons)
• ISO 139: Conditioning atmospheres for textile testing
• ISO 7500-1 and ISO 10012: Machine verification and measurement management

Keywords: ISO 13935-1:2014, seam tensile properties, strip method, seam rupture, CRE tensile testing, textile testing, seam maximum force.