ISO 4484-1:2023

Overview

ISO 4484-1:2023 - Textiles and textile products - Microplastics from textile sources - Part 1: Determination of material loss from fabrics during washing - specifies a laboratory method to collect and quantify material loss (assumed fibre fragments) from fabric test specimens under controlled laundering test conditions. The method provides a reproducible accelerated washing protocol, vacuum filtration and gravimetric assessment to report material loss as a ratio of lost mass to specimen mass. The document notes there is no direct correlation to domestic or commercial laundering and that identification of debris composition is covered in ISO 4484-2.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Test objective: Systematic collection and gravimetric determination of material loss (fibre fragments) from fabrics during simulated laundering.
• Specimen preparation: Cut rectangles (150 ± 10 mm × 290 ± 10 mm) reduced to finished size (100 ± 10 mm × 240 ± 10 mm) with double-rolled hems and lock-stitch (ISO 4915/4916 references). Minimum set of 4 specimens per sample.
• Apparatus & materials:
  • Accelerated laundering device with rotating shaft and horizontal stainless-steel containers.
  • Stainless-steel containers (1 200 ± 50 ml) loaded with 360 ml grade 3/distilled water (ISO 3696) and ~50 stainless steel balls.
  • Glass-fibre filters, 1.6 µm pore, 47 mm diameter (no binder); vacuum filtration assembly.
  • Oven (50 ± 3 °C), analytical balance (resolution ≥ 0.1 mg), desiccator, tweezers, sieve, etc.
• Washing conditions: Agitation at (40 ± 2) °C for (45 ± 1) min with rotation speed (40 ± 2) min⁻¹.
• Pre-treatment & filtration: Filters pre-rinsed and dried; separate filtration for each container; careful rinsing and collection of all rinse water; debris assumed to be fibre fragments.
• Results & reporting: Material loss determined gravimetrically; mass ratio of material loss to specimen mass reported. Test report requirements and annexes provide rationale, statistics and further investigation topics.

Applications and users

• Who uses it: textile manufacturers, test laboratories, R&D teams, sustainability and QA departments, regulatory labs evaluating microplastic release potential from fabrics.
• Practical uses: comparative screening of fabrics and production methods to reduce shedding, product development to minimize microplastic release, laboratory benchmarking of fabric durability under controlled laundering simulation, and supporting sustainability claims based on laboratory-assessed material loss.

Related standards

• ISO 4484-2 - for identification/composition of collected debris (referenced).
• ISO 3696, ISO 4915, ISO 4916 - referenced for water quality and stitch/seam terminology.

Keywords: ISO 4484-1:2023, microplastics from textiles, material loss from fabrics during washing, laundering test method, fibre fragments, gravimetric assessment, textile testing, filter 1.6 µm.