Overview
EN ISO 105-C08:2010 - Colour fastness to domestic and commercial laundering - specifies a standardized test method to evaluate how textile colours resist washing when exposed to a non-phosphate reference detergent that includes a low‑temperature bleach activator (TAED). The method simulates one domestic or commercial laundering cycle, combining chemical (alkalinity, bleaching) and mechanical (abrasive) actions to approximate real-world washing. Note: the method does not reflect effects caused by optical brighteners in some commercial detergents.
Keywords: EN ISO 105-C08:2010, colour fastness, laundering, non-phosphate reference detergent, low-temperature bleach activator, textiles testing, ISO 105.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope: Applies to textiles of all kinds and forms for domestic and commercial laundering assessment.
- Reference detergent & reagents: Uses the ECE non‑phosphate reference detergent base (1998 formulation), TAED (tetra‑acetylethylenediamine) as low‑temperature bleach activator, and sodium perborate tetrahydrate.
- Abrasive action: Achieved using stainless steel balls (~6 mm diameter) to simulate mechanical wear in a single test cycle.
- Apparatus: Mechanical laundering device with a rotatable shaft and stainless containers in a thermostatically controlled water bath; rotation frequency and temperature tolerances specified for reproducible results.
- Adjacent fabrics: Use of multifibre or single‑fibre adjacent fabrics (ISO 105‑Fxx) to detect staining; selection varies with test temperature (examples: 40 °C, 50 °C, 60 °C, 95 °C).
- Assessment: Colour change and staining assessed visually with the grey scales (ISO 105‑A02/A03) or instrumentally (spectrophotometer/colorimeter per ISO 105‑A04/A05).
- Water quality: Grade 3 laboratory water (ISO 3696) is specified.
- Limitations: Does not simulate effects of optical brighteners present in some commercial washing products.
Applications and who uses it
- Textile manufacturers & dye houses: Validate dyeing processes, optimize formulations, and control batch acceptance.
- Quality control laboratories: Standardized method for QC testing and lot release.
- Retailers and brand owners: Verify product claims for wash performance and labelling.
- R&D and formulation teams: Compare performance of fibres, dyes, finishes and detergents under controlled laundering conditions.
- Certification bodies & test houses: Use for compliance testing, customer specifications, and inter‑laboratory comparisons.
Practical benefits: predictable, reproducible assessment of wash‑related colour loss and staining; helps reduce returns, improve durability claims, and support product specifications.
Related standards
- ISO 105 series (Textiles - Tests for colour fastness), notably:
- ISO 105-A01 (general principles)
- ISO 105-A02 / A03 (grey scales for change and staining)
- ISO 105-A04 / A05 (instrumental assessment)
- ISO 105-F01–F10 (adjacent fabric specifications)
- ISO 3696 (water quality for laboratory use)
Use EN ISO 105-C08:2010 when you need a standardized, reproducible method to evaluate colour fastness to modern, non‑phosphate laundering formulations with low‑temperature bleaching.