This part of ISO 105 provides general information about the methods for testing colour fastness of textiles for
the guidance of users. The uses and limitations of the methods are pointed out, several terms are defined, an
outline of the form of the methods is given and the contents of the clauses constituting the methods are
discussed. Procedures common to a number of the methods are discussed briefly.
Colour fastness means the resistance of the colour of textiles to the different agents to which these materials
may be exposed during manufacture and their subsequent use. The change in colour and staining of undyed
adjacent fabrics are assessed as fastness ratings. Other visible changes in the textile material under test, for
example surface effects, change in gloss or shrinkage, are considered as separate properties and reported as
such.
The methods can be used not only for assessing colour fastness of textiles but also for assessing colour
fastness of dyes. When a method is so used, the dye is applied to the textile in specified depths of colour by
stated procedures and the material is then tested in the usual way.
For the most part, individual methods are concerned with colour fastness to a single agent, as the agents of
interest in a particular case, and the order of application, will generally vary. It is recognized that experience
and future developments in practice can justify procedures in which two or more agents are combined.
The conditions in the tests have been chosen to correspond closely to treatments usually employed in
manufacture and to conditions of ordinary use. At the same time, they have been kept as simple and
reproducible as possible. As it cannot be hoped that the tests will duplicate all the conditions under which
textiles are processed or used, the fastness ratings are interpreted according to the particular needs of each
user. They provide, however, a common basis for testing and reporting colour fastness.
BS EN ISO 105-A01:2010 Referenced Document
ISO 105-A02 Textiles - Tests for colour fastness - Part A02: Grey scale for assessing change in colour; Technical Corrigendum 2
ISO 105-A03 Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part A03: Grey scale for assessing staining*, 2019-10-08 Update
ISO 105-A04 Textiles; tests for colour fastness; part A04: method for the instrumental assessment of the degree of staining of adjacent fabrics
ISO 105-A05 Textiles - Tests for colour fastness - Part A05: Instrumental assessment of change in colour for determination of grey scale rating; Technical Corrigendum 2
ISO 139 Textiles — Standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing AMENDMENT 1
ISO 3696 Water for analytical laboratory use; Specification and test methods
BS EN ISO 105-A01:2010 history
2010BS EN ISO 105-A01:2010 Textiles - Tests for colour fastness - General principles of testing
1996BS EN ISO 105-A01:1996 Textiles - Tests for colour fastness - General principles of testing