ASTM D6603-00
(Guide)Standard Guide for Labeling of UV-Protective Textiles
Standard Guide for Labeling of UV-Protective Textiles
SCOPE
1.1 This standard describes labeling requirements for textile products intended for the protection of humans from UVA and UVB radiation.
1.2 This standard is not intended to be used for the labeling of medical-device sun protective fabrics and clothing whose labeling is specified in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Draft Guidance for the Preparation of a Premarket Notification document.
1.3 The label requirements are in addition to those required by the Care Labeling Rule and fiber content (composition) labeling acts (Wool Products Labeling Act of 1939, and The Textile Fiber Products Identification Act).
1.4 This document contains terminology to be used in the labeling of UV-protective textiles.
1.5 Labeling recommended in this guide will be based on UV protection data collected by instrumental methods.
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Designation:D6603–00
Standard Guide for
Labeling of UV-Protective Textiles
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 6603; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope Fiber Products Identification Act
15 U.S.C., Chapter 2, Subchapter III, et. seq., Wool Prod-
1.1 This standard describes labeling requirements for textile
ucts Labeling Act of 1939
products intended for the protection of humans from UVAand
16 C.F.R. Part 300, Rules and Regulations Under the Wool
UVB radiation.
Products Identification Act
1.2 This standard is not intended to be used for the labeling
16 C.F.R Part 423, Care Labeling of Wearing Apparel and
of medical-device sun protective fabrics and clothing whose
Certain Piece Goods
labeling is specified in the U.S. Food and Drug Administra-
AS/NZS 4399: 1996, Australian/New Zealand Standard
tion’s Draft Guidance for the Preparation of a Premarket
Sun Protective Clothing - Evaluation and Classification
Notification document.
FDA Office of Device Evaluation, Draft Guidance for the
1.3 The label requirements are in addition to those required
Preparation of a Premarket Notification (510(K)) Submis-
by the Care Labeling Rule and fiber content (composition)
sion for Sun Protective Clothing, August 10, 1994
labeling acts (Wool Products Labeling Act of 1939, and The
Textile Fiber Products Identification Act).
3. Terminology
1.4 This document contains terminology to be used in the
3.1 Definitions:
labeling of UV-protective textiles.
3.1.1 UV-protective textile, n—any textile whose manufac-
1.5 Labeling recommended in this guide will be based on
turer and/or seller claims that it protects consumers from
UV protection data collected by instrumental methods.
ultraviolet (UV) light, claims the reduction of risk of skin
2. Referenced Documents injury associated with UV exposure, and/or uses a rating
system that quantifies the amount of UV protection afforded.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
3.1.1.1 Discussion—UV-protective textiles include various
D 123 Terminology Related to Textiles
articles of apparel, accessories such as hats and shoes, shade
D 3938 Guide for Determining or Confirming Care Instruc-
devices such as umbrellas, awnings, and baby-carrier covers,
tions for Apparel and Other Textile Consumer Products
and the fabric/materials used to produce these items.
D 5489 Guide for Care Symbols for Care Instructions on
3.1.1.2 Discussion—UV-protective textiles are sometimes
Textile Products
referred to as sun-protective textiles.
D 6544 Practice for the Preparation of Textiles Prior to UV
3.1.2 ultraviolet protection factor (UPF), n—theratioofthe
Transmission Testing
average effective ultraviolet radiation (UV-R) irradiance trans-
2.2 AATCC Standards:
mitted and calculated through air to the average effective
183 Transmittance or Blocking of Erythemally Weighted
4 ultraviolet radiation (UV-R) irradiance transmitted and calcu-
Ultraviolet Radiation through Fabrics
lated through fabric.
2.3 Other Standards:
3.1.2.1 Discussion—A UPF value is a relative ranking of
15 U.S.C., Chapter 2, Subchapter V, The Textile Fiber
the UVprotective capabilities of a textile fabric and should not
Products Identification Act
be construed as a determination of time to sunburn.
16C.F.R.Part303, RulesandRegulationsUndertheTextile
3.1.3 UV-protection categories, n—a means to indicate the
relative amount of protection provided by UV-protective tex-
tiles.
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D13 on Textiles and
3.1.3.1 Discussion—FabricsdeterminedtohaveUPFvalues
is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D13.65 on UV Protective Fabrics and
of 15 to 24 are classified in and labeled as having Good UV
Clothing.
Protection, fabrics determined to have UPF values between 25
Current edition approved Nov. 10, 2000. Published February 2001.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 07.01.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 07.02.
Available from American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, PO
Box 12215, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Available from Standards Australia, 1 the Crescent, Homebush NSW 2140
Available from Superintendent of Documents, US Government Printing Office, Australia and Standards New Zealand, Level 10, Standards House, 155TheTerrace,
Washington, DC 20402. Wellington 0001, New Zealand.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
D6603–00
and 39 are classed in and labeled as having Very Good 4.7 UV protective labeling should be used on any, and all,
UV-Protection, and fabrics determined to have UPF values fabricsand/orgarmentsifthoseproductsmakeaUVprotective
greater than 39 are classed in and labeled as having Excellent claim as determined by this Guide.
UV Protection.
5. Determination of Mean UPF of Prepared-for-Testing
4. Significance and Use Specimens
4.1 This guide to labeling provides a uniform system of 5.1 The determination of Mean UPF (UPF ) of prepared-
m
labeling on UV-protective textiles that informs consumers for-testing specimens is based on measurements on specimens
about the amount of UV-protection provided.
that have been exposed to environments that may alter the
transmittance of ultraviolet radiation through them. Fabric
4.2 UV-protective textiles labeled according to this standard
will permit consumers to compare the amount of protection specimens shall have been prepared for UV transmittance
testing according to ASTM D 6544.
provided by various textiles and purchase the product that best
meets their sun protection needs.
5.2 The measurement site UPF (MS ) is the arithmetic
UPF
4.3 UV-labeling is in addition to other required labeling of average of the UPFs obtained when a prepared-for-testing
garments including Permanent Care Labels and fiber content specimen, is rotated in spectrophotometric equipment as di-
(composition) labels. rected in AATCC 183.
4.4 Manufacturers are encouraged to provide information to
UPF 5 UPF 1 UPF 1 .1 UPF
1 2 N
MS 5
UPF
consumers that aids in selecting products that provide the
N
amount of UV-protection desired.
where:
4.5 UV-protective textiles labeled according to this standard
N = the number of measurements at a site on the prepared-
guide will be labeled with a UPF value. AATCC Test Method
for-testing test specimen.
183 must be used to determine the mean UPF values of
5.3 The test specimen UPF (TS ) is the arithmetic aver-
UPF
unprepared specimens, of specimens prepared using ASTM
age of the measurement site UPFs. The formula for calculating
D 6544 (prepared-for-testing specimens), and of specimens
it is:
taken from garments labeled “Wash once before wearing,”
these specimens being taken after the garment is laundered UPF 1 UPF 1 .1 UPF
1 2 N
TS 5
UPF
N
once according to label directions. The latter specimens are
referred to as laundered-once specimens in this document. A
where:
label UPF will be calculated for the various types of specimens
N = the number of measurement sites.
following directions provided in this document. Usually, the
5.4 The mean UPF (UPF ) is the arithmetic average of the
m
value to be placed on the product label will be the label UPF
prepared for testing test specimen UPFs. The formula for
calculated for the prepared-for-testing specimens or the label
calculating it is:
UPF calculated for the unprepared specimens, whichever is the
UPF 1 UPF 1 .1 UPF
lower value. In the case of products to be labeled “Wash once
1 2 N
UPF 5
m
N
beforewearing”orsimilarwording,theUPFvaluetobeplaced
on the product label will be either the UPF calculated for the
where:
prepared-for-testing specimens or the laundered-once speci-
N = the number of prepared-for-testing test specimens.
mens, whichever value is the lower one.
4.5.1 Discussion—The UPF value to be placed on a gar-
6. Determination of Mean UPF of Unprepared and
ment label needs to be the lowest protection value expected
Laundered-once Specimens
during consumer use over a two-year period. Usually, this UPF
6.1 The Mean UPF (UPF ) must be calculated using the
value will be that obtained for the prepared-for-testing speci- m
UPF specimen values of the unprepared specimens or the UPF
mens because they have been laundered 40 times and exposed
values of the laundered-once specimens. Proper sampling
to UV-radiation to simulate conditions expected to lower the
procedures as stated in ASTM D 6544 should have been
UPF during consumer use. However, for certain fabrics, knits
followed in selecting the yardage from which the unprepared
in particular, the fabric manufacturer must tenter (stretch) the
specimens are taken and likewise proper sampling procedures
fabric to standard width for the garment manufacturer. This
should be followed in selecting the garments to be laundered
process decreases the UPF of the fabric dramatically because
and from which the laundered-once specimens are taken.
the optical porosity, which has a significant influence on UPF,
is increased and does not represent the lowest UPF provided to 6.2 The measurement site UPF (MS ) is the arithmetic
UPF
average of the UPFs obtained when an unprepared specimen or
the consumer because after the first laundering the protection
lost is restored as the fabric is likely to shrinkage reducing the laundered-once specimen, is rotated in spectrophotometric
equipment as directed in AATCC 183. The formula to use is
optical porosity of the fabric. In these cases, the value to
compare to the prepared-for-testing value is logically that of that in 5.2 except that N = the number of measurements at a
site on the unprepared or laundered-once specimen.
laundered once specimens.
4.6 UV-protective labeling is intended to be used on textile 6.3 The test specimen UPF (TS ) is the arithmetic aver-
UPF
products whose design or styling provides purposeful protec- age of the mea
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