EN 15973:2011

Rubber- or plastic-coated fabrics - Upholstery fabrics - Resistance to soiling

This European standard specifies a test method for assessing resistance to soiling and cleanability of coated fabrics for upholstery. This European standard is applicable to upholstery fabrics with a coating on the wear face.

Mit Kautschuk oder Kunststoff beschichtete Textilien - Möbelstoffe - Verhalten gegenüber Anschmutzen

Diese Europäische Norm legt ein Prüfverfahren zur Bewertung der Anschmutzbeständigkeit und Reini-gungsfähigkeit von beschichteten textilen Flächengebilden für Polstermöbel fest. Diese Europäische Norm gilt für Möbelstoffe mit einer Beschichtung auf der Nutzschicht.

Supports textiles revêtus de caoutchouc ou de plastique - Étoffes d'ameublement - Résistance à la salissure

La présente Norme européenne spécifie une méthode d’essai pour évaluer la résistance à la salissure et à l’aptitude au nettoyage des supports textiles revêtus pour l’ameublement. La présente Norme européenne s’applique aux étoffes d’ameublement dotées d’un revêtement sur la face d’utilisation.

Gumirane ali plastificirane tekstilije - Dekorativni in tapetniški materiali - Odpornost proti zamazanju

Ta standard opisuje metodo za ocenjevanje odpornosti proti madežem in zmožnost čiščenja plastificiranih tekstilij z vrednotenjem svetlosti, barve in madežev.
Ta standard velja za dekorativne in tapetniške materiale za domačo in javno uporabo, razen kadar se uporabljajo za sedeže cestnih ali železniških vozil, plovil ali letal.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 01-Mar-2011
• Withdrawal Date: 29-Sep-2011
• ICS: 59.080.40 - Coated fabrics
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 248 - Textiles and textile products
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 248/WG 4 - Coated fabrics
• Current Stage: 9093 - Decision to confirm - Review Enquiry
• Start Date: 17-Mar-2023
• Completion Date: 14-Apr-2025
• Ref Project: SIST EN 15973:2011 - Rubber or plastic-coated fabrics - Upholstery fabrics - Resistance to soiling

Overview

EN 15973:2011 specifies a standardized laboratory test method for assessing resistance to soiling and cleanability of rubber- or plastic-coated upholstery fabrics. Published by CEN, the standard applies to coated fabrics with a coating on the wear face and defines the test principle, apparatus, conditioning, soiling procedures (dry, aqueous, oily), cleaning method and visual assessment using a grey scale.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope: Applicable to upholstery coated fabrics (rubber or plastic on the wear face).
• Test principle: Soiling of specimens with three soil types (dry/solid, aqueous, oily), conditioning, cleaning half of the soiled area, and visual assessment before and after cleaning.
• Soiling types and materials:
  • Dry soiling: soiling cloth (denim, cotton) printed/soiled with carbon black/olive oil, indigo/sulphur dyes; applied using a Martindale rubbing action.
  • Aqueous soiling: instant coffee solution (specified concentration and temperature).
  • Oily soiling: paraffin oil with carotene dye.
• Apparatus: Martindale abrasion machine configured with pilling specimen holders (modified stroke 60 ±1 mm), wool felt underlays, circular cutters and glass plates as described in the standard.
• Test parameters:
  • Dry soiling: typically 1 000 rub cycles on the Martindale machine.
  • Aqueous/oily soiling: fixed volume applied to a cotton cloth placed on the specimen (2.0 ± 0.1 ml standard; reduced for perforated materials).
  • Conditioning climates: 20 °C/65 % RH or 23 °C/50 % RH (EN ISO 2231 reference).
  • Cleaning agent: 0.5 % sodium lauryl ether sulphate solution; half the soiled area is cleaned by blotting with a wetted cotton cloth.
• Assessment: Visual comparison against an untreated reference using the grey scale (EN 20105‑A03); lowest rating reported and repeat rules if results differ widely.
• Reporting: Test reports must reference EN 15973, describe the tested coated textile, soils used, conditioning climate, number of rub cycles, grey scale ratings after soiling and after cleaning, and any deviations.

Applications and users

• Textile and coated-fabric manufacturers - product development and quality control for upholstery finishes.
• Independent test laboratories - standardized test reports for compliance and comparisons.
• Furniture and contract interiors specifiers and procurement teams - verify cleanability claims and select suitable coated upholstery.
• R&D teams - evaluate changes in coatings, finishes or cleaning formulations.
• Regulatory/compliance officers - harmonize requirements in procurement or certification documents.

Keywords: EN 15973:2011, resistance to soiling, coated fabrics, upholstery fabrics, cleanability test, Martindale, grey scale assessment.

Related standards

• EN 20105‑A03 (Grey scale for staining)
• EN ISO 2231 (Conditioning and testing atmospheres)
• EN ISO 12945‑2 / EN ISO 12947‑1 (Martindale/pilling apparatus)
• ISO 105‑F09 (Cotton rubbing cloth)
• EN 13360 (Terminology for coated fabrics)

Standards Content (Sample)

2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.Gumirane ali plastificirane tekstilije - Dekorativni in tapetniški materiali - Odpornost proti zamazanjuMit Kautschuk oder Kunststoff beschichtete Textilien - Möbelstoffe - Verhalten gegenüber AnschmutzenSupports textiles revêtus de caoutchouc ou de matière plastique - Étoffes d'ameublement - Résistance à la salissureRubber or plastic-coated fabrics - Upholstery fabrics - Resistance to soiling59.080.40WHNVWLOLMHCoated fabricsICS:Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z:EN 15973:2011SIST EN 15973:2011en,fr,de01-november-2011SIST EN 15973:2011SLOVENSKI
STANDARD
EUROPEAN STANDARD NORME EUROPÉENNE EUROPÄISCHE NORM
EN 15973
March 2011 ICS 59.080.40 English Version
Rubber- or plastic-coated fabrics - Upholstery fabrics - Resistance to soiling
Supports textiles revêtus de caoutchouc ou de plastique - Étoffes d'ameublement - Résistance à la salissure
Mit Kautschuk oder Kunststoff beschichtete Textilien - Möbelstoffe - Verhalten gegenüber Anschmutzen This European Standard was approved by CEN on 15 January 2011.
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
Management Centre:
Avenue Marnix 17,
B-1000 Brussels © 2011 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CEN national Members. Ref. No. EN 15973:2011: ESIST EN 15973:2011

Example for report of results . 10Bibliography . 11 SIST EN 15973:2011

(ISO 105-A03:1993) EN ISO 2231, Rubber- or plastics-coated fabrics — Standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing
(ISO 2231:1989) EN ISO 12945-2, Textiles — Determination of fabric propensity to surface fuzzing and to pilling — Part 2: Modified Martindale method (ISO 12945-2:2000) EN ISO 12947-1, Textiles — Determination of the abrasion resistance of fabrics by the Martindale method — Part 1: Martindale abrasion testing apparatus (ISO 12947-1:1998) ISO 105-F09, Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part F09: Specification for cotton rubbing cloth 3 Terms and definitions For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply. 3.1 coated fabric fabric with an adherent, discrete continuous layer of rubber and/or plastic based material on one or both surfaces (see EN 13360) 3.2 soiling process of transferring one or more unwanted substances to the surface of a material NOTE
The term "staining": a special case of soiling caused by one or more dyes or pigments. 3.3 cleanability property of the coated fabric to be restored to its original appearance after cleaning
a) solid soil and dyes transferred by a soiling cloth;
b) an aqueous soil and
c) an oily soil.
After soiling and a conditioning period the specimens are cleaned. The specimens are visually assessed before and after cleaning. 5 Apparatus and materials 5.1 Martindale apparatus, according to EN ISO 12947-1. 5.2 Pilling specimen holder heads, for the Martindale apparatus (5.1), including the auxiliary mandrel device for specimen mounting, as defined in EN ISO 12945-2. Pilling specimen holder fitted with ring weight and the nominal 12 kPa loading piece (sum of the mass of the applied load and the mass of the specimen holder assembly of (1 010 ± 15) g). NOTE 1 This exerts a nominal pressure of 1,6 kPa on the test specimen during the test. NOTE 2 The use of the mandrel is necessary to correctly mount the soiling cloth on the holder and to avoid contact with the soiling surface of the cloth. Use the option that forms a Lissajous figure with a (60 ± 1) mm stroke. It should be noted that this stroke differs from the standard machine setting for the textile pilling test. WARNING — Some Martindale apparatus have been designed such as the clamping ring is fastened around the abradant table with protuberant screws. Such screws do not allow mechanically the free movement of the pilling specimen holder heads, and then, such apparatus are not available to perform this test method. 5.3 Wool felt underlay, according to EN ISO 12945-2, cut to a diameter of (90 ± 1) mm, for the pilling holder (5.2). 5.4 Wool felt underlay, according to EN ISO 12947-1, cut to a diameter of (140 ± 1) mm, for the abrading table of the Martindale apparatus (5.1). 5.5 Circular sample cutters, for the specimen and soiling cloth, one cutter with a diameter of at least 140 mm. 5.6 Pipettes, for application of the liquids, accurate to at least 0,1 ml. 5.7 Glass plates, size at least 150 mm x 150 m
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