IEC 63203-204-1:2021

Wearable electronic devices and technologies - Part 204-1: Electronic textile - Test method for assessing washing durability of leisurewear and sportswear e-textile systems

IEC 63203-204-1:2021 specifies a household washing durability test method for leisurewear and sportswear e-textile systems. This document includes testing procedures for leisurewear and sportswear products with electrically conductive components and sensors to collect the data of the user. This document does not cover safety or heat-generation test methods. Products containing other components than those listed in this clause are not covered by this document.

Technologies et dispositifs électroniques prêts-à-porter - Partie 204-1 : Textile électronique - Méthode d'essai pour l’évaluation de la durabilité au lavage des systèmes e-textiles des vêtements de sport et de loisirs

L'IEC 63203-204-1:2021 spécifie une méthode d'essai de la durabilité au lavage des systèmes e-textiles des vêtements de sport et de loisirs utilisable dans le cadre domestique. Le présent document contient des modes opératoires d’essai pour les vêtements de sport et de loisirs qui comportent des composants électriquement conducteurs et des capteurs destinés à recueillir des données de l’utilisateur. Le présent document ne traite pas des méthodes d'essai portant sur la sécurité ou la production de chaleur. Les produits qui comportent des composants autres que ceux énumérés dans cet article ne sont pas couverts par le présent document.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 10-May-2021
• ICS: 59.080.01 - Textiles in general
• ICS: 59.080.80 - Smart textiles
• Technical Committee: TC 124 - Wearable electronic devices and technologies
• Drafting Committee: WG 2 - TC 124/WG 2
• Current Stage: DELPUB - Deleted Publication
• Start Date: 16-Mar-2023
• Completion Date: 29-Apr-2022

Relations

• Revised: IEC 63203-204-1:2023 - Wearable electronic devices and technologies - Part 204-1: Electronic textile - Test method for assessing washing durability of e-textile products
• Effective Date: 05-Sep-2023

Overview

IEC 63203-204-1:2021 is an international standard published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) that defines a test method for assessing the washing durability of electronic textiles (e-textiles) used in leisurewear and sportswear. Specifically designed for apparel that incorporates electrically conductive components and sensors, this standard provides a household washing durability test procedure to ensure product reliability after repeated laundering cycles.

The standard focuses on fitness and leisurewear that contains integrated electronics for user data collection. It excludes safety and heat-generation testing and applies only to products with conductive textiles and sensors specified within the document’s scope. This ensures manufacturers and testers can consistently evaluate e-textile systems' robustness and functionality when exposed to domestic washing conditions.

Key Topics

• Scope and Application: The standard applies to leisurewear and sportswear e-textile systems equipped with conductive textiles and integrated sensors. Accessories like watches and glasses are excluded.

• Test Preconditions: Prior to washing, samples must be verified for proper operation in accordance with the product’s user manual. Resistance measurements of the conductive textile areas are taken to establish baseline electrical properties.

• Washing Durability Test:

  • The washing procedures follow the internationally recognized ISO 6330 standard for domestic washing and drying methods.
  • Hand washing may be specified as a gentler option appropriate for fragile connections between modules and conductive textiles.
  • Detachable components such as connection modules and batteries must be removed before washing; embedded components remain during testing.

• Post-Washing Evaluation: After washing and drying cycles, the e-textile system is re-evaluated for operational status and electrical resistance, identifying any disconnections or electrical degradation.

• Test Reporting Requirements: Detailed documentation of the test process is mandatory, including product details, care label instructions, washing/drying methods, electrical resistance data, and functional evaluation results before and after washing.

Applications

IEC 63203-204-1:2021 is critical for manufacturers, testing laboratories, and quality control professionals involved with wearable electronic devices and smart textiles for sports and leisure markets. Its practical applications include:

• Product Development: Ensuring that innovative e-textile leisurewear and sportswear maintain functionality and electrical integrity after repeated household washing cycles.

• Quality Assurance: Verifying that conductive textiles and integrated sensors withstand consumer laundering, thereby preventing premature product failure.

• Regulatory Compliance: Supporting global market acceptance by conforming to a harmonized test method aligned with ISO and IEC standards, facilitating entry into international markets.

• Research and Innovation: Providing benchmark test procedures for academia and industry research focused on enhancing the durability of electronic textile systems.

Related Standards

This standard interacts with and references several other internationally recognized standards to ensure uniform testing conditions and terminology:

• ISO 6330: Textiles – Domestic washing and drying procedures for textile testing. Specifies household washing and drying methods used in this test.

• EN 16812:2016: Textiles and textile products – Electrically conductive textiles – Determination of the linear electrical resistance of conductive tracks. Provides measurement methods referred to within IEC 63203-204-1 for resistance assessment.

• ISO 139: Textiles – Standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing. Defines the environmental conditions for pre-test sample conditioning.

• IEC 63203 Series: The broader series on Wearable Electronic Devices and Technologies covers various aspects of wearable tech, electronic textiles, and related testing methods.

Conclusion

IEC 63203-204-1:2021 is an essential standard for confirming the washing durability of sportswear and leisurewear e-textile systems. By establishing a comprehensive and reproducible test method, it enables producers and testers to ensure that wearable electronic products maintain their intended function after multiple household washes. Adhering to this standard improves product quality, enhances user satisfaction, and supports the growth of the smart textile market across the globe.

Keywords: IEC 63203-204-1, washing durability test, electronic textile, e-textile, sportswear test method, leisurewear electronics, conductive textiles, wearable electronic devices, smart textiles, ISO 6330, resistance measurement, household washing test.

Standards Content (Sample)

IEC 63203-204-1 ®
Edition 1.0 2021-05
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside
Wearable electronic devices and technologies –
Part 204-1: Electronic textile – Test method for assessing washing durability of
leisurewear and sportswear e-textile systems

Technologies et dispositifs électroniques prêts-à-porter –
Partie 204-1: Textile électronique – Méthode d'essai pour l’évaluation de la
durabilité au lavage des systèmes e-textiles des vêtements de sport et de loisirs

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IEC 63203-204-1 ®
Edition 1.0 2021-05
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside
Wearable electronic devices and technologies –

Part 204-1: Electronic textile – Test method for assessing washing durability of

leisurewear and sportswear e-textile systems

Technologies et dispositifs électroniques prêts-à-porter –

Partie 204-1: Textile électronique – Méthode d'essai pour l’évaluation de la

durabilité au lavage des systèmes e-textiles des vêtements de sport et de loisirs

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 59.080.01; 59.080.80 ISBN 978-2-8322-9779-7

– 2 – IEC 63203-204-1:2021 © IEC 2021
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Test method – General . 6
4.1 Checklist before washability test . 6
4.2 Washability test conditions . 6
4.3 Check of operation before/after washing test . 6
5 Test procedure . 6
5.1 Pretreatment . 6
5.2 Washing. 6
5.3 Test after washing and drying . 7
6 Test report . 7
Annex A (informative) Result of studies – Resistance measurement . 8
A.1 Test procedure . 8
A.2 Test results . 8

Figure 1 – Flow chart of test procedure . 7
Figure A.1 – Test results of resistance measurement after laundry test . 9

Table A.1 – Test conditions and results . 8

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
WEARABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND TECHNOLOGIES –

Part 204-1: Electronic textile – Test method for assessing washing
durability of leisurewear and sportswear e-textile systems

FOREWORD
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International Standard IEC 63203-204-1 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 124:
Wearable electronic devices and technologies.
The text of this International Standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
124/139/FDIS 124/145/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this International Standard can be found in the
report on voting indicated in the above table.
This document has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
A list of all parts in the IEC 63203 series, published under the general title Wearable electronic
devices and technologies, can be found on the IEC website.

– 4 – IEC 63203-204-1:2021 © IEC 2021
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WEARABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND TECHNOLOGIES –

Part 204-1: Electronic textile – Test method for assessing washing
durability of leisurewear and sportswear e-textile systems

1 Scope
This document specifies a household washing durability test method for leisurewear and
sportswear e-textile systems. This document includes testing procedures for leisurewear and
sportswear products with electrically conductive components and sensors to collect the data of
the user.
This document does not cover safety or heat-generation test methods. Products containing
other components than those listed in this clause are not covered by this document.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies.
For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any
amendments) applies.
ISO 139, Textiles – Standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing
ISO 6330, Textiles – Domestic washing and drying procedures for textile testing
EN 16812:2016, Textiles and textile products – Electrically conductive textiles – Determination
of the linear electrical resistance of conductive tracks
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following
addresses:
• IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
• ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
3.1
e-textile system
ETS
product made from textiles and integrated electronics that together perform one or more
functions
3.2
conductive textile
textile with electrical conductivity
3.3
leisurewear and sportswear
clothing worn to enjoy leisure and sports (excluding accessories such as watches and glasses)

– 6 – IEC 63203-204-1:2021 © IEC 2021
4 Test method – General
4.1 Checklist before washability test
Check the samples as described in the user manual and confirm that the samples are operating
properly according to the manufacturer-provided user manual. Then, measure the resistance
and mark the measurement area in accordance with EN 16812:2016, Figure 1, so that the same
area can be measured after each washability test. Since the shape of the product varies, select
the appropriate method to measure the resistance.
4.2 Washability test conditions
The washing test shall comply with the test procedure in ISO 6330. ISO 6330 offers various test
procedures. ETS leisurewear and sportswear for fitness contains a unit that connects the
modules and conductive textiles because of the nature of the product. Therefore, the inclusion
of a hand-washing condition in the procedure is considered appropriate because it causes less
damage to the product.
Conditions for washing the ETS leisurewear and sportswear for fitness are given as follows in
this Subclause 4.2 and in 4.3.
The type of washing machine, detergent, washing method, drying method and number of
repetitions are selected from methods standardized based on the manufacturer's designated
care label. If not specified, the washing machine type is an ISO 6330 reference washing
machine Type A, the washing procedure is 4H, and the drying method is procedure A – line dry.
If there is an agreement between the user and the supplier to apply the washing conditions as
specified in another international standard, those alternative washing conditions shall be
applied instead of those specified in this Subclause 4.2.
4.3 Check of operation before/after washing test
It is necessary to check the operation of the e-textile system under test after repeated washing
and drying of the product in accordance with the test conditions. Follow the procedure to check
the operation status before washing in accordance with the user manual, double-check the
operation status after washing and measure the resistance of the conductive textile to determine
whether there is any disconnection (see Annex A).
5 Test procedure
5.1 Pretreatment
5.1.1 The specimens shall be stored for at least 24 h in standard atmosphere conditions:
(20,0 ± 2,0) °C and (65,0 ± 5,0) % RH in accordance with ISO 139.
5.1.2 Start operating the product in the manner specified in the user manual. The product
shall be checked to ensure it is operating normally, and that it functions in accordance with the
user manual. If the features do not work as described, report malfunction.
5.1.3 All detachable components (e.g. connection module or batteries) shall be detached
before washing. All embedded components shall remain on the product during wash testing.
5.2 Washing
Wash and dry the specimens in accordance with one of the procedures specified in ISO 6330,
following the manufacturer's designated care label.

5.3 Test after washing and drying
After the ETS leisurewear and sportswear for fitness has been processed with washing and
drying, prepare to check the performance of the product. Check the operation status and
function of the product according to the specified order in the user manual (see example in
Figure 1).
Figure 1 – Flow chart of test procedure
6 Test report
The test reports of every test based on this document shall contain the following information:
a) number and year of publication of this document;
b) product, intended use and type of (detachable) components;
c) operation status of the product in accordance with the user manual;
d) care label instructions (if applicable);
e) washing and drying method, the number of washes;
f) electrical resistance after washing;
g) operation status of the product in accordance with the user manual after the product has
been washed.
– 8 – IEC 63203-204-1:2021 © IEC 2021
Annex A
(informative)
Result of studies – Resistance measurement
A.1 Test procedure
1) Prepare the test specimen, except for electrical components incorporated with batteries for
the test pieces provided by the manufacturer.
2) Set measurement points at 100 mm each to the right and left
...