BDS1898:  
Bangladesh Standard 
Specification for Towels and Towelling 
(First Revision) 
 
1. Scope 
This standard specifies constructional details and other particulars of terry, huck-a-back, other towelling 
and towels; bleached, dyed, printed or striped. The standard does not specify design,general 
appearance, feel, finish or shade, etc (see also 5.1). 
2. Normative References 
The Bangladesh standard listed in Annex – A are necessary adjuncts to this standard. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies. 
 
3. Terminology 
For the purpose of this specification the following definitions shall apply: 
3.1 Huck-a-back weave: A weave used principally for towels and glass cloths in which a rough surface 
effect is produced on a plain-ground texture by short floats, warp on one side and weft on the other. 
 
3.2 Terry weave: A weave used principally for towels and bathmats having an extra set of warp yarns 
which project from the base to form loops on one or both sides of the fabric. 
3.3 Pile to ground ratio: Length of pile warp per unit length of fabric in warp direction. 
 
4. Types 
 
Depending on the dimensions, the towels shall be of the following types: 
 
a) Face towels; 
 
b) Hand towels; 
 
c) Bath towels; 
 
d) Bath Sheet; 
 
e) Beach towels; 
 
f) Bath robe; 
 
g) Barmop/Barwipe; 
 
h) Kitchen Towel; 
 
i) Tea Towel and; 
 
j) Others. 
 
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5. Fabric 
[[ 
5.1 Yarn 
 
The cotton yarn, polycotton yarn or others yarn used agreed between the buyer and seller shall be of less 
twist and evenly spun.  
5.2 Fabric Construction 
 
Terry towelling shall meet the construction particulars given in Table 1 and Huck-a-back fabric shall 
conform to the construction particulars given in Table 2 and other towelling constructional particulars shall 
comply with the buyer requirements. The count of warp and weft are given for guidance only. 
 
5.3 Free from Defects 
The fabric when visually examined shall be free from spinning, weaving and processing defects (see 
BDS ISO 8498). The bleached fabric shall have a full bleach finish and shall be free from blueing or 
optical whitening agents, if required by the buyer. In case of dyed fabric the fabric shall be thoroughly 
scoured prior to dyeing so that the maximum absorbency is obtained. The dyeing shall be uniform 
without stains, streaks, patches, etc. and shall match the required shade. 
5.4 Fabric Properties 
The fabric shall conform to the performance requirements given in Table 3. Dyed yarn used in stripes, 
dyed fabric or printed fabric shall conform to the colour fastness ratings given in Table 3. 
 
6. Requirements for Towels 
6.1 Fabric 
Towels shall be made from appropriate fabric conforming to Table 3. 
 
6.2  Sizes 
 
The dimensions of the towels to be determined by the methods prescribed in BDS ISO 22198. 
 
 
6.3  Sewing Thread 
 
Sewing thread shall be used as agreed between the buyer and the seller. 
6.4 Transverse Ends or End Hems 
 
Each transverse end of towel shall have a minimum 13 mm hem with a full turn-in at each end or as per 
buyer requirements.  
 
6.5 Side Edges 
 
The side edges shall be either selvedges which shall be firm and straight or shall have a minimum 5 mm 
hem with a full turn-in or as per buyer requirements. 
6.6 Stitching 
The stitching shall be of even tension and the loose ends shall be finished securely and neatly. The 
number of stitches shall not be less than 4 per centimetre or as per buyer requirements. 
 
 
 
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7. Sealed Sample 
 
7.1 If in order to illustrate aesthetic characteristics such as general appearance, lustre, feel and shade,a 
sample has been agreed upon and sealed, the supply shall be in conformity with the sample in such 
respects. 
7.1.1 The custody of the sealed sample shall be a matter of prior agreement between the buyer and the 
seller. 
 
                   Table 1 – Construction Particulars of Terry Toweling (For Guidance only)  
(Clause 3.2) 
Count of Yarn Ne (Approx)  Threads per dm,  Min 
 Mass, 
Min 
 g/m2 Terry 
Ratio  
(Pile 
Ratio) 
Min Warp 
Ground Pile Weft Warp 
Ground Pile Weft 
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) 
10s/1,20s/
1, 20s/2 
and 24s/2 10s/1, 12s/1, 
16s/1, 
20s/1,12s/2, 
16s/2, 20s/2, 
24s/2,30s/2 and 
40s/2 10s/1, 12s/1, 
14s/1, 16s/1, 
20s/1 and 
16s/2 100-
150 100-150 155-
240 290-
1300 1:3 to 
1:8 
BDS ISO 7211-5 BDS ISO 7211-2 BDS ISO 
3801 Annex- 
B 
Method of Test 
 
 
 
                        Table 2 – Construction Particulars of Huck-a-Back Towelling (For Guidance only)  
 (Clause 3.1) 
 
Count of Yarn, (Ne) (Approx)  Threads per dm,  Min 
 Mass, Min 
               g/m2 
Warp  Weft Ends Picks 
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) 
(14s*-16s)  (6s – 8s) 360 135 260-290 
BDS ISO 7211-2 BDS ISO 7211-2 BDS ISO 3801 
Method of Test 
* Two warp threads work as one in the loom. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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                      Table 3 – Performance Requirements for Fabric of Towels and Towelling 
                                                                           (Clause 5.4) 
 
Sl. 
No Characteristics  Requirement Method of test  
Terry Huck-a-Back 
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) 
1. Mass (g/m2) 
Tolerance %  As declared  
+5 
-2.5 As declared 
+5 
-2.5 BDS ISO 3801 
2. Material  
 
100  
 
100  
Relevant part of BDS 
ISO 1833 i) Cotton, percent 
 
ii) Blend Composition in percent 
Tolerance % As declared 
± 5 As declared 
± 5 
3. Dimensions 
  
 
    As declared 
- 2  
 
       As declared 
- 2  
 
 
BDS ISO 22198 i)  Length, cm 
Tolerance, cm 
ii) Width, cm 
Tolerance, cm As declared 
± 2 As declared 
± 2 
  4. Breaking load* on 5.0× 20 cm 
strips (ravelled strip method), 
Min, Newton  
 
 
255  
 
 
392  
 
BDS ISO 13934-1 
Warp way 
Weft way 255 255 
5. Lint test, percent, Max 1 1 Annex-C 
6. Shrinkage or elongation, percent, 
Max 4 4 BDS ISO 7771 or 
BDS ISO 5077 
7. pH value 5.5 to 8.5 5.5 to 8.5 ISO 3071 
8. Wettability ( Max), Seconds  10 10 AATCC 79 
  9.  Colour fastness rating to:  
 
 
4 or better  
 
 
4 or better  
BDS ISO 105-B01 
or 
BDS ISO 105-B02   a) Light 
b) Washing: Test C(3)  
 
4 or better  
 
4 or better  
 
BDS ISO 105-C10 i) Change in colour 
ii) Staining of adjacent 
fabrics 4 or better 4 or better 
c) Water  
 
4 or better  
 
4 or better  
 
BDS ISO 105-E01 i) Change in colour 
ii) Staining of adjacent 
fabrics 4 or better 4 or better 
d) Rubbing  
 
4 or better  
 
4 or better  
 
 
BDS ISO 105-X12  i) Dry 
ii) Wet 3 3 BDS1898: 
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8. Marking 
8.1 Bulk or individual packs of Towels 
 
The following information shall be legibly and indelibly marked or labeled on each packs of towel: 
 
a) Name and type of the product; 
b) Name and address of the manufacturer and /or distributor; 
c) Country of origin; 
d) Brand name, if any ; 
e) Length and width, in millimeters; 
f) Composition of yarn; 
g) Net weight in grams ; 
h) Care instruction; and 
i) Batch or code number or any identification mark. 
8.2 Towel 
 
The following information shall be legibly and indelibly marked or labeled on each towel: 
 
a) Brand or trade name ; 
 
b) Length and width, in millimeters; 
c) Composition of yarn; and 
 
d) Care instructions. 
 
8.3 Toweling 
 
The following information shall be legibly and indelibly marked or labeled on each package: 
 
a) Name and type of the product; 
b) Name and address of the manufacturer and /or distributor; 
c) Country of origin; 
c) Brand name, if any; 
d) Length in meters and width, in millimeters; 
e) Composition of yarn; 
f) Net weight in grams; 
g) Care instruction; and 
h) Batch or code number or any identification mark. 
 8.3.1 The toweling or towels may also be marked with the BSTI Certification mark. 
 
Note - The use of the BSTI Certification Mark is governed by the provisions of Bangladesh Standards and 
Testing Institution act, 2018, and the Rules and Regulations made there under. Details of conditions under which a 
license for the use of the BSTI Certification Mark may be granted to manufacturers or processors, may be obtained 
from the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution. 
 
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9. Packing 
 
9.1 The towelling or towels shall be packed in bales or cases in conformity with the procedure laid down 
in BDS 61 or BDS 981 as required. 
 
9.2 The Package may also be marked with the other requirements as specified under the ‘Packaged 
       Commodities Rules, 2021 of BSTI. 
 
10. Sampling 
 
10.1 The scale of sampling and criteria for conformity in respect of the physical characteristics, namely, 
ends and picks, mass, breaking load, length and width, shall be as given in BDS 1093. 
 
10.2 The scale of sampling and criteria for conformity in respect of the chemical characteristics, namely, 
scouring loss and pH value, shall be as given in BDS ISO 5089. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Annex - A 
(Clause 2.1) 
List of Relevant Bangladesh Standards 
 
BDS No.  Title 
BDS ISO 7211-5 Textiles-Woven Fabrics- Construction-Methods of analysis-Part 5: 
Determination of Linear density of Yarn removed from Fabric. 
BDS ISO 7211-2 Textiles-Woven Fabrics- Construction-Methods of analysis-Part 2: 
Determination of Number of threads per unit length. 
BDS ISO 3071 Textiles- Determination of pH of the Aqueous Extract. 
BDS ISO 3801 Textiles- Woven Fabrics- Determination of mass per unit length and mass 
per unit area. 
BDS ISO 13934-1 Textiles- Tensile Properties of Fabrics- Part 1: Determination of Maximum 
force and Elongation at Maximum force using the Strip method. 
BDS ISO 8498   Woven fabric- Descriptions of Defects- Vocabulary.  
BDS ISO 1833    Textiles – Quantitative chemical analysis – relevant Part. 
BDS ISO 105-E01    Textiles- Tests for colour fastness- Part E01: colour fastness to Water.  
BDS ISO 105-X12   Textiles- Tests for colour fastness- Part X12: colour fastness to Rubbing.  
BDS ISO 5089   Textiles- Preparation of Laboratory Test Samples and Test Specimens for 
  Chemical Testing. 
BDS ISO 22198   Textiles- Fabrics- Measurement of width and length. 
BDS ISO 7771   Textiles- Determination of Dimensional Changes of Fabrics induced by 
   Cold- water immersion. 
BDS ISO 5077    Textiles-Determination of Dimensional Change in Washing and Drying. 
BDS ISO 105-B01    Textiles – Tests for colour fastness- Part B01: Colour fastness to light: 
   Daylight. 
BDS ISO 105-B02   Textiles – Tests for colour fastness- Part B02: Colour fastness to Artificial 
   light: Xenon: Are fading lamp test. 
BDS ISO 105-C10  Textiles- Tests for colour fastness- Part C10: Colour fastness to washing with 
 soap or soap and soda. 
BDS 61 Code for Seaworthy Packing of Cotton Textile.  
BDS 981 Inland Packaging of Cotton Cloth and Yarn.  
BDS 1093   Sampling of Cotton fabrics for Determination of physical characteristics. 
AATCC 79   Absorbency of Textiles. BDS1898: 
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Annex – B 
(Table 1) 
Determination of Terry Ratio (Pile Ratio) 
 
B-1 Cut out a 10 cm × 10 cm specimen from the fabric and condition the specimen in the 
standard atmosphere for testing. Remove warp threads from the specimen so as to provide 10 
threads each from the specimen of ground warp and of terry warp. Determine the mean 
straightened length of each group of 10 threads. 
 
Express the terry ratio as the ratio of the mean straightened length of the terry warp threads to 
the mean straightened length of the ground warp threads. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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                          Annex – C 
(Table 3) 
Calculation process of Lints at towel 
C.1 Lint  
When the loose fiber comes out from the towel and gets accumulated in the dust collector of the 
machine, it is called lint. We must check that the towel which we are buying should not lint or even if 
the lint comes out it should not be more than the permissible level (this can be tested by testing lab). 
You might have experienced, how a low quality towel left a lot of lints on the face after use. 
C.2 Scope 
 
This method is intended for the determination of the percentage of lint removed from the towel after 
laundering procedures commonly used at home. 
C.3 Application 
This method is applicable to finished towel product. 
C.4 Principles 
Towel is conditioned, weighed, washed and dried. The lint collected 
during the washing and drying cycles is collected, dried, conditioned and weighed to 
calculate the amount of lint removed. 
C.5 Apparatus 
 
C.5.1  Conditioning Facility: means of providing and maintaining the standard atmosphere. 
(Temperature 20°±2 C and Relative Humidity 65±5%), 
C.5.2  Automatic Washing Machine with temperature control. 
Recommended models are the Front-Loading Electrolux FOM 71CLS. 
C.5.3  Balance capable of weightinglint to an accuracy of 0.01g 
C.5.4  Balance capable of weighting towel to an accuracy of 1.0g 
C.5.5  Washing Detergent. 
ECE Phosphate Reference detergent A/B:15.4 gm, Sodium perborate:4 gm & Tead:0.6 gm 
C.5.6 Tumble Dryer set at 57±3°C 
C.6 Procedures 
C.6.1 Condition the towel for at least 4 hours. 
C.6 .2 Weight and record the towel weight to the nearest gram. 
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C.6.3 Wash the towel as per care label temperature and collect lint from the washing machine 
bowl/net. Then dry the lint and put aside. 
C.6.4 Tumble dry as per care label temperature for 60 minutes or until dry. Then Collect lint from 
tumbledryer and put aside. 
C.6.5 Condition the driedlint (Washing machine& Tumble dryer) and weight to the nearest 0.019. 
C.7. Calculation and Expression of Results 
C.7.1 Calculate the total weight of lint collected and express as a percentage of the original 
towel weight. 
                         
Percentage (%) = Total lint (washing machine+ Tumble dryer) × 100 
                       Original towel weight 
 
 
C.7.2 Test Reports 
Record the percentage of lint.