TDC3 (6084)  P3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Textiles – Hospitals bed sheets  - Specifications  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Textiles – Hospitals bed sheets  - Specifications  
Foreword  
This 2nd edition Draft Tanzania Standard  is issued so as to help producers to come up with materials of 
defined quality. This Draft Tanzania Standard  prescribes hospital bed sheets.  
 
In the preparation of this Draft Tanzania Standard  assistance was derived from:  
 
Specifications applied by Muhimbili National Hospital.  
 
The experience of local textile mills.  
 
SANS 1401: 2007 woven cotton  and similar household fabrics and articles.  
 
This second edition cancels and rep laces the first edition TZS 214 Textiles – Hospital bed sheets  – 
specification.  
 
   
2 
 Textiles – Hospital bed sheets  – Specifications.  
 
1   Scope  
This Draft Tanzania Standard  specifies the requirements for hospital bed sheets.  
2  Normative references  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application 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.  
TZS 4, Rounding off numerical values  
 
TZS 20 , Textiles –Woven fabrics – Determination of the number of threads per unit length  
 
TZS 21, Textiles –Woven or knitted fabrics – Determination of mass per unit length and per unit 
area 
 
TZS 22, Textiles – Woven fabrics – Determination of breaking load and extension  
 
TZS 26, Textiles – Determination of conductivity, pH, water soluble matter, chloride and sulphate 
in aqueous extracts  
 
TZS 40: 1979  colour fastness to light, day light.  
 
TZS 137, Textiles – Determination of dimensional changes of woven and knitted fabrics and 
garments: Machine method  
 
TZS 139, Textiles – Determination of linear density of yarn removed from fabric free from added 
matter  
 
TZS 44, Textiles – Woven or knitted fabrics – Determination of length and width  
 
TZS 43, Textiles – Tests for colour fastness – Colour fastness to washing  
3  Terms and definitions  
3.1 For the purpose of this Draft Tanzania Standard  the following definitions shall apply.  
 
3.1.1 Dressing material  
 
Materials applied to yarns during warp preparation such as size, stiffening or softening agents.  
 
3.1.2 Filling materials  
 
Non-substantive and generally insoluble materials added to fabric together with starches or gums during 
the finishing process to add weight or to modify the appearance and handle of the fabric   
  
3 
 4  Manufacture  
4.1 Yarn  
 
4.1.1. The yarn used in the manufac ture of the cloth s hall be of the required quality to ensure that the cloth 
complies with the requirements of this Draft Tanzania Standard . The approximate count of warp and weft 
is given in table 1.  
 
4.2 Fabric  
 
The fabric used in the manufacture of the hospital bedsheet shall be woven.  
 
4.2.1 The fabric  shall be free from dressing and filling materials and from substances liable to cause 
subsequent tendering.  
 
4.2.2 Each traverse end of the bed sheet shall be hemmed to a depth of not less than 20 mm the raw edges 
having a turn of 7 mm before the hem is formed. The stitching shall be firm and regular. The hemming shall 
be uniform throughout and pressed flat. The number  of stitches per 5 cm shall be 17±2.  
 
4.2.3  The fabric  shall be sheared and singed.  
 
5  Requirements  
5.1 Construction  
 
The fabric  shall comply with requirements of table 1.  
 
Table 1 - Particulars of hospital bed sheets.  
S/No  Parameter  Requirements  Test method  
1.  Yarn count  
i) Ends, minimum  
ii)  Picks, minimum   
i) 27 
ii) 17  
TZS 20  
2.  Mass per unit area (g/ m2), minimum  251 TZS 21  
3.  Breaking load (N), minimum  
i) Warp way  
ii) Weft way  i) 600 
ii) 500 TZS 22  
4.  pHvalue  6.5 – 7.5  TZS 26  
5.  Dimensional change  ± 4 %  TZS 137  
6.  Dimensions (cm), minimum  150x255  TZS 44  
7.  Colour fastness to light, min  
       4 
 TZS 40  
8.  Colour fastness to washing  4 TZS 43  
9.  Colour fastness to rubbing  
a) Dry  
b) wet  
4 
3  
TZS 138   
4 
 6 Marking  
 
6.1 The hospital bed sheet shall be marked at one end with the following;  
 
a) Name of the material  
b) Dimensions  
c) Manufacturer’s name, address and trade mark  
d) Design number  
e) Batch or code number  
6.1.1  The hospital bed sheet shall be marked with the TBS Standard Mark of Quality.  
Note – The ‘TBS ’ standard mark of quality shall be used by manufacturers only under licence from TBS.  
 
7  Packing  
 
The hospital bed sheet shall be packed in polyethylene bags, bales or cases.