TDC3  (6335)P 3 
 
 
Draft Tanzania Standard  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Textiles – Non-woven bags  – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
 
 
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Draft Tanzania Standard  
Non-woven bags – Specification                       TDC3  (6335 ) P3 
 
 
FOREWORD  
This Draft Tanzania S tandard is ai ming to provide guidance to non -woven carrier  bags manufacturers, users and 
other stakeholders to use carrier bag which  are more environmental ly-friendly and of acceptable quality.  
Due to complexity of factors affecting the usability and performance of  the carrier bags made from non -woven , 
this specification will help to outline the types of non-woven which can  sustain  the static and dyn amic stress to 
which the carrier bag  is subjected in use and  to maintain permanently the shape of the  bags  without changing the 
textile properties . 
In deciding whether a particular requirement of this Draft Tanzania Standard is complied with, the final value, 
observed or calculate d, expressing the result of a test or analysis shall be rounded of f in accordance with TZS 4: 
(see Clause 2 .1). The number of significant figures  retained in the rounded off value should be the same as that 
of the specified value in this  Draft  Tanzania S tandard.  
In the preparation of this Draft Tanzania Standard assistance was derived from:  
BS 4973 -2:1973 Specification for interlinings Part 2. Non-woven  fusible  interlinings . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
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 1. SCOPE  
This Draft Tanzania Standard sp ecifies the requirements and test methods  forcarrier bags made from non-woven  
fabrics . It does not cover feel and luster  of the fabric.  
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.  
a) TZS 4, Rounding off numerical values.  
b) ISO 22198 , Textile Fabrics – Determinationof width and length  
c) TZS 2007 -1, Textiles  – Dyestuffs  – Part 1: General principles of testing coloured textiles for dyestuff 
identification  
d) TZS 2007 -2, Textiles  –  Dyestuffs  – Part 2: General method for the determination of extractable dyestuffs 
including allergenic and carcinogenic dyestuffs (me thod using pyridine -water)  
e) TZS 22 ,Textiles  – Tensile properties of fabrics –  Part 1: Determination of maximum force and elongation 
at maximum force using the strip method  
f) EAS 251, Method for determination of resistance of fabrics to penetration by water (hydrostatic head test  
g) ISO 9073 -1, Textiles  – Test methods for non -woven –  Part 1: Determination of mass per unit area  
h) ISO 907 -5, Textiles  – Test methods for non -woven  – Part 5: Determination of resistance to mechanical 
penetration (ball burst procedure)  
i) ISO 9073 -16, Textiles  –  Test methods for non -woven  – Part 16: Determination of resistance to 
penetration by water (hydrostatic pressure)  
j) ISO 9073 -4, Textiles  – Test methods for non -woven  – Part 4: Determination of tear resistance  
k) TZS 529,  Method for determination of colour fastness of textile materials to dry cleaning.  
l) TZS  759, Textiles  – Preparation, marking and measuring of fabric specimens and garments in test for 
determination of dimensional change.  
m) TZS 137:  Determinat ion of dimension al change of w oven and knitted  fabrics and garments - machine 
method . 
n) ISO 2313 , Textile fabrics  – Determination of the recovery from creasing of a horizontally folded specimen 
by measuring the angle of recovery . 
o) ISO 13935 -1, Textiles  – Seam tensile properties of fabrics and made -up textile articles — Part 1: 
Determination of maximum force to seam rupture using the strip method  
3. DEFINITIONS  
For the purpose of this Draft Tanzania S tandard, the following terms and definition s shall apply:  
Nonwoven - manufactured sheet or batt of directional or random oriented fibres, bonded by friction and /or 
cohesion and / or adhesion , excluding paper.  
  
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4. REQUIREMENTS  
4.1 General requirements  
4.1.1 Non-woven  fabric  
Non-woven  fabric  specified  in this Draft Tanzania Standard  is made  by extrusion of melted polypropylene 
polymer fibers through a spin neret to form thin fibers  which are stretched and cooled by passing hot air over the 
fibers as they fall from the spinneret  then bonded together  either parallel or random laid  to create flexible plastic 
breathable fabric .   
4.1.1.1 The weight of the fabric is measured  by gram  per meter square  (g/m2) and it should meet t he weight 
requirement as given  in Table 1  
4.1.1.2 Non-woven  fabric for making carrier  bags sha ll be free from restricted dyestuffs according to  TZS 2007 -1 
& 2  
 
4.1.2 Non-woven bags  
The bag shall be constructed automatically  sealed around by heat bonding or manually  stitched by sewing  
machine. Sealing around bysewing machine , the re should be not less than 2 stitch es per centimeter.  The bag 
shall bare the label indicating the dimensional size and nominal capacity to which the carrier bags  can contain . 
Other requirement of the bags shall meet the requirements  as given in Table 1.  
4.2 Handles  
The types and design of the handle s of the non-woven  bags shall be subject  to the agreement between  the bu yer 
and seller  but the force of removing the handles shall comply with the requirement given in Table 1 . 
 
4.3 Free  from defects  
The non -woven  bags shall be free from defects such  asweight variation s, seam open/slippage, dust, lumps , 
holes, cuts, loose, stains , and frayed end . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
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Table 1 — Requirements for non -woven bags  
 
5. MARKING  
5.1 Each non-woven bag shall be legibly and indelibly marked with the following information on the label:  
a) Manufacturer’s name, address and /or registered trade mark;  
b) Dimensions of the bag;  
c) Batch number;  
d) Disposal  logo/instruction  
 
6. PACKING  
6.1 Unless  otherwise  agreed , the n on-woven bags shall  be packed in suitable materials that prevent it from 
damage  or contamination during normal handling, storage and transportation.  The quantities of the non -woven 
bags in the package shall be subject to the agreement  between the buyer and seller . 
 
7. SAMPLING AND CRITERIA FOR CONFORMITY  
7.1 Lot S/N Characteristic s 
 Requirement  Method of test  
1.  Mass per unit area, g/m2,  min.  
70  
ISO 9073 -1 
2.  Bursting Strength ,N, min. 150 BS 4768  
3.  Fabric composition   100%  polypropylene  or its 
blend s with other fibres  TZS 327  
4.  Dimensional Change, Percent, Max, After 3 Cycles of 
Washing %  2 TZS 137  
5.  Closure / Seam Strength (grab method), N. min. 60 ISO 13935 -1 
6.  Attached  handle  pull strength, N, min. 100 Annex A  
7.  Tear resistance , N, min. 80 ISO 9073 -4 
8.  Colour fastness to : 
1) Rubbing (crocking), min.  
                            Dry 
                            Wet  
                   2) Washing  
3) Perspiration   
 
 
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TZS 138  
 
 
TZS 167  
TZS 211  
9.             Sizes(Length and width)  As declared on the label  ISO 122198   
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 In a consignment, all non -wovenbags of the same variety shall be grouped together to constitute a lot. Each lot 
shall be separately sampled for the purpose of ascertaining the conformity of the requirements of the 
specification.  
7.2 Sampling  
7.2.1 From each lot, sample bags  shall be selected at random as prescribed  in Table 2  below . 
Table 2 – Sampling  
 
Lot size -No. of the bags  Sample size -No of the 
bags  
Up to 25  4 
26 to 50  6 
51 to 100  8 
101 and above  10 
 
7.2.2The bags  selected as per T able 2 above shall be tested for characteristic outline in Table 1 .  
7.3 Criteria for Conformity  
The lot shall be considered as conforming to this standard if all the test results satisfy the requirements of 4.1 and 
Table 1.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
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Annex A  
(Normative ) 
 
Determination of pull strength  of the handle  
 
A-1Determine  and mark  the end point of all the handle s tail 
A-2As per distance between the upper clamp or jaw, reduce the  length of the bag by knot or stitch  to get the clear  
look to the handle loop  
A-3Hook the handle loop to the upper clamp or jaw  
A-4From bottom  of the non -woven bag, fold 8cm and grip the fold line to the lower clam or jaw  
A-5At constant transverse  rate of 20cm per minute, measure the breaking point for 5 speci mens to evaluate the  
puling strength according to TZS 22 . 
 
 
Fig. Pulling tester machine  
 
 
 
 
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