DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  
  DUS 1782  
First  Edition  
2017 -mm-dd 
 
 
 Reference number  
DUS 1782: 2017  
© UNBS 2017   
  
Reusab le sanitary towels  — Specification   
 DUS 1782 : 2017  
ii © UNBS 2017  – All right s reserved  
 Compliance with this standard does not, of itself confer immunity from legal obligations  
A Uganda Standard does not purport to include all necessary provisions of a contract. Users are 
responsible for its correc t application  
© UNBS 2017   
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilised in any 
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without prior written 
permiss ion from UNBS.  
Requests for permission to reproduce this document should be addressed to  
The Executive Director  
Uganda National Bureau of Standards  
P.O. Box 6329  
Kampala  
Uganda  
Tel: +256 41 7 333 2 50/1/2 
Fax: +256 41 4 286 123  
E-mail: info@unbs.go.ug  
Web: www.unbs.go.ug  DUS 1782: 2017  
© UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  iii 
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............................  v 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  7 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  7 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  7 
4 Description  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  8 
5 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  8 
5.1 General  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  8 
5.2 Materials  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  8 
5.2.1  Top sheet (the layer which contac ts skin)  ................................ ................................ ..........................  8 
5.2.2  Protective barrier  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 8 
5.2.3  Fastening mechanism  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  8 
5.3 Performance requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  8 
5.3.1  Absorbency and abil ity to withstand pressure after absorption  ................................ ......................  8 
5.3.2 pH ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  9 
5.3.3 Drying time  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  9 
5.3.4  Workmanship  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  9 
5.3.5  Odour  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  9 
5.3.6  Durability  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  9 
5.4 User and care instructions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  9 
5.5 Microbiological requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  10 
6  Packaging and Marking  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  10 
6.1  Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  10 
6.2  Marking  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  10 
7 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  11 
7.1 Lot ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........................  11 
7.2 Scale of sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  11 
7.3 Number of tests  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 11 
Annex  A (normative)  Method for determination of absorbency capacity  ................................ .................  12 
A.1 Apparatus  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  12 
A.2 Reagents  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  12 
A.3 Procedure  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  12 
A.4 Test report  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  12 
Annex  B (normative)  Microbiological  examination  ................................ ................................ ......................  13 
B.1 Apparatus and equipment  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  13 
B.2 Media and reagents  ................................ ................................ ................................ .............................  13 
B.2.1  General  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  13 
B.2.2  Bacteriological peptone  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  13 
B.2.3  Plate count agar  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 13 
B.2.4  Neutral red -bile salt peptone glucose medium  ................................ ................................ ................  13 
B.2.5  Fluid soybean -casein digest medium  ................................ ................................ ...............................  14 
B.2.6  Centrim ide agar medium  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  14 
B.2.7  Pseudomonas agar  medium for detection of fluorescein  ................................ ...............................  14 
B.2.8  Pseudomonas agar  medium for detection of pyocyanin  ................................ ................................  15 
B.3   Preparation of Test Suspension  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 15 
B.4  Procedure  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  15 
B.4.1   Total viable bacterial count  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  15 
B.4.2  Examination for the presence of Enterobacteriaceae.  ................................ ................................ .... 15 
B.4.3  Examination for the presence of Staphylococcus aureus . ................................ .............................  15 DUS 1782 : 2017  
iv © UNBS 2017  – All right s reserved  
 B.4.4  Examination for the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa  ................................ .........................  15 
 DUS 1782: 2017  
© UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  v 
 Foreword  
Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a parastatal under the Ministry of  Trade , Industry and 
Cooperatives established under Cap 327 , of the Laws of Uganda , as amended .  UNBS is mandated to co -
ordinate the elaboration of standards and is  
(a) a member of International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and  
(b) a contact point for the WHO/FAO Codex Alimentarius Commission on Food Standards, and  
(c) the National Enquiry Point on TBT  Agreement  of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).  
The work of preparing Uganda Standards is carried out through Technical Committees. A Technical 
Committee i s established to deliberate on standards in a given field or area and consists of key stakeholders 
including government, academia, consumer groups, private secto r and other interested parties.  
Draft Uganda Standards adopted by the Technical Committee are w idely circulated to stakeholders and the 
general public for comments. The committee reviews the comments before recommending the draft standards 
for approval and declaration as Uganda Standards by the National Standards Council.  
The committee responsible f or this document is Technical Committee UNBS/TC 7, Textile, Leather, Paper and Related 
Products, Subcommittee SC 1 , Textile and Related products  
 DUS 1782: 2017  
vii  
 Reusable sanitary towels  — Specification  
1 Scope  
This Draft Uganda  Standard prescribes the requirements and t est methods for reusable sanitary towels 
(including reusable panty liners) for external use . This Standard does not apply to disposable sanitary towels 
for which there is a different Uganda Standard.  
2 Normative references  
The following referenced document s 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.  
US ISO 3071, Textiles — Determination of pH of aqueous extract  
US ISO 4833 -2, Microbiology of the food chain – Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms – 
Part 2: Colony count at 30 C by the surface plating technique  
US ISO 6888 -2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs ─ Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) ─ Part 2: Technique using rabbit 
plasma fibrinogen agar medium  
US ISO 7218 , Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — General requirements and guidance for 
microbiological examinations (2nd Edition)  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this document, the followi ng terms and definitions apply.  
3.1  
Sanitary t owel /sani tary pad/sanitary napkin /panty liner  
Feminine hygienic product made of fabric intended to absorb menstrual flow , daily vaginal discharge and post 
delivery flow.  
3.2  
Reusable sanitary pads  
Washable hygienic sani tary towels with an absorbent upper layer and  a leak proof protective barrier that 
delays or prevents pote ntial leakage.  
3.3  
Package  
Small unit set of sanitary pads as declared by the manufacturer  
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:  
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp   
viii © UNBS 2017  – All right s reserved  
 4 Description  
Sanitary towels shall be described in accordance to their absorbance capacity  
a) panty liners ; 
b) light flow;  
c) regular / normal for normal flow ; and  
d) super for heavy flow . 
5 Requirements  
5.1 General  
a) the reusable sanitary towels  shall be manufactured, packed  and stored under hygienic conditions ; 
b) the reusable sanitary towel s shall be visibly clean and free from obvious defects; and  
c) the reusable san itary towel s shall release soil and stain quickly when washing by hand and s hall dry 
even in the absence of sunlight.  
5.2 Materials  
The mat erials used in the manufacture  of reusable sanitary towels  shall not harm the skin in contact, a ll outer 
layers of th e product should be fit for direct contact with the skin  and t he colour/ fabric dye  of the materials 
shall not come out during washing.  
5.2.1 Top sheet (the layer which contacts  skin)  
Shall be of material that helps absorption, and shall have no harmful ef fect. The material u sed for the top layer 
should be soft to the touch and should not shed  any fibres when rubbed dry or wet . 
5.2.2 Protective barrier  
Reusable  sanitary pads shall  have  a protective barrier that delays or prevents potential leakage from the 
absorbent layer of the pad into the underwear  
5.2.3 Fastening mechanism  
There shall be a suitable device for fastening the pad for secure use . Fastening mechanism shall not be made 
of a ferrous metal that could rust and cause harm to skin  
5.3 Performance requirements  
5.3.1 Absorbency and ability to withstand pressure after absorption  
The reusable sanitary towels shall absorb the testing fluid when dr ipped at  the centre of the pad at different 
rates as per table 1 and it shall not leak through at the bottom or sides of the sanitary towel, when tested in 
accordance with annex A  
 
  
© UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  ix 
 Table 1  — Absorbency capacity at different rates  
Product category  Absorbency  
Total Volume 
required to be 
absorbed  Volume required to 
be absorbed 
/minute  
Panty liners  2 ml 1 ml 
Light 4 ml 
 2 ml 
Regular  8 ml 
 4 ml 
Heavy  16 ml  
 8 ml 
 
5.3.2 pH 
The sanitary towels shall be free from  acids and alkali and the pH of  aqueous extract of the absorbent material 
shall be 6  to 8 when tested in accordance with US ISO 3071  
5.3.3 Drying  time 
Reusable sanitary towels  shall be dry in not more than most 6 hours  when hang  in direct sunlight.  
5.3.4 Workmanship  
When visually examined the sanitary towel  shall be free from defects, lumps or wrinkles. Sanitary towels  shall 
have no loose stitching, wings s hall be even and there shall be no visible defects on the material. The 
materials shall be smooth to the touch.  
5.3.5 Odour  
The sanitary pads shall not contain any odour, either when dry or wet with clean water.  
5.3.6 Durability  
Each pad shall  be of a dura ble construction designed to  endure repeated use of  60 times of wearing and 
washing . 
5.4 User and care  instructions  
There shall be user and care instructions in every packet of the sanitary towels . The use r and care  instructions  
shall be outlined in simila r instruc tions as below to ensure proper use and care by the consumer . 
a) before first use, wash with soap and clean water and allow to dry completely ; 
b) place pad in the knickers with the absorbent side facing up (Must be worn in properly fitting knickers) ; 
c) close the fastening mechanism and wear. Ensure to check and change pads as needed throughout 
the day ; 
d) after use, rinse/soak in water. Pour away dirty water;  
e) in clean water, wash clean with soap. Rub thoroughly; ensuring the absorbent layer has been 
sufficien tly scrubbed  clean;   
x © UNBS 2017  – All right s reserved  
 f) rinse the pad again ; 
g) squeeze all the water out of the pad ; 
h) hang to dry outdoors. Must b e completely dry before re -use; 
i) store in a clean, dry place ; 
j) do not bleach ; and  
k) do not share . 
5.5 Microbiological requirements  
a) the total viable bacte rial count, when determined in accordance with Annex B shall not exceed 1 000 
per gram of the sanitary towel ; and  
b) When tested, sanitary towel  shall be free from Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus aureus, and 
Pseudomonas aeruginosa respectively . 
6  Packaging  and Marking  
6.1  Packaging  
Reusable sanitary towels shall be supplied in packages made of suitable materials which are sealed so as to 
protect them from moisture, soiling and contamination during storage and transportation.  Only packages with 
the same ba tch numb er shall be packed together.  
6.2  Marking  
The following information shall appear legibly and indelibly on the outside of each package:  
a) the manufacturer’s name and/or registered trade mark;  
b) the words “ reusable s anitary towels/sanitary napkins/  pads / panty liners ”; 
c) number of sanitary towels in a package;  
d) absorbency ( panty liner/ light/ normal/heavy flow) ; 
e) use and care instructions, including warning to wash before first use ; 
f) storage instructions ; 
g) batch identification number;  
h) country  of manufacture ; and 
i) date of manufacture.  
  
© UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  xi 
 7 Sampling  
7.1 Lot 
In any consignment , all pack ages  belonging to one batch of manufacture or supply shall constitute a lot.  
7.2 Scale of sampling  
7.2.1 Samples shall be tested from each lot ascertaining its conformity to the requirem ents of this 
specification.  
7.2.2 The number of packages to be selected from a lot sha ll be in accordance with Table 2 . 
7.2.3 The bulk packages and packag es shall be selected at random.  
7.3 Number of tests  
7.3.1 Each  package selected as per table 2  shall b e inspected for packaging and marking requirements  
7.3.2 Sanitar y towels selected as per table 2  shall be examined for requirements stipulated in clause 4  
Table 2  –scale of sampling  
Number of packages in a lot  Number of packages to be selected  
Up to 250  6 
251-500 8 
501-1000  11 
1001 -2500  15 
2501 -5000  20 
5001 and above  30 
  
xii © UNBS 2017  – All right s reserved  
 Annex  A 
(normative)  
 
Method for determination of absorbency capacity  
A.1 Apparatus  
a) burette;  
b) metallic block, of mass 1 kg and dimensions 150 mm x 50 mm x 15 mm  
A.2 Reagents  
1 % solut ion of potassium dichromate made by dissolving 1 g K 2Cr2O7 in 100 mL distilled water  
A.3 Procedure  
A.3.1  Sanitary towel must be washed with soap and dried fully before test  
A.3.2 Lay the sanitary towels o n a flat level surface  
A.3.3 Drip at the rate of 4 m L per minute, 8 mL of the fluid (see A .2) on to the centre of sanitary towel from a 
height of approximately 2 mm  
A.3.4 After the towel has absorbed the full amount of fluid, place a metallic bl ock of mass 1 kg (A .1.3) for 
one minute on the portion where th e fluid was absorbed  
A.4 Test report  
Observe the back and sides of the sanitary towel for any leakage  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
© UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  xiii 
 Annex  B 
(normative)  
 
Microbiological examination  
B.1 Apparatus and equipment  
Use apparatus and equipment complying with the relevant requiremen ts of US ISO 7218.  
B.2 Media and reagents  
B.2.1 General  
Ensure compliance with the general requirements for the ingredients and for the preparation of media and 
reagents given in US ISO 7218   
B.2.2 Bacteriological peptone  
Peptone               10 g  
Disodium phosphate dodecahydrate         1 g  
Sodium chloride             5 g  
Mono -potassium phosphate          1.5 g  
Dissolve the ingredients in distilled water and make up to 1 L. Adjust the pH value to be 7.0 ± 0.1 after 
sterilization. Dispense 300 mL volume s into flasks of capacity 500 mL and sterilize by autoclaving at 121 °C ± 
2 °C for 20 min.  
B.2.3  Plate count agar  
Agar               15 g  
Glucose               1 g  
Tryptone               5 g  
Yeast extract              2.5 g  
Dissolve the ingredients in dis tilled water, made up to 1litre, and adjust the pH value to 7.2 ± 0.2. Dispense 15 
mL volumes into bottles and sterilize by autoclaving at 121 °C ± 2 °C for 20 min.  
B.2.4 Neutral red -bile salt peptone glucose medium  
Peptone               20 g  
Glucose               10 g  
Bile salts No. 3             1.5 g   
xiv © UNBS 2017  – All right s reserved  
 Sodium chloride           5 g  
Neutral red            0.03 g  
Crystal violet            0.002 g  
Dissolve the ingredients in 400 mL of distilled water and make up to 500 mL boiling to aid solution. Adjust the 
pH value to 7.4 and filter to a clear solution. Dispense 10 mL volumes into bottles each containing a Durham 
tube and sterilize by autoclaving at 121 °C ± 2 °C for 20 min  
B.2.5 Fluid soybean -casein digest medium  
Pancreatic digest of casein         17 g 
Papa ic digest of soybean meal        3 g  
Sodium chloride           5 g  
Dibasic potassium phosphate        2.5 g  
Dextrose             2.5 g  
Dissolve the ingredients in distilled water and make up to 1 litre, warming slightly to aid solution. Cool the 
solution to  room temperature and adjust the pH value to be 7.3 ± 0.2 after sterilization. Filter to clarify (if 
necessary), dispense into suitable containers, and sterilize by autoclaving at 121 ± 2 °C for 20 min.  
B.2.6 Centrimide agar medium  
Pancreatic digest of g elatine        20 g  
Magnesium chloride          1.4 g  
Potassium sulphate          10 g  
Agar             13.6 g  
Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (Cetrimide)    0.3 g  
Glycerine            10 mL  
Dissolve all the solid ingredients in distilled water, make up to  1 L, and then add the glycerine. Heat, agitating 
frequently, and boil for 1 min. Adjust the pH value to be 7.2 ± 0.2 after sterilization. Dispense into suitable 
containers and sterilize by autoclaving at 121 °C ± 2 °C for 20 min.  
B.2.7 Pseudomonas agar  medium for detection of fluorescein  
Pancreatic digest of casein         10 g  
Peptic digest of animal tissue        10 g  
Anhydrous dibasic potassium phosphate      1.5 g  
Magnesium sulphate (MgSO4.7H2O)       1.5 g  
Glycerine            10 mL  
Agar             15 g   
© UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  xv 
 Dissolve all the solid ingredients in distilled water, make up to 1 L, and then add the glycerine. Heat, agitating 
frequently, and boil for 1 min. Adjust the pH value to be 7.2 ± 0.2 after sterilization. Dispense into suitable 
containers and sterilize  by autoclaving at 121 °C ± 2 °C for 20 min.  
B.2.8 Pseudomonas agar  medium for detection of pyocyanin  
Pancreatic digest of casein           20 g  
Anhydrous magnesium chloride          1.4 g  
Anhydrous potassium sulphate          10 g  
Agar               15 g  
Glycerine              10 Ml  
B.3   Preparation of  Test Suspension  
Transfer 300 ml of the sterile soluti on of bacteriological peptone (B .2.2) to a sterile wide -mouthed jar of 
capacity not less than 1 litre and not more than 2  litres. The jar shall have a mou th of diameter not less than 
150 mm and not more than 250 mm, and is fitted with a hermetically closing glass or metal -and-glass lid.  
Aseptically place the towel under test in the solution in the jar, fit the lid, agitate the contents of the jar for 2 
min and then allo w the jar to stand for 10 min. Repeat this agitating and standing procedure twice more. 
Aseptically remove about 100 ml of the test suspensi on for testing as described in B.4 below.  
B.4  Procedure  
B.4.1   Total viable bacterial count  
Into e ach of three sterile petri dishes aseptically pipette a 1 mL portion of the test suspension. To each dish 
add 15 mL of freshly  melted plate count agar  that has been cooled to 45 °C, and mix well. Incubate, count and 
calculate the total count as described i n US ISO 4833  Part 2. From the total viable bacterial count and the 
mass of the sanitary towel, calculate the total viable bacterial count per gram of sanitary towel.  
B.4.2  Examination for the presence of Enterobacteriaceae.  
Aseptically add 10 mL of the test suspension to a bottle that contains neutral red -bile salt peptone glucose 
medium (B .2.4). Incubate the bottle for 24 h to 36 h at 37 ± 0.5°C and examine for the presence of 
Enterobacteriaceae as evidenced by the formation of acid and gas.  
B.4.3  Exam ination for the presence of Staphylococcus aureus .  
Use the media, reagents and procedure described in US ISO 6888 -2 to ex amine the test suspension (see 
B.3).  As a control, pipette 0.1 mL of a 1:1000 dilution of an 18 h to 24 h culture of Staphylococcus a ureus  
SATCC Sta 10 into Staphylococcus  medium and proceed as with the test suspension.  
B.4.4  Examination for the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa  
a) Aseptically pipette 10 mL of the test suspension into 90 mL of fluid  soybean -casein digests medium 
(B.2.5) and mix well. Incubate for 24 h at 30 °C to 35 °C. By means of an inoculating loop transfer a 
portion from the 24 h incubated sample tube of fluid soybean -casein digest medium to the dry surface 
of petri dishes each containing approximately 2 0 mL of Cetr imide agar medium (B .2.6). Incubate at 30 
°C to 35 °C and examine after 24h, and again after 48 h incubation, for suspect colonies, bearing in 
mind that in general greenish fluorescent colonies are typical of Pseudomonas aureginosa  and that in  
xvi © UNBS 2017  – All right s reserved  
 its presence  a gram stain examined microscopically will reveal gram -negative slender rod -shaped 
cells.  
b) As a control, add 0.1 ml of a 1:1 000 dilution of an 18 h to 24 h culture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa  
SATCC Pse 11 mL to 100 mL of fluid  soybean -casein digest medium (B.2.5), and proceed as with the 
test suspension.  
c) If none of the colonies obtained from the test suspension conforms to the description given in i) above 
and the control culture has been satisfactorily recovered, deem the test sample to be free from 
Pseud omonas aeruginosa.  
d) If colonies conforming to the description given in i) above are found, streak representative suspect 
colonies from the Cetrimide agar onto the surfaces of Pseudomonas agar  medium for  the detection of 
flourescein (B .2.7) and Pseudomonas agar medium f or the detection of pyocyanin (B .2.8) to obtain 
isolated colonies.  Cover and invert the petri dishes and incubate at 30 – 35 °C for at least 3 days.  
Examine the streaked surfaces under ultraviolet light for suspect c olonies, as described in Table B .1.  
Table B .1 — Description of colonies  
Medium  Description of colonies  
Pseudomonas agar for the detection of fluorescein  Generally colourless to yellowish  
Yellowish fluorescence in ultra violet light  
Pseudomonas agar for the detection of pyocyan in Generally greenish. Blue fluorescence in ultraviolet light  
 
If any further doubt exists as to the identity of the colonies, obtain final confirmation by inoculating the suspect 
colonies to the wells on commercially available diagnostic kits in accordan ce with the manufacturer’s 
instructions.  
  
© UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  xvii 
 Certification marking  
Products that conform to Uganda standards may be marked with Uganda National Bureau of Standards 
(UNBS) Certification Mark shown in the figure below.  
The use of the UNBS Certification Mark is  governed by the Standards Act, and the Regulations made 
thereunder. This mark can be used only by those licensed under the certification mark scheme operated by 
the Uganda National Bureau of Standards and in conjunction with the relevant Uganda Standard. The 
presence of this mark on a product or in relation to a product is an assurance that the goods comply with the 
requirements of that standard under a system of supervision, control and testing in accordance with the 
certification mark scheme of the Ugand a National Bureau of Standards. UNBS marked products are 
continually checked by UNBS for conformity to that standard.  
Further particulars of the terms and conditions of licensing may be obtained from the Director, Uganda 
National Bureau of Standards.  
 
 DUS 1782: 2017    
 
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© UNBS 2017 – All rights reserved