TDC (1303 ) DTZS  
             First edition
 
DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD
 
 
 
 
Agro textiles - Shade nets for agricul ture and horticulture purposes 
- Specification - Part 2: Shade Nets made from Mono filament yarns . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
 
 
 
 Foreword  
This Draft Tanzania Standard is issued to help manufacturers /retailers  of shade nets for agriculture 
and horticulture purpose  to come up with products of defined quality . This Tanzania Sta ndard covers 
the requirements of shade nets made from monofilament yarns .   
In the preparation of this Tanzania Standard, assistance was derived from:  
IS 16008 (Part 2): 2016 - Agro tex tiles — Shade nets for agriculture and horticulture purposes — 
specification - Part 2: Shade Nets made from Monofilament Yarns.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 1. SCOPE  
This Draft Tanzania Standard specifies  constructional , requirements , test methods and sampling plan 
for shade nets manufactured from mono filament  yarns for agriculture and horticulture purposes in 
protecting/increasing crop yield by providing partially controlled climatic conditions for the intended 
crops . 
2. NORMATIVE REF ERENCES  
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 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 40: Textiles — Tests  for colour fastness — Colour fastness to light Daylight  
TZS 44: Textiles — Woven or knitted fabrics — Determination of length and width   
TZS 534: Textiles – Standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing  
 
3. TERMS AND DEFINITIONS  
For the purpose of this Draft Tanzania Standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply:  
3.1 shading factor  
percentage of light not transmitted through shade net.  
3.2 shade net 
structure enclosed by agro nets or any other woven /knitted  material to allow required sunlight, 
moisture and air to pass through the gaps.  
3.3 cover factor  
area covered by the yarn and fibre of the structure.  
3.4 bundle  
package of things wrapped together  
4. MATERIALS  
4.1 HDPE Monofilament  
Monofilament yarn  shall be manufactured from HDPE granules, or other forms which shall be UV 
stabilized by adding suitable UV stabilizer. The width of the tape used in the fabric shall be 1.70 mm 
and linear density of the tape shall be 10 Tex (100 Denier).  As agreed to between the buyer and the 
seller, coloured monofilament  shall be manufactured using colour master batch. The denier of HDPE 
monofilament  used in the manufacture of shade nets shall be subjected to the following tolerances:  
4.1.1  The heat shri nkage of the monofilament yarn  at 60°C shall not exceed 5 percent and shall not 
exceed 8 percent at 95°C. For determining the shrinkage, the monofilament  shall be subjected to the 
specified temperature for a period of 10 min in an air circulating oven and hot water bath respectively.  
4.2 Fabric  
The fabric used in the manufacture of shade nets shall be knitted /woven  and shall have a minimum 
width as per the agreement between the buyer and the seller . A tape  of about 1.7 mm width or 
monofilament yarn of suita ble diameter having the name of the manufacture /seller  at the end shall be 
provided for proper identification of manufacture.  
  
 4.3 Colour  
The colour of the fabric shall preferably be green. However, any other colour or a mixture of colour 
may be supplied as per the agreement between the seller  and the buyer . The colour/shade shall be 
as specified in the contract or order. In case a sample ha s been agreed upon and sealed, the supply 
shall be made in conformity with the sample in such respects.  
5. TYPES  
Based on the shading factor, the material is classified as follows:  
a) Type I, having shading factor of 35 per cent;  
b) Type II, having shading facto r of 50 per cent;  
c) Type III, having shading factor of 75 per cent; and  
d) Type IV, having shading factor of 90 per  cent.  
6. REQUIREMENTS  
6.1 Dimensions and Mass  
The monofilament shade nets shall be made to the shade and dimensions as specified in the contract  
or order. The dimensions shall be determined by the method prescribed in TZS 44 . The following 
tolerance shall  be permitted for length, width and mass (g/m2). 
Dimension  Tolerance (Percent ) 
Length    ±1 
Width    ±1 
Mass (g/m2)  ±3 
 
Table 1  – Requirements for shade nets Made from Monofilament Yarns  
 
S/N  
Characteristics   
Requirements  
  
Method  
of test  
Type I  Type II  Type III  Type IV  
 
1  
Mass, g/m2, Min   
70  
80  
130  
170  
TZS 21  
2 Average breaking strength of 
shade fabric (Ravelled strip 
method, 325mm x  70mm), 
Min, 
 
a) Warp way  
b) Weft way   
 
 
 
 
280 
330  
 
 
 
 
280 
600  
 
 
 
 
420 
1500   
 
 
 
 
600 
4000   
 
 
TZS 22  
 
 
3  
Shading  factor,  per cent  
30 - 40  
45 – 55  
70 - 80  
85 - 95  
Annex A  
4 Retention of breaking 
strength after UV exposure, 
N, Min  
85 percent of original actual value (fabric)   
TZS 22  
5 Bursting pressure, kgf/cm2, 
Min  
9  
10  
25  
35  
Annex B  
6 Colour fastness to artificial 
light (applicable for coloured 
shade nets only)   
4 or better   
4 or better   
4 or better   
4 or better   
TZS 40  
  
 
6.2 The monofilament shade nets fabric shall confirm to the r equirements specified in Table 1 . 
  
 7. PACKING AND MARKING  
7.1 Packing  
The monofilament shade nets shall be packed in roll form in length minimum of 50 m or in bundle 
form or as agreed to between the buye r and  the seller . 
7.2 M arking  
Each fabric roll/bundle shall be marked legibly by fixing a label bearing the following information: - 
a) manufacturer's name or registered trade mark;  
b) type of shade nets and shading percentage;  
c) declared length and width of the shade nets;  
d) mass per unit area (g/m2) of the shade nets ; 
e) batch number and date of manufacture;  and 
f) Country of origin . 
 
 
8.  SAMPLING  
 
8.1 Lot  
All monofilament shade nets rolls/bundles of same construction and type dispatc hed to a buyer one  
dispatch note shall constitute a lot.  
8.2 Unless otherwise agreed upon between the seller  and the buyer , the number of monofilament 
shade nets depending on the size of the lot shall be selected at random from the lot. The number of 
such shade nets shall be as given in Table 3 column 3 . 
Table 2  Scale of Sampling  
S/N No. of rolls/bundles 
in Lot  Sample size  Sub-sample s ize Permissible number 
of Defective 
rolls/bundles  
1 Up to 50  3 2 0 
2 51 to 150  5 2 0 
3 151 to 300  8 3 1 
4 301 to 500  13 5 2 
5 501 and above  20 5 3 
 
9. NUMBER OF TEST SPECIMENS AND CRITERIA FOR CONFORMITY  
The number of test specimens and criteria for conform ity shall be as given in Table 3 . Any fabric roll 
failing to meet one or more of the corresponding requirements prescribes in 6.1 and Table 2 shall be 
considered as defective, only the Lot shall be accepted if no defective roll/bundle i s found.  
Table 3  - Number of Test Specimens and Criteria for Conformity  
 
S/N  
Characteristic   
Number of rolls/bundles   
Criteria for Conformity  
 
1  
Material and manufacture, 
dimensions and mass   
According to col umn 3 of 
Table 2   
The defective rolls do 
not exceed the 
corresponding number in 
column 5 of Table 2  
 
2  
All other requirements   
According to col umn 4 of 
Table 2   
All the test specimens 
shall pass tests  
  
 ANNEX A  
TEST METHOD FOR DETERMINING SHADING PERCEN TAGE OF SHADE NETS  
A-1 PRINCIPLE  
A sample of the shade nets is mounted in Shade -O-Meter tester and the amount of light transmitted 
or passed through the sample is measured with the help of Photo -synthetically Active Radiation 
(PAR) sensor, in W/m2. The relative measurement of light transm itted with and without sample is 
considered for calculating the percentage of shade nets.  
A-2 SAMPLING  
A-2.1 Laboratory Sample  
For the laboratory sample take a swatch extending the full width of the product, of sufficient length 
along the selvage from each  sample ro ll so that the requirements of A -2.2 can be met.  
A-2.2 Test Specimens  
From the laboratory sample, cut at least 10 samples each having dimensions of 180 mm x 180 mm. 
Space the specimens along a diagonal on the unit of the laboratory sample. Take n o specimens 
nearer the selvage or edge of the shade nets. The selected test specimens shall not have any 
creases or folds.  
A-3 CONDITIONING  
Bring the specimens to moisture equilibrium in the atmosphere for testing shade nets (65 ± 5 per  cent 
relative humidity and 25 ± 2°C temperature). Equilibrium is considered to have been reached when 
the increase in the mass of the specimen, in successive weightings made at intervals of not less than 
2 h, does not exceed 0.1 percent of the mass of the specimen.  
A-4 APPARATUS  
The instrument used for measurement shall meet the geometric and spectral requirements. The 
schematic diagram of the apparatus is given in Fig. 1   
 
All dimensions in millimetres  
Figure 1. SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF SHADE -O-METER  
 
A.4.1 The Shade -O-meter tester shall have a flat base with total approximate dimensions as given 
below  
 
 Length x Diameter x Height = 970 mm x 350 mm x 325 mm.  
A.4.2  Apparatus shall consist of a chamber in which arrangement for placement of light source filters, 
sample holder and sensor shall be provided. The inside surface of chamber shall be painted with 
black paint and shall be highly reflecting throughout the visible spectrum. The light transmitted 
through the shade nets sample shall be measured by light sensor s. 
A-5 TEST PROCEDURE  
A-5.1 Instrument shall be switched on and the reading for PAR without sample shall be taken on the 
sensor. This shall be recorded as T1. 
A-5.2 Shade nets sample (see C-2.2) shall be mounted in the slot of specimen holder. The reading of 
PAR measurement with sample shall be taken from the sensor. This shall be recorded as T2.  
NOTE: Test specimen shall be properly mounted in the specimen holder so that it shall not be very t ight 
or very lose in the specimen holder.  
 
A-6 CALCULATION  
A-6.1 Shading percentage shall be calculated from the following formula:  
  Shading percentage  =  𝑇1−𝑇2
𝑇1𝑋100  
  Where  
T1 = reading of transmitted light, in W/m2 (without sample); and  
  T2 = reading of transmitted light, in W/m2 (with sample).  
 
A-6.2 Calculate the arithmetic mean of the measured values of shading percentage of ten samples.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 ANNEX B  
DETERMINATION OF BURSTING STRENGTH AND BURSTING DISTEN SION OF 
FABRICS  
DIAPHRAGM  METHOD.  
B-1 PRINCIPLE  
B-1.1 A specified area of the sample of fabric under test is clamped over an elastic diaphragm by 
means of a flat annular clamping ring, and an increasing fluid pressure is applied to the underside of 
the diaphragm until the specime n bursts.  The operating fluid may be either a liquid or a gas.  
B-2 SAMPLING  
B-2.1 Samples shall be selected so as to be representative of the lot.  
B-2.2 Samples drawn in accordance with the procedure laid down in the material specification or as 
agreed to between the buyer and the seller shall be taken as representative of the lot.  
B-3 TEST SPECIMENS  
B-3.1 From the test sample, cut out at least 10 test sp ecimens each 250 x 250 mm or 75 x 75 mm in 
size, by drawing one test specimen (see Note) from each of the pieces constituting the test sample; 
these shall constitute the test specimens.  
NOTE – More than one test specimen may be cut out of one or more sampl e pieces to make up for 10 
test specimens.  
B-3.2 The system of clamping used generally permits tests to be applied without cutting out 
specimens (which may be resorted to, if desired). The sample of fabric available may sometimes be in 
one or more pieces but it should be possible to test it at 10 places . The 10 test areas shall be so 
distributed as to be representative of the sample and avoiding selvedge, creased or wrinkled places, 
and other such non -representative areas of the sample.  
B-4 ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS FOR CONDITIONING AND TESTING  
B-4.1 The conditioning and testing shall be carried out in standard atmosphere at 65 ± 2 percent 
relative humidity and 25 ± 2°C temperature.  
B-4.2 Prior to evaluation, the test specimens shall be conditioned to moisture equilibrium in the 
standard atmosphere (s ee Note).  
NOTE: For guidance purposes, it may be noted that, the minimum time required to reach moisture 
equilibrium for the various types of textile materials having moisture regain less than 5 percent is about 
6 hours while the same for those having mois ture regain more than 5 per  cent is 24 hours.  
B-5 APPARATUS  
B-5.1 For T est Diameter  of 113 mm  
B-5.1.1 The bursting strength tester shall have a flat base plate of diameter at least 140 mm, covered 
by a flat diaphragm of rubber or similar material (of thick ness not more than 1 mm). a central hole in 
the base plate shall allow a controlled increase in fluid pressure to be applied to the underside of the 
diaphragm, so that the specimen bursts in 20 ± 3 seconds. The rate of flow of fluid through the hole in 
the base plate shall not vary more than ±20 per  cent throughout the test.  
B-5.1.2 A  clamping ring of internal diameter 113.00 ± 0.03 mm and of external diameter 140 mm 
(Min) shall be provided with a flat lower surface to hold the specimen firmly against the diaphragm at 
all points.   
 B-5.1.3  The lower face of the clamping ring may be lined with a thin layer of cork or other 
compressible material suitable for the fabric under test; if the face is unlined, its inner edge (or inner 
periphery) shall have a radius o f 0.5 mm.  
B-5.1.4 Means shall be provided for applying the clamping ring with sufficient pressure to prevent the 
fabric specimen from slipping during the test. The specimen shall not be damaged by the action of the 
clamping ring.  
B-5.1.5 Provision shall be  made for indicating or recording the pressure under the diaphragm at any 
point in the range in which the machine is used to an accuracy of ± 0.25 mm.  
B-5.2 For Test Diameter of 30.5 mm  
B-5.2.1 All conditions shall be the same as B-5.1.1 to B-5.1.5 except that the diameter of the base 
plate shall be at least 55 mm and the internal and external diameters of the clamping ring shall be 
30.50 ± 0.05 mm and 55 mm ( Min); respectively.  
B-6 PROCEDURE  
B-6.1 Place the test specimen or the area of the sample to be tes ted over the diaphragm so that it lies 
in a flat tensionless condition. Clamp it securely by means of clamping ring. Increase the pressure 
smoothly so that the bursting strength of the fabric is reached in 20 ± 3 seconds.  
B-6.1.1 Note the bursting strength and the bursting distention of the specimen. If the specimen bursts 
close to edge of the clamping ring, record this fact and discard the reading, and carry out another test.  
B-6.1.2 Repeat the test with other test specimens or a t other places on the test sample, as the case 
may be, to have at least 10 acceptable measurements.  
B-6.2 Diaphragm Correction – With the same rate fluid flow as employed in the above test, distend 
the diaphragm, without the presence of a specimen, but wit h the clamping ring in position, and note 
the pressure required to distend it by an amount equal to the average distention of the specimens. 
The pressure is the “diaphragm correction”.  
B-7 CALCULATION  
B-7.1 Calculate the arithmetic mean of the measured val ues of bursting strength and from this 
subtract the diaphragm correction.  
B-7.2 Express the arithmetic mean of the bursting distention of the specimens selected for the 
calculation of bursting pressure to the nearest 2 per  cent.  
B-8 TEST REPORT  
B-8.1 The t est report shall include the following information:  
a) Mean bursting strength in kilogram force per square centimetre or kilo -newton per square 
metre  
b) Diaphragm correction;  
c) Mean bursting distention; and  
d) The type and capacity of the machine, the range at which  it was operated, and the test 
diameter of the specimen.