Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on textile names and related labelling of textile products {SEC(2009)91} {SEC(2009)90}
Date: 2009-01-30
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: consumer information, labelling, product designation, textile product

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 4.3.2009 
COM(2009) 31 final/2 

2009/0006 (COD) 

CORRIGENDUM: 
Annule et remplace le document COM(2009) 31 final du 30.1.2009 
Concerne toutes les versions linguistiques: 
erreur au niveau du titre sur la page de couverture 

Proposal for a 

REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

on textile names and related labelling of textile products 

{SEC(2009)91} 
{SEC(2009)90}

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

BACKGROUND TO THE PROPOSAL 

The idea for a revision of Textile Names legislation came to light in recent years as a 
result  of  the  experience  developed  with  regular  technical  amendments  to  introduce 
new  fibre  names  into  the  existing  Directives.  This  experience  has  shown  that  there 
was  scope  to  simplify  the  existing  legal  framework  with  potential  positive  impacts 
for  private  stakeholders  and  public  administrations.  Thus,  the  revision  of  this 
legislation aims at simplifying and improving the existing regulatory framework for 
the development and uptake of novel fibres, with a view to encourage innovation in 
the textile and clothing sector and to allow fibre users and consumers to benefit faster 
from innovative products. 

In addition, the proposed revision will also enhance the transparency of the process 
to  add  new  fibres  to  the  list  of  harmonised  fibre  names.  At  the  same  time,  it  will 
introduce more flexibility to adapt legislation in order to keep up with the needs of 
the technological developments expected in the textiles industry. 

It  is  not  an  objective  of  the  revision  to  extend  EU  legislation  to  other  labelling 
requirements  beyond  the  fibre  composition  and  the  harmonisation  of  textile  fibre 
names covered by the existing Directives. 

The  revision  of  EU  legislation  on  Textile  Names  and  Labelling1  was  announced  in 
2006  in  the  “First  progress  report  on  the  strategy  for  the  simplification  of  the 
regulatory environment”2 and was included in the Commission Legislative and Work 
Programme for 2008. 

2. 

CONSULTATION OF INTERESTED PARTIES 

Due to the limited scope of this revision, a targeted consultation of interested parties 
was  conducted.  A  wide  range  of  stakeholders  participated  in  the  consultation 
process:  industry  and  retail  associations,  trade  unions,  consumer  organisations, 
European standardisation bodies, as well as national administrations3. 

Stakeholders and Member States representatives were invited to present their views, 
suggestions and proposals during a period going from January to August 2008, in the 
framework of the meetings organized by the Commission services and in writing. 

Stakeholders  are  of  the  opinion  that  introducing  new  fibre  names  in  the  European 
legislation is important to promote innovation in the European industry and from the 
perspective  of  consumer's  information.  However,  the  political  content  of  technical 

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Directives 96/74/EC (as amended), 96/73/EC (as amended) and 73/44/EEC. 
Commission Working Document COM (2006) 690 final 
CIRFS/BISFA  (International  Bureau  for  the  Standardisation  of  Man  Made  Fibres),  Euratex,  AEDT 
(European Association of National Organisations of Textile Retailers), Trade Unions, ANEC (European 
Association  for  the  Co-ordination  of  Consumer  Representation  in  Standardisation),  BEUC  (European 
Consumers’  Organisation),  CEN  (European  Committee  for  Standardisation),  Member  States 
representatives. 

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amendments to Textile Names legislation does not justify the heavy procedures and 
costs  involved  in  the  transposition  of  a  Directive;  therefore,  a  lighter  legislative 
solution should be used. 

Results of the consultation process are available in the Impact Assessment report and 
its annexes. 

3. 

IMPACT ASSESSMENT 

Based on the results of the stakeholder consultation and on the study “Simplification 
of  EU  legislation  in  the  field  of  Textile  Names  and  Labelling  –  an  Impact 
Assessment of policy options”4, the Commission carried out an impact assessment of 
the various policy options to achieve the objectives set out above.  

The  Impact  Assessment  Board  of  the  European  Commission  assessed  the  draft 
version  of  the  impact  assessment  report  prepared  by  the  relevant  service  and 
approved it subject to some modifications5. 

Analysis  and  comparison  of  the  various  options  and  their  impact  lead  to  the 
following conclusions: 

- The inclusion of guidance on the contents of the application file and the recognition 
of  laboratories  to  assist  companies  in  compiling  the  file  show  potential  benefits  if 
they result in the submission of application files more in line with the requirements 
of  the  Commission  services.  This  could  bring  significant  time  savings  for  both 
industry and public authorities.  

-  The  greatest  benefits  for  industry  arise  from  reducing  the  time  taken  between  an 
application for a new fibre name being submitted and the ability to place the fibre on 
the market with the new name. This means savings in administrative costs and earlier 
realisation of revenue from sale of the fibre. 

-  The  greatest  benefits  to  Member  State  authorities  result  from  replacing  the 
Directives  with  a  Regulation,  because  they  would  no  longer  need  to  transpose  the 
amendments into national legislation. This could generate significant cost savings to 
Member States. 

-  The  revision  will  retain  the  benefits  for  consumers  of  certainty  that  the  named 
fibres  meet  specified  characteristics.  Consumers  may  also  gain  additional  benefits 
from new fibres reaching the market earlier.  

4. 

LEGAL BASIS AND SUBSIDIARITY 

EU  legislation  on  Textile  Names  and  Labelling  is  based  on  Article  95  of  the  EC 
Treaty. It aims at establishing an internal market for textile products while ensuring 
that consumer receive appropriate information. 

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Study available at: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/textile/index_en.htm  
http://ec.europa.eu/governance/impact/iab_en.htm 

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Member States recognised in the 1970’s the need for harmonization of Community 
legislation  in  the  area  of  textile  names.  Different  (non-harmonised)  textile  fibre 
names  in  the  EU  Member  States  would  create  a  technical  barrier  to  trade  in  the 
Internal  Market.  In  addition,  consumer  interests  would  be  better  protected  if  the 
information provided in this area is the same within the Internal Market.  

The current proposal does not modify the political balance between Member States 
and EU. A Committee is foreseen to assist the Commission and give an opinion on 
the implementing measures proposed to amend the regulation, following the rules of 
a regulatory committee with scrutiny. This is the case today with existing Directives.  

5. 

MAIN  ELEMENTS  OF  THE  PROPOSAL  AND  CHANGES  TO  EXISTING  LEGISLATION  ON 
TEXTILE NAMES AND LABELLING. 

The main changes to the existing legislation can be summarised as follows: 

5.1. 

Facilitating the legislative process to adapt legislation to technical progress 

5.1.1.  Transforming Directive 96/74/EC into a Regulation 

EU legislation on textile names and labelling needs to be adapted every time a new 
fibre  name  is  added  to  the  list  of  harmonised  names;  such  changes  are  of  merely 
technical  nature  and  can  be  introduced  more  simply  in  the  form  of  a  Regulation, 
reducing thus the administrative burden for national authorities.  

5.1.2.  Repealing Directives on methods and transforming them into a technical annex 

Quantification methods are an essential instrument to allow for the verification of the 
information  provided  in  the  composition  label,  which  also  requires  update  to  take 
account of new fibre names. Given their detailed technical content, the adaptation of 
such  uniform  methods  is  better  addressed  in  the  form  of  annexes  to  the  main 
Regulation.  Therefore,  Article  22  repeals  Directives  96/73/EC  and  73/44/EEC  and 
the proposed Regulation includes an Annex VIII, laying down uniform methods used 
for official tests. 

5.2. 

Shortening the time between the submission of an application and the adoption 
of the new fibre name. 

In  order  to  allow  fibre  manufacturers,  fibre  users  and  consumers  to  benefit  faster 
from  the  use  of  novel  fibres  and  innovative  products,  new  fibre  names  should  be 
adopted  in  EU  legislation  more  rapidly.  In  addition  to  the  time  gained  with  the 
changing  of  Directive  96/74/EC  into  a  Regulation,  the  time  necessary  for  the 
technical examination of requests for new fibre names may be reduced if application 
files submitted by manufacturers are more correct and complete with respect to the 
requirements they need to fulfil. 

5.2.1.  Minimum requirements of applications for a new fibre name 

A new Article (Article 6) establishes the procedure to be followed by a manufacturer 
to  request  the  addition  of  a  new  fibre  name  to  the  technical  annexes  of  the 

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Regulation. The manufacturer needs to submit an application file to the Commission, 
taking into consideration the minimum requirements set out in Annex II.  

5.2.2.  Report on the implementation of the Regulation 

Article 21 foresees a report on the implementation of the Regulation, to be drawn up 
by the Commission after a period of 5 years. The report will focus on assessing the 
experience obtained with the applications for new fibre names received in that period 
and  it  will  examine  if  further  gains  on  time  may  be  obtained  from  a  revision  of 
proposed procedures. 

5.3. 

Other changes 

Apart  from  the  amendments  set  out  under  points  5.1  and  5.2,  the  text  of  existing 
legislation  has  been  revised  in  line  with  recent  legislative  standards  to  facilitate  its 
direct  applicability  and  to  ensure  that  citizens,  economic  operators  and  public 
authorities can readily identify their rights and obligations.  

The substantive changes made in the proposal are the following: 

- Article 1 introduces the subject matter of the regulation 

- Article 3 includes additional definitions 

- Article 4 sets out general obligations to market textile products 

-  Article  11  (2)  states  explicitly  the  responsibility  of  economic  operators  to  supply 
the label and for the information contained therein 

- Article 14 on special provisions refers to a technical Annex, which defines detailed 
rules for certain textile products 

-  Similarly,  article  16  on  items  excluded  from  the  determination  of  the  fibre 
percentage refers to a technical annex 

- Article 17 sets out market surveillance provisions  

- Article 18 specifies the extraneous fibre and manufacturing tolerances 

6. 

ONGOING AMENDMENT OF TEXTILE DIRECTIVES. 

In  2006,  the  Commission  services  received  and  application  to  add  the  new  fibre 
name  “melamine”  to  the  Annexes  of  Directive  96/74/EC.  At  exploratory,  technical 
working group meetings with experts from Member States there was a consensus that 
the  application  is  technically  sound.  It  is  therefore  appropriate  to  adapt  Directives 
96/74/EC and 96/73/EC to technical progress.  

Directives 96/74/EC and 96/73/EC will thus be amended in order to include the new 
fibre  name  “melamine”  in  their  technical  Annexes.  According  to  Article  16(1)  of 
Directive  96/74/EC  and  Article  5  (2)  of  Directive  96/73/EC,  additions  to  Annexe  I 
and II of Directive 96/74/EC and additions and amendments to Annex II of Directive 

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96/73/EC  shall  be  made  by  the  Commission  in  accordance  with  the  opinion  of  the 
Committee for Directives on Textile Names and Labelling.  

It  is  envisaged  that  the  Commission  consults  the  Committee  while  the  present 
proposal for a new Regulation is following the legislative procedure of adoption in 
the  Council  and  the  European  Parliament.  It  is  foreseen  that  the  new  fibre 
“melamine” is added to the Annexes of the Directives after the Committee delivers a 
favourable opinion on the proposal of the Commission. In order to avoid unnecessary 
delays  and  additional  amendments,  it  is  thus  appropriate  that  the  new  Regulation 
includes the new fibre in brackets [melamine],  subject  to the favourable opinion of 
the Committee. 

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2009/0006 (COD) 

Proposal for a 

REGULATION …/…/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE 
COUNCIL 

of […] 

on textile names and related labelling of textile products 

(Text with EEA relevance) 

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community,  and  in  particular 
Article 95 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee6, 

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty7, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

Council Directive 73/44/EEC of 26 February 1973 on the approximation of the laws of 
the  Member  States  relating  to  the  quantitative  analysis  of  ternary  fibre  mixtures8, 
Directive  96/73/EC  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  16  December 
1996 on certain methods for the quantitative analysis of binary textile fibre mixtures9 
and  Directive  96/74/EC  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  16 
December  1996  on  textile  names  (recast)10,  have  been  amended  several  times.  Since 
further  amendments  are  to  be  made,  they  should  be  replaced  by  a  single  legal 
instrument, in the interest of clarity. 

The  Community  legislation  on  Textile  Names  and  related  Labelling  of  Textile 
Products  is  very  technical  in  its  content,  with  detailed  provisions  that  need  to  be 
adapted  regularly.  In  order  to  avoid  the  need  for  Member  States  to  transpose  the 
technical  amendments  into  national  legislation  and  thus  reduce  the  administrative 
burden for national authorities and in order to allow for a faster adoption of new fibre 
names to be applied at the same time throughout the Community, a Regulation appears 
as the most appropriate legal instrument to carry out the legislative simplification. 

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10 

OJ C , , p. . 
OJ C , , p. . 
OJ L 83, 30.3.1973, p. 1 
OJ L 32, 3.2.1997, p. 1.  
OJ L 32, 3.2.1997, p.38 

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(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

In  order  to  eliminate  potential  obstacles  to  the  proper  functioning  of  the  internal 
market caused by diverging provisions of the Member States with regard to the names, 
composition and labelling of textile products, it is necessary to harmonize the names 
of  textile  fibres  and  the  indications  appearing  on  labels,  markings  and  documents 
which accompany textile products at the various stages of their production, processing 
and distribution. 

It is appropriate to lay down rules enabling the manufacturers to ask for the inclusion 
of a new fibre name on the list of permitted fibre names. 

Provision  should  also  be  made  in  respect  of  certain  products  which  are  not  made 
exclusively of textile materials but have a textile content which constitutes an essential 
part  of  the  product  or  to  which  attention  is  specifically  drawn  by  the  manufacturer, 
processor or trader. 

The  tolerance  in  respect  of  ‘other  fibres’,  which  are  not  to  be  stated  on  the  labels 
should apply to both pure products and to mixtures. 

Composition  labelling  should  be  compulsory  to  ensure  correct  information  is  made 
available to all consumers in the Community at a uniform level. Where it is technically 
difficult to specify the composition of a product at the time of manufacture, it should 
be  possible  to  state,  on  the  label,  only  those  fibres  which  are  known  at  the  time  of 
manufacture  provided  that  they  account  for  a  certain  percentage  of  the  finished 
product.  

In order to avoid the differences in practice among the Member States, it is necessary 
to  lay  down  the  exact  methods  of  labelling  for  certain  textile  products  consisting  of 
two or more components, and also to specify the components of textile products that 
need not be taken into account for purposes of labelling and analysis. 

Textile products subject only to the requirements of inclusive labelling, and those sold 
by  the  metre  or  in  cut  lengths,  should  be  offered  for  sale  in  such  a  way  that  the 
consumer  can  fully  acquaint  himself  with  the  information  affixed  to  the  overall 
packaging or the roll. 

(10)  The  use  of  descriptions  or  names  which  enjoy  particular  prestige  among  users  and 
consumers  should  be  made  subject  to  certain  conditions.  Furthermore,  in  order  to 
provide information to users and consumers, it is appropriate that the fibre names are 
related to the characteristics of the fibre. 

(11)  Market  surveillance  of  products  under  the  scope  of  this  Regulation  in  the  Member 
States  should  be  subject  to  the  provisions  of  Directive  2001/95/EC  of  the  European 
Parliament and of the Council of 3 December 2001 on general product safety11. 

(12) 

It is necessary to lay down methods for the sampling and analysis of textile products in 
order to exclude any possibility of objections to the methods used. The methods used 
for official tests carried out in the Member States to determine the fibre composition of 
textile  products  composed  of  binary  and  ternary  mixtures  should  be  uniform,  as 
regards  both  the  pre-treatment  of  the  sample  and  its  quantitative  analysis;  therefore 

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OJ L35, 6.2.2004, p. 39 

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this Regulation should lay down uniform  methods  of  analysis  for  most  of  the  textile 
products composed of binary and ternary mixtures that are on the market. 

(13) 

In  the  case  of  binary  mixtures  for  which  there  is  no  uniform  method  of  analysis  at 
Community  level,  the  laboratory  responsible  for  the  test  should  be  allowed  to 
determine  the  composition  of  such  mixtures  using  any  valid  method  at  its  disposal, 
indicating in the analysis report the result obtained and, in so far as this is known, the 
degree of accuracy of the method used. 

(14)  This Regulation should set out the agreed allowances to be applied to the anhydrous 
mass of each fibre during the determination by analysis of the fibre content of textile 
products,  and  should  give  two  different  agreed  allowances  for  calculating  the 
composition of carded or combed fibres containing wool and/or animal hair. Since it 
cannot  always  be  established  whether  a  product  is  carded  or  combed,  and 
consequently  inconsistent  results  can  arise  from  the  application  of  the  tolerances 
during checks on the conformity of textile products carried out in the Community, The 
laboratories  carrying  out  those  checks  should  be  authorized  to  apply  a  single  agreed 
allowance in doubtful cases. 

(15)  Rules  should  be  laid  down  in  respect  of  products  exempt  from  the  general  labelling 
requirements  of  this  Regulation,  in  particular  disposable  products  or  products  for 
which only inclusive labelling is required. 

(16) 

It  is  appropriate  to  establish  a  procedure,  to  be  observed  by  any  manufacturer  or  its 
representative that wishes to include a new fibre name in the technical Annexes. This 
Regulation should thus set out requirements to apply for a new fibre name to be added 
to the technical Annexes. 

(17)  The measures necessary for the implementation of this Regulation should be adopted 
in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the 
procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission12. 

(18) 

In particular the Commission should be empowered to adapt to technical progress the 
list  of  fibre  names  and  the  related  descriptions,  the  minimum  requirements  for  the 
technical file to be annexed to the application by the manufacturer for the addition of a 
new fibre name to the list of permitted fibre names, the special provisions concerning 
corsetry products and certain types of textiles, the list of products for which labelling 
or marking is not mandatory, the list of products for which only inclusive labelling or 
marking  is  mandatory,  the  list  of  items  not  to  be  taken  into  account  for  the 
determination of fibre percentages, the agreed allowances used to calculate the mass of 
fibres contained in a textile product, as well as to adapt the existing or to adopt new 
methods  of  quantitative  analysis  for  binary  and  ternary  mixtures,.  Since  those 
measures  are  of  general  scope  and  are  designed  to  amend  non-essential  elements  of 
this Regulation, inter alia by supplementing it with new non-essential elements, they 
must  be adopted in accordance  with  the regulatory procedure with scrutiny provided 
for in Article 5a of Decision 1999/468/EC. 

(19)  Since the objectives of the action to be taken, that is the adoption of uniform rules for 
the use of textile names and related labelling of textile products, cannot be sufficiently 

12 

OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.  

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achieved by the Member States and can therefore, by reason of the scale of the action, 
be  better  achieved  at  Community  level,  the  Community  may  adopt  measures,  in 
accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as  set  out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In 
accordance  with  the  principle  of  proportionality,  as  set  out  in  that  Article,  this 
Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives. 

(20)  Directives 96/74/EC [or recast], 96/73/EC and 73/44/EC should be repealed, 

HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

Chapter 1 

General provisions 

Article 1 

Subject matter 

This Regulation lays down rules concerning the use of textile names and related labelling of 
textile products as well as the rules concerning the quantitative analysis of binary and ternary 
textile fibre mixtures. 

Article 2 

Scope 

1. This Regulation applies to textile products.  

It also applies to the following products:  

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

products containing at least 80 % by weight of textile fibres; 

furniture,  umbrella  and  sunshade  coverings  containing  at  least  80 %  by  weight  of 
textile components;  

the textile components of multi-layer floor coverings, of mattresses and of camping 
goods, and warm linings of footwear, gloves, mittens and mitts, provided such parts 
or linings constitute at least 80 % by weight of the complete product; 

textiles  incorporated  in  other  products  and  forming  an  integral  part  thereof,  where 
their composition is specified. 

2. The provisions of this Regulation do not apply to textile products which: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

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are intended for export to third countries; 

enter Member States, under customs control, for transit purposes; 

are imported from third countries for inward processing; 

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(d) 

are  contracted  out  to  persons  working  in  their  own  homes,  or  to  independent  firms 
that  make  up  work  from  materials  supplied  without  the  property  therein  being 
transferred for consideration. 

Article 3 

Definitions 

1. For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions apply:  

(a) 

‘textile  products’  means  any  raw,  semi-worked,  worked,  semi-manufactured, 
manufactured, semi-made-up or made-up products which are exclusively composed 
of textile fibres, regardless of the mixing or assembly process employed; 

(b) 

‘textile fibre’ means either of the following: 

(i) 

(ii) 

a unit of matter characterized by its flexibility, fineness and high ratio of length 
to  maximum  transverse  dimension,  which  render  it  suitable  for  textile 
applications; 

flexible  strips  or  tubes,  of  which  the  apparent  width  does  not  exceed  5 mm, 
including  strips  cut  from  wider  strips  or  films,  produced  from  the  substances 
used for the manufacture of the fibres listed in table 2 in Annex I and suitable 
for textile applications;  

‘the  apparent  width’  is  the  width  of  the  strip  or  tube  when  folded,  flattened, 
compressed or twisted, or the average width where the width is not uniform; 

‘textile component’ means a part of a textile product with a distinct fibre content; 

‘extraneous fibres’ are fibres other than those stated on the label; 

‘lining’  means  a  separate  item  used  in  making-up  garments  and  other  products, 
consisting of a single layer or multiple layers of textile material loosely held in place 
along one or more of the edges; 

‘inclusive  labelling’  means  a  means  of  labelling  whereby  a  single  label  is  used  for 
several textile products or components; 

‘disposable products’ means textile products designed to be used once only or for a 
limited time, and the normal use of which precludes any restoring for subsequent use 
for the same or a similar purpose. 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

(g) 

(h) 

Article 4  

General rules 

1.  Textile  products  may  be  marketed  within  the  Community,  either  before  or  during  their 
industrial  processing  or  at  any  of  the  distribution  stages,  only  where  such  products  are 
labelled according to the provisions of this Regulation. 

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2.  The  application  of  this  Regulation  shall  be  without  prejudice  to  the  application  of  the 
national  and  Community  rules  on  protection  of  industrial  and  commercial  property,  on 
indications of provenance, marks of origin and the prevention of unfair competition. 

Chapter 2 

Textile fibre names and related labelling requirements 

Article 5 

Textile fibre names 

1. Only the names of fibres listed in Annex I shall be used for composition labelling. 

2. Use of the names listed in Annex I shall be reserved for fibres whose nature corresponds to 
the description set out in that Annex.  

The  names  shall  not  be  used  for  other  fibres,  whether  on  their  own  or  as  a  root  or  as  an 
adjective. 

The term ‘silk’ may not be used to indicate the shape or particular presentation in continuous 
yarn of textile fibres. 

Article 6 

Applications for new fibre names 

Any manufacturer or its representative may apply to the Commission to add a new fibre name 
to the list set out in Annex I. 

The application shall include a technical file compiled in accordance with Annex II 

Article 7 

Pure products 

1. Only textile products exclusively composed of the same fibre may be labelled as ‘100 %’, 
‘pure’ or ‘all’.  

Those or similar terms shall not be used for other products. 

2.  A  textile  product  shall  be  considered  as  exclusively  composed  of  the  same  fibre  if  it 
contains up to 2 % by weight of other fibres, provided this quantity is justified on technical 
grounds and is not added as a matter of routine.  

Under the same condition, a textile product, which has undergone a carding process, shall be 
considered  as  exclusively  composed  of  the  same  fibre  if  it  contains  up  to  5%  by  weight  of 
other fibres. 

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Article 8 

Wool products 

1.  A  textile  product  may  be  labelled  by  one  of  the  names  referred  to  in  Annex  III provided 
that it is composed exclusively of a wool fibre which has not previously been incorporated in 
a  finished  product,  which  has  not  been  subjected  to  any  spinning  and/or  felting  processes 
other than those required in the manufacture of that product, and which has not been damaged 
by treatment or use. 

2.  By  way  of  derogation  from  paragraph  1,  the  names  listed  in  Annex  III  may  be  used  to 
describe wool contained in a fibre mixture if all the following conditions are complied with: 

(a) 

all  the  wool  contained  in  that  mixture  satisfies  the  requirements  defined  in 
paragraph 1; 

(b) 

such wool accounts for not less than 25 % of the total weight of the mixture; 

(c) 

in the case of a scribbled mixture, the wool is mixed with only one other fibre; 

The full percentage composition of such mixture shall be given. 

3.  The  fibrous  impurities  in  the  products  referred  to  in  paragraphs  1  and  2,  including  wool 
products  which  have  undergone  a  carding  process,  shall  not  exceed  0,3  %  and  shall  be 
justified by technical reasons connected with manufacture. 

Article 9 

Multi-fibre textile products 

1. A textile product composed of two or more fibres, one of which accounts for at least 85 % 
of the total weight, shall be labelled by one of the following: 

(a) 

(b) 

the name of the fibre which accounts for at least 85% of the total weight followed by 
its percentage by weight; 

the name of the fibre which accounts for at least 85% of the total weight followed by 
the words ‘85 % minimum’; 

(c) 

the full percentage composition of the product. 

2. A textile product composed of two or more fibres, none of which accounts for as much as 
85 % of the total weight, shall be labelled by the name and percentage by weight of at least 
two  fibres  with  the  highest  percentage  by  weight,  followed  by  the  names  of  the  other 
constituent  fibres  in  descending  order  of  the  percentage  by  weight,  with  or  without  an 
indication of their percentage by weight.  

However, the following rules shall also apply: 

(a) 

fibres which separately account for less than 10  % of the total  weight  of  a product 
may  be  collectively  designated  by  the  term  ‘other  fibres’,  followed  by  the  total 
percentage by weight; 

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(b) 

where the name of a fibre which accounts for less than 10 % of the total weight of a 
product is specified, the full percentage composition of that product shall be given. 

3. Products having a pure cotton warp and a pure flax weft, in which the percentage of flax 
accounts  for  at  least  40 %  of  the  total  weight  of  the  unsized  fabric  may  be  given  the  name 
‘cotton  linen  union’  which  must  be  accompanied  by  the  composition  specification  ‘pure 
cotton warp — pure flax weft’. 

4. For textile products the composition of which cannot easily be stated at the time of their 
manufacture,  the  term  ‘mixed  fibres’  or  the  term  ‘unspecified  textile  composition’  may  be 
used on the label. 

Article 10 

Decorative fibres and fibres with antistatic effect 

Visible, isolable fibres which are purely decorative and do not exceed 7 % of the weight of 
the finished product need not be mentioned in the fibre compositions provided for in Articles 
7 and 9. 

The  same  shall  apply  to  metallic  fibres  and  other  fibres  which  are  incorporated  in  order  to 
obtain an antistatic effect and which do not exceed 2 % of the weight of the finished product. 

In the case of the products referred to in Article 9(3), such percentages shall be calculated on 
the weight of the warp and that of the weft separately. 

Article 11 

Labels and marking 

1. Textile products shall be labelled or marked whenever they are put on the market. 

However, labels or marking may be replaced or supplemented by accompanying commercial 
documents  when  the  products  are  not  being  offered  for  sale  to  the  end  consumer,  or  when 
they  are  delivered  in  performance  of  an  order  placed  by  the  State  or  by  some  other  legal 
person governed by public law. 

2. The manufacturer or his authorized agent established in the Community or, if neither the 
manufacturer  nor  his  authorized  agent  is  established  in  the  Community,  the  economic 
operator  responsible  for  first  placing  the  textile  product  on  the  Community  market  shall 
ensure the supply of the label and the accuracy of the information contained therein. 

The distributor shall ensure that the textile products sold by him bear the appropriate labelling 
prescribed by this Regulation. 

The  persons  referred  to  in  the  first  and  second  subparagraphs  shall  ensure  that  any 
information supplied when textile products are placed on the market cannot be confused with 
the names and descriptions laid down by this Regulation.  

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Article 12 

The use of names and descriptions 

1. The names and descriptions referred to in Articles 5, 7, 8 and 9 shall be clearly indicated in 
sales contracts, bills, invoices and other commercial documents.  

The  use  of  abbreviations  is  not  allowed.  However,  a  mechanized  processing  code  may  be 
used, provided that code is explained in the same document. 

2.  The  names  and  descriptions  referred  to  in  Articles  5,  7,  8  and  9  shall  be  indicated  in 
catalogues and trade literature, on packaging, labels and marking in clear, legible and uniform 
print when textile products are offered for sale.  

3.  Trade  marks  or  the  name  of  the  undertaking  may  be  given  immediately  before  or  after 
names and descriptions referred to in Articles 5, 7, 8 and 9. 

However,  where  a  trade  mark  or  a  name  of  an  undertaking  contains,  on  its  own  or  as  an 
adjective  or  as  a  root,  one  of  the  names  listed  in  Annex  I  or  a  name  liable  to  be  confused 
therewith,  such  trade  mark  or  name  shall  be  given  immediately  before  or  after  names  and 
descriptions referred to in Articles 5, 7, 8 and 9. 

Other information shall be always displayed separately. 

4. The labelling and marking shall be available in the language or languages of the Member 
State  on  which  territory  the  textile  products  are  offered  for  sale  or  are  sold  to  the  end 
consumer if it is required by legislation of that Member State. 

In  the  case  of  bobbins,  reels,  skeins,  balls  or  other  small  quantity  of  sewing,  mending  and 
embroidery  yarns,  the  first  subparagraph  shall  apply  to  the  inclusive  labelling  referred  to  in 
Article 15(3). Individual items may be labelled in any one of the Community languages.  

Article 13 

Multi-component textile products 

1. Any textile product containing two or more components shall bear a label stating the fibre 
content of each component. 

Such  labelling  shall  not  be  compulsory  for  components  other  than  main  linings  and 
representing less than 30 % of the total weight of the product. 

2. Where two or more textile products have the same fibre content and normally form a single 
unit, they may bear only one label. 

Article 14 

Special provisions 

The  fibre  composition  of  products  listed  in  Annex  IV  shall  be  indicated  according  to  the 
labelling rules set out in that Annex. 

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Article 15 

Derogations 

1. By way of derogation from Articles 11, 12 and 13, the rules laid down in paragraphs 2, 3 
and 4 of this Article shall apply. 

In any case, the products referred to in paragraph 3 and 4 of this Article shall be offered for 
sale in such a way that the end consumer can fully acquaint himself with the composition of 
those products. 

2.  The  indication  of  fibre  names  or  fibre  composition  on  the  labels  or  marking  of  textile 
products listed in Annex V is not required. 

However,  where  a  trade  mark  or  name  of  an  undertaking  contains,  on  its  own  or  as  an 
adjective  or  as  a  root,  one  of  the  names  listed  in  Annex  I  or  a  name  liable  to  be  confused 
therewith, Articles 11, 12 and 13 shall apply. 

3. Where textile products listed in Annex VI are of the same type and composition, they may 
be offered for sale together under an inclusive label. 

4. The composition of textile products sold by the metre may be shown on the length or roll 
offered for sale. 

Chapter 3 

Fibre percentages and tolerances 

Article 16 

Items not to be taken into account for the determination of fibre percentages 

In the determination of percentages set out in Articles 7, 8 and 9 to be displayed pursuant to 
Article 11, the items listed in Annex VII shall not be taken into account. 

Article 17 

Market surveillance provisions 

1.  National  market  surveillance  authorities  shall  carry  out  checks  on  the  conformity  of  the 
composition  of  textile  products  with  the  supplied  information  related  to  the  composition  of 
those products in accordance with Directive 2001/95/EC. 

2. The checks referred to in paragraph 1 shall be carried out in accordance with the methods 
of  sampling  and  quantitative  analysis  of  certain  binary  and  ternary  fibre  mixtures  set  out  in 
Annex VIII.  

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For those purposes, the fibre percentages set out in Articles 7, 8 and 9 shall be determined by 
applying to the anhydrous mass of each fibre the appropriate agreed allowance laid down in 
Annex IX, after having removed the items set out in Annex VII.  

3. Any laboratory responsible for the testing of textile mixtures for which there is no uniform 
method of analysis at Community level shall determine the composition of such mixtures by 
using any valid method at its disposal, indicating in the analysis report the result obtained and, 
in so far as this is known, the degree of accuracy of the method used. 

Article 18 

Tolerances  

1.  For  the  purposes  of  establishing  the  composition  of  textile  products  intended  for  the  end 
consumer, the tolerances laid down paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 shall apply. 

2.  The  presence  of  extraneous  fibres  in  the  composition  to  be  provided  in  accordance  with 
Article  9  does  not  need  to  be  indicated  if  the  percentage  of  those  fibres  does  not  reach  the 
following: 

(a) 

2 %  of  the  total  weight  of  the  textile  product,  provided  that  that  quantity  is 
justified on technical grounds and is not added as a matter of routine;  

(b)  5 % in the case of products which have undergone a carding process.  

Point (b) of this paragraph shall be without prejudice to Article 8(3). 

3. A manufacturing tolerance of 3 % shall be permitted between the stated fibre percentages 
to  be  provided  in  accordance  with  Article  9  and  the  percentages  obtained  from  analysis 
carried out in accordance with Article 17, in relation to the total weight of fibres shown on the 
label. Such tolerance shall also apply to the following: 

(a) 

fibres  which  are  listed  with  no  indication  of  their  percentage  in  accordance 
with Article 9(2); 

(b) 

the percentage of wool referred to in Article 8(2)(b). 

For the purposes of the analysis, the tolerances shall be calculated separately. The total weight 
to be taken into account in calculating the tolerance referred to in this paragraph shall be that 
of  the  fibres  of  the  finished  product  less  the  weight  of  any  extraneous  fibres  found  when 
applying the tolerance referred to in paragraph 2. 

The addition of the tolerances referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 shall be permitted only if any 
extraneous fibres found by analysis, when applying the tolerance referred to in paragraph 2, 
prove to be of the same chemical type as one or more of the fibres shown on the label. 

4. In the case of particular products for which the manufacturing process requires tolerances 
higher than those laid down in paragraphs 2 and 3, higher tolerances may be authorized by the 
Commission when the conformity of the product is checked pursuant to Article 17(1) only in 
exceptional cases and where adequate justification is provided by the manufacturer.  

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The  manufacturer  shall  submit  a  request  providing  sufficient  reasons  and  evidence  of  the 
exceptional manufacturing circumstances. 

Chapter 4 

Final provisions 

Article 19 

Amendment of the Annexes 

1. The Commission may adopt any amendments to Annexes I, II, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII and IX 
which are necessary for adapting these Annexes to technical progress. 

2. The measures referred to in paragraph 1, designed to amend non-essential elements of this 
Regulation, inter alia, by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory 
procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 20(2). 

Article 20  

Committee 

1. The Commission shall be assisted by the Committee for Textile Names and Labelling.  

2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 5a(1) to (4) and Article 7 of Decision 
1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.  

Article 21 

Reporting 

By  [DATE  =  5  years  from  the  entry  into  force  of  this  Regulation]  at  the  latest,  the 
Commission  shall  submit  a  report  to  the  European  Parliament  and  to  the  Council  on  the 
implementation  of  this  Regulation,  with  an  emphasis  on  the  requests  and  adoption  of  new 
fibre names. 

Article 22 

Repeal 

Directives  73/44/EC,  96/73/EC  and  96/74/EC  [or  recast]  are  repealed  with  effect  from  the 
date of entry into force of this Regulation. 

References to the repealed Directives shall be construed as references to this Regulation and 
shall be read in accordance with the correlation table in Annex X. 

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Article 23 

Entry into force 

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in 
the Official Journal of the European Communities. 

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. 

Done at Brussels, […] 

For the European Parliament 
The President 
[…] 

For the Council 
The President 
[…] 

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ANNEX I 

TABLE OF TEXTILE FIBRES 

Table 1 

Number 

Name 

Fibre description 

1 

wool 

alpaca, llama, camel, 
kashmir, mohair, 
angora vicuna, yak, 
guanaco, cashgora, 
beaver, otter, followed 
or not by the name 
‘wool’ or ‘hair’ 

animal or horsehair, 
with or without an 
indication of the kind 
of animal (e.g. cattle 
hair, common goat 
hair, horsehair) 

silk 

cotton 

kapok 

flax 

Fibre from sheep's or lambs' fleeces (Ovis aries) or a 
mixture of fibres from sheep’s or lambs’ fleeces and the 
hairs of animals listed in item 2  

hair of the following animals: alpaca, llama, camel, 
kashmir goat, angora goat, angora rabbit, vicuna, yak, 
guanaco, cashgora goat, beaver, otter 

hair of the various animals not mentioned under 1 or 2 

fibre obtained exclusively from silk-secreting insects 

fibre obtained from the bolls of the cotton plant 
(Gossypium) 

fibre obtained from the inside of the kapok fruit (Ceiba 
pentandra) 

fibre obtained from the bast of the flax plant (Linum 
usitatissimum) 

true hemp 

fibre obtained from the bast of hemp (Cannabis sativa) 

jute 

fibre obtained from the bast of Corchorus olitorius and 
Corchorus capsularis. For the purposes of this 
Regulation, bast fibres obtained from the following 
species shall be treated in the same way as jute: Hibiscus 
cannabinus, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Abultilon avicennae, 
Urena lobata, Urena sinuata 

abaca (Manila hemp) 

fibre obtained from the sheathing leaf of Musa textilis 

alfa 

fibre obtained from the leaves of Stipa tenacissima 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

EN 

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12 

13 

coir (coconut) 

fibre obtained from the fruit of Cocos nucifera 

broom 

fibre obtained from the bast of Cytisus scoparius and/or 
Spartium Junceum 

14 

ramie 

fibre obtained from the bast of Boehmeria nivea and 
Boehmeria tenacissima 

15 

16 

17 

18 

sisal 

Sunn 

fibre obtained from the leaves of agave sisalana 

fibre from the bast of Crotalaria juncea 

Henequen 

fibre from the bast of Agave Fourcroydes 

Maguey 

fibre from the bast of Agave Cantala 

Table 2 

19 

acetate 

cellulose acetate fibre wherein less than 92 % but at least 
74 % of the hydroxyl groups are acetylated 

20 

21 

alginate 

fibre obtained from metallic salts of alginic acid 

cupro 
(cuprammonium 
rayon) 

regenerated cellulose fibre obtained by the 
cuprammonium process 

22 

modal 

23 

protein 

24 

triacetate 

25 

viscose 

26 

acrylic 

a regenerated cellulose fibre obtained by a modified 
viscose process having a high breaking force and high 
wet modulus. The breaking force (BC) in the conditioned 
state and the force (BM) required to produce an 
elongation of 5 % in the wet state are: 

BC (CN) ≥ 1,3 √T + 2 T 

BM (CN) ≥ 0,5 √T 

where T is the mean linear density in decitex  

fibre obtained from natural protein substances 
regenerated and stabilized through the action of 
chemical agents 

cellulose acetate fibre wherein at least 92 % of the 
hydroxyl groups are acetylated 

regenerated cellulose fibre obtained by the viscose 
process for filament and discontinuous fibre 

fibre formed of linear macromolecules comprising at 
least 85 % (by mass) in the chain of the acrylonitrilic 

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27 

chlorofibre 

28 

fluorofibre 

29 

modacrylic  

30 

polyamide or nylon  

31 

aramid 

32 

polyimide 

33 

lyocell 

34 

polylactide 

35 

polyester 

pattern 

fibre formed of linear macromolecules having in their 
chain more than 50 % by mass of chlorinated vinyl or 
chlorinated vinylidene monomeric units 

fibre formed of linear macromolecules made from 
fluorocarbon aliphatic monomers 

fibre formed of linear macromolecules having in the 
chain more than 50 % and less than 85 % (by mass) of 
the acrylonitrilic pattern 

fibre formed from synthetic linear macromolecules 
having in the chain recurring amide linkages of which at 
least 85 % are joined to aliphatic or cycloaliphatic units  

fibre formed from synthetic linear macromolecules made 
up of aromatic groups joined by amide or imide 
linkages, of which at least 85 % are joined directly to 
two aromatic rings and with the number of imide 
linkages, if the latter are present, not exceeding the 
number of amide linkages 

fibre formed from synthetic linear macromolecules 
having in the chain recurring imide units 

a regenerated cellulose fibre obtained by dissolution, and 
an organic solvent (mixture of organic chemicals and 
water) spinning process, without formation of 
derivatives 

fibre formed of linear macromolecules having in the 
chain at least 85% (by mass) of lactic acid ester units 
derived from naturally occurring sugars, and which has a 
melting temperature of at least 135 °C 

fibre formed of linear macromolecules comprising at 
least 85 % (by mass) in the chain of an ester of a diol 
and terephthalic acid 

36 

polyethylene 

fibre formed of un-substituted aliphatic saturated 
hydrocarbon linear macromolecules 

37 

polypropylene 

fibre formed of an aliphatic saturated hydrocarbon linear 
macromolecule where one carbon atom in two carries a 
methyl side chain in an isotactic disposition and without 
further substitution 

38 

polycarbamide 

fibre formed of linear macromolecules having in the 
chain the recurring ureylene (NH—CO—NH) functional 

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group 

39 

polyurethane 

fibre formed of linear macromolecules composed of 
chains with the recurring urethane functional group 

40 

vinylal 

41 

trivinyl 

42 

elastodiene 

43 

elastane 

fibre formed of linear macromolecules whose chain is 
constituted by poly(vinyl alcohol) with differing levels 
of acetalization 

fibre formed of acrylonitrile terpolymer, a chlorinated 
vinyl monomer and a third vinyl monomer, none of 
which represents as much as 50 % of the total mass 

elastofibre composed of natural or synthetic 
polyisoprene, or composed of one or more dienes 
polymerized with or without one or more vinyl 
monomers, and which, when stretched to three times its 
original length and released, recovers rapidly and 
substantially to its initial length 

elastofibre composed of at least 85 % (by mass) of a 
segmented polyurethane, and which, when stretched to 
three times its original length and released, recovers 
rapidly and substantially to its initial length 

44 

45 

glass fibre 

fibre made of glass 

fibres obtained from miscellaneous or new materials not 
listed above 

name corresponding 
to the material of 
which the fibres are 
composed, e.g. metal 
(metallic, metallized), 
asbestos, paper, 
followed or not by the 
word ‘yarn’ or ‘fibre’ 

46 

elastomultiester 

47 

Elastolefin 

fibre  formed  by  interaction  of  two  or  more  chemically 
distinct  linear  macromolecules  in  two  or  more  distinct 
phases  (of  which  none  exceeds  85%  by  mass)  which 
contains  ester  groups  as  dominant  functional  unit  (at 
least  85%)  and  which,  after  suitable  treatment  when 
stretched  to  one  and  half  times  its  original  length  and 
released,  recovers  rapidly  and  substantially  to  its  initial 
length 

fibre  composed  of  at 
least  95%  (by  mass)  of 
macromolecules  partially  cross-linked,  made  up  from 
ethylene  and  at  least  one  other  olefin  and  which,  when 
stretched to one and a half times its original length and 
released,  recovers  rapidly  and  substantially  to  its  initial 
length 

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48 

Melamine 

fibre  formed  of  at  least  85%  by  mass  of  cross-linked 
macromolecules made up of melamine derivatives 

_____________ 

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ANNEX II 

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR A TECHNICAL FILE TO APPLY FOR A NEW 
FIBRE NAME 

(Article 6) 

A technical file to propose a new fibre name for inclusion in Annex I, as referred to in Article 
6, shall contain at least the following information: 

–  Proposed name of the fibre; 

The  name  proposed  shall  be  related  to  the  chemical  composition  and  shall  provide 
information about the characteristics of the fibre, if appropriate. The name proposed 
shall be free of rights and shall not be linked to the manufacturer. 

–  Proposed definition of the fibre; 

The characteristics mentioned in the definition of the new fibre, such as for example 
elasticity,  shall  be  verifiable  via  testing  methods  to  be  provided  with  the  technical 
file along with the experimental results of analyses. 

–  Identification  of  the  fibre:  chemical  formula,  differences  from  existing  fibres,  together 
with, where relevant, detailed data such as melting point, density, refractive index, burning 
behaviour and FTIR spectrum; 

–  Proposed agreed allowance; 

–  Sufficiently  developed  identification  and  quantification  methods,  including  experimental 

data; 

The applicant shall evaluate the possibility to use the methods listed in Annex VIII to 
this Regulation to analyse the most expected commercial mixtures of the new fibre 
with other fibres and shall propose at least one of those methods. For those methods 
where  the  fibre  can  be  considered  as  insoluble  component,  the  applicant  shall 
evaluate the mass correction factors of the new fibre. All the experimental data shall 
be submitted with the application 

If  methods  listed  in  this  Regulation  are  not  suitable,  the  applicant  shall  provide 
adequate reasoning and propose a new method. 

The  application  shall  contain  all  the  experimental  data  for  the  methods  proposed. 
Data on the accuracy, robustness and repeatability of the methods shall be provided 
with the file. 

–  Additional information to support the application: production process, consumer relevance; 

–  The manufacturer or its representative shall provide representative samples of the new pure 
fibre  and  the  relevant  fibre  mixtures  necessary  to  conduct  the  validation  of  the  proposed 
identification and quantification methods, upon request of the Commission. 

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 ANNEX III  

NAMES REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 8(1)  

in Bulgarian: ‘необработена вълна’, 

in Spanish: ‘lana virgen’ or ‘lana de esquilado’, 

in Czech: ‘střižní vlna’, 

in Danish: ‘ren, ny uld’, 

in German: ‘Schurwolle’, 

in Estonian: ‘uus vill’, 

in Irish: 'olann lomra'  

in Greek: ‘παρθένο µαλλί’, 

in English: ‘fleece wool’ or ‘virgin wool’, 

in French: ‘laine vierge’ or ‘laine de tonte’, 

in Italian: ‘lana vergine’ or ‘lana di tosa’, 

in Latvian: ‘pirmlietojuma vilna’ or ‘cirptā vilna’, 

in Lithuanian: ‘natūralioji vilna’, 

in Hungarian: ‘élőgyapjú’, 

in Maltese: ‘suf verġni’, 

in Dutch: ‘scheerwol’, 

in Polish: ‘żywa wełna’, 

in Portuguese: ‘lã virgem’, 

in Romanian: ‘lână virgină’, 

in Slovak: ‘strižná vlna’, 

in Slovene: ‘runska volna’, 

in Finnish: ‘uusi villa’, 

in Swedish: ‘ren ull’. 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

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SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR THE LABELLING OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS 

ANNEX IV 

Products 

Labelling provisions 

(Article 14) 

1. The following corsetry 
products: 

The  fibre  composition  shall  be  indicated  on  the  label  by 
stating  the  composition  of  the  whole  product  or,  either 
inclusively  or  separately,  that  of  the  components  listed 
respectively: 

(a) Brassières 

The outside and the inside fabric of the cups and back 

(b) Corsets 

The front, the rear and side stiffening panels 

(c) Corselets 

The  outside  and  inside  fabric  of  the  cups,  the  front  and 
rear stiffening panels and the side panels 

2. Other corsetry products not 
listed above 

3. All corsetry products 

4. Etch-printed textiles 

5. Embroidered textiles 

The  fibre  composition  shall  be  indicated  by  stating  the 
composition of the whole product or, either inclusively or 
separately, the composition of the various components of 
the  products.  Such  labelling  shall  not  be  compulsory  for 
components  representing  less  than  10 %  of  the  total 
weight of the product. 

The  separate  labelling  of  the  various  parts  of  corsetry 
products  shall  be  carried  out  in  such  a  way  that  the  end 
consumer  can  easily  understand  to  which  part  of  the 
product the information on the label refers. 

The fibre composition shall be given for the product as a 
whole  and  may  be  indicated  by  stating,  separately,  the 
composition  of  the  base  fabric  and  that  of  the  etched 
parts. Those components shall be mentioned by name 

The fibre composition shall be given for the product as a 
whole  and  may  be  indicated  by  stating,  separately,  the 
composition of the base fabric and that of the embroidery 
yarn.  Those  components  shall  be  mentioned  by  name. 
Such  labelling  is  compulsory  only  for  the  embroidered 
parts which amount to at least 10 % of the surface area of 
the product. 

6. Yarns consisting of a core and 
a  cover  made  up  of  different 
fibres and offered for sale as such 
to the consumer 

The fibre composition shall be given for the product as a 
whole and may be indicated by stating the composition of 
the core and the cover separately. Those components shall 
be mentioned by name 

7.  Velvet  and  plush  textiles,  or  The  fibre  composition  shall  be  given  for  the  whole 

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textiles 
plush 

resembling  velvet  or 

8. Floor coverings and carpets of 
which  the  backing  and  the  use-
surface are composed of different 
fibres 

product  and,  where  the  product  comprises  a  distinct 
backing  and  a  use-surface  composed  of  different  fibres, 
may  be  stated  separately  for  those  components.  Those 
components shall be mentioned by name 

The composition may be stated for the use-surface alone. 
The use-surface must be mentioned by name 

__________ 

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PRODUCTS FOR WHICH LABELLING OR MARKING IS NOT MANDATORY 

ANNEX V 

(Article 15(2)) 

Sleeve-supporting armbands 

Watch straps of textile materials 

Labels and badges 

Stuffed pan-holders of textile materials 

Coffee cosy covers 

Tea cosy covers 

Sleeve protectors 

Muffs other than in pile fabric 

Artificial flowers 

Pin cushions 

Painted canvas 

Textile products for base and underlying fabrics and stiffenings 

Felts 

Old made-up textile products, where explicitly stated to be such 

Gaiters 

Packagings, not new and sold as such 

Felt hats 

Containers which are soft and without foundation, saddlery, of textile materials 

Travel goods of textile materials 

Hand-embroidered  tapestries,  finished  or  unfinished,  and  materials  for  their 
production,  including  embroidery  yarns,  sold  separately  from  the  canvas  and 
specially presented for use in such tapestries 

Slide fasteners 

Buttons and buckles covered with textile materials 

Book covers of textile materials 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

11. 

12. 

13. 

14. 

15. 

16. 

17. 

18. 

19. 

20. 

21. 

22. 

23. 

EN 

29 

   EN 

24. 

25. 

26. 

27. 

28. 

29. 

30. 

31. 

32. 

33. 

34. 

35. 

36. 

37. 

38. 

39. 

40. 

41. 

42. 

Toys 

Textile parts of footwear, excepting warm linings 

Table mats having several components and a surface area of not more than 500 cm2 

Oven gloves and cloths 

Egg cosies 

Make-up cases 

Tobacco pouches of textile fabric 

Spectacle, cigarette and cigar, lighter and comb cases of textile fabric 

Protective requisites for sports with the exception of gloves 

Toilet cases 

Shoe-cleaning cases 

Funeral items 

Disposable products, with the exception of wadding 

Textile products subject to the rules of the European Pharmacopoeia and covered by 
a reference to those rules, non-disposable bandages for medical and orthopaedic use 
and orthopaedic textile products in general 

Textile products including cordage, ropes and string, subject to item 12 of Annex VI, 
normally intended: 

(a) 

for use as equipment components in the manufacture and processing of goods; 

(b) 

for incorporation in machines, installations (e.g. for heating, air conditioning or 
lighting), domestic and other appliances, vehicles and other means of transport, 
or  for  their  operation,  maintenance  or  equipment,  other  than  tarpaulin  covers 
and textile motor vehicle accessories sold separately from the vehicle 

Textile products for protection and safety purposes such as safety belts, parachutes, 
life-jackets,  emergency  chutes,  fire-fighting  devices,  bulletproof  waistcoats  and 
special protective garments (e.g. protection against fire, chemical substances or other 
safety hazards) 

Air-supported  structures  (e.g.  sports  halls,  exhibition  stands  or  storage  facilities), 
provided  that  details  of  the  performances  and  technical  specifications  of  these 
products are supplied 

Sails 

Animal clothing 

EN 

30 

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43. 

Flags and banners 

__________ 

EN 

31 

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ANNEX VI 

PRODUCTS FOR WHICH ONLY INCLUSIVE LABELLING OR MARKING IS 
MANDATORY 

(Article 15(3)) 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

11. 

12. 

13. 

14. 

15. 

16. 

17. 

18. 

Floorcloths 

Cleaning cloths 

Edgings and trimmings 

Passementerie 

Belts 

Braces 

Suspenders and garters 

Shoe and boot laces 

Ribbons 

Elastic 

New packaging sold as such 

Packing  string  and  agricultural  twine;  string,  cordage  and  ropes  other  than  those 
falling within item 38 of Annex V13 

Table mats 

Handkerchiefs 

Bun nets and hair nets 

Ties and bow ties for children 

Bibs; washgloves and face flannels 

Sewing,  mending  and  embroidery  yarns  presented for retail  sale in  small  quantities 
with a net weight of 1 gram or less 

19. 

Tape for curtains and blinds and shutters 

__________ 

13 

For the products falling within this item and sold in cut lengths, the inclusive labelling shall be that of 
the reel. The cordage and ropes falling within this item include those used in mountaineering and water 
sports. 

EN 

32 

   EN 

                                                 
ANNEX VII 

ITEMS NOT TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT FOR THE DETERMINATION OF 
FIBRE PERCENTAGES 

Products 

Items excluded 

(Article 16)) 

a) All textile 
products 

(i)  Non-textile  parts,  selvedges,  labels  and  badges,  edgings  and 
trimmings  not  forming  an  integral  part  of  the  product,  buttons  and 
buckles covered with textile materials, accessories, decorations, non-
elastic ribbons, elastic threads and bands added at specific and limited 
points of the product.  

(ii)  Fatty  substances,  binders,  weightings,  sizings  and  dressings, 
impregnating  products,  additional  dyeing  and  printing  products  and 
other textile processing products.  

b) Floor coverings 
and carpets 

All components other than the use-surface 

c) Upholstery fabrics  Binding  and  filling  warps  and  wefts  which  do  not  form  part  of  the 

use-surface 

d) Hangings and 
curtains 

Binding  and  filling  warps  and  wefts  which  do  not  form  part  of  the 
right side of the fabric 

e) Socks 

f) Tights 

Elastic  yarns  used  in  the  cuff  and  the  stiffening  and  reinforcement 
yarns of the toe and the heel 

Elastic  yarns  used  in  the  belt  and  the  stiffening  and  reinforcement 
yarns of the toe and the heel 

g) Textile products 
other than those 
under points b) to f) 

Base  or  underlying  fabrics,  stiffenings  and  reinforcements,  inter-
linings  and  canvas  backings,  stitching  and  assembly  threads  unless 
they replace the warp and/or weft of the fabric, fillings not having an 
insulating function and, subject to Article 13(1), linings. 

For the purposes of this provision: 

(i) 

(ii) 

the  base  or  underlying  material  of  textile  products  which 
serve  as  a  backing  for  the  use-surface,  in  particular  in 
blankets  and  double  fabrics,  and  the  backings  of  velvet  or 
plush  fabrics  and  kindred  products  shall  not  be  regarded  as 
backings to be removed 

‘stiffenings and reinforcements’ mean the yarns or materials 
added at specific and limited points of the textile products to 
strengthen them or to give them stiffness or thickness 

EN 

__________ 

33 

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ANNEX VIII 

METHODS FOR THE QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF BINARY AND TERNARY 
TEXTILE FIBRE MIXTURES  

CHAPTER 1 

I. Preparation of test samples and test specimens to determine the fibre composition of 
textile products 

1. FIELD OF APPLICATION 

This Chapter gives procedures for obtaining laboratory test samples of a suitable size for pre-
treatment for quantitative analysis (i.e. of a mass not exceeding 100 g) from laboratory bulk 
samples, and for selecting test specimens from the laboratory test samples that have been pre-
treated to remove non-fibrous matter14. 

2. DEFINITIONS 

2.1. Bulk source — The quantity of material which is assessed on the basis of one series of 
test results. This may comprise, for example, all the material in one delivery of cloth; all the 
cloth woven from a particular beam; a consignment of yarn, a bale or a group of bales of raw 
fibre. 

2.2. Laboratory bulk sample — The portion of the bulk source taken to be representative of 
the whole, and which is available to the laboratory. The size and nature of the laboratory bulk 
sample  shall  be  sufficient  to  adequately  overcome  the  variability  of  the  bulk  source  and  to 
facilitate ease of handling in the laboratory15. 

2.3. Laboratory test sample — That portion of the laboratory bulk sample that is subjected to 
pre-treatment  to  remove  non-fibrous  matter,  and  from  which  test  specimens  are  taken.  The 
size  and  nature  of  the  laboratory  test  sample  shall  be  sufficient  to  overcome  adequately  the 
variability of the laboratory bulk sample16. 

2.4. Test specimen — The portion of material required to give an individual test result, and 
selected from the laboratory test sample. 

3. PRINCIPLE 

The laboratory test sample is selected so that it is representative of the laboratory bulk sample. 

The test specimens are taken from the laboratory test sample in such a way that each of them 
is representative of the laboratory test sample. 

4. SAMPLING FROM LOOSE FIBRES 

4.1.  Unorientated  fibres  —  Obtain  the  laboratory  test  sample  by  selecting  tufts  at  random 
from the laboratory bulk sample. Mix thoroughly the whole of the laboratory test sample by 

14 
15 
16 

In some cases it is necessary to pre-treat the individual test specimen. 
For made-up and finished articles see Section 7. 
See point 1. 

EN 

34 

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means of a laboratory carder17. Subject the web or mixture, including loose fibres and fibres 
adhering  to  the  equipment  used  for  mixing,  to  pre-treatment.  Then  select  test  specimens,  in 
proportion to the respective masses, from the web or mixture, from the loose fibres and from 
the fibres adhering to the equipment. 

If  the  card  web  remains  intact  after  pre-treatment,  select  the  test  specimens  in  the  manner 
described in 4.2. If the card web is disturbed by the pre-treatment, select each test specimen 
by  removing  at  random  at  least  16  small  tufts  of  suitable  and  approximately  equal  size  and 
then combine them. 

4.2. Orientated fibres (cards, webs, slivers, rovings) — From randomly selected parts of the 
laboratory  bulk  sample  cut  not  less  than  10  crosssections  each  of  mass  approximately  1  g. 
Subject  the  laboratory  test  sample  so  formed  to  the  pre-treatment.  Recombine  the  cross-
sections by laying them side by side and obtain the test specimen by cutting through them so 
as to take a portion of each of the 10 lengths. 

5. SAMPLING YARN 

5.1. Yarn in packages or in banks — Sample all the packages in the bulk laboratory sample. 

Withdraw  the  appropriate  continuous  equal  lengths  from  each  package  either  by  winding 
skeins  of  the  same  number  of  turns  on  a  wrap-reel18,  or  by  some  other  means.  Unite  the 
lengths  side  by  side  either  as  a  single  skein  or  as  a  tow  to  form  the  laboratory  test  sample, 
ensuring that there are equal lengths from each package in the skein or tow. 

Subject the laboratory test sample to the pre-treatment. 

Take  test  specimens  from  the  laboratory  test  sample  by  cutting  a  bunch  of  threads  of  equal 
length from the skein or tow, taking care to see that the bunch contains all the threads in the 
sample. 

If the tex of the yarn is t and the number of packages selected from the laboratory bulk sample 
is  n,  then  to  obtain  a  test  sample  of  10  g,  the  length  of  yarn  to  be  withdrawn  from  each 
package is 106/nt cm 

If nt is high, i.e. more than 2 000, wind a heavier skein and cut it across in two places to make 
a  tow  of  suitable  mass.  The  ends  of  any  sample  in  the  form  of  a  tow  shall  be  securely  tied 
before pre-treatment and test specimens taken from a place remote from the tie bands. 

5.2. Yarn on warp — Take the laboratory test sample by cutting a length from the end of the 
warp, not less than 20 cm long and comprising all the yarns in the warp except the selvedge 
yarns, which are rejected. Tie the bunch of threads together near one end. If the sample is too 
large for pre-treatment as a whole divide it into two or more portions, each tied together for 
pre-treatment, and reunite the portions after each has been pre-treated separately. Take a test 
specimen  by  cutting  a  suitable  length  from  the  laboratory  test  sample  from  the  end  remote 
from the tie band, and comprising all the threads in the warp. For warp of N threads of tex t, 
the length of a specimen of mass 1 g is 105/Nt cm. 

17 

18 

The laboratory carder may be replaced by a fibre blender, or the fibres may be mixed by the method of 
‘tufts and rejects’ 
If the packages can be mounted in a convenient creel a number can be wound simultaneously. 

EN 

35 

   EN 

                                                 
6. SAMPLING FABRIC 

6.1. From a laboratory bulk sample consisting of a single cutting representative of the cloth 

— Cut a diagonal strip from one corner to the other and remove the selvedges. This strip is 
the  laboratory  test  sample.  To  obtain  a  laboratory  test  sample  of  x  g,  the  strip  area  shall  be 
x104/G cm2

. 

where G is the mass of the cloth in g/m2. 

Subject the laboratory test sample to the pre-treatment and then cut the strip transversely into 
four equal lengths and superimpose them. Take test specimens from any part of the layered 
material by cutting through all the layers so that each specimen contains an equal length of 
each layer.  

If  the  fabric  has  a  woven  design,  make  the  width  of  the  laboratory  test  sample,  measured 
parallel  to  the  warp  direction,  not  less  than  one  warp  repeat  of  the  design.  If,  with  this 
condition satisfied, the laboratory test sample is too large to be treated as a whole, cut it into 
equal parts, pre-treat them separately, and superimpose these parts before selection of the test 
specimen, taking care that corresponding parts of the design do not coincide. 

6.2. From a laboratory bulk sample consisting of several cuttings 

— Treat each cutting as described in 6.1, and give each result separately. 

7. SAMPLING MADE-UP AND FINISHED PRODUCTS 

The  bulk  laboratory  sample  is  normally  a  complete  made-up  or  finished  product  or 
representative fraction of one. 

Where appropriate determine the percentage of the various parts of the product not having the 
same fibre content, in order to check compliance with Article 13. 

Select a laboratory test sample representative of the part of the made-up or finished product, 
whose  composition  must  be  shown  by  the  label.  If  the  product  has  several  labels,  select 
laboratory test samples representative of each part corresponding to a given label. 

If the product whose composition is to be determined is not uniform, it may be necessary to 
select  laboratory  test  samples  from  each  of  the  parts  of  the  product  and  to  determine  the 
relative proportions of the various parts in relation to the whole product in question. 

Then  calculate  the  percentages  taking  into  account  the  relative  proportions  of  the  sampled 
parts. 

Subject the laboratory test samples to the pre-treatment. 

Then select test specimens representative of the pre-treated laboratory test samples. 

II. Introduction to the methods for the quantitative analysis of textile fibre mixtures 

Methods for the quantitative analysis of fibre mixtures are based on two main processes, the 
manual separation and the chemical separation of fibres. 

EN 

36 

   EN 

The  method  of  manual  separation  shall  be  used  whenever  possible  since  it  generally  gives 
more  accurate  results  than  the  chemical  method.  It  can  be  used  for  all  textiles  whose 
component  fibres  do  not  form  an  intimate  mixture,  as  for  example  in  the  case  of  yarns 
composed of several elements each of which is made up of only one type of fibre, or fabrics 
in  which  the  fibre  of  the  warp  is  of  a  different  kind  to  that  of  the  weft,  or  knitted  fabrics 
capable of being unravelled made up of yarns of different types. 

In general, the methods of chemical quantitative analysis are based on the selective solution 
of  the  individual  components.  After  the  removal  of  a  component  the  insoluble  residue  is 
weighed,  and  the  proportion  of  the  soluble  component  is  calculated  from  the  loss  in  mass. 
This first part of the Annex gives the information common to the analyses by this method of 
all fibre mixtures dealt with in the Annex, whatever their composition. It shall thus be used in 
conjunction with the succeeding individual sections of the Annex, which contain the detailed 
procedures  applicable  to  particular  fibre  mixtures.  Occasionally,  an  analysis  is  based  on  a 
principle other than selective solution; in such cases full details are given in the appropriate 
section. 

Mixtures of fibres during processing and, to a lesser extent, finished textiles may contain non-
fibrous  matter,  such  as  fats,  waxes  or  dressings,  or  water-soluble  matter,  either  occurring 
naturally  or  added  to  facilitate  processing.  Non-fibrous  matter  must  be  removed  before 
analysis. For this reason a method for removing oils, fats, waxes and water-soluble matter is 
also given.  

In  addition,  textiles  may  contain  resins  or  other  matter  added  to  confer  special  properties. 
Such  matter,  including  dyestuffs  in  exceptional  cases,  may  interfere  with  the  action  of  the 
reagent  on  the  soluble  component  and/or  it  may  be  partially  or  completely  removed  by  the 
reagent.  This  type  of  added  matter  may  thus  cause  errors  and  shall  be  removed  before  the 
sample  is  analysed.  If  it  is  impossible  to  remove  such  added  matter  the  methods  for 
quantitative chemical analysis given in this Annex are no longer applicable. 

Dye in dyed fabrics is considered to be an integral part of the fibre and is not removed. 

Analyses are conducted on the basis of dry mass and a procedure is given for determining dry 
mass. 

The result is obtained by applying to the dry mass of each fibre the agreed allowances listed 
in Annex IX to this Regulation. 

Before  proceeding  with  any  analysis,  all  the  fibres  present  in  the  mixture  shall  have  been 
identified. In some methods, the insoluble component of a mixture may be partially dissolved 
in the reagent used to dissolve the soluble component(s). 

Where possible, reagents have been chosen that have little or no effect on the insoluble fibres. 
If loss in mass is known to occur during the analysis, the result shall be corrected; correction 
factors for this purpose are given. These factors have been determined in several laboratories 
by treating, with the appropriate reagent as specified in the method of analysis, fibres cleaned 
by the pre-treatment. 

These correction factors apply only to undegraded fibres and different correction factors may 
be  necessary  if  the  fibres  have  been  degraded  before  or  during  processing.  The  procedures 
given apply to single determinations.  

EN 

37 

   EN 

At  least  two  determinations  on  separate  test  specimens  shall  be  made,  both  in  the  case  of 
manual separation and in the case of chemical separation.  

For  confirmation,  unless  technically  impossible,  it  is  recommended  to  use  alternative 
procedures whereby the constituent that was the residue in the standard method is dissolved 
out first. 

EN 

38 

   EN 

CHAPTER 2 

Methods for quantitative analysis of certain binary fibre mixtures 

I.  General  information  common  to  the  methods  given  for  the  quantitative  chemical 
analysis of textile fibre mixtures 

I.1. Scope and field of application 

The field of application for each method specifies to which fibres the method is applicable. 

I.2. Principle 

After the identification of the components of a mixture, the non-fibrous material is removed 
by suitable pre-treatment and then one of the components, usually by selective solution19. The 
insoluble residue is weighed and the proportion of soluble component calculated from the loss 
in mass. Except where this presents technical difficulties, it is preferable to dissolve the fibre 
present in the greater proportion, thus obtaining the fibre present in the smaller proportion as 
residue. 

I.3. Materials and equipment 

I.3.1. Apparatus 

I.3.1.1.  Filter  crucibles  and  weighing  bottles  large  enough  to  contain  such  crucibles,  or  any 
other apparatus giving identical results. 

I.3.1.2. Vacuum flask. 

I.3.1.3. Desiccator containing self-indicating silica gel. 

I.3.1.4. Ventilated oven for drying specimens at 105 ± 3 ºC. 

I.3.1.5. Analytical balance, accurate to 0,0002 g. 

I.3.1.6. Soxhlet extractor or other apparatus giving identical results. 

I.3.2. Reagents 

I.3.2.1. Light petroleum, redistilled, boiling range 40 to 60ºC. 

I.3.2.2. Other reagents are specified in the appropriate sections of each method. All reagents 
used should be chemically pure. 

I.3.2.3. Distilled or deionized water. 

I.3.2.4. Acetone. 

I.3.2.5. Orthophosphoric acid. 

19 

Method 12 is an exception. It is based on a determination of the content of a constituent substance of 
one of the two components. 

EN 

39 

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I.3.2.6. Urea. 

I.3.2.7. Sodium bicarbonate. 

All reagents used shall be chemically pure. 

I.4. Conditioning and testing atmosphere 

Because dry masses are determined, it is unnecessary to condition the specimen or to conduct 
analyses in a conditioned atmosphere. 

I.5. Laboratory test sample 

Take  a  laboratory  test  sample  that  is  representative  of  the  laboratory  bulk  sample  and 
sufficient to provide all the specimens, each of at least 1 g, that are required. 

I.6. Pre-treatment of laboratory test sample20 

Where a substance not to be taken into account in the percentage calculations (see Article 16) 
of  this  Regulation)  is  present,  it  shall  first  be  removed  by  a  suitable  method  that  does  not 
affect any of the fibre constituents. 

For this purpose, non-fibrous matter which can be extracted with light petroleum and water is 
removed by treating the air-dry test sample in a Soxhlet extractor with light petroleum for one 
hour at a minimum rate of six cycles per hour. Allow the light petroleum to evaporate from 
the sample, which is then extracted by direct treatment consisting in soaking the specimen in 
water at room temperature for one hour and then soaking it in water at 65 ± 5 °C for a further 
hour, agitating the liquor from time to time. Use a liquor-specimen ratio of 100:1. Remove the 
excess water from the sample by squeezing, suction or centrifuging and then allow the sample 
to become air-dry. 

In  the  case  of  elastolefin  or  fibre  mixtures  containing  elastolefin  and  other  fibres  (wool, 
animal  hair,  silk,  cotton,  flax,  true  hemp,  jute,  abaca,  alfa,  coir,  broom,  ramie,  sisal,  cupro, 
modal,  protein,  viscose,  acrylic,  polyamide  or  nylon,  polyester,  elastomultiester)  the 
procedure  just  described  shall  be  slightly  modified,  in  fact  light  petroleum  ether  shall  be 
replaced by acetone. 

In the case of binary mixtures containing elastolefin and acetate the following procedure shall 
apply  as  pre-treatment.  Extract  the  specimen  for  10  minutes  at  80  °C  with  a  solution 
containing  25  g/l  of  50  %  orthophosphoric  acid  and  50  g/l  of  urea.  Use  a  liquor-specimen 
ratio  of  100:1.  Wash  the  specimen  in  water,  then  drain  and  wash  it  in  a  0,1  %  sodium 
bicarbonate solution, finally wash it carefully in water. 

Where  non-fibrous  matter  cannot  be  extracted  with  light  petroleum  and  water,  it  shall  be 
removed by substituting for the water method described above a suitable method that does not 
substantially  alter  any  of  the  fibre  constituents.  However,  for  some  unbleached,  natural 
vegetable  fibres  (e.g.  jute,  coir)  it  is  to  be  noted  that  normal  pre-treatment  with  light 
petroleum  and  water  does  not  remove  all  the  natural  non-fibrous  substances;  nevertheless 

20 

See Chapter 1.1 

EN 

40 

   EN 

                                                 
additional  pre-treatment  is  not  applied  unless  the  sample  does  contain  finishes  insoluble  in 
both light petroleum and water. 

Analysis reports shall include full details of the methods of pre-treatment used. 

I.7. Test procedure 

I.7.1. General instructions 

I.7.1.1. D r y i n g 

Conduct all drying operations for not less than four hours and not more than 16 hours at 105 ± 
3  ºC  in  a  ventilated  oven  with  the  oven  door  closed  throughout.  If  the  drying  period  is  less 
than 14 hours, the specimen must be weighed to check that its mass has become constant. The 
mass  may  be  considered  to  have  become  constant  if,  after  a  further  drying  period  of  60 
minutes, its variation is less than 0,05 %. 

Avoid handling crucibles and weighing bottles, specimens or residues with bare hands during 
the drying, cooling and weighing operations.  

Dry  specimens  in  a  weighing  bottle  with  its  cover  beside  it.  After  drying,  stopper  the 
weighing bottle before removing it from the oven, and transfer it quickly to the desiccator. 

Dry the filter crucible in a weighing bottle with its cover beside it in the oven. After drying, 
close the weighing bottle and transfer it quickly to the desiccator. 

Where  apparatus  other  than  a  filter  crucible  is  used,  drying  operations  in  the  oven  shall  be 
conducted in such a way as to enable the dry mass of the fibres to be determined without loss. 

I.7.1.2. C o o l i n g 

Conduct  all  cooling  operations  in  the  desiccator  the  latter  placed  beside  the  balance,  until 
complete  cooling  of  the  weighing  bottles  is  attained,  and  in  any  case  for  not  less  than  two 
hours. 

I.7.1.3. We i g h i n g 

After  cooling,  complete  the  weighing  of  the  weighing  bottle  within  two  minutes  of  its 
removal from the desiccator. Weigh to an accuracy of 0,0002 g. 

I.7.2. Procedure 

Take  from  the  pre-treated  laboratory  test  sample  a  test  specimen  weighing  at  least  1  g.  Cut 
yarn or cloth into lengths of about 10 mm, dissected as much as possible. Dry the specimen in 
a  weighing  bottle,  cool  it  in  the  desiccator  and  weigh  it.  Transfer  the  specimen  to  the  glass 
vessel  specified  in  the  appropriate  section  of  the  relevant  Community  method,  reweigh  the 
weighing bottle immediately and obtain the dry mass of the specimen by difference. Complete 
the test as specified in the appropriate section of the applicable method. Examine the residue 
microscopically to check that the treatment has in fact completely removed the soluble fibre. 

I.8. Calculation and expression of results 

EN 

41 

   EN 

Express the mass of the insoluble component as a percentage of the total mass of fibre in the 
mixture. The percentage of soluble component is obtained by difference. Calculate the results 
on the basis of clean, dry mass, adjusted by (a) the agreed allowances and (b) the correction 
factors  necessary  to  take  account  of  loss  of  matter  during  pre-treatment  and  analysis. 
Calculations shall be made by applying the formula given in I.8.2. 

I.8.1.  Calculation  of  percentage  of  insoluble  component  on  clean,  dry  mass  basis, 
disregarding loss of fibre mass during pre-treatment. 

%1
P

=

rd

100
m

where 

P1% 

is the percentage of clean, dry insoluble component, 

m 

r 

is the percentage of dry mass of the test specimen after pre-treatment, 

is the dry mass of the residue, 

is  the  correction  factor  for  loss  in  mass  of  the  insoluble  component  in  the  reagent 

d 
during the analysis. Suitable values for "d" are given in the relevant section of each method. 

Of  course,  these  values  for  “d”  are  the  normal  values  applicable  to  chemically  undegraded 
fibres. 

I.8.2.  Calculation  of  percentage  of  insoluble  component  on  clean,  dry  mass  basis,  with 
adjustment  by  conventional  factors  and,  where  appropriate,  correction  factors  for  loss  of 
mass during pre-treatment. 

P A
1

%

=

100

P
1

1

+

⎛
⎜
⎝

)

(

a
b
+
1
1
100

⎞
⎟
⎠

P
1

⎛
⎜
⎝

1

+

a
b
+
1
1
100

⎞
+⎟
⎠

100(

−

P
1

⎛
1)
⎜
⎝

+

a

b
+
2
2
100

⎞
⎟
⎠

where 

P1A% is the percentage of insoluble component adjusted by conventional agreed allowances 
and for loss in mass during pre-treatment. 

P1 is the percentage of clean dry insoluble component as calculated from the formula shown in 
I.8.1. 

a1 is the conventional agreed allowance for the insoluble component (see Annex IX) 

a2 is the conventional agreed allowance for the soluble component (see Annex IX) 

b1 is the percentage loss of insoluble component caused by pre-treatment 

b2 is the percentage loss of soluble component caused by pre-treatment 

EN 

42 

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The percentage of the second component is P2A% = 100 - P1A% 

Where  a  special  pre-treatment  has  been  used,  the  values  of  b1  and  b2  shall  be  determined,  if 
possible, by submitting each of the pure fibre constituents to the pre-treatment applied in the 
analysis.  Pure  fibres  are  those  free  from  all  non-fibrous  material  except  that  which  they 
normally  contain  (either  naturally  or  because  of  the  manufacturing  process),  in  the  state 
(unbleached, bleached) in which they are found in the material to be analysed. 

Where  no  clean  separate  constituent  fibres  used  in  the  manufacture  of  the  material  to  be 
analysed are available, average values of b1 and b2 as obtained from tests performed on clean 
fibres similar to those in the mixture under examination, shall be used. 

If  normal  pre-treatment  by  extraction  with  light  petroleum  and  water  is  applied,  correction 
factors  b1  and  b2  may  generally  be  ignored,  except  in  the  case  of  unbleached  cotton, 
unbleached  flax  and  unbleached  hemp,  where  the  loss  due  to  the  pre-treatment  is 
conventionally taken as 4 %, and in the case of polypropylene, where it is taken as 1 %. 

In the case of other fibres, losses due to the pre-treatment are conventionally disregarded in 
calculations. 

II. Method of quantitative analysis by manual separation 

II.1. Field of application 

This method is applicable to textile fibres of all types provided they do not form an intimate 
mixture and that it is possible to separate them by hand. 

II.2. Principle 

After identification of the constituents of the textile, the non-fibrous material is removed by 
suitable pre-treatment and then the fibres are separated by hand, dried and weighed in order to 
calculate the proportion of each fibre in the mixture. 

II.3. Apparatus 

II.3.1. Weighing bottle or any other apparatus giving identical results. 

II.3.2. Desiccator containing self-indicating silica gel. 

II.3.3. Ventilated oven for drying specimens at 105 ± 3 ºC. 

II.3.4. Analytical balance, accurate to 0,0002 g. 

II.3.5. Soxhlet extractor, or other apparatus giving an identical result. 

II.3.6. Needle. 

II.3.7. Twist tester or similar apparatus. 

II.4. Reagents 

II.4.1. Light petroleum, redistilled, boiling range 40 to 60 ºC. 

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43 

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II.4.2. Distilled or deionized water. 

II.5. Conditioning and testing atmosphere 

See I.4. 

II.6. Laboratory test sample 

See I.5. 

II.7. Pre-treatment of laboratory test sample 

See I.6. 

II.8. Procedure 

II.8.1. Analysis of yarn 

Select from the pre-treatment laboratory test sample a specimen of mass not less than 1 g. For 
a very fine yarn, the analysis may be made on a minimum length of 30 m, whatever its mass. 

Cut the yarn into pieces of a suitable length and separate the fibre types by means of a needle 
and,  if  necessary,  a  twist  tester.  The  fibre  types  so  obtained  are  placed  in  pre-weighed 
weighing  bottles  and  dried  at  105  ±  3  ºC  until  a  constant  mass  is  obtained,  as  described  in 
I.7.1 and I.7.2. 

II.8.2. Analysis of cloth 

Select from the pre-treated laboratory test sample, well away from all selvedges, a specimen 
of mass not less than 1 g, with edges carefully trimmed to avoid fraying and running parallel 
with  weft  or  warp  yarns,  or  in  the  case  of  knitted  fabrics  in  the  line  of  wales  and  courses. 
Separate the different fibre types, collect them in pre-weighed weighing bottles and proceed 
as described in II.8.1. 

II.9. Calculation and expression of results 

Express the mass of each fibre constituent as a percentage of the total mass of the fibres in the 
mixture.  Calculate  the  results  on  the  basis  of  clean,  dry  mass,  adjusted  by  (a)  the  agreed 
allowances and (b) the correction factors necessary  to  take  account  of  loss  of  matter  during 
pre-treatment. 

II.9.1.  Calculation  of  percentage  masses  of  clean,  dry  fibre,  disregarding  loss  of  fibre  mass 
during pre-treatment: 

P
1

%

=

100
m
1
mm
+

1

2

=

100
m
2
m
1

+

1

P1% is the percentage of the first clean, dry component, 

m1 is the clean, dry mass of the first component, 

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44 

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m2 is the clean, dry mass of the second component. 

II.9.2.  For  calculation  of  the  percentage  of  each  component  with  adjustment  by  agreed 
allowances  and,  where  appropriate,  by  correction  factors  for  loss  of  matter  during  pre-
treatment, see I.8.2. 

III.1. Precision of the methods 

The precision indicated in individual methods relates to the reproducibility. 

The  reproducibility  refers  to  the  reliability,  i.e.  the  closeness  of  agreement  between 
experimental values obtained by operators in different laboratories or at different times using 
the  same  method  and  obtaining  individual  results  on  specimens  of  an  identical  consistent 
mixture. 

The reproducibility is expressed by confidence limits of the results for a confidence level of 
95 %. 

Therefore,  the  difference  between  two  results  in  a  series  of  analyses  made  in  different 
laboratories would, given a normal and correct application of the method to an identical and 
consistent mixture, be exceeded only in five cases out of a 100. 

III.2. Test report 

III.2.1. State that the analysis was conducted in accordance with this method. 

III.2.2. Give details of any special pre-treatment (see I.6). 

III.2.3. Give the individual results and the arithmetic mean, each to an accuracy of 0,1. 

IV. Special methods  

SUMMARY TABLE 

Method 

Field of application 

Reagent 

Soluble component 

Insoluble component 

Acetate 

Certain other fibres 

Acetone 

Certain protein fibres 

Certain other fibres 

Hypochlorite 

Viscose, cupro or certain types 
of modal 

Cotton,  elastolefin  or 
melamine 

Formic 
zinc chloride 

acid 

and 

Polyamide or nylon 

Certain other fibres 

Formic  acid,  80% 
m/m 

Acetate 

Triacetate,  elastolefin 
or melamine 

Benzyl alcohol 

Triacetate or polylactide 

Certain other fibres 

Dichloromethane 

1.  

2.  

3.  

4.  

5.  

6.  

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7.  

Certain cellulose fibres 

Polyester, 
elastomultiester 
elastolefin 

Sulphuric  acid,  75% 
m/m 

or 

Certain other fibres 

Dimethylformamide 

Acrylics,  certain  modacrylics 
or certain chlorofibres 

8.  

9.  

Certain chlorofibres 

Certain other fibres 

10. 

Acetate 

11.  

Silk 

Certain chlorofibres, 
elastolefin or 
melamine 

Wool, hair, 
elastolefin or 
melamine 

Carbon 
disulphide/acetone, 
55,5/44,5 v/v 

Glacial acetic acid 

Sulphuric  acid,  75% 
m/m 

12.  

Jute 

Certain animal fibres  Nitrogen 

content 

method 

13.  

14.  

15. 

Polypropylene 

Certain other fibres 

Xylene 

Certain other fibres 

certain 
Chlorofibres, 
modacrylics,  certain  elastanes, 
acetates, triacetates 

Chlorofibres 
(homopolymers of 
vinyl chloride), 
elastolefin or 
melamine 

Concentrated 
sulphuric 
method 

acid 

Certain other fibres 

Cyclohexanone 

16. 

Melamine 

Cotton or aramid 

formic 

Hot 
90%m/m 

acid, 

EN 

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METHOD No 1 

ACETATE AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES 

(Acetone method) 

1. FIELD OF APPLICATION 

This method is applicable, after removal of non-fibrous matter, to binary mixtures of: 

1. acetate (19) 

with 

2. wool (1), animal hair (2 and 3), silk (4), cotton (5), flax (7) true hemp (8), jute (9), abaca 
(10), alfa (11), coir (12), broom (13), ramie (14), sisal (15), cupro (21), modal (22), protein 
(23), viscose (25), acrylic (26), polyamide or nylon (30), polyester (35) elastomultiester (46), 
elastolefin (47) and melamine (48). 

In no circumstances is the method applicable to acetate fibres which have been deacetylated 
on the surface. 

2. PRINCIPLE 

The acetate is dissolved out from a known dry mass of the mixture, with acetone. The residue 
is  collected,  washed,  dried  and  weighed;  its  mass,  corrected  if  necessary,  is  expressed  as  a 
percentage  of  the  dry  mass  of  the  mixture.  The  percentage  of  dry  acetate  is  found  by 
difference. 

3. APPARATUS AND REAGENTS (additional to those specified in the general instructions) 

3.1. Apparatus 

Glass-stoppered conical flasks of at least 200 ml capacity. 

3.2. Reagent 

Acetone. 

4. TEST PROCEDURE 

Follow the procedure described in the general instructions and proceed as follows: 

To the specimen contained in a glass-stoppered conical flask of at least 200 ml capacity, add 
100  ml  of  acetone  per  gram  of  specimen,  shake  the  flask,  stand  it  for  30  minutes  at  room 
temperature, stirring from time to time, and then decant the liquid through the weighed filter 
crucible. 

Repeat  the  treatment  twice  more  (making  three  extractions  in  all),  but  for  periods  of  15 
minutes only, so that the total time of treatment in acetone is one hour. Transfer the residue to 
the filter crucible. Wash the residue in the filter crucible with acetone and drain with suction. 
Refill the crucible with acetone and allow to drain under gravity. 

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Finally,  drain  the  crucible  with  suction,  dry  the  crucible  and  residue,  and  cool  and  weigh 
them. 

5. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS 

Calculate the results as described in the general instructions. The value of ‘d’ is 1,00, except 
for melamine, for which ‘d’=1,01. 

6. PRECISION 

On a homogeneous mixture of textile materials, the confidence limits of results obtained by 
this method are not greater than ± 1 for a confidence level of 95 %. 

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METHOD No 2 

CERTAIN PROTEIN FIBRES AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES 

(Method using hypochlorite) 

1. FIELD OF APPLICATION 

This method is applicable, after removal of non-fibrous matter, to binary mixtures of: 

1. certain protein fibres, namely: wool (1), animal hair (2 and 3), silk (4), protein (23) 

with 

2.  cotton  (5),  cupro  (21),  viscose  (25),  acrylic  (26),  chlorofibres  (27),  polyamide  or  nylon 
(30), polyester (35), polypropylene (37), elastane (43), glass fibre (44) elastomultiester (46), 
elastolefin (47) and melamine (48). 

If different protein fibres are present, the method gives the total of their amounts but not their 
individual quantities. 

2. PRINCIPLE 

The protein fibre is dissolved out from a known dry mass of the mixture, with a hypochlorite 
solution. The residue is collected, washed, dried and weighed; its mass, corrected if necessary, 
is  expressed  as  a  percentage  of  the  dry  mass  of  the  mixture.  The  percentage  of  dry  protein 
fibre is found by difference. 

Either  lithium  hypochlorite  or  sodium  hypochlorite  can  be  used  for  the  preparation  of  the 
hypochlorite solution. 

Lithium hypochlorite is recommended in cases involving a small number of analyses or for 
analyses conducted at fairly lengthy intervals. This is because the percentage of hypochlorite 
in solid lithium hypochlorite — unlike that in sodium hypochlorite — is virtually constant. If 
the  percentage  of  hypochlorite  is  known,  hypochlorite  content  need  not  be  checked 
iodometrically for each analysis, since a constant weighed portion of lithium hypochlorite can 
be employed. 

3. APPARATUS AND REAGENTS (other than those specified in the general instructions) 

3.1. Apparatus 

(i) Erlenmeyer flask with ground-glass stopper, 250 ml; 

(ii) thermostat, adjustable to 20 (± 2) ºC. 

3.2. Reagents 

(i) Hypochlorite reagent 

(a) L i t h i u m h y p o c h l o r i t e s o l u t i o n 

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49 

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This  consists  of  a  freshly  prepared  solution  containing  35  (±  2)  g/l  of  active  chlorine 
(approximately  1  M),  to  which  5  (±  0,5)  g/l  of  previously  dissolved  sodium  hydroxide  is 
added.  To  prepare,  dissolve  100  grams  of  lithium  hypochlorite  containing  35  %  active 
chlorine (or 115 grams containing 30 % active chlorine) in approximately 700 ml of distilled 
water, add 5 grams of sodium hydroxide dissolved in approximately 200 ml of distilled water 
and make up to 1 litre with distilled water. The solution which has been freshly prepared need 
not be checked iodometrically. 

(b) S o d i um h y p o c h l o r i t e s o l u t i o n 

This  consists  of  a  freshly  prepared  solution  containing  35  (±  2)  g/l  of  active  chlorine 
(approximately  1  M)  to  which  5  (±  0,5)  g/l  of  previously  dissolved  sodium  hydroxide  is 
added. 

Check the active chlorine content of the solution iodometrically before each analysis. 

(ii) Acetic acid, dilute solution 

Dilute 5 ml of glacial acetic acid to 1 litre with water. 

4. TEST PROCEDURE 

Follow  the  procedure  described  in  the  general  instructions  and  proceed  as  follows:  mix 
approximately 1 gram of the sample with approximately 100 ml of the hypochlorite solution 
(lithium or sodium hypochlorite) in the 250 ml flask and agitate thoroughly in order to wet out 
the sample. 

Then heat the flask for 40 minutes in a thermostat at 20 ºC and agitate continuously, or at least 
at  regular  intervals.  Since  the  dissolution  of  the  wool  proceeds  exothermically,  the  reaction 
heat of this method must be distributed and removed. Otherwise, considerable errors may be 
caused by the incipient dissolution of the non-soluble fibres. 

After 40 minutes, filter the flask contents through a weighed glass-filter crucible and transfer 
any  residual  fibres  into  the  filter  crucible  by  rinsing  the  flask  with  a  little  hypochlorite 
reagent. Drain the crucible with suction and wash the residue successively with water, dilute 
acetic acid, and finally water, draining the crucible with suction after each addition. Do not 
apply suction until each washing liquor has drained under gravity. 

Finally, drain the crucible with suction, dry the crucible with the residue, and cool and weigh 
them. 

5. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS 

Calculate the results as described in the general instructions. The value of ‘d’ is 1,00, except 
for  cotton,  viscose,  modal  and  melamine  for  which  ‘d’  =  1,01,  and  unbleached  cotton,  for 
which ‘d’ = 1,03. 

6. PRECISION 

On homogeneous mixtures of textile materials, the confidence limits for results obtained by 
this method are not greater than ± 1 for a confidence level of 95 %. 

EN 

50 

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METHOD No 3 

VISCOSE, CUPRO OR CERTAIN TYPES OF MODAL AND COTTON 

(Method using formic acid and zinc chloride) 

1. FIELD OF APPLICATION 

This method is applicable, after removal of non-fibrous matter, to binary mixtures of: 

1. viscose (25) or cupro (21), including certain types of modal fibre (22), 

with 

2. cotton (5), elastolefin (47) and melamine (48). 

If a modal fibre is found to be present, a preliminary test shall be carried out to see whether it 
is soluble in the reagent. 

This method is not applicable to mixtures in which the cotton has suffered extensive chemical 
degradation nor when the viscose or cupro is rendered incompletely soluble by the presence 
of certain dyes or finishes that cannot be removed completely. 

2. PRINCIPLE 

The viscose, cupro or modal fibre is dissolved from a known dry mass of the mixture, with a 
reagent  consisting  of  formic  acid  and  zinc  chloride.  The  residue  is  collected,  washed,  dried 
and weighed; its corrected mass is expressed as a percentage of the dry mass of the mixture. 
The percentage of dry viscose, cupro or modal fibre is found by difference. 

3. APPARATUS AND REAGENTS (other than those specified in the general instructions) 

3.1. Apparatus 

(i) glass-stoppered conical flasks of at least 200 ml capacity; 

(ii) apparatus for maintaining flasks at 40 (± 2) ºC. 

3.2. Reagents 

(i) Solution containing 20 g of fused anhydrous zinc chloride and 68 g of anhydrous formic 
acid made up to 100 g with water (namely 20 parts by mass of fused anhydrous zinc chloride 
to 80 parts by mass of 85 % m/m formic acid). 

NB: 

Attention  is  drawn,  in  this  respect,  to  point  I.3.2.2,  which  lays  down  that  all  reagents  used 
shall be chemically pure; in addition, it is essential to use only fused anhydrous zinc chloride. 

(ii) Ammonium hydroxide solution: dilute 20 ml of a concentrated ammonia solution (specific 
gravity 0,880 g/ml) to 1 litre with water. 

4. TEST PROCEDURE 

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51 

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Follow the procedure described in the general instructions and proceed as follows: place the 
specimen immediately in the flask, pre-heated to 40 ºC. Add 100 ml of the solution of formic 
acid and zinc chloride, pre-heated to 40 ºC per gram of specimen. Insert the stopper and shake 
the flask vigorously. Keep the flask and its contents at a constant temperature of 40 ºC for two 
hours and a half, shaking the flask at hourly intervals. 

Filter  the  contents  of  the  flask  through  the  weighed  filter  crucible  and  with  the  help  of  the 
reagent transfer to the crucible any fibres remaining in the flask. Rinse with 20 ml of reagent. 

Wash  crucible  and  residue  thoroughly  with  water  at  40  ºC.  Rinse  the  fibrous  residue  in 
approximately  100  ml  of  cold  ammonia  solution  (3.2.ii)  ensuring  that  this  residue  remains 
wholly immersed in the solution for 10 minutes (1); then rinse thoroughly with cold water. 

Do not apply suction until each washing liquor has drained under gravity. 

Finally,  drain  the  remaining  liquid  with  suction,  dry  the  crucible  and  residue,  and  cool  and 
weigh them. 

5. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS 

Calculate  the  results  as  described  in  the  general  instructions.  The  value  of  ‘d’  is  1,02  for 
cotton ,1,01 for melamine and 1,00 for elastolefin. 

6. PRECISION 

On a homogeneous mixture of textile materials, the confidence limits of results obtained by 
this method are not greater than ± 2 for a confidence level of 95 %. 

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METHOD No 4 

POLYAMIDE OR NYLON, AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES 

(Method using 80 % m/m formic acid) 

1. FIELD OF APPLICATION 

This method is applicable, after removal of non-fibrous matter, to binary mixtures of: 

1. polyamide or nylon, (30), 

with 

2.  wool  (1),  animal  hair  (2  and  3),  cotton  (5),  cupro  (21),  modal  (22),  viscose  (25),  acrylic 
(26),  chlorofibre  (27),  polyester  (35),  polypropylene  (37),  glass  fibre  (44),  elastomultiester 
(46), elastolefin (47) and melamine (48). 

As mentioned above, this method is also applicable to mixtures with wool, but when the wool 
content exceeds 25 %, method No 2 shall be applied (dissolving wool in a solution of alkaline 
sodium hypochlorite). 

2. PRINCIPLE 

The polyamide fibre is dissolved out from a known dry mass of the mixture, with formic acid. 
The  residue  is  collected,  washed,  dried  and  weighed;  its  mass,  corrected  if  necessary,  is 
expressed as a percentage of the dry mass of the mixture. The percentage of dry polyamide or 
nylon is found by difference. 

3. APPARATUS AND REAGENTS (other than those specified in the general instructions) 

3.1. Apparatus 

Glass-stoppered conical flask of at least 200 ml capacity. 

3.2. Reagents 

(i)  Formic  acid  (80  %  m/m,  relative  density  at  20  ºC:  1,186).  Dilute  880  ml  of  90  %  m/m 
formic acid (relative density at 20 ºC: 1,204) to 1 litre with water. Alternatively, dilute 780 ml 
of 98 to 100 % m/m formic acid (relative density at 20 ºC: 1,220) to 1 litre with water. 

The concentration is not critical within the range 77 to 83 % m/m formic acid. 

(ii) Ammonia, dilute solution: dilute 80 ml of concentrated ammonia solution (relative density 
at 20 ºC: 0,880) to 1 litre with water. 

4. TEST PROCEDURE 

Follow  the  procedure  described  in  the  general  instructions  and  proceed  as  follows:  to  the 
specimen contained in the conical flask of at least 200 ml capacity, add 100 ml of formic acid 
per gram of specimen. Insert the stopper, shake the flask to wet out the specimen. Stand the 
flask  for  15  minutes  at  room  temperature,  shaking  it  at  intervals.  Filter  the  contents  of  the 

EN 

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flask  through  the  weighed  filter  crucible  and  transfer  any  residual  fibres  to  the  crucible  by 
washing out the flask with a little formic acid reagent. 

Drain  the  crucible  with  suction  and  wash  the  residue  on  the  filter  successively  with  formic 
acid reagent, hot water, dilute ammonia solution, and finally cold water, draining the crucible 
with suction after each addition. Do not apply suction until each washing liquor has drained 
under gravity. 

Finally,  drain  the  crucible  with  suction,  dry  the  crucible  and  residue,  and  cool  and  weigh 
them. 

5. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS 

Calculate the results as described in the general instructions. The value of ‘d’ is 1,00, except 
for melamine, for which ‘d’=1,01. 

6. PRECISION 

On a homogeneous mixture of textile materials, the confidence limits of results obtained by 
this method are not greater than ± 1 for a confidence level of 95 %. 

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METHOD No 5 

ACETATE AND TRIACETATE 

(Method using benzyl alcohol) 

1. FIELD OF APPLICATION 

This method is applicable, after removal of non-fibrous matter, to binary mixtures of: 

— acetate (19) 

with 

— triacetate (24), elastolefin (47) and melamine (48). 

2. PRINCIPLE 

The acetate fibre is dissolved out from a known dry mass of the mixture, with benzyl alcohol 
at 52 ± 2 ºC. 

The residue is collected, washed, dried and weighed; its mass is expressed as a percentage of 
the dry mass of the mixture. The percentage of dry acetate is found by difference. 

3. APPARATUS AND REAGENTS (other than those specified in the general instructions) 

3.1. Apparatus 

(i) Glass-stoppered conical flask of at least 200 ml capacity. 

(ii) Mechanical shaker. 

(iii) Thermostat or other apparatus for keeping the flask at a temperature of 52 ± 2 ºC. 

3.2. Reagents 

(i) Benzyl alcohol, 

(ii) Ethanol. 

4. TEST PROCEDURE 

Follow the procedure described in the general instructions and proceed as follows: 

To  the  specimen  contained  in  the  conical  flask,  add  100  ml  of  benzyl  alcohol  per  gram  of 
specimen. Insert the stopper, secure the flask to the shaker so that it is immersed in the water-
bath, kept at 52 ± 2 ºC, and shake for 20 minutes at this temperature. 

(Instead of using a mechanical shaker, the flask may be shaken vigorously by hand). 

Decant the liquid through the weighed filter crucible. Add a further dose of benzyl alcohol in 
the flask and shake as before at 52 ± 2 ºC for 20 minutes. 

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55 

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Decant the liquid through the crucible. Repeat the cycle of operations a third time. 

Finally pour the liquid and the residue into the crucible; wash any remaining fibres from the 
flask into the crucible with an extra quantity of benzyl alcohol at 52 ± 2 ºC. Drain the crucible 
thoroughly. 

Transfer the fibres into a flask, rinse with ethanol and after shaking manually decant through 
the filter crucible. 

Repeat  this  rinsing  operation  two  or  three  times.  Transfer  the  residue  into  the  crucible  and 
drain thoroughly. Dry the crucible and the residue and cool and weigh them. 

5. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS 

Calculate the results as described in the general instructions. The value of ‘d’ is 1,00, except 
for melamine, for which ‘d’=1,01. 

6. PRECISION 

On a homogeneous mixture of textile materials, the confidence limits of results obtained by 
this method are not greater than ± 1 for a confidence level of 95 %. 

EN 

56 

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METHOD No 6 

TRIACETATES AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES 

(Method using dichloromethane) 

1. FIELD OF APPLICATION 

This method is applicable, after removal of non-fibrous matter, to binary mixtures of: 

1. triacetate (24) or polylactide (34) 

with 

2. wool (1), animal hair (2 and 3), silk (4), cotton (5), (21), modal (22), viscose (25), acrylic 
(26), polyamide or nylon (30), polyester (35), glass fibre (44) elastomultiester (46), elastolefin 
(47) and melamine (48). 

Note 

Triacetate  fibres  which  have  received  a  finish  leading  to  partial  hydrolysis  cease  to  be 
completely soluble in the reagent. In such cases, the method is not applicable. 

2. PRINCIPLE 

The triacetate or polylactide fibres are dissolved out from a known dry mass of the mixture, 
with  dichloromethane.  The  residue  is  collected,  washed,  dried  and  weighed;  its  mass, 
corrected  if  necessary,  is  expressed  as  a  percentage  of  the  dry  mass  of  the  mixture.  The 
percentage of dry triacetate or polylactide is found by difference. 

3. APPARATUS AND REAGENTS (other than those specified in the general instructions) 

3.1. Apparatus 

Glass-stoppered conical flask of at least 200 ml capacity. 

3.2. Reagent 

Dichloromethane. 

4. TEST PROCEDURE 

Follow the procedure described in the general instructions and proceed as follows: 

To  the  specimen  contained  in  the  200  ml  glass-stoppered  conical  flask,  add  100  ml  of 
dichloromethane per gram of specimen, insert the stopper, shake the flask every 10 minutes to 
wet  out  the  specimen  and  stand  for  30  minutes  at  room  temperature,  shaking  the  flask  at 
regular  intervals.  Decant  the  liquid  through  the  weighed  filter  crucible.  Add  60  ml  of 
dichloromethane to the flask containing the residue, shake manually and filter the contents of 
the flask through the filter crucible. Transfer the residual fibres to the crucible by washing out 
the flask with a little more dichloromethane. Drain the crucible with suction to remove excess 
liquid, refill the crucible with dichloromethane and allow it to drain under gravity. 

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Finally, apply suction to eliminate excess liquid, then treat the residue with boiling water to 
eliminate all the solvent, apply suction, dry the crucible and residue, cool and weigh them. 

5. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS 

Calculate the results as described in the general instructions. The value of ‘d’ is 1,00, except 
in the case of polyester, elastomultiester, elastolefin and melamine for which the value of ‘d’ 
is 1,01. 

6. PRECISION 

On a homogeneous mixture of textile materials, the confidence limits of results obtained by 
this method are not greater than ± 1 for a confidence level of 95 %. 

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METHOD No 7 

CERTAIN CELLULOSE FIBRES AND POLYESTER 

(Method using 75 % m/m sulphuric acid) 

1. FIELD OF APPLICATION 

This method is applicable, after removal of non-fibrous matter, to binary mixtures of: 

1. cotton (5), flax (7), true hemp (8), ramie (14), cupro (21), modal (22), viscose (25) 

with 

2. polyester (35), elastomultiester (46) and elastolefin (47). 

2. PRINCIPLE 

The cellulose fibre is dissolved out from a known dry mass of the mixture, with 75 % m/m 
sulphuric acid. The residue is collected, washed, dried and weighed; its mass is expressed as a 
percentage of the dry mass of the mixture. The proportion of dry cellulose fibre is found by 
difference. 

3. APPARATUS AND REAGENTS (other than those specified in the general instructions) 

3.1. Apparatus 

(i) Glass-stoppered conical flask of at least 500 ml capacity. 

(ii) Thermostat or other apparatus for maintaining the flask at 50 ± 5 ºC. 

3.2. Reagents 

(i) Sulphuric acid, 75 ± 2 % m/m 

Prepare by adding carefully, while cooling, 700 ml of sulphuric acid (relative density at 20 ºC: 
1,84) to 350 ml of distilled water. 

After the solution has cooled to room temperature, dilute to 1 litre with water. 

(ii) Ammonia, dilute solution 

Dilute 80 ml of ammonia solution (relative density at 20 ºC: 0,88) to 1 litre with water. 

4. TEST PROCEDURE 

Follow the procedure described in the general instructions and proceed as follows: 

To the specimen contained in the glass-stoppered conical flask of at least 500 ml capacity, add 
200 ml of 75 % sulphuric acid per gram of specimen, insert the stopper and carefully shake 
the flask to wet out the specimen. 

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Maintain  the  flask  at  50  ±  5  ºC  for  one  hour,  shaking  it  at  regular  intervals  of  roughly  10 
minutes.  Filter  the  contents  of  the  flask  through  the  weighed  filter  crucible  by  means  of 
suction. Transfer any residual fibres by washing out the flask with a little 75 % sulphuric acid. 
Drain the crucible with suction and wash the residue on the filter once by filling the crucible 
with a fresh portion of sulphuric acid. Do not apply suction until the acid has drained under 
gravity. 

Wash  the  residue  successively  several  times  with  cold  water,  twice  with  dilute  ammonia 
solution,  and  then  thoroughly  with  cold  water,  draining  the  crucible  with  suction  after  each 
addition. Do not apply suction until each washing liquor has drained under gravity. Finally, 
drain  the  remaining  liquid  from  the  crucible  with  suction,  dry  the  crucible  and  residue,  and 
cool and weigh them. 

5. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS 

Calculate the results as described in the general instructions. The value of ‘d’ is 1,00. 

6. PRECISION 

On a homogeneous mixture of textile materials, the confidence limits of results obtained by 
this method are not greater than ± 1 for a confidence level of 95 %. 

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METHOD No 8 

ACRYLICS, CERTAIN MODACRYLICS OR CERTAIN CHLOROFIBRES AND 
CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES 

(Method using dimethylformamide) 

1. FIELD OF APPLICATION 

This method is applicable, after removal of non-fibrous matter, to binary mixtures of: 

1. acrylics (26), certain modacrylics (29), or certain chlorofibres (27) 21 

with 

2. wool (1), animal hair (2 and 3), silk (4), cotton (5), cupro (21), modal 

(22), viscose (25), polyamide or nylon (30), polyester (35), elastomultiester 

(46), elastolefin (47) and melamine (48). 

It is equally applicable to acrylics, and certain modacrylics, treated with premetallised dyes, 
but not to those dyed with afterchrome dyes. 

2. PRINCIPLE 

The acrylic, modacrylic or chlorofibre is dissolved out from a known dry mass of the mixture, 
with  dimethylformamide  heated  in  a  water-bath  at  boiling  point.  The  residue  is  collected, 
washed, dried and weighed. Its mass, corrected if necessary, is expressed as a percentage of 
the  dry  mass  of  the  mixture  and  the  percentage  of  dry  acrylic,  modacrylic  or  chlorofibre  is 
found by difference. 

3. APPARATUS AND REAGENTS (other than those specified in the general instructions) 

3.1. Apparatus 

(i) Glass-stoppered conical flask of at least 200 ml capacity. 

(ii) Water bath at boiling point. 

3.2. Reagent 

Dimethylformamide (boiling point 153 ± 1 ºC) not containing more than 0,1 % water. 

This reagent is toxic and the use of a hood is thus recommended. 

4. TEST PROCEDURE 

21 

The solubility of such modacrylics or chlorofibres in the reagent shall be checked before carrying out 
the analysis. 

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Follow the procedure described in the general instructions and proceed as follows: 

To the specimen contained in the glass-stoppered conical flask of at least 200 ml capacity, add 
per  gram  of  specimen  80  ml  of  dimethylformamide,  pre-heated  in  the  water-bath  at  boiling 
point, insert the stopper, shake the flask to wet out the specimen and heat in the water-bath at 
boiling point for one hour. Shake the flask and its contents gently by hand five times during 
this period. 

Decant the liquid through the weighed filter crucible, retaining the fibres in the flask. Add a 
further 60 ml of dimethylformamide to the flask and heat for a further 30 minutes, shaking the 
flask and contents gently by hand twice during this period. 

Filter the contents of the flask through the filter crucible by means of suction. 

residual 

Transfer  any 
the  beaker  with 
dimethylformamide.  Drain  the  crucible  with  suction.  Wash  the  residue  with  about  1  litre  of 
hot water at 70 — 80 ºC, filling the crucible each time. 

the  crucible  by  washing  out 

fibre 

to 

After each addition of water, apply suction briefly but not until the water has drained under 
gravity.  If  the  washing  liquor  drains  through  the  crucible  too  slowly  slight  suction  may  be 
applied. 

Finally dry the crucible with the residue, cool and weigh them. 

5. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS 

Calculate the results as described in the general instructions. The value of ‘d’ is 1,00 except in 
the following cases: 

wool 1,01 

cotton 1,01 

cupro 1,01 

modal 1,01 

polyester 1,01 

elastomultiester 1,01 

melamine 

1,01 

6. PRECISION 

On a homogeneous mixture of textile materials, the confidence limits of results obtained by 
this method are not greater than ± 1 for a confidence level of 95 %. 

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METHOD No 9 

CERTAIN CHLOROFIBRES AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES 

(Method using 55,5/44,5 mixture of carbon disulphide and acetone) 

1. FIELD OF APPLICATION 

This method is applicable, after removal of non-fibrous matter, to binary mixtures of: 

1.  certain  chlorofibres  (27),  namely  certain  polyvinyl  chloride  fibres,  whether  after-
chlorinated or not 22 

with 

2. wool (1), animal hair (2 and 3), silk (4), cotton (5), cupro (21), modal (22), viscose (25), 
acrylic  (26),  polyamide  or  nylon  (30),  polyester  (35),  glass  fibre  (44),  elastomultiester  (46) 
and melamine (48). 

When the wool or silk content of the mixture exceeds 25 %, method No 2 shall be used. 

When  the  polyamide  or  nylon  content  of  the  mixture  exceeds  25  %,  method  No  4  shall  be 
used. 

2. PRINCIPLE 

The  chlorofibre  is  dissolved  out  from  a  known  dry  mass  of  the  mixture,  with  an  azeotropic 
mixture  of  carbon  disulphide  and  acetone.  The  residue  is  collected,  washed,  dried  and 
weighed; its mass, corrected if necessary, is expressed as a percentage of the dry mass of the 
mixture. The percentage of dry polyvinyl chloride fibre is found by difference. 

3. APPARATUS AND REAGENTS (other than those specified in the general instructions) 

3.1. Apparatus 

(i) Glass-stoppered conical flask of at least 200 ml capacity. 

(ii) Mechanical shaker. 

3.2. Reagents 

(i) Azeotropic mixture of carbon disulphide and acetone (55,5 % by volume carbon disulphide 
to 44,5 % acetone). As this reagent is toxic, the use of a hood is recommended. 

(ii) Ethanol (92 % by volume) or methanol. 

4. TEST PROCEDURE 

22 

Before carrying out the analysis, the solubility of the polyvinyl chloride fibres in the reagent shall be 
checked. 

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Follow the procedure described in the general instructions and proceed as follows: 

To the specimen contained in the glass-stoppered conical flask of at least 200 ml capacity, add 
100 ml of the azeotropic mixture per gram of specimen. Seal the flask securely, and shake the 
flask on a mechanical shaker, or vigorously by hand, for 20 minutes at room temperature. 

Decant the supernatant liquid through the weighed filter crucible. 

Repeat the treatment with 100 ml of fresh reagent. Continue this cycle of operations until no 
polymer deposit is left on a watch glass when a drop of the extraction liquid is evaporated. 
Transfer  the  residue  to  the  filter  crucible  using  more  reagent,  apply  suction  to  remove  the 
liquid,  and  rinse  the  crucible  and  residue  with  20  ml  of  alcohol  and  then  three  times  with 
water. Allow the washing liquor to drain under gravity before draining with suction. Dry the 
crucible and residue and cool and weigh them. 

Note: 

With certain mixtures having a high chlorofibre content there may be substantial shrinkage of 
the specimen during the drying procedure, as a result of which the dissolution of chlorofibre 
by the solvent is retarded. 

This does not, however, affect the ultimate dissolution of the chlorofibre in the solvent. 

5. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS 

Calculate the results as described in the general instructions. The value of ‘d’ is 1,00, except 
for melamine, for which ‘d’=1,01. 

6. PRECISION 

On a homogeneous mixture of textile materials, the confidence limits of the results obtained 
by this method are not greater than ± 1 for a confidence level of 95 %. 

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METHOD No 10 

ACETATE AND CERTAIN CHLOROFIBRES 

(Method using glacial acetic acid) 

1. FIELD OF APPLICATION 

This method is applicable, after removal of non-fibrous matter, to binary mixtures of: 

1. acetate (19) 

with 

2. certain chlorofibres (27) namely polyvinyl chloride fibres, whether afterchlorinated 

or not, elastolefin (47) and melamine (48). 

2. PRINCIPLE 

The acetate fibre is dissolved out from a known dry mass of the mixture, with glacial acetic 
acid. The residue is collected, washed, dried and weighed; its mass, corrected if necessary, is 
expressed  as  a  percentage  of  the  dry  mass  of  the  mixture.  The  percentage  of  dry  acetate  is 
found by difference. 

3. APPARATUS AND REAGENTS (other than those specified in the general instructions) 

3.1. Apparatus 

(i) Glass-stoppered conical flask of at least 200 ml capacity. 

(ii) Mechanical shaker. 

3.2. Reagent 

Glacial  acetic  acid  (over  99  %).  This  reagent  shall  be  handled  with  care  since  it  is  highly 
caustic. 

4. TEST PROCEDURE 

Follow the procedure described in the general instructions and proceed as follows: 

To the specimen contained in the glass-stoppered conical flask of at least 200 ml capacity, add 
100  ml  glacial  acetic  acid  per  gram  of  specimen.  Seal  the  flask  securely  and  shake  on  the 
mechanical  shaker,  or  vigorously  by  hand,  for  20  minutes  at  room  temperature.  Decant  the 
supernatant liquid through the weighed filter crucible. Repeat this treatment twice, using 100 
ml of fresh reagent each time, making three extractions in all. 

Transfer the residue to the filter crucible, drain with suction to remove the liquid and rinse the 
crucible  and  the  residue  with  50  ml  of  glacial  acetic  acid,  and  then  three  times  with  water. 
After  each  rinse,  allow  the  liquid  to  drain  under  gravity  before  applying  suction.  Dry  the 
crucible and residue, and cool and weigh them. 

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5. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS 

Calculate the results as described in the general instructions. The value of ‘d’ is 1,00. 

6. PRECISION 

On a homogeneous mixture of textile materials, the confidence limits of the results obtained 
by this method are not greater than ± 1 for a confidence level of 95 %. 

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METHOD No 11 

SILK AND WOOL OR HAIR 

(Method using 75 % m/m sulphuric acid) 

1. FIELD OF APPLICATION 

This method is applicable, after removal of non-fibrous matter, to binary mixtures of: 

1. silk (4) 

with 

2. wool (1), animal hair (2 and 3), elastolefin (47) and melamine (48). 

2. PRINCIPLE 

The  silk  fibre  is  dissolved  out  from  a  known  dry  mass  of  the  mixture,  with  75  %  m/m 
sulphuric acid 23. 

The  residue  is  collected,  washed,  dried  and  weighed.  Its  mass,  corrected  if  necessary,  is 
expressed as a percentage of the dry mass of the mixture. The percentage of dry silk is found 
by difference. 

3. APPARATUS AND REAGENTS (other than those specified in the general instructions) 

3.1. Apparatus 

Glass-stoppered conical flask of at least 200 ml capacity. 

3.2. Reagents 

(i) Sulphuric acid (75 ± 2 % m/m) 

Prepare by adding carefully, while cooling, 700 ml sulphuric acid (density at 20 ºC: 1,84) to 
350 ml distilled water. 

After cooling to room temperature, dilute the solution to 1 litre with water. 

(ii) Sulphuric acid, dilute solution: add 100 ml sulphuric acid (density at 20 ºC: 1,84) slowly 
to 1 900 ml distilled water. 

(iii) Ammonia, dilute solution: dilute 200 ml concentrated ammonia (density at 20 ºC: 0,880) 
to 1 000 ml with water. 

4. TEST PROCEDURE 

Follow the procedure described in the general instructions and proceed as follows: 

23 

Wild silks, such as tussah silk, are not completely soluble in 75 % m/m sulphuric acid 

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To the specimen contained in a glass-stoppered conical flask of at least 200 ml capacity, add 
100  ml  of  75  %  m/m  sulphuric  acid  per  gram  of  specimen  and  insert  the  stopper.  Shake 
vigorously  and  stand  for  30  minutes  at  room  temperature.  Shake  again  and  stand  for  30 
minutes. 

Shake a last time and filter the contents of the flask through the weighed filter crucible. Wash 
any remaining fibres from the flask with the 75 % sulphuric acid reagent. Wash the residue on 
the crucible successively with 50 ml of the dilute sulphuric acid reagent, 50 ml water and 50 
ml of the dilute ammonia solution. Each time allow the fibres to remain in contact with the 
liquid  for  about  10  minutes  before  applying  suction.  Finally  rinse  with  water,  leaving  the 
fibres in contact with the water for about 30 minutes. 

Drain the crucible with suction, dry the crucible and residue, and cool and weigh them. 

5. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS 

Calculate  the  results  as  described  in  the  general  instructions.  The  value  of  ‘d’  is  0,985  for 
wool, 1,00 for elastolefin and 1,01 for melamine. 

6. PRECISION 

On a homogeneous mixture of textile materials, the confidence limits of results obtained by 
this method are not greater than ± 1 for a confidence level of 95 %. 

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METHOD No 12 

JUTE AND CERTAIN ANIMAL FIBRES 

(Method by determining nitrogen content) 

1. FIELD OF APPLICATION 

This method is applicable, after removal of non-fibrous matter, to binary mixtures of: 

1. jute (9) 

with 

2. certain animal fibres. 

The  animal-fibre  component  may  consist  solely  of  hair  (2  and  3)  or  wool  (1)  or  of  any 
mixture of the two. This method is not applicable to textile mixtures containing non-fibrous 
matter (dyes, finishes, etc.) with a nitrogen base. 

2. PRINCIPLE 

The nitrogen content of the mixture is determined, and from this and the known or assumed 
nitrogen contents of the two components, the proportion of each component is calculated. 

3. APPARATUS AND REAGENTS (other than those specified in the general instructions) 

3.1. Apparatus 

(i) Kjeldahl digestion flask, 200 — 300 ml capacity. 

(ii) Kjeldahl distillation apparatus with steam injection. 

(iii) Titration apparatus, allowing precision of 0,05 ml. 

3.2. Reagents 

(i) Toluene. 

(ii) Methanol. 

(iii) Sulphuric acid, relative density at 20 ºC: 1,84 (1). 

(iv) Potassium sulphate (1). 

(v) Selenium dioxide (1). 

(vi) Sodium hydroxide solution (400 g/litre). Dissolve 400 g of sodium hydroxide in 400 — 
500 ml of water and dilute to 1 litre with water. 

(vii) Mixed indicator. Dissolve 0,1 g of methyl red in 95 ml of ethanol and 5 ml of water, and 
mix with 0,5 g of bromocresol green dissolved in 475 ml of ethanol and 25 ml of water. 

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(viii) Boric acid solution. Dissolve 20 g of boric acid in 1 litre of water. 

(ix) Sulphuric acid, 0,02N (standard volumetric solution). 

4. PRE-TREATMENT OF TEST SAMPLE 

The  following  pre-treatment  is  substituted  for  the  pre-treatment  described  in  the  general 
instructions: 

Extract the air-dry sample in a Soxhlet apparatus with a mixture of 1 volume of toluene and 3 
volumes of methanol for four hours at a minimum rate of 5 cycles per hour. Allow the solvent 
to evaporate from the sample in air, and remove the last traces in an oven at 105 ± 3 ºC. Then 
extract the sample in water (50 ml per g of sample) by boiling under reflux for 30 minutes. 
Filter,  return  the  sample  to  the  flask,  and  repeat  the  extraction  with  an  identical  volume  of 
water. Filter, remove excess water from the sample by squeezing, suction, or centrifuging and 
then allow the sample to become air-dry. 

Note: 

The toxic effects of toluene and methanol shall be borne in mind and full precautions shall be 
taken in their use. 

5. TEST PROCEDURE 

5.1. General instructions 

Follow the procedure described in the general instructions as regards the selection, drying and 
weighing of the specimen. 

5.2. Detailed procedure 

Transfer  the  specimen  to  a  Kjeldahl  digestion  flask.  To  the  specimen  weighing  at  least  1  g 
contained in the digestion flask, add, in the following order, 2,5 g potassium sulphate, 0,1 — 
0,2 g selenium dioxide and 10 ml sulphuric acid (relative density 1,84). Heat the flask, gently 
at  first,  until  the  whole  of  the  fibre  is  destroyed,  and  then  heat  it  more  vigorously  until  the 
solution becomes clear and almost colourless. Heat it for a further 15 minutes. Allow the flask 
to  cool,  dilute  the  contents  carefully  with  10  —  20  ml  water,  cool,  transfer  the  contents 
quantitatively  to  a  200  ml  graduated  flask  and  make  up  to  volume  with  water  to  form  the 
digest solution. Place about 20 ml of boric acid solution in a 100 ml conical flask and place 
the flask under the condenser of the Kjeldahl distillation apparatus so that the delivery tube 
dips just below the surface of the boric acid solution. Transfer exactly 10 ml of digest solution 
to the distillation flask, add not less than 5 ml of sodium hydroxide solution to the funnel, lift 
the stopper slightly and allow the sodium hydroxide solution to run slowly into the flask. If 
the digest solution and sodium hydroxide solution remain as two separate layers, mix them by 
gentle  agitation.  Heat  the  distillation  flask  gently  and  pass  it  into  steam  from  the  generator. 
Collect about 20 ml of distillate, lower the conical flask so that the tip of the delivery tube of 
the  condenser  is  about  20  mm  above  the  surface  of  the  liquid  and  distil  for  1  minute  more. 
Rinse  the  tip  of  the  delivery  tube  with  water,  catching  the  washings  in  the  conical  flask. 
Remove the conical flask and replace it with another conical flask containing roughly 10 ml 
of boric acid solution and collect about 10 ml distillate. 

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Titrate  the  two  distillates  separately  with  0,02N  sulphuric  acid,  use  the  mixed  indicator. 
Record the total titre for the two distillates. If the titre for the second distillate is more than 0,2 
ml, repeat the test and start the distillation again using a fresh aliquot of digest solution. 

Carry out a blank determination, i.e. digestion and distillation using the reagents only. 

6. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS 

6.1. Calculate the percentage nitrogen content in the dry specimen as follows: 

(28

)

NbV
−
W

A

%

=

where 

A = percentage nitrogen in the clean dry specimen, 

V = total volume in ml of standard sulphuric acid used in the determination, 

b = total volume in ml of standard sulphuric acid used in the blank determination, 

N = normality of standard sulphuric acid, 

W = dry mass (g) of specimen. 

6.2. Using the values of 0,22 % for the nitrogen content of jute and 16,2 % for the nitrogen 
content  of  animal  fibre,  both  percentages  being  expressed  on  the  dry  mass  of  the  fibre, 
calculate the composition of the mixture as follows: 

PA

%

=

A

22,0
−
22,02,16
−

×

100

where 

PA % = percentage of animal fibre in the clean dry specimen. 

7. PRECISION 

On a homogeneous mixture of textile materials, the confidence limits of results obtained by 
this method are not greater than ± 1 for a confidence level of 95 %. 

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METHOD No 13 

POLYPROPYLENE FIBRES AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES 

1. FIELD OF APPLICATION 

(Xylene method) 

This method is applicable, after removal of non-fibrous matter, to binary mixtures of: 

1. polypropylene fibres (37) 

with 

2. wool (1), animal hair (2 and 3), silk (4), cotton (5), acetate (19), cupro (21), modal (22), 
triacetate (24), viscose (25), acrylic (26), polyamide or nylon (30), polyester (35), glass fibre 
(44), elastomultiester (46) and melamine (48). 

2. PRINCIPLE 

The polypropylene fibre is dissolved out from a known dry mass of the mixture with boiling 
xylene. The residue is collected, washed, dried and weighed; its mass, corrected if necessary, 
is expressed as a percentage of the dry mass of the mixture. The percentage of polypropylene 
is found by difference. 

3. APPARATUS AND REAGENTS (other than those specified in the general instructions) 

3.1. Apparatus 

(i) Glass-stoppered conical flask of at least 200 ml capacity. 

(ii) Reflux condenser (suitable for liquids of high boiling point), fitting the conical flask (i). 

3.2. Reagent 

Xylene distilling between 137 and 142 ºC. 

Note: 

This reagent is highly flammable and has a toxic vapour. Suitable precautions must be taken 
in its use. 

4. TEST PROCEDURE 

Follow the procedure described in the general instructions then proceed as follows: 

To the specimen contained in the conical flask (3.1 (i)), add 100 ml of xylene (3.2) per gram 
of  specimen.  Attach  the  condenser  (3.1  (ii)),  bring  the  contents  to  the  boil  and  maintain  at 
boiling point for three minutes. 

Immediately decant the hot liquid through the weighed filter crucible (see Note 1). Repeat this 
treatment twice more, each time using a fresh 50 ml portion of solvent. 

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Wash  the  residue  remaining  in  the  flask  successively  with  30  ml  of  boiling  xylene  (twice), 
then with 75 ml of light petroleum (I.3.2.1 of general instructions) (twice). After the second 
wash  with  light  petroleum,  filter  the  contents  of  the  flask  through  the  crucible,  transfer  any 
residual fibres to the crucible with the aid of a small quantity of light petroleum and allow the 
solvent to evaporate. Dry the crucible and residue, cool and weigh them. 

Notes: 

1. The filter crucible through which the xylene is to be decanted must be pre-heated. 

2.  After  the  treatment  with  boiling  xylene,  ensure  that  the  flask  containing  the  residue  is 
cooled sufficiently before the light petroleum is introduced. 

3. In order to reduce the fire and toxicity hazards to the operator, a hot extraction apparatus 
using the appropriate procedures, giving identical results, may be used 24 (1). 

5. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS 

Calculate the results as described in the general instructions. The value of ‘d’ is 1,00, except 
for melamine, for which ‘d’=1,01. 

6. PRECISION 

On a homogeneous mixture of textile materials, the confidence limits of results obtained by 
this method are not greater than ± 1 for a confidence level of 95 %. 

24 

See for example the apparatus described in Melliand Textilberichte 56 (1975), pp. 643-645. 

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METHOD No 14 

CHLOROFIBRES (HOMOPOLYMERS OF VINYL CHLORIDE) AND CERTAIN 
OTHER FIBRES 

(Concentrated sulphuric acid method) 

1. FIELD OF APPLICATION 

This method is applicable, after removal of non-fibrous matter, to binary mixtures of: 

1.  chlorofibres  (27)  based  on  homopolymers  of  vinyl  chloride,  whether  after-chlorinated  or 
not, elastolefin (47) 

with 

2. cotton (5), acetate (19), cupro (21), modal (22), triacetate (24), viscose (25), certain acrylics 
(26), certain modacrylics (29), polyamide or nylon (30), polyester (35), elastomultiester (46) 
and melamine (48). 

The  modacrylics  concerned  are  those  which  give  a  limpid  solution  when  immersed  in 
concentrated sulphuric acid (relative density 1,84 at 20 ºC). 

This method can be used in place of method Nos 8 and 9. 

2. PRINCIPLE 

The  constituent  other  than  the  chlorofibre  or  the  elastolefin  (i.e.  the  fibres  mentioned  in 
paragraph  1.2)  is  dissolved  out  from  a  known  dry  mass  of  the  mixture  with  concentrated 
sulphuric acid (relative density 1,84 at 20 °C). 

The  residue,  consisting  of  the  chlorofibre  or  the  elastolefin,  is  collected,  washed,  dried  and 
weighed; its mass, corrected if necessary, is expressed as a percentage of the dry mass of the 
mixture. The percentage of the second constituents is obtained by difference. 

3. APPARATUS AND REAGENTS (other than those specified in the general instructions) 

3.1. Apparatus 

(i) Glass-stoppered conical flask of at least 200 ml capacity. 

(ii) Glass rod with flattened end. 

3.2. Reagents 

(i) Sulphuric acid, concentrated (relative density 1,84 at 20 ºC). 

(ii) Sulphuric acid, approximately 50 % (m/m) aqueous solution. 

Prepare by adding carefully, while cooling, 400 ml of sulphuric acid (relative density 1,84 at 
20 ºC) to 500 ml of distilled or deionized water. After cooling to room temperature, dilute the 
solution to one litre with water. 

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(iii) Ammonia, dilute solution. 

Dilute 60 ml of concentrated ammonia solution (relative density 0,880 at 20 ºC) to one litre 
with distilled water. 

4. TEST PROCEDURE 

Follow the procedure described in the general instructions, then proceed as follows: 

To the specimen contained in the flask (3.1 (i)) add 100 ml of sulphuric acid (3.2 (i)) per gram 
of specimen. 

Allow the contents of the flask to remain at room temperature for 10 minutes and during that 
time stir the test specimen occasionally by means of the glass rod. If a woven or knitted fabric 
is  being  treated,  wedge  it  between  the  wall  of  the  flask  and  the  glass  rod  and  exert  a  light 
pressure in order to separate the material dissolved by the sulphuric acid. 

Decant the liquid through the weighed filter crucible. Add to the flask a fresh portion of 100 
ml of sulphuric acid (3.2 (i)) and repeat the same operation.Transfer the contents of the flask 
to  the  filter  crucible  and  transfer  the  fibrous  residue  there  with  the  aid  of  the  glass  rod.  If 
necessary, add a little concentrated sulphuric acid (3.2 (i)) to the flask in order to remove any 
fibres  adhering  to  the  wall.  Drain  the  filter  crucible  with  suction;  remove  the  filtrate  by 
emptying or changing the filter-flask, wash the residue in the crucible successively with 50 % 
sulphuric  acid  solution  (3.2  (ii)),  distilled  or  de-ionizedwater  (I.3.2.3  of  the  general 
instructions,  ammonia  solution  (3.2  (iii))  and  finally  wash  thoroughly  with  distilled  or  de-
ionized  water,  draining  the  crucible  with  suction  after  each  addition.  (Do  not  apply  suction 
during  the  washing  operation,  but  only  after  the  liquid  has  drained  off  by  gravity.)  Dry  the 
crucible and residue, cool and weigh them. 

5. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS 

Calculate the results as described in the general instructions. The value of ‘d’ is 1,00,except 
for melamine, for which ‘d’=1,01. 

6. PRECISION 

On a homogeneous mixture of textile materials, the confidence limits of results obtained by 
this method are not greater than ± 1 for a confidence level of 95 %. 

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METHOD No 15 

CHLOROFIBRES, CERTAIN MODACRYLICS, CERTAIN ELASTANES, 

ACETATES, TRIACETATES AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES 

(Method using cyclohexanone) 

1. FIELD OF APPLICATION 

This method is applicable, after removal of non-fibrous matter, to binary mixtures of: 

1.  acetate  (19),  triacetate  (24),  chlorofibre  (27),  certain  modacrylics  (29),  certain  elastanes 
(43)  

with 

2. wool (1), animal hair (2 and 3), silk (4), cotton (5), cupro (21), modal (22), viscose (25), 
polyamide or nylon (30), acrylic (26), glass fibre (44) and melamine (48). 

Where  modacrylics  or  elastanes  are  present  a  preliminary  test  must  first  be  carried  out  to 
determine whether the fibre is completely soluble in the reagent. 

It is also possible to analyse mixtures containing chlorofibres by using method No 9 or 14. 

2. PRINCIPLE 

The  acetate  and  triacetate  fibres,  chlorofibres, certain  modacrylics,  and  certain  elastanes  are 
dissolved out from a known dry mass with Cyclohexanone at a temperature close to boiling 
point. The residue is collected, washed, dried and weighed; its mass, corrected if necessary, is 
expressed  as  a  percentage  of  the  dry  mass  of  the  mixture.  The  percentage  of  chlorofibre, 
modacrylic, elastane, acetate and triacetate is found by difference. 

3. APPARATUS AND REAGENTS (other than those specified in the general instructions) 

3.1. Apparatus 

(i) Hot extraction apparatus suitable for use in the test procedure in section 4. (See figure: this 
is a variant of the apparatus described in Melliand Textilberichte 56 (1975) 643 — 645). 

(ii) Filter crucible to contain the specimen. 

(iii) Porous baffle (porosity grade 1). 

(iv) Reflux condenser that can be adapted to the distillation flask. 

(v) Heating device. 

3.2. Reagents 

(i) Cyclohexanone, boiling point 156 ºC. 

(ii) Ethyl alcohol, 50 % by volume. 

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NB: 

Cyclohexanone is flammable and toxic. Suitable precautions must be taken in its use. 

4. TEST PROCEDURE 

Follow the procedure described in the general instructions and then proceed as follows: 

Pour  into  the  distillation  flask  100  ml  of  cyclohexanone  per  gram  of  material,  insert  the 
extraction  container  in  which  the  filter  crucible,  containing  the  specimen  and  the  porous 
baffle, slightly inclined, have previously been placed. Insert the reflux condenser. Bring to the 
boil and continue extraction for 60 minutes at a minimum rate of 12 cycles per hour. 

After extraction and cooling remove the extraction container, take out the filter crucible and 
remove the porous baffle. Wash the contents of the filter crucible three or four times with 50 
% ethyl alcohol heated to about 60 ºC and subsequently with 1 litre of water at 60 ºC. 

Do  not  apply  suction  during  or  between  the  washing  operations.  Allow  the  liquid  to  drain 
under gravity and then apply suction. 

Finally, dry the crucible with the residue, cool and weigh them. 

5. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS 

Calculate the results as described in the general instructions. The value of ‘d’ is 1,00 with the 
following exceptions: 

silk and melamine 

1,01 

acrylic 0,98. 

6. PRECISION 

On homogeneous mixtures of textile fibres, the confidence limits of results obtained by this 
method are not greater than ± 1 for a confidence level of 95 %. 

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METHOD 16 

MELAMINE AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES 

(Method using hot formic acid) 

1. FIELD OF APPLICATION 

This method is applicable, after removal of non-fibrous matter, to binary mixtures of: 

1. melamine (47)  

with 

2. cotton (5) and aramid (31). 

2. PRINCIPLE 

The  melamine  is  dissolved  out  from  a  known  dry mass of the mixture with hot formic acid 
(90 % by mass). 

The  residue  is  collected,  washed,  dried  and  weighed;  its  mass,  corrected  if  necessary,  is 
expressed  as  a  percentage  of  the  dry  mass  of  the  mixture.  The  percentage  of  the  second 
constituents is obtained by difference. 

Note:  Keep  strictly  the  recommended  temperature  range  because  the  solubility  of 

melamine is very much dependent on temperature. 

3. APPARATUS AND REAGENTS (other than those specified in the general instructions) 

3.1. Apparatus 

(i) Glass-stoppered conical flask of at least 200 ml capacity. 

(ii) Shaking water bath or other apparatus to shake and maintain the flask at 90 ± 2 

ºC. 

3.2. Reagents 

(i) Formic acid (90% m/m, relative density at 20 ºC: 1.204 g/ml). Dilute 890 ml of 98 
to 100 % m/m formic acid (relative density at 20 ºC: 1.220 g/ml) to 1 liter with 
water. 

Hot formic acid is very corrosive and must be handled with care. 

(ii)  Ammonia,  dilute  solution:  dilute  80  ml  of  concentrated  ammonia  solution 
(relative density at 20 °C: 0.880) to 1 litre with water. 

4. TEST PROCEDURE 

Follow the procedure described in the general instructions, then proceed as follows: 

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To the specimen contained in the glass-stoppered conical flask of at least 200 ml capacity, add 
100 ml of formic acid per gram of specimen. Insert the stopper and shake the flask to wet out 
the specimen. Maintain the flask in a shaking water bath at 90 ± 2 ºC for one hour, shaking it 
vigorously.  Cool the  flask to room temperature.  Decant  the  liquid  through  the  weighed  filter 
crucible.  Add  50  ml  of  formic  acid  to  the  flask  containing  the  residue,  shake  manually  and 
filter the contents of the flask through the filter crucible. Transfer any residual fibres to the 
crucible  by  washing  out  the  flask  with  a  little  more  formic  acid  reagent.  Drain  the  crucible 
with  suction  and  wash  the  residue  with  formic  acid  reagent,  hot  water,  dilute  ammonia 
solution, and finally cold water, draining the crucible with suction after each addition. Do not 
apply suction until each washing liquor has drained under gravity. Finally, drain the crucible 
with suction, dry the crucible and residue, and cool and weigh them.  

5. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS 

Calculate the results as described in the general instructions. The value of ‘d’ for cotton and 
aramid is 1,02. 

6. PRECISION 

On a homogeneous mixture of textile materials, the confidence limits of results obtained by 
this method are not greater than ± 2 for a confidence level of 95 %. 

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CHAPTER 3 

Quantitative analysis of ternary fibre mixtures  

INTRODUCTION  

In general, the methods of quantitative chemical analysis are based on the selective solution 
of the individual components. There are four possible variants of this method:  

1.  Using  two  different  test  specimens,  a  component  (a)  is  dissolved  from  the  first  test 
specimen, and another component (b) from the second test specimen. The insoluble residues 
of each specimen are weighed and the percentage of each of the two soluble components is 
calculated  from  the  respective  losses  in  mass.  The  percentage  of  the  third  component  (c)  is 
calculated by difference.  

2.  Using  two  different  test  specimens,  a  component  (a)  is  dissolved  from  the  first  test 
specimen and two components (a and b) from the second test specimen. The insoluble residue 
of  the  first  test  specimen  is  weighed  and  the  percentage  of  the  component  (a)  is  calculated 
from  the  loss  in  mass.  The  insoluble  residue  of  the  second  test  specimen  is  weighed;  it 
corresponds  to  component  (c).  The  percentage  of  the  third  component  (b)  is  calculated  by 
difference.  

3. Using two different test specimens, two components (a and b) are dissolved from the first 
test  specimen  and  two  components  (b  and  c)  from  the  second  test  specimen.  The  insoluble 
residues  correspond  to  the  two  components  (c)  and  (a)  respectively.  The  percentage  of  the 
third component (b) is calculated by difference.  

4.  Using  only  one  test  specimen,  after  removal  of  one  of  the  components,  the  insoluble 
residue  formed  by  the  two  other  fibres  is  weighed  and  the  percentage  of  the  soluble 
component  is  calculated  from  the  loss  in  mass.  One  of  the  two  fibres  of  the  residue  is 
dissolved,  the  insoluble  component  is  weighed  and  the  percentage  of  the  second  soluble 
component is calculated from the loss in mass.  

Where a choice is possible, it is advisable to use one of the first three variants.  

Where  chemical  analysis  is  used,  the  expert  responsible  for  the  analysis  must  take  care  to 
select methods employing solvents which dissolve only the correct fibre(s), leaving the other 
fibre(s) intact.  

By  way  of  example,  a  table  is  given  in  Chapter  3.VI  which  contains  a  certain  number  of 
ternary mixtures, together with methods for analysing binary mixtures which can, in principle, 
be used for analysing these ternary mixtures.  

In  order  to  reduce  the  possibility  of  error  to  a  minimum,  it  is  recommended  that,  whenever 
possible,  chemical  analysis  using  at  least  two  of  the  four  abovementioned  variants  shall  be 
made.  

Before proceeding with any analysis, all the fibres present in the mixture must be identified. 
In some chemical methods, the insoluble component of a mixture may be partially dissolved 
in  the  reagent  used  to  dissolve  the  soluble  component(s).  Wherever  possible,  reagents  have 
been chosen that have little or no effect on the insoluble fibres. If a loss in mass is known to 
occur  during  the  analysis,  the  result  shall  be  corrected;  correction  factors  are  given  for  this 

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purpose.  These  factors  have  been  determined  in  several  laboratories  by  treating,  with  the 
appropriate reagent as specified in the method of analysis, fibres cleaned by the pre-treatment. 
These correction factors apply only to undergraded fibres and different correction factors may 
be  necessary  if  the  fibres  have  been  degraded  before  or  during  processing.  If  the  fourth 
variant, in which a textile fibre is subjected to the successive action of two different solvents, 
must be used, correction factors must be applied for possible losses in mass undergone by the 
fibre  in  the  two  treatments.  At  least  two  determinations  shall  be  made,  both  in  the  case  of 
manual separation and in the case of chemical separation.  

I.  General  information  on  methods  for  the  quantitative  chemical  analysis  of  ternary 
fibre mixtures  

Information  common  to  the  methods  given  for  the  quantitative  chemical  analysis  of  ternary 
fibre mixtures.  

I.1. Scope and field of application  

The field of application of each method for analysing binary fibre mixtures specifies to which 
fibres the method is applicable. (See Chapter 2 relating to certain methods for the quantitative 
analysis of binary fibre mixtures).  

I.2. Principle  

After the identification of the components of a mixture, the non-fibrous material is removed 
by suitable pre-treatment and then one or more of the four variants of the process of selective 
solution  described  in  the  introduction  is  applied.  Except  where  this  presents  technical 
difficulties,  it  is  preferable  to  dissolve  the  major  fibre  component  so  as  to  obtain  the  minor 
fibre component as final residue.  

I.3. Materials and equipment 

I.3.1. Apparatus 

I.3.1.1.  Filter  crucibles  and  weighing  bottles  large  enough  to  contain  such  crucibles,  or  any 
other apparatus giving identical results. 

I.3.1.2. Vacuum flask. 

I.3.1.3. Desiccator containing self-indicating silica gel. 

I.3.1.4. Ventilated oven for drying specimens at 105 ± 3 ºC. 

I.3.1.5. Analytical balance, accurate to 0,0002 g. 

I.3.1.6. Soxhlet extractor or other apparatus giving identical results. 

I.3.2. Reagents 

I.3.2.1. Light petroleum, redistilled, boiling range 40 to 60ºC. 

I.3.2.2. Other reagents are specified in the appropriate sections of each method. 

All reagents used shall be chemically pure. 

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I.3.2.3. Distilled or deionized water. 

I.3.2.4. Acetone. 

I.3.2.5. Orthophosphoric acid. 

I.3.2.6. Urea. 

I.3.2.7. Sodium bicarbonate. 

I.4. Conditioning and testing atmosphere 

Because dry masses are determined, it is unnecessary to condition the specimen or to conduct 
analyses in a conditioned atmosphere. 

I.5. Laboratory test sample 

Take  a  laboratory  test  sample  that  is  representative  of  the  laboratory  bulk  sample  and 
sufficient to provide all the specimens, each of at least 1 g, that are required. 

I.6. Pre-treatment of laboratory test sample 25 

Where a substance not to be taken into account in the percentage calculations (see Article 16) 
of  this  Regulation)  is  present,  it  shall  first  be  removed  by  a  suitable  method  that  does  not 
affect any of the fibre constituents. 

For this purpose, non-fibrous matter which can be extracted with light petroleum and water is 
removed by treating the air-dry test sample in a Soxhlet extractor with light petroleum for one 
hour at a minimum rate of six cycles per hour. Allow the light petroleum to evaporate from 
the sample, which is then extracted by direct treatment consisting in soaking the specimen in 
water at room temperature for one hour and then soaking it in water at 65 ± 5 °C for a further 
hour, agitating the liquor from timeto time. Use a liquor:specimen ratio of 100:1. Remove the 
excess water from the sample by squeezing, suction or centrifuging and then allow the sample 
to become air-dry. 

In  the  case  of  elastolefin  or  fibre  mixtures  containing  elastolefin  and  other  fibres  (wool, 
animal  hair,  silk,  cotton,  flax,  true  hemp,  jute,  abaca,  alfa,  coir,  broom,  ramie,  sisal,  cupro, 
modal,  protein,  viscose,  acrylic,  polyamide  or  nylon,  polyester,  elastomultiester)  the 
procedure  just  described  shall  be  slightly  modified,  in  fact  light  petroleum  ether  shall  be 
replaced by acetone. 

Where  non-fibrous  matter  cannot  be  extracted  with  light  petroleum  and  water,  it  shall  be 
removed by substituting for the water method described above a suitable method that does not 
substantially  alter  any  of  the  fibre  constituents.  However,  for  some  unbleached,  natural 
vegetable fibres (e.g. jute, coir) it is to be noted that normal pretreatment with light petroleum 
and water does not remove all the natural non-fibrous substances; nevertheless additional pre-
treatment  is  not  applied  unless  the  sample  does  contain  finishes  insoluble  in  both  light 
petroleum and water. 

Analysis reports shall include full details of the methods of pre-treatment used. 

25 

See Chapter 1.1 

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I.7. Test procedure 

I.7.1. General instructions  

I.7.1.1. Drying  

Conduct all drying operations for not less than 4 hours and not more than 16 hours at 105 ± 3 
ºC in a ventilated oven with the oven door closed throughout. If the drying period is less than 
14 hours, the specimen must be checkweighed to determine whether its mass is constant. The 
mass  may  be  considered  as  constant  if,  after  a  further  drying  period  of  60  minutes,  its 
variation is less than 0,05 %.  

Avoid handling crucibles and weighing bottles, specimens or residues with bare hands during 
the drying, cooling and weighing operations.  

Dry  specimens  in  a  weighing  bottle  with  its  cover  beside  it.  After  drying,  stopper  the 
weighing bottle before removing it from the oven, and transfer it quickly to the desiccator.  

Dry the filter crucible in a weighing bottle with its cover beside it in the oven. After drying, 
close the weighing bottle and transfer it quickly to the desiccator.  

Where apparatus other than a filter crucible is used, drying operations shall be conducted in 
the oven so as to determine the dry mass of the fibres without loss.  

I.7.1.2. Cooling  

Conduct all cooling operations in the desiccator, placed beside the balance, until the cooling 
of the weighing bottles is complete, and in any case for not less than 2 hours.  

I.7.1.3. Weighing  

After cooling, complete the weighing of the weighing bottle within 2 minutes of its removal 
from the desiccator; weigh to an accuracy of 0,0002 g.  

I.7.2. Procedure  

Take from the pre-treated laboratory test sample a test specimen of at least 1 g (in mass). Cut 
yarn or cloth into lengths of about 10 mm, dissected as much as possible. Dry the specimen(s) 
in  (a)  weighing  bottle(s)  cool  it  (them)  in  the  desiccator  and  weigh  it  (them).  Transfer  the 
specimen(s)  to  the  glass  vessel(s)  specified  in  the  appropriate  section  of  the  Community 
method,  reweigh  the  weighing  bottle(s)  immediately  and  obtain  the  dry  mass(es)  of  the 
specimen(s)  by  difference  ;  complete  the  test  as  specified  in  the  appropriate  section  of  the 
applicable method. Examine the residue(s) microscopically to check that the treatment has in 
fact completely removed the soluble fibre(s).  

I.8. Calculation and expression of results  

Express the mass of each component as a percentage of the total mass of fibre in the mixture. 
Calculate the results on the basis of dean dry mass, adjusted by (a) the conventional agreed 
allowances  and  (b)  the  correction  factors  necessary  to  take  account  of  loss  of  non-fibrous 
matter during pre-treatment and analysis. 

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I.8.1. Calculation of percentages of mass of clean dry fibres disregarding loss of fibre mass 
during pre-treatment. 

I.8.1.1. - VARIANT 1 -  

Formulae to be applied where a component of the mixture is removed from one specimen and 
another component from a second specimen:  

P
1

%

=

P
2

%

=

⎡
⎢
⎣

d
d

2

1

⎡
⎢
⎣

d
d

4

3

−

d

2

×

r
1
m
1

+

r
2
m

2

×

⎛
⎜⎜
⎝

1

−

d
d

2

1

⎞
⎟⎟
⎠

⎤
×⎥
⎦

100

−

d

4

×

r
2
m

2

+

r
1
m
1

×

⎛
⎜⎜
⎝

1

−

d
d

4

3

⎞
⎟⎟
⎠

⎤
×⎥
⎦

100

P
3

%

=

100

−

(

P
1

%

+

)%

P
2

is  the  percentage  of  the  first  clean  dry  component  (component  in  the  first  specimen 

P1% 
dissolved in the first reagent); 

is  the  percentage  of  the  second  clean  dry  component  (component  in  the  second 

P2% 
specimen dissolved in the second reagent); 

is  the  percentage  of  the  third  clean  dry  component  (component  undissolved  in  both 

P3% 
specimens); 

m1 is the dry mass of the first specimen after pre-treatment; 

m2 is the dry mass of the second specimen after pre-treatment; 

r1 is the dry mass of the residue after removal of the first component from the first specimen 
in the first reagent; 

r2  is  the  dry  mass  of  the  residue  after  removal  of  the  second  component  from  the  second 
specimen in the second reagent; 

d1  is  the  correction  factor  for  loss  in  mass  in  the  first  reagent,  of  the  second  component 
undissolved in the first specimen 26, 

d2  is  the  correction  factor  for  loss  in  mass  in  the  first  reagent,  of  the  third  component 
undissolved in the first specimen; 

d3  is  the  correction  factor  for  loss  in  mass  in  the  second  reagent,  of  the  first  component 
undissolved in the second specimen; 

d4  is  the  correction  factor  for  loss  in  mass  in  the  second  reagent,  of  the  third  component 
undissolved in the second specimen. 

26 

The values of d are indicated in Chapter 2 of this Annex relating to the various methods of analysing 
binary mixtures 

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I.8.1.2. - VARIANT 2 -  

Formulae  to  be  applied  where  a  component  (a)  is  removed  from  the  first  test  specimen, 
leaving as residue the other two components (b + c), and two components (a + b) are removed 
from the second test specimen, leaving as residue the third component (c):  

P
1

%

=

100

−

(

P
2

%

+

)%

P
3

P
2

%

=

100

×

rd
11
m
1

−

d
d

1

2

×

P
3

%

P
3

%

=

rd
24
m

2

×

100

P1%  is  the  percentage  of  the  first  clean  dry  component  (component  in  the  first  specimen 
dissolved in the first reagent); 

P2%  is  the  percentage  of  the  second  clean  dry  component  (component  soluble,  at  the  same 
time as the first component of the second specimen, in the second reagent); 

P3%  is  the  percentage  of  the  third  clean  dry  component  (component  undissolved  in  both 
specimens); 

m1 is the dry mass of the first specimen after pre-treatment;  

m2 is the dry mass of the second specimen after pre-treatment; 

r1 is the dry mass of the residue after removal of the first component from the first specimen 
in the first reagent; 

r2 is the dry mass of the residue after removal of the first and second components from the 
second specimen in the second reagent; 

d1  is  the  correction  factor  for  loss  in  mass  in  the  first  reagent,  of  the  second  component 
undissolved in the first specimen; 

d2  is  the  correction  factor  for  loss  in  mass  in  the  first  reagent,  of  the  third  component 
undissolved in the first specimen; 

d4  is  the  correction  factor  for  loss  in  mass  in  the  second  reagent,  of  the  third  component 
undissolved in the second specimen. 

I.8.1.3. - VARIANT 3 -  

Formulae to be applied where two components (a + b) are removed from a specimen, leaving 
as residue the third component (c), then two components (b + c) are removed  from  another 
specimen, leaving as residue the first component (a):  

P
1

%

=

rd
23
m

2

×

100

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P
2

%

=

100

−

(

P
1

%

+

)%

P
3

P
3

%

=

rd
12
m
1

×

100

P1% is the percentage of the first clean dry component (component dissolved by the reagent); 

P2%  is  the  percentage  of  the  second  clean  dry  component  (component  dissolved  by  the 
reagent); 

P3% is the percentage of the third clean dry component (component dissolved in the second 
specimen by the reagent); 

m1 is the dry mass of the first specimen after pre-treatment; 

m2 is the dry mass of the second specimen after pre-treatment; 

r1 is the dry mass of the residue after the removal of the first and second components from the 
first specimen with the first reagent; 

r2 is the dry mass of the residue after the removal of the second and third components from 
the second specimen with the second reagent; 

d2  is  the  correction  factor  for  loss  in  mass  in  the  first  reagent  of  the  third  component 
undissolved in the first specimen; 

d3  is  the  correction  factor  for  loss  in  mass  in  the  second  reagent  of  the  first  component 
undissolved in the second specimen; 

I.8.1.4. - VARIANT 4 -  

Formulae  to  be  applied  where  two  components  are  successively  removed  from  the  mixture 
using the same specimen:  

P
1

%

=

100

−

(

P
2

%

+

)%

P
3

P
2

%

=

P
3

%

=

rd
11
m

rd
23
m

×

100

−

d
d

1

2

×

P
3

%

×

100

P1% is the percentage of the first clean dry component (first soluble component); 

P2% is the percentage of the second clean dry component (second soluble component); 

P3% is the percentage of the third clean dry component (insoluble component); 

m is the dry mass of the specimen after pre-treatment; 

r1 is the dry mass of the residue after elimination of the first component by the first reagent; 

EN 

87 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
r2  is  the  dry  mass  of  the  residue  after  elimination  of  the  first  and  second  component  by  the 
first and second reagent; 

d1 is the correction factor for loss in mass of the second component in the first reagent; 

d2 is the correction factor for loss in mass of the third component in the first reagent; 

d3  is  the  correction  factor  for  loss  in  mass  of  the  third  component  in  the  first  and  second 
reagents. 

1.8.2.  Calculation  of  the  percentage  of  each  component  with  adjustment  by  conventional 
agreed allowances and, where appropriate, correction factors for losses in mass during pre-
treatment operations:  

Given: 

A

1
+=

a
b
+
1
1
100

B

1
+=

b

2

a

+
2
100

C

1
+=

a

3

b
+
3
100

then: 

P A
1

%

=

P A
2

%

=

P A
3

%

=

AP
1
CPBPAP
2
1

+

+

3

BP
2
CPBPAP
2
1

+

+

3

CP
3
CPBPAP
2
1

+

+

3

×

100

×

100

×

100

P1A%  is the percentage of the first clean dry component, including moisture content and loss 
in mass during pre-treatment; 

P2A% is the percentage of the second clean dry component, including moisture content and 
loss in mass during pre-treatment; 

P3A% is the percentage of the third clean dry component, including moisture content and loss 
in mass during pre-treatment; 

is  the  percentage  of  the  first  clean  dry  component  obtained  by  one  of  the  formula 

P1 
given in I.8.1. 

P2 is the percentage of the second clean dry component obtained by one of the formula given 
in I.8.1. 

P3 is the percentage of the third clean dry component obtained by one of the formula given in 
I.8.1. 

a1 is the conventional agreed allowance of the first component; 

EN 

88 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
a2 is the conventional agreed allowance of the second component; 

a3 is the conventional agreed allowance of the third component; 

b1 is the percentage of loss in mass of the first component during pre-treatment; 

b2 is the percentage of loss in mass of the second component during pre-treatment; 

b3 is the percentage of loss in mass of the third component during pre-treatment; 

Where a special pre-treatment is used the values b1, b2 and b3 shall be determined, if possible, 
by submitting each of the pure fibre constituents to the pre-treatment applied in the analysis. 
Pure  fibres  are  those  free  from  all  non-fibrous  material  except  those  which  they  normally 
contain  (either  naturally  or  because  of  the  manufacturing  process),  in  the  state  (unbleached, 
bleached) in which they are found in the material to be analysed.  

Where  no  clean  separate  constituent  fibres  used  in  the  manufacture  of  the  material  to  be 
analysed  are  available,  average  values  of  b1,  b2  and  b3  as  obtained  from  tests  performed  on 
clean fibres similar to those in the mixture under examination, must be used.  

If  normal  pre-treatment  by  extraction  with  light  petroleum  and  water  is  applied,  correction 
factors  b1,  b2  and  b3  may  generally  be  ignored,  except  in  the  case  of  unbleached  cotton, 
unbleached flax and unbleached hemp where the loss due to pre-treatment is usually accepted 
as 4 % and in the case of polypropylene as 1 %.  

In the case of other fibres, losses due to pre-treatment are usually disregarded in calculations.  

I.8.3. Note  

Calculation examples are given in Chapter 3.V.  

II. Method of quantitative analysis by manual separation of ternary fibre mixtures  

II.1. Scope  

This method is applicable to textile fibres of all types provided they do not form an intimate 
mixture and that it is possible to separate them by hand.  

II.2. Principle  

After identification of the textile components, the non-fibrous matter is removed by a suitable 
pre-treatment  and  then  the  fibres  are  separated  by  hand,  dried  and  weighed  in  order  to 
calculate the proportion of each fibre in the mixture.  

II.3. Apparatus  

II.3.1. Weighing bottles or other apparatus giving identical results.  

II.3.2. Desiccator containing self-indicating silica gel.  

II.3.3. Ventilated oven for drying specimens at 105 ± 3 ºC.  

II.3.4. Analytical balance accurate to 0,0002 g.  

EN 

89 

   EN 

II.3.5. Soxhlet extractor, or other apparatus giving identical results.  

II.3.6. Needle.  

II.3.7. Twist tester or similar apparatus.  

II.4. Reagents  

II.4.1. Light petroleum, redistilled, boiling range 40 to 60 ºC.  

II.4.2. Distilled or deionized water.  

II.5. Conditioning and testing atmosphere  

See I.4.  

II.6. Laboratory test sample  

See I.5.  

II.7. Pre-treatment of laboratory test samples  

See I.6.  

II.8. Procedure 

II.8.1. Analysis of yarn  

Take from the pre-treated laboratory test sample a specimen of mass not less than 1 g. For a 
very fine yarn, the analysis may be made on a minimum length of 30 m, whatever its mass.  

Cut the yarn into pieces of a suitable length and separate the fibre types by means of a needle 
and,  if  necessary,  a  twist  tester.  The  fibre  types  so  obtained  are  placed  in  pre-weighed 
weighing bottles and dried at 105 ± 3 ºC to constant mass, as described in I.7.1 and I.7.2.  

II.8.2. Analysis of cloth  

Take  from  the  pre-treated  laboratory  test  sample  a  specimen  of  mass  not  less  than  1  g,  not 
including a selvedge with edges carefully trimmed to avoid fraying and running parallel with 
weft  or  warp  yarns,  or  in  the  case  of  knitted  fabrics  in  the  line  of  the  wales  and  courses. 
Separate  the  different  types  of  fibres  and  collect  them  in  pre-weighed  weighing  bottles  and 
proceed as described in II.8.1.  

II.9. Calculation and expression of results  

Express the mass of each component fibre as a percentage of the total mass of the fibres in the 
mixture. Calculate the results on the basis of clean dry mass, adjusted by (a) the conventional 
agreed allowances and (b) the correction factors necessary to take account of losses in mass 
during pre-treatment operations. 

II.9.1.  Calculation  of  percentage  masses  of  clean  dry  fibre,  disregarding  loss  in  fibre  mass 
during pre-treatment:  

EN 

90 

   EN 

P
1

%

=

P
2

%

=

100
mmm
+
2

m
1
+

1

=

3

1

+

100
mm
+
m
1

2

3

100
+

m
2
+

mmm
2

1

=

3

1

+

100
mm
+
m

1

2

3

P
3

%

=

100

−

(

P
1

%

+

)%

P
2

P1% is the percentage of the first clean dry component; 

P2% is the percentage of the second clean dry component; 

P3% is the percentage of the third clean dry component; 

m1 is the clean dry mass of the first component; 

m2 is the clean dry mass of the second component; 

m3 is the clean dry mass of the third component; 

II.9.2. For calculation of the percentage of each component with adjustment by conventional 
agreed  allowances  and,  where  appropriate,  by  correction  factors  for  losses  in  mass  during 
pre-treatment : see I.8.2.  

III.  Method  of  quantitative  analysis  of  ternary  fibre  mixtures  by  a  combination  of 
manual separation and chemical separation  

Wherever  possible,  manual  separation  shall  be  used,  taking  account  of  the  proportions  of 
components  separated  before  proceeding  to  any  chemical  treatment  of  each  of  the  separate 
components.  

IV.1. Precision of the methods 

The  precision  indicated  in  each  method  of  analysis  of  binary  mixtures  relates  to  the 
reproducibility  (see  Chapter  2  relating  to  certain  methods  for  the  quantitative  analysis  of 
binary textile fibre mixtures).  

Reproducibility refers to the reliability, ie the closeness of agreement between experimental 
values  obtained  by  operators  in  different  laboratories  or  at  different  times  using  the  same 
method and obtaining individual results on specimens of an identical homogeneous mixture.  

Reproducibility is expressed by confidence limits of the results for a confidence level of 95 
%.  

By  this  is  meant  that  the  difference  between  two  results  in  a  series  of  analyses  made  in 
different  laboratories  would,  given  a  normal  and  correct  application  of  the  method  to  an 
identical and homogeneous mixture, be exceeded only in 5 cases out of 100.  

EN 

91 

   EN 

 
 
 
To  determine  the  precision  of  the  analysis  of  a  ternary  mixture  the  values  indicated  in  the 
methods  for  the  analysis  of  binary  mixtures  which  have  been  used  to  analyse  the  ternary 
mixture are applied in the usual way.  

Given  that  in  the  four  variants  of  the  quantitative  chemical  analysis  of  ternary  mixtures, 
provision  is  made  for  two  dissolutions  (using  two  separate  specimens  for  the  first  three 
variants and a single specimen for the fourth variant) and, assuming that E1 and E2 denote the 
precision  of  the  two  methods  for  analysing  binary  mixtures,  the  precision  of  the  results  for 
each component is shown in the following table:  

Component fibre 

a 

b 

c 

1 

E1 

E2 

E1+E2 

Variants 

2 and 3 

E1 

E1+E2 

E2 

4. 

E1 

E1+E2 

E1+E2 

If  the  fourth  variant  is  used,  the  degree  of  precision  may  be  found  to  be  lower  than  that 
calculated by the method indicated above, owing to possible action of the first reagent on the 
residue consisting of components b and c, which would be difficult to evaluate.  

IV.2. Test report  

IV.1.  Indicate  the  variant(s)  used  to  carry  out  the  analysis,  the  methods,  reagents  and 
correction factors.  

IV.2. Give details of any special pre-treatments (See I.6).  

IV.3. Give the individual results and the arithmetic mean, each to the 1st decimal place.  

IV.4.  Wherever  possible,  state  the  precision  of  the  method  for  each  component,  calculated 
according to the table in section IV.1.  

V.  Examples  of  the  calculation  of  percentages  of  the  components  of  certain  ternary 
mixtures using some of the variants described in point I.8.1.  

Consider the case of a fibre mixture which gave the following components when qualitatively 
analysed  for  raw  material  composition:  1.  carded  wool;  2.nylon  (polyamide);  3.unbleached 
cotton. 

VARIANT No. 1 

Using  this  variant,  that  is  using  two  different  specimens  and  removing  one  component  (a  = 
wool) by dissolution from the first specimen and a second component (b = polyamide) from 
the second specimen, the following results can be obtained: 

1. Dry mass of the first specimen after pre-treatment is(m1) = 1,6000g 

2.  Dry  mass  of 
(polyamide+cotton) (r1) = 1,4166 g 

the  residue  after 

treatment  with  alkaline  sodium  hypochlorite 

EN 

92 

   EN 

3. Dry mass of the second specimen after pre-treatment (m2) = 1,8000 g 

4.  Dry  mass  of 
(r2) = 0,9000 g 

the 

residue  after 

treatment  with 

formic  acid 

(wool+cotton) 

Treatment with alkaline sodium hypochlorite does not entail any loss in mass of polyamide, 
while unbleached cotton losses 3%, therefore d1 = 1,0 and d2 = 1,03. 

Treatment with formic acid does not entail any loss in mass for wool or unbleached cotton, 
therefore d3 and d4 = 1,0. 

If  the  values  obtained  by  chemical  analysis  and  the  correction  factors  are  substituted  in  the 
formula under I.8.1.1., the following result is obtained: 

P1%  (wool)  =  [1,03/1,0  –  1,03×1,4166/1,6000  +  0,9000/1,8000  ×  (1  –  1,03  /  1,0)]  ×100  = 
10,30 

P2% (polyamide) = [1,0 / 1,0 – 1,0×0,9000 / 1,8000 + 1,4166 / 1,6000 × (1– 1,0 /1,0)] ×100 = 
50,00 

P3% (cotton) = 100–(10,30 + 50,00) = 39,70 

The percentages of the various clean dry fibres in the mixture are as follows: 

wool 

polyamide 

cotton 

10,30% 

50,00% 

39,70% 

These percentages must be corrected according to the formulae under I.8.2., in order to take 
account  of  the  conventional  agreed  allowances  and  the  correction  factors  for  any  losses  in 
mass after pre-treatment. 

As  indicated  in  Annex  IX,  the  conventional  agreed  allowances  are  as  follows:  carded  wool 
17,0%, polyamide 6,25%, cotton 8,5%, also unbleached cotton shows a loss in mass of 4%, 
after pre-treatment with light petroleum and water. 

Therefore: 

P1A%  (wool)  =  10,30×[1+(17,0+0,0)/100]  /  [10,30×(1+  (17,0+0,0)/100)  +  50,00×  (1+ 
(6,25+0,0)/100) + 39,70×(1+(8,5+4,0 /100)] × 100 = 10,97 

P2A% (polyamide) = 50,0 × (1+ (6,25+0,0)/100) /109,8385 ×100 = 48,37 

P3A% (cotton) = 100 - (10,97 + 48,37) = 40,66 

The raw material composition of the yarn is therefore as follows: 

polyamide  

cotton 

48,4% 

40,6% 

EN 

93 

   EN 

 
 
wool 

VARIANT No. 4: 

11,0% 

100,0% 

Consider  the  case  of  a  fibre  mixture  which  when  qualitatively  analysed  gave  the  following 
components: carded wool, viscose, unbleached cotton. 

Suppose that using variant 4, that is successively removing two components from the mixture 
of one single specimen, the following results are obtained: 

1. Dry mass of the specimen after pre-treatment (m1) = 1,6000 g 

2. Dry mass of the residue after treatment with alkaline sodium hypochlorite (viscose+cotton) 
(r1) = 1,4166 g 

3.  Dry  mass  of  the  residue  after  the  second  treatment  of  the  residue  r1  with  zinc 
chloride/formic acid (cotton) 

(r2) = 0,6630 g 

Treatment  with  alkaline  sodium  hypochlorite  does  not  entail  any  loss  in  mass  of  viscose, 
while unbleached cotton losses 3%, therefore d1 =1,0 and d2 = 1,03. 

As a result of treatment with formic acid-zinc chloride, the mass of cotton increases by 4%, so 
that  d3  =  1,03×0,96  =  0,9888,  rounded  to  0,99,  (d3  being  the  correction  factor  for  the 
respective loss or increase in mass of the third component in the first and second reagents). 

If  the  values  obtained  by  chemical  analysis  and  the  correction  factors  are  substituted  in  the 
formulae given in I.8.1.4., the following result is obtained: 

P2% (viscose) = 1,0×1,4166 / 1,6000 ×100 – 1,0 / 1,03 ×40,98=48,75 % 

P3% (cotton) = 0,99×0,6630 / 1,6000 × 100= 41,02 % 

P1% (wool) = 100 - (48,75 + 41,02) = 10,23 % 

As  has  already  been  indicated  for  Variant  1,  these  percentages  must  be  corrected  by  the 
formulae indicated in point I.8.2. 

(wool)  =  10,23  × 

P1A% 
[1  + 
+48,75×(1+(13+0,0 / 100) + 41,02×(1+(8,5+4,0)/ 100)] × 100 = 10,57%  

/  100)]/[10,23×(1+ 

(17,0+0,0 

(17,00+0,0)/100) 

P2A%(viscose) = 48,75× [1+(13+0,0) / 100] / 113,2041 ×100 = 48,65% 

P3A% (cotton) = 100 - (10,57 + 48,65) = 40,78% 

The raw material composition of the mixture is therefore as follows: 

viscose 

48,6% 

EN 

94 

   EN 

 
 
 
cotton 

wool 

40,8% 

10,6% 

______ 

100,0% 

EN 

95 

   EN 

 
 
VI.  Table  of  typical  ternary  mixtures  which  may  be  analysed  using  community  methods  of  analysis  of  binary  mixtures  (for  illustration 
purposes) 

Mixt
ure 
No. 

Component fibres 

Variant  Number of method used and reagent for binary mixtures 

Component 1 

Component 2 

Component 3 

1. 

wool or hair  

Viscose,  cupro  or 
certain 
of 
modal  

types 

cotton  

1  and/or 
4 

2. (alkaline sodium hypochlorite) and 3 (zinc chloride/formic acid)  

2. 

wool or hair  

polyamide 6 or 6-6  

cotton, 
cupro or modal 

viscose, 

1  and/or 
4  

2. (alkaline sodium hypochlorite) and 4. (formic acid, 80% w/w)  

3. 

wool,  hair  or 
silk  

certain chlorofibres  

viscose, cupro modal 
or cotton 

1  and/or 
4 

2.  (alkaline  sodium  hypochlorite)  and  9  (carbon  disulphide/acetone 
55,5/44,5 w/w)  

4. 

wool or hair  

polyamide 6 or 6-6  

polyester, 
polypropylene, 
acrylic or glass fibre 

1  and/or 
4  

2. (alkaline sodium hypochlorite) and 4. (formic acid, 80% w/w)  

5. 

6. 

7. 

8.  

EN 

wool,  hair  or 
silk 

certain chlorofibres  

polyester, 
acrylic, 
polyamide  or  glass 
fibre 

1  and/or 
4 

2.  (alkaline  sodium  hypochlorite)  and  9  (carbon  disulphide/acetone 
55,5/44,5 w/w)  

silk  

wool or hair  

polyester 

 2 

11. (sulphuric acid 75% w/w) and 2. (alkaline sodium hypochlorite)  

polyamide 6 or 
6-6  

acrylic 

cotton, 
cupro or modal  

viscose, 

1  and/or 
4 

4. (formic acid 80% w/w) and 8. (dymethylformamide)  

certain 
chlorofibres  

polyamide 6 or 6-6  

cotton, 
cupro or modal  

viscose, 

1  and/or 
4 

8. (dymethylformamide) and 4. (formic acid, 80% w/w)  

96 

EN 

 
  
Mixt
ure 
No. 

Component fibres 

Variant  Number of method used and reagent for binary mixtures 

Component 1 

Component 2 

Component 3 

or  9.  (carbon  disulphide/acetone,  55,5/44,5%  w/w)  and  4.  (formic 
acid, 80% w/w)  

9. 

acrylic 

polyamide 6 or 6-6  

polyester 

1  and/or 
4 

8. (dymethylformamide) and 4. (formic acid, 80% w/w)  

10. 

acetate  

polyamide 6 or 6-6  

viscose, 
cupro or modal  

cotton, 

4 

1. (acetone) and 4. (formic acid, 80% w/w)  

certain 
chlorofibres  

certain 
chlorofibres 

acrylic 

polyamide 

2  and/or 
4  

(carbon 

9. 
(dymethylformamide)  

disulphide/acetone 

55,5/44,5%  w/w) 

and 

8. 

polyamide 6 or 6-6  

acrylic  

1  and/or 
4  

9.  (carbon  disulphide/acetone  55,5/44,5.%  w/w)  and  4.  (formic  acid, 
80% w/w)  

11. 

12. 

13. 

polyamide 6 or 
6-6  

viscose, 
modal or cotton  

cupro, 

polyester  

14. 

acetate  

viscose, 
modal or cotton  

cupro, 

polyester  

15. 

acrylic  

viscose, 
modal or cotton  

cupro, 

polyester  

16. 

acetate  

wool, hair or silk  

cotton, 
cupro, 
polyamide, 

viscose, 
modal, 

4 

4  

4  

4  

4. (formic acid, 80% w/w) and 7. (sulphuric acid, 75% w/w)  

1. (acetone) and 7 (sulphuric acid, 75% w/w) 

8. (dymethylformamide) and 7 (sulphuric acid, 75%w/w)  

1. (acetone) and 2. (alkaline sodium hypochlorite)  

EN 

97 

EN 

 
  
 
Mixt
ure 
No. 

Component fibres 

Variant  Number of method used and reagent for binary mixtures 

Component 1 

Component 2 

Component 3 

17. 

triacetate  

wool, hair or silk  

polyester, acrylic  

viscose, 
modal, 

cotton, 
cupro, 
polyamide, 
polyester, acrylic  

4 

6. (dichloromethane) and 2. (alkaline sodium hypochlorite)  

18. 

acrylic 

wool,  hair  or  silk

polyester  

1  and/or 
4 

8. (dymethylformamide) and 2. (alkaline sodium hypochlorite)  

19. 

acrylic  

silk  

wool or hair  

4  

8. (dymethylformamide) and 11. (sulphuric acid 75% w/w)  

20. 

acrylic  

wool or hair silk  

cotton, 
cupro or modal  

viscose, 

1  and/or 
4 

8. (dymethylformamide) and 2 (alkaline sodium hypochlorite) 

21. 

22. 

wool,  hair  or 
silk  

cotton, 
modal, cupro  

viscose, 

polyester  

4  

2. (alkaline sodium hypochlorite) and 7. (sulphuric acid 75%)  

viscose,  cupro 
or 
certain 
types of modal 

cotton  

polyester  

2  and/or 
4  

3. (zinc chloride/formic acid) and 7 (sulphuric acid 75% w/w) 

23. 

acrylic  

viscose, 
certain 
modal  

cupro  or 
of 
types 

cotton  

4 

8. (dymethylformamide) and 3 (zinc chloride/formic acid) 

24. 

Certain 

viscose, 
certain 

cupro  or 
of 
types 

cotton  

1  and/or  9.  (carbon  disulphide/acetone,  55,5/44,5%  w/w)  and  3.  (zinc 
chloride/formic  acid)  or  8  (dymethylformamide)  and  3.  (zinc 

EN 

98 

EN 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
Component fibres 

Variant  Number of method used and reagent for binary mixtures 

Mixt
ure 
No. 

Component 1 

Component 2 

Component 3 

chlorofibres  

modal  

25. 

acetate  

26. 

triacetate  

27. 

acetate  

28. 

triacetate 

viscose, 
certain 
modal  

viscose, 
certain 
modal  

silk  

silk  

29. 

acetate  

acrylic 

30. 

triacetate 

acrylic 

cupro  or 
of 
types 

cotton  

cupro  or 
of 
types 

cotton  

wool or hair  

wool or hair  

cotton, 
cupro or modal 

viscose, 

cotton, 
cupro or modal  

viscose, 

4  

4  

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

chloride/formic acid)  

1. (acetone) and 3 (zinc chloride/formic acid)  

6. (dichloromethane) and 3 (zinc chloride/formic acid)  

1. (acetone) and 11. (sulphuric acid 75% w/w)  

6. (dichloromethane) and 11. (sulphuric acid 75% w/w)  

1. (acetone) and 8. (dymethylformamide)  

6. (dichloromethane) and 8. (dymethylformamide)  

31. 

triacetate  

polyamide 6 or 6-6  

cotton, 
cupro or modal  

viscose, 

4  

6. (dichloromethane) and 4. (formic acid 80% w/w) 

32. 

triacetate  

cotton, 
cupro or modal  

viscose, 

polyester  

4  

6. (dichloromethane) and 7 (sulphuric acid 75% w/w) 

EN 

99 

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Mixt
ure 
No. 

Component fibres 

Variant  Number of method used and reagent for binary mixtures 

Component 1 

Component 2 

Component 3 

33. 

acetate  

polyamide 6 or 6-6  

polyester or acrylic  

4  

1. (acetone) and 4. (formic acid 80% w/w) 

34. 

acetate  

acrylic 

35. 

certain 
chlorofibres 

cotton, 
cupro or modal  

viscose, 

polyester  

polyester  

4 

4  

36 

cotton 

polyester 

elastolefin 

[37 

Certain 
modacrylics 

polyester 

melamine 

2  and/or 
4 

2  and/or 
4 

1. (acetone) and 8. (dymethylformamide)  

8. (dymethylformamide) and 7. (sulphuric acid 75% w/w) 

or  9  (carbon  disulphide/acetone,  55,5/44,5%  w/w)  and  7.  (sulphuric 
acid 75% w/w)  

7 (sulphuric acid 75 % w/w) and 14 (concentrated sulphuric acid) 

8 (dimethylformamide) and 14 (concentrated sulphuric acid)] 

_____________ 

EN 

100 

EN 

 
  
ANNEX IX 

AGREED ALLOWANCES USED TO CALCULATE THE MASS OF FIBRES 
CONTAINED IN A TEXTILE PRODUCT 

(Article 17(2)) 

Fibre No 

Fibres 

Percentages 

1—2 

Wool and animal hair: 

combed fibres 

carded fibres 

3 

Animal hair: 

combed fibres 

carded fibres 

Horsehair: 

combed fibres 

carded fibres 

Silk 

Cotton: 

normal fibres 

mercerized fibres 

Kapok 

Flax 

True hemp 

Jute 

Abaca 

Alfa 

Coir 

Broom 

Ramie (bleached fibre) 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

18,25 

17,00(1) 

18,25 

17,00(1) 

16,00 

15,00 

11,00 

8,50 

10,50 

10,90 

12,00 

12,00 

17,00 

14,00 

14,00 

13,00 

14,00 

8,50 

EN 

101 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

31 

32 

33 

34 

35 

36 

37 

Sisal 

Sunn 

Henequen 

Maguey 

Acetate 

Alginate 

Cupro 

Modal 

Protein 

Triacetate 

Viscose 

Acrylic 

Chlorofibre 

Fluorofibre 

Modacrylic 

Polyamide or nylon: 

discontinuous fibre 

filament 

Aramid 

Polyimide 

Lyocell 

Polylactide 

Polyester: 

discontinuous fibre 

filament 

Polyethylene 

Polypropylene 

14,00 

12,00 

14,00 

14,00 

9,00 

20,00 

13,00 

13,00 

17,00 

7,00 

13,00 

2,00 

2,00 

0,00 

2,00 

6,25 

5,75 

8,00 

3,50 

13,00 

1,50 

1,50 

1,50 

1,50 

2,00 

EN 

102 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
38 

39 

40 

41 

42 

43 

44 

Polycarbamide 

Polyurethane 

discontinuous fibre 

filament 

Vinylal 

Trivinyl 

Elastodiene 

Elastane 

Glass fibre: 

with an average diameter of 
over 5 µm 

with an average diameter of 
5 µm or less 

45 

Metal fibre 

Metallized fibre 

Asbestos 

Paper yarn 

Elastomultiester 

Elastolefin 

Melamine 

46 

47 

48 

2,00 

3,50 

3,00 

5,00 

3,00 

1,00 

1,50 

2,00 

3,00 

2,00 

2,00 

2,00 

13,75 

1,50 

1,50 

7,00 

The agreed allowances of 17,00 % shall also be applied where it is impossible to ascertain whether 
the textile product containing wool and/or animal hair is combed or carded. 

 (1) 

 (1) 

_____________ 

EN 

103 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ANNEX X 

CORRELATION TABLES 

Directive 96/74/EC 

This Regulation 

Article 1 

Article 2(1) 

Article 4(1) 

Article 3(1)(a) 

Article 2(2) introductory wording 

Article 3(1) introductory wording 

Article 2(2) first indent 

Article 2(2) second indent 

Article 3(1)(b)(i) 

Article 3(1)(b)(ii) 

Article 2(3) introductory wording 

Article 2(1) introductory wording 

Article 2(3) first indent 

Article 2(1)(a) 

Article 2(3) second indent 

Article 2(1)(b) and (c) 

Article 2(3) third indent 

Article 2(1)(d) 

Article 3 

Article 4 

Article 5(1) 

Article 5(2) 

Article 5(3) 

Article 6(1)  

Article 6(2) 

Article 6(3) 

Article 6(4) 

Article 6(5) 

Article 7 

Article 8(1) 

Article 8(2)(a) 

Article 8(2)(b) 

Article 8(2)(c) 

Article 5 

Article 7 

Article 8(1) and Annex III 

Article 8(2) 

Article 8(3) 

Article 9(1)  

Article 9(2) 

Article 9(3) 

Article 18 

Article 9(4) 

Article 10 

Article 11(1) 

Article 12(1) 

Article 12(2) and (3) 

Article 12(4) 

EN 

104 

   EN 

 
Article 8(2)(d) 

Article 9(1) 

Article 9(2) 

Article 9(3) 

Article 10(1)(a) 

Article 10(1)(b) 

Article 10(1)(c) 

Article 10(2) 

Article 11 

Article 12 

Article 13 

Article 14(1) 

Article 14(2) 

Article 15 

Article 16 

Article 17 

Article 18 

Article 19  

Annex I No 1 to 46 

Annex II No 1 to 46 

Annex III 

Annex III point 36 

Annex IV 

Annex V 

Annex VI 

- 

Article 13(1) 

Article 13(2) 

Article 14 and Annex IV 

Article 15(2) 

Article 15(3) 

Article 15(4) 

Article 15(1)second subparagraph 

Article 11(2) third subparagraph 

Article 16 and Annex VII 

Article 17(2) 

- 

Article 4(2) 

Article 2(2) 

Articles 19 and 20 

- 

- 

- 

Annex I No 1 to 47 

Annex IX No 1 to 47 

Annex V 

Article 3(1)(h) 

Annex VI 

- 

- 

_____________ 

Directive 96/73/EC 

This Regulation 

EN 

105 

   EN 

 
Article 1 

Article 2 

Article 3 

Article 4 

Article 5 (1) 

Article 5 (2) 

Article 6 

Article 7 

Article 8 

Article 9 

Annex I  

Article 1  

Annex VIII chapter 1 section I (2) 

Article 17 (2) first subparagraph 

Article 17 (3) 

Article 20 (1) 

Article 19 

Article 20 (2) 

- 

- 

- 

Annex VIII chapter 1 section I 

Annex II (1) introduction 

Annex VIII chapter 1 section II 

Annex II (1) sections I, II and III 

Annex VIII chapter 2 sections I, II and III 

Annex II (2) 

Annex VIII chapter 2 section IV 

Directive 73/44/EEC 

This Regulation 

_____________ 

Article 1 

Article 2 

Article 3 

Article 4 

Article 5 

Article 6 

Article 7 

Annex I  

Annex II  

Annex III 

Article 1 

Annex VIII chapter 1 section I 

Article 17 (2) first subparagraph 

Article 17 (3) 

Articles 19 and 20 

- 

- 

Annex  VIII  chapter  3 
sections I to IV 

introduction  and 

Annex VIII chapter 3 section V 

Annex VIII chapter 3 section VI 

EN 

106 

   EN 

 
 
EN 

107 

   EN