A test specimen for testing the through-thickness properties of a fibre-reinforced composite material comprising: a single piece of fibre-reinforced composite material comprising: a first loading portion having a first longitudinal axis in a first plane and a second loading portion having a second longitudinal axis in a second plane, wherein the first and second planes are substantially parallel; the first and second axes are oblique; and the first and second loading portions (10, 20) partially overlap and are distanced apart in the direction that is perpendicular to the first and second planes, with a portion of the composite material located between the first and second loading portions (10,20) to form a test gauge portion that is integral with the first and second loading portions (10, 20); and wherein the first loading portion extends beyond the test gauge portion in opposite directions along the first axis to provide first and second loading surfaces (12, 14) on the first loading portion and the second loading portion extends beyond the test gauge portion in opposite directions along the second axis to provide third and fourth loading surfaces (22, 24) on the second loading portion, such that applying equal upwards forces to the first and second loading surfaces (12, 14) of the first upper loading portion and applying equal downwards forces to the loading surfaces (22, 24) of the second lower loading portion generates a tensile stress state in the test gauge portion to determine the tensile strength of the composite material. a single piece of fibre-reinforced composite material comprising: a first loading portion having a first longitudinal axis in a first plane and a second loading portion having a second longitudinal axis in a second plane, wherein the first and second planes are substantially parallel; the first and second axes are oblique; and the first and second loading portions (10, 20) partially overlap and are distanced apart in the direction that is perpendicular to the first and second planes, with a portion of the composite material located between the first and second loading portions (10,20) to form a test gauge portion that is integral with the first and second loading portions (10, 20); and wherein the first loading portion extends beyond the test gauge portion in opposite directions along the first axis to provide first and second loading surfaces (12, 14) on the first loading portion and the second loading portion extends beyond the test gauge portion in opposite directions along the second axis to provide third and fourth loading surfaces (22, 24) on the second loading portion, such that applying equal upwards forces to the first and second loading surfaces (12, 14) of the first upper loading portion and applying equal downwards forces to the loading surfaces (22, 24) of the second lower loading portion generates a tensile stress state in the test gauge portion to determine the tensile strength of the composite material. a first loading portion having a first longitudinal axis in a first plane and a second loading portion having a second longitudinal axis in a second plane, wherein the first and second planes are substantially parallel; the first and second axes are oblique; and the first and second loading portions (10, 20) partially overlap and are distanced apart in the direction that is perpendicular to the first and second planes, with a portion of the composite material located between the first and second loading portions (10,20) to form a test gauge portion that is integral with the first and second loading portions (10, 20); and wherein the first loading portion extends beyond the test gauge portion in opposite directions along the first axis to provide first and second loading surfaces (12, 14) on the first loading portion and the second loading portion extends beyond the test gauge portion in opposite directions along the second axis to provide third and fourth loading surfaces (22, 24) on the second loading portion, such that applying equal upwards forces to the first and second loading surfaces (12, 14) of the first upper loading portion and applying equal downwards forces to the loading surfaces (22, 24) of the second lower loading portion generates a tensile stress state in the test gauge portion to determine the tensile strength of the composite material.