Sweat Fastness Test — ISO 105-E04 / AATCC 15

What Is Perspiration?

Sweat fastness test is the immersion of the sample in artificial sweat solution along with the white accompanying fabric, keeping it at a defined temperature in a device under pressure, and then evaluating the color change and contamination. The experiment is performed with two separate solutions: acidic and alkaline.

Purpose of Perspiration

The purpose is to determine whether the color of the product will bleed when it comes into contact with the skin. It is a decisive experiment, especially in underwear, sportswear and baby products.

Which Products Is Perspiration Applied To?

Underwear and socks
Spor giyim
Baby and children's clothing
shirt and t-shirt
lining fabrics

In Which Sectors Is Perspiration Used?

TextilesRetailConsumer Products

Standards Related to Perspiration

TS EN ISO 105-E04 (sweat fastness)
AATCC 15
TS EN ISO 105-A02 / -A03 (rating scales)
TS EN ISO 105-F10 (multifiber companion fabric)

Perspiration Conditions

solutions: Acidic and alkaline artificial sweat; their composition is defined in ISO 105-E04
Pressure: With the weight defined in the standard on the perspirometer device
Dwell: In the oven at the temperature and time defined in the standard

Equipment for Perspiration

Perspirometer (sweat fastness device)
Oven
pH meter
Standard illuminated evaluation booth and gray scales

Sample Requirements for Perspiration

Separate samples for acidic and alkaline tests
The sample must be sewn together with the accompanying fabric
A separate specimen for each colour
Solutions should be prepared freshly

Duration of Perspiration

Soaking and waiting in the oven constitute the main duration of the experiment; With drying and evaluation, results are usually available within one business day.

Perspiration Procedure

1The sample and accompanying fabric are prepared and sewn.
2The sample is immersed in an acidic or alkaline solution for the time defined in the standard.
3Excess solution is removed and the sample is placed between perspirometer plates.
4It is kept in the oven under a defined weight.
5The sample is separated and dried.
6Color change and contamination are evaluated on a gray scale.

Perspiration Acceptance Criteria

The standard defines the measurement method, not the passing score. The acceptance threshold is determined by the customer specification; Most retail chains require higher marks for underwear and light colours. When no specification is given, the report reports only the measured grade.

Evaluation of Results

Acidic and alkaline results are reported separately; some dyes are affected by only one. The result is given as a gray scale score of 1–5: color change is evaluated according to the ISO 105-A02 scale, contamination is evaluated according to the ISO 105-A03 scale. 5 means no change, 1 means the most severe change. Intermediate notes (such as 4-5, 3-4) are used.

Perspiration Report

Sample description and color
Solution type (acidic/alkaline) and pH
Color change note
Contamination note for each fiber in the companion fabric

Accreditation

EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.

Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Scope and authorisations

Related Regulations

EU 1007/2011 (textile fibre names and labelling)
EU 1907/2006 REACH Annex XVII (restricted substances in textiles)
Regulation on the Naming of Textile Products

Tekstil Testleri — What Does This Testing Field Cover?

The section below describes the field that the Perspiration test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Textile testing answers two questions separately: does the fabric hold up physically over its service life, and does it carry any substance restricted for human health? These two axes require different laboratory infrastructure and different decision mechanisms.

On the physical side, breaking and tear strength, abrasion resistance, pilling, dimensional change, colour fastness and water and oil repellency are measured. Most of these tests depend on the USE SCENARIO: Martindale abrasion cycles are decisive for an upholstery fabric, while dimensional change in washing and colour fastness come to the fore for a shirting fabric. The same fabric goes through a different test set for a different use.

Colour fastness is a body of work of its own in this field and is not a single test. The fastness of the same fabric to light, washing, rubbing, perspiration, saliva, chlorinated water and ironing is measured separately; each represents a different moment of use. Results are rated from 1 to 5 on the grey scale and the specification gives a separate minimum rating for each agent.

On the chemical side, aromatic amines released from azo dyes, formaldehyde, heavy metals, phthalates, short-chain chlorinated paraffins, alkylphenols and PFAS compounds are screened. These items come from REACH restrictions, brand restricted substance lists (RSL) and voluntary schemes such as OEKO-TEX. Brand lists are often stricter than legislation; the target customer is decisive.

There is NO CE marking on consumer textiles. The obligation has three legs: fibre composition and care labelling, compliance with chemical restrictions, and general product safety. Textiles claiming a protective function (workwear, flame-resistant clothing, high-visibility clothing) fall under personal protective equipment legislation, where CE is mandatory — this distinction is commercially critical.

Verifying the label declaration is the most routine work in the field. Quantitative fibre analysis confirms the blend ratio stated on the label; tolerance ranges are defined in legislation. An incorrect fibre declaration both misleads the consumer and affects customs classification.

Sustainability claims have added a new body of work to the field in recent years: verification of recycled content (GRS, RCS), organic content (GOTS), restriction of harmful chemicals and water/energy footprint declarations. These claims now require auditable evidence.

Method groups in this field

Strength and durability
Strip and grab breaking strength, tearing by the Elmendorf and tongue methods, seam strength, bursting strength.
Abrasion and surface
Martindale and rotary platform abrasion, pilling and fuzzing, fabric mass and thread density measurements.
Dimensional stability
Dimensional change in washing and drying, wrinkling behaviour, appearance after ironing.
Colour fastness
Fastness to light (xenon), washing, rubbing, perspiration, saliva, water and chlorinated water; rating on the grey scale.
Functional properties
Water repellency (spray test), oil repellency, waterproofness, air permeability, effectiveness of antibacterial finishes, UV protection factor.
Chemical analyses
Aromatic amines from azo dyes, formaldehyde, pH, heavy metals, phthalates, chlorinated phenols, PFAS and alkylphenols.

Commonly confused in this field

A brand restricted substance list (RSL) may be stricter than legislation; REACH compliance does not mean compliance with the customer specification.
Textiles claiming a protective function fall under PPE legislation and require CE; an ordinary textile test report does not satisfy that file.
Colour fastness is not a single number; a rating cannot be interpreted without stating which agent it relates to.
A result obtained for a fabric does not cover the whole garment made from it; lining, sewing thread, print and trims are assessed separately.
Performance claims after washing are valid together with the stated number of wash cycles; the word "permanent" on its own is not verifiable.

Which decisions these results support

Compliance with the brand restricted substance list (RSL)
Verification of label declarations: fibre composition and care instructions
Determining the performance class of upholstery and technical textiles
Pre-import shipment inspection and lot acceptance
Supporting sustainability and recycled content claims

Related Tests

Frequently Asked Questions About Perspiration

Why are two different solutions used?

Human sweat can be acidic or alkaline depending on the person and conditions. Some dyes dissolve only in acidic media, some only in alkaline media; Experimenting with a single solution ignores half the risk.

How is it different from water fastness?

Water fastness (ISO 105-E01) is done with pure water and measures only the wetting effect. In sweat fastness, the pH of the solution and the salts it contains further strain the dye-fiber bond; so sweat results are generally lower.