Accelerated wash testing: A Durawash Case Study

This case study covers the history of accelerated wash durability testing, how the Durawash was created to fill a gap in this area of textile testing, and why it is still just as prevalent as ever in the textile industry today.

An introduction

Originally developed to meet the growing need for accelerated laundering tests, the Durawash became the very first project brought forward to reliably simulate garment washing durability in a laboratory environment. Long before accelerated testing became a popular requirement, the foundations of this washer were being laid with major British retailer Marks & Spencer, a direct collaboration that still sets this machine apart today.

Many people ask, ‘what is an accelerated wash test?‘, ‘why do we need to test the wash durability of garments?’ and ‘how does accelerated wash testing compare to domestic laundering?’.

This internal case study explores where the Durawash came from, what accelerated laundering testing is, and why it matters more than ever, and also how this lab testing machine continues to meet the demands of today’s fashion and textile industry.

Why do we need accelerated wash testing?

Washing can be one of the most damaging processes that a textile or garment will face in its lifetime. Mechanical agitation, heightened temperatures, chemicals, water, and other load items, all combine to affect the product in a variety of ways, the main three being:

• Print and embellishment/ attachment durability
• Surface appearance, including the quality of feel
• Structural integrity of seams, pockets, zips and other components

These three become our points of assessment, they are the main areas where we as the consumer see a breakdown in quality the earliest/ most visible. Garments and textile products are assessed for their appearance after washing, and typically graded between a 5 point descriptive grading scale, from no change, up to distinct or complete change/ degradation for that point of assessment. Definitions vary between standards, so it is important to be specific to the standard being used to perform and assess your test.

Traditional consumer laundering can take weeks of wear and washing to reveal effects in these areas, so for brands and manufacturers, testing products in real-time this way is simply impractical in terms of timings and cost.

To combat this issue, accelerated wash tests were developed, with the aim of compressing multiple wash cycles into a shorter, more intense wash. An accelerated wash test takes 15 minutes (according to test method M&S P5), and delivers equivalent results to that of 5 full domestic wash cycles in a standard washing machine (based on the Wascator FOM71 CLS). The vigorous and continuous mechanical action produced by the impellor is the main driver of this test being accelerated beyond a standard domestic wash.

By condensing this test, it has allowed testing labs the ability to better predict the performance of a textile product before the point of sale, without ultra-long lead times and consistent high energy consumption.

How it all started

The Hoovermatic Twin Tub washing machine came first, and was chosen initially to test the security of attachments and embellishments, such as sequins, buttons, and bows. This choice was due to its vigorous mechanical action which delivered consistent agitation. The test was performed for only 30 seconds, as this was thought to be long enough in this washer to test the security of these more delicate attachments. Further tests were then developed and this washer became accepted more widely for testing print and garment durability.

Over time, certain retailers, the first and most notable being Marks & Spencer, began to base internal durability methods around the action of this particular machine. The mechanical conditions proved highly effective in identifying quality issues with laminated and pigment prints, as well the integrity of pleats, waddings, and other types of surface finishes.

There were several small but key drawbacks with this machine in its current capacity, which included the need for:

• Repeatable laboratory controls/ operating features.
• Safety features suitable for laboratory testing environments
• Calibrative components to ensure consistency and compliance.

By the late 1980’s there was a decreasing call for this type of washer in a domestic setting, and by the early 1990’s the Twin Tub was no longer available on the market. During this period, there was a distinct gap available here between having a useful test method and set-up, a system that worked, and there being a reliable, scalable item of laboratory testing equipment.

The development of the Durawash

With the adapted Twin Tub model becoming only a temporary soluiton, the prototype of the Roaches Durawash began. Major characteristics of the original Twin Tub model were retained in this new design, the wash tub dimensions and impellor speed being two of the crucial elements to keep the same.

Roaches brought in the addition of more updated engineering and build materials, creating the whole model from stainless steel so that the machine highlighted longevity in a wet testing laboratory, an environment prone to rusting. Also installed was a fit-for-purpose safety system, and comprehensive process controls, to enable all laboratory technicians the ability to use the machine safely, and repeatably, no matter who was using it.

Through the years the design has been refined, with the outer shell and touch screen control panel updated to improve the useability features of the Durawash, so that it is easier to use, and more appealing in a laboratory setting. The look and feel of this washer today is aligned precisely with the Roaches brand to give it a recognisable identity of it’s own.

Solidifying the Durawash into industry standards

One unusual element to the adoption of the Durawash into commercial brands and laboratories was the direct reference by name in accelerated wash testing standards. The first standard that integrated the Durawash into its method by name was Marks & Spencer, who went on to define one of the most widely used print durability to washing tests in the industry.

Historically, standards typically define the mechanism and conditions of how a particular test should be performed, but don’t mention manufacturers or specific models. These named references are rare, and usually reflect industry-wide acceptance and confidence of a particular machine, something that the Durawash brought immediately, as the very first designed-for-lab durability to washing tester.

There are now a host of durability to washing test methods available that use the Durawash, from both retailers and standards institutes such as M&S, British Standards Institute, NEXT and more. This chart below details some of the most frequently performed tests.

Test method	Test name
M&S C15	Print Durability
M&S P5	Durability Wash for Garments and Components
M&S P6	Durability Wash for Pleat Retention
M&S P7	Durability of Waddings and Quilted Waddings to Washing
M&S P69	Cockling
NEXT TM 8	Appearance of Garments and Products
CEN TR 16792:2014 (Annex C)	Safety of Children’s Clothing

Accelerated wash testing today - Why it still matters

Far from being obsolete or even uncommon in today’s test labs, accelerated wash durability testing is in fact an even more universally discussed topic. Textile products in the current climate have far more performance criteria to meet, than expected in the past.

Garments and products today involve:

• Fibres manufactured and constructions designed to maintain durability
• More complex prints, surface embellishments, and finishes
• Treatments to provide additional and/or specific performance qualities
• Increased sustainability pressures between manufacturer and consumer

Retailers expect there to be sufficient proof that garments and textile products can survive repeated consumer laundering, without excessive colour loss or transfer, print degradation, or change in appearance and feel. Accelerated wash testing allows this to be demonstrated early, which can reduce costly recalls, customer complaints, and ultimately reputational damage.

In an industry motivated heavily by speed, accountability, and more so than ever sustainability, the original principle of the Durawash, predictable acceleration that still reflects real life use, is arguably even more valuable and topical than when it was first developed over 30 years ago.