GB 18401-2010National general safety technical code for textile products (English PDF)

Foreword

All contents of this Standard are mandatory.

This Standard replaces GB 18401-2003 National General Safety Technical Code for

Textile Products. The main technical differences between this Standard and GB

18401-2003 are as follows.

- “Home use” has been added to the scope of application, and “Use” and “Except

when otherwise agreed by both demand and supply parties” have been deleted;

- Quoted standard of GB/T 23344 has been added to Chapter 2;

- Infant age has been altered from 24 months to 36 months;

- Product 4.1 categorization from A, B and C coding has been changed to a verbal

- The pH value in category B of Table 1 has been changed from 4.0~7.5 to 4.0~8.5;

- Products in Footnotes a and b of Table 1 have been confirmed to be “non-end

- Footnote c of Table 1 has been updated, with the limit value for decomposable

carcinogenic arylamine set to <=20mg/kg;

- Note 5.2 has been updated to include “regulations governing exemption from

testing for colorfastness to perspiration for hanging products such as curtains”;

- Note 5.3 has been updated to include “product categorization by piece”, and the

80 cm measurement in the Note has been changed to 100 cm;

- The examination limit set in 6.8 has been deleted;

1 Scope

This Standard specifies the general safety technical requirements for textile products,

test methods, testing, implementation and supervision principles. Other requirements

for textile products shall be implemented according to the relevant standards.

This Standard is applicable to the manufacture and sale of garment, decorations and

household textile products. Products for export shall be implemented according to the

clauses in the respective agreements.

Note: Products listed in Appendix A do not fall under the categories of this Standard, unless otherwise

indicated by the government.

2 Normative Reference

The following normative documents contain provisions which, through reference in

this text, constitute provisions of this Standard. For dated reference, subsequent

amendments to, or revisions of, any of these publications do not apply. However, the

parties who reach an agreement based on this Standard are encouraged to

investigate the possibility of applying the latest editions of the standards indicated

below. For undated references, the latest edition of the normative document referred

GB/T 2912.1 Textile formaldehyde determination. Part I. free formaldehyde and

hydrolyzed formaldehyde (hydro-extraction method) (GB/T

2912.1-2009, ISO 14184.1.1998, MOD)

GB/T 3920 Textile colorfastness test. Color rub-fastness test (GB/T 3920-2008,

ISO 105-X12.2001, MOD)

GB/T 3922 Textile colorfastness to perspiration test method (GB/T 3922-1995,

eqv ISO 105-E04.1994)

GB/T 5713 Textile colorfastness test. Colorfastness to water resistance test

(GB/T 5713-1997, eqv ISO 105-E01.1994)

GB/T 7573 Textile determination of pH value of hydro-extraction liquid (GB/T

7573-2009, ISO 3071.2005, MOD)

GB/T 17592 Textile determination of forbidden azo dyes.

3 Terms and definitions

The following terms and definitions are applicable to this Standard.

The products of which the main materials comprise of natural and chemical fibers; that

are processed by using procedures such as reeling, knitting, and dyeing, combined

with stitching and compounding processes. Examples include yarn, textile and their

harmful to human health.

4 Product categorization

4.1 Products are sorted by end use into three categories.

4.2 Products that can only be used after further processing by the customer (such as.

cover materials, yarn) shall be categorized in accordance with their end use.

5 Requirements

5.1 General technical safety specifications for textile products are sorted into three

categories. A, B and C categories - see Table 1.a

5.2 Textile products for infants shall comply with requirements in category A; products

in direct contact with skin shall comply with requirements in category B; products not

in direct contact with skin shall at least comply with requirements in category C; in

which, testing for colorfastness to perspiration of hanging and decorative products

such as curtains is not required.

5.3 Textile products for infants shall be labelled with ‘products for infants'. Other

products must be labelled with explanations to which the general safety technical

specifications (such as category A, B or C) they comply with. Products shall be

labelled to a single category in accordance to their component parts.

6 Test method

6.1 Determination of formaldehyde shall be performed in conformance with GB/T 2912.1.

6.2 Determination of pH value shall be performed in conformance with GB/T 7573.

6.3 Determination of water resistance shall be performed in conformance with GB/T 5713.

6.4 Determination of colorfastness to acid/alkali perspiration shall be performed in

conformance with GB/T 3922.

6.5 Determination of colorfastness to coulomb friction shall be performed in

conformance with GB/T 3920.

6.6 Determination of colorfastness to saliva shall be performed in conformance with GB/T 18886.

6.7 Peculiar odor is determined through the olfaction method, to be performed by

professionals with proper training and assessment.

6.8 Determination of decomposable carcinogenic arylamine dye shall be performed in

conformance with GB/T 17592 and GB/T 23344.

7 Inspection rules

7.1 Representative samples shall be randomly selected from every batch of products

by category and color. One sample is then selected for each different color within

7.2 Individual goods shall be sampled at a minimum distance of 2 m away from one

end, and the sample shall be a whole piece with a length no less than 0.5 m; sampling

of garments or other products shall satisfy the requirements of the determination process.

7.3 Following sample selection, the goods shall be sealed such that they are airproof.

No action shall be taken. The relevant sampling technique can be found in the

sampling manual in Appendix D.

7.4 An assessment shall be performed by product category in accordance with Table

1.If the results of the product determination all satisfy the corresponding requirements

in Table 1 (all components of products with two or more components shall satisfy the

corresponding requirements in Table 1), these samples will then conform to the

general safety technical specifications; otherwise they will fail to do so.

7.5 If the selected samples are all conformant, the batch of products shall be

determined to be conformant with the general safety technical specifications. In the

event of any non-conformant samples, the product category or color represented by

the sample shall be determined as non-conformant.

8 Implementation and supervision

the People's Republic of China and the Regulations for the Implementation of the

Standardization Laws of the People's Republic of China.

8.2 In line with the Standardization Laws of the People's Republic of China and the

Regulations for the Implementation of the Standardization Laws of the People's

Republic of China, any entity or individual is entitled to file a report, appeal or

complaint against actions in breach of this Standard.

8.3 The government shall mainly use the spot-check supervision and examination

method for textile products in line with the Product Quality Laws of the People's

8.4 Procedures such as product authentication related to the general safety of textile

products shall be implemented according to the relevant national laws and

9 Legal responsibility

Relevant laws and regulations such as the Standardization Laws of the People's

Republic of China and the Product Quality Laws of the People's Republic of China

shall prevail and provide the means for punishment for actions in breach of this

List of textile products not included in the categories of this Standard

A.1 Textile products for construction use such as geotextiles, water proof linoleum

A.2 Industrial textile products such as papermaking blanketry, awning cloth, filtrate

cloth, and insulated textiles, etc.

A.3 Agricultural textile products such as soil-less cultivation ground cloth, etc.

A.4 Special protection products such as gas proof, radiation proof, high temperature

endurance products, etc.

A.5 String and net products such as fishing net, cables, and climbing cables, etc.

A.6 Packaging products such as sacking and parcel packaging, etc.

A.7 Medical products such as medicated gauze and bandages, etc.

A.8 Cloth handcrafted or soft toys

A.9 Cloth handcrafted products

A.10 Outdoor products such as cloth for advertising light boxes, awning cloths and

A.11 Sanitary products that are disposable in nature

A.12 Umbrellas, shoes, suitcases or backpacks, etc.