Customer Login
Password
  
 Basket = 0 items Total = £0.00
 You are here: Home I

Laboratory Tests

 < Back

This is where the long process for MASCOT's products to become TESTED TO WORK begins. MASCOT commands over its own laboratory where both new and existing products are tested. Tests are conducted in accordance with international standards making it possible for MASCOT's test results to be directly comparable to results obtained by competitors and suppliers.

Physical as well as chemical tests are carried out on several standardized machines.

Examples of these tests are as follows:

  • Wearability test on Martindale machine
  • Tensile strength on Alphatens
  • Seam slippage on Alphatens
  • Colour fastness
  • Test for shrinkage and dimensional change
  • Colour comparison using colour assessment cabinets
  • Weight test
  • Test of colour fastness to artificial acid and basic perspiration
  • Test of colourfastness to rubbing
  • Resistance to pilling

The machines at the laboratory run 24 hours a day, all year round to conduct as many tests as possible and obtain the necessary test results.
The Martindale machines test the abrasion value and run around the clock. Small pieces of fabric are placed on the machine and these pieces are rubbed against a wool material a certain number of times. This can be everything from 30.000 to 300.000 times - depending on the material.
The Alphatens machine carry out tensile tests, tear tests, and seam quality tests. Pieces of fabric are attached to the jaws of the machine at the top and at the bottom and are pulled in opposite directions. The results are measured in Newton and provide information about how resistant a piece of fabric is against smaller tears and breaks. 
MASCOT performs tests that measure the impact of perspiration on the fabric. Chemicals that serve as acid and basic perspiration respectively are added to the fabric. These tests show if a potential future fabric quality for a work jacket will rub off on a white cotton T-shirt when the wearer perspires. 
Potential fabric qualities are washes with a small piece of multi fibre. Multi fibre is a small white piece of fabric that contains six lengths of different materials, including cotton, polyester, and nylon. The colour effects on the different materials are noted and evaluated. The results are also used to guide the wearer on how to wash and care for the finished product.
To test the colourfastness special washing machines are used to ensure that the fabric pieces are washed in exactly the same way every time. This guarantees that the test results from the different fabric qualities can be evaluated and compared to each other.