Which Test Reveals a Fabric’s True Strength?

In textile manufacturing, the term “strength” is frequently used when evaluating fabric performance. However, a fabric’s durability cannot be defined by a single measurement. Its response to being pulled in one direction differs from its resistance to an existing tear or to pressure applied across an area.

A high tensile test result therefore does not automatically indicate equally high tear or bursting strength. Each test evaluates the fabric’s response to a different type of loading.

Some of these tests can be performed on the same instrument. Using the same instrument, however, does not mean that the same property is being measured. Specimen preparation, gripping arrangements, loading conditions and calculation methods determine what the test evaluates.

Understanding these distinctions is essential for selecting suitable laboratory equipment and establishing reliable quality control procedures.

Tensile and Breaking Tests: How Much Load Can a Fabric Carry?

During a tensile test, a fabric specimen is secured between the instrument’s grips and extended under specified conditions. The applied force and specimen extension are recorded throughout the test.

In everyday industry language, “tensile strength” and “breaking strength” are often used to describe the same family of tests. They should therefore not automatically be treated as separate tests requiring different instruments.

Nevertheless, the reported measurements must be clearly defined. The maximum force reached during a test may differ from the force recorded at the moment of rupture. Elongation must also be interpreted according to the point at which it is measured.

For example, ISO 13934-1 specifies the determination of maximum force and elongation at maximum force using the strip method. ASTM D5034 covers the grab method, while ASTM D5035 addresses the strip method. A report should therefore identify the test method rather than simply state “breaking test.”

The fundamental question is:

“How much load can the fabric carry when pulled in a specified direction, and how much does it elongate?”

The stretching of trouser fabric during movement provides a useful illustration of this type of loading. However, a laboratory result does not, on its own, represent every condition encountered during wear or predict the product’s service life.

Tear Testing: How Easily Does Existing Damage Spread?

In a tear test, the specimen contains a deliberately introduced cut or an initiated tear. The property being evaluated is its resistance to the propagation of that damage.

The question is not how much tensile load an intact specimen can carry. Instead, the test assesses how much force is required to extend a tear that has already started.

Consider a shirt catching on a sharp object and developing a small cut. Whether that damage remains localised or readily develops into a longer tear represents a different aspect of fabric performance. Tear testing helps evaluate this behaviour.

Can Tensile and Tear Tests Be Performed on the Same Instrument?

Yes. For suitable test methods, the same tensile testing instrument can be used.

For a tensile or breaking test, the specimen is prepared according to the relevant method and pulled between two grips. For a tear test performed on a tensile instrument, the specimen is cut into a specified shape, and the separated portions are gripped so that the tear propagates as the grips move apart.

Parts 2, 3 and 4 of the ISO 13937 series describe tear methods using trouser-shaped, wing-shaped and tongue-shaped specimens on tensile testing instruments. Changing the specimen geometry and loading arrangement allows the same instrument to measure a different property.

This distinction also matters when planning a laboratory. An instrument’s ability to perform a particular tear method depends on its suitability for that method, including the grips, measurement range and test configuration.

Why Is Elmendorf Tear Testing Considered Separately?

The Elmendorf method differs from tear tests performed on a tensile testing instrument. It uses a pendulum to propagate a tear from a pre-cut slit under sudden loading.

ISO 13937-1 and ASTM D1424 are key references for Elmendorf-type tear testing. Results obtained using tensile-machine tear methods and the Elmendorf method cannot be used directly as substitutes for one another. In addition, the method covered by ISO 13937-1 is generally unsuitable for knitted fabrics and elastic woven fabrics.

Consequently, stating “we can perform tear testing” is not sufficient. The specific tear test method must also be identified.

Bursting Tests: How Does a Fabric Respond to Loading Across an Area?

In diaphragm bursting tests, the fabric is clamped over a circular test area. Increasing pressure is applied beneath an expandable diaphragm, causing the specimen to distend until it bursts.

Unlike tensile testing in a specified direction, the specimen is subjected to loading in multiple directions across an area.

ISO 13938-1 describes the hydraulic method, while ISO 13938-2 describes the pneumatic method. The pneumatic method covers knitted, woven, nonwoven and laminated fabrics. Bursting testing should therefore not be regarded as being exclusively for knitted fabrics.

The loading experienced around the elbow or knee of a knitted garment can help illustrate multidirectional stress. In actual use, abrasion and repeated movement may also be involved, so this example does not mean the test reproduces all wearing conditions.

Systems such as the Roaches Opti-Burst provide solutions for measuring bursting strength and distension. Equipment selection should consider the required standard, pneumatic or hydraulic configuration, and necessary measurement range together.

The Differences at a Glance

Test	What Does It Evaluate?	Specimen and Loading Arrangement	Typical Instrument	Commonly Reported Results
Tensile / breaking	Load-bearing and elongation behaviour in a specified direction	A specimen prepared according to the method is pulled between two grips	Tensile testing instrument	Force in N, elongation in %
Tear testing on a tensile instrument	Resistance to the propagation of an initiated tear	Sections of a specimen cut into a specified shape are gripped and pulled apart	Suitably configured tensile testing instrument	Tear force, for example in N
Elmendorf tear	Resistance to tear propagation under sudden loading	A pre-cut specimen is torn by pendulum movement	Elmendorf tear tester	Tear force, for example in N
Diaphragm bursting	Resistance to multidirectional loading across an area	The specimen is distended over a pressurised diaphragm	Diaphragm bursting strength tester	Pressure in kPa / bar, distension height in mm

The applicable method determines the reported measurements and units. Results obtained using different tear methods, in particular, should not be treated as equivalent measurements.

Why Can Results Expressed in the Same Unit Mean Different Things?

Both tensile and tear test results may be expressed in Newtons. Using the same unit does not mean that the same property has been measured.

A tensile test evaluates the force carried by a specimen loaded in a specified direction. A tear test measures the force required to propagate existing damage. The loading arrangement and the way the damage develops are different.

Similarly, bursting pressure cannot be treated as equivalent to tensile or tear force through a simple unit conversion. A result becomes meaningful when its value, unit and test method are considered together.

Fabric Shrinkage and Tensile Strength Are Different Properties

In Turkish textile terminology, the word “çekme” can refer both to pulling under load and to shrinkage after washing. This can create ambiguity during technical discussions.

Tensile testing evaluates a fabric’s behaviour under an applied pulling force. Shrinkage after washing concerns a reduction in the dimensions of a fabric or finished product.

The latter is a dimensional change assessment. ISO 5077 specifies a method for determining the dimensional change of fabrics, garments and other textile articles following specified washing and drying procedures.

When defining a laboratory requirement, it is therefore essential to clarify the intended property: resistance under tensile loading or dimensional change after laundering. These require different testing arrangements.

Reliable Measurement Depends on Correct Test Practice

Selecting the right instrument is the starting point of a reliable testing process. Specimen preparation, conditioning and correct execution of the method are also essential.

ISO 139 defines standard atmospheres for conditioning textiles when determining their physical and mechanical properties. Laboratory environmental conditions must therefore be considered an integral part of the testing process.

Specimen slippage between the grips is another practical concern in tensile testing. Selecting suitable grips and gripping surfaces helps secure the specimen correctly. Focusing solely on an instrument’s maximum force capacity can overlook these requirements.

At ColorCo, we recommend evaluating the following together:

• The construction of the fabrics to be produced and tested.

• Customer-specified standards and test methods.

• Required measurement ranges, grips and accessories.

• Specimen preparation and conditioning arrangements.

• Reporting requirements and comparison with acceptance criteria.

A Test Method Is Not the Same as an Acceptance Criterion

A test method defines how a measurement is performed. An acceptance criterion determines whether the result is sufficient for a particular product, order or intended use.

A report stating only “tear testing completed” or “high breaking strength” does not provide enough information. The method, tested direction, measured values and applicable limits must be considered together.

The same fabric may be assessed differently for different customers or applications. The laboratory’s role is to provide reliable, traceable measurement data to support that assessment.

Planning a Laboratory Around Your Requirements with ColorCo

A laboratory investment should begin with more than an equipment list. The first step is to identify the products being manufactured, the markets being served and the tests customers require.

The ability to use one tensile testing instrument for several methods can offer an important advantage. However, this does not mean that every tear method or bursting test can be performed on the same system. Testing capability must be assessed method by method.

ColorCo’s approach brings together production requirements, customer specifications and laboratory workflows to support appropriate equipment selection. The objective is to establish a quality control structure in which measurements support product development and production decisions.

Contact ColorCo for textile testing equipment, laboratory upgrades and new laboratory setup requirements.