ICS 59.080.

01
W 09

National Standard of the Peoples Republic of China

GB 18401-2003
Replace GB 18401-2001 _____________________________________________________________________________________

National General Safety Technical Code for Textile Products

Issue date: Nov. 27th, 2003

Implementation date: Jan. 1st, 2005

Issued by General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the Peoples Republic of China

GB 18401-2003

Foreword
National General Safety Technical Code for Textile Products is a compulsory national standard formulated as per laws and regulations such as Standardization Law of The Peoples Republic of China and Product Quality Law of the Peoples Republic of China. Various finishing agents such as dyestuff and addition agent should be added into the textile products during dye printing and post-treatment processes. These finishing agents contain or produce more or less matter harmful to human body. When such harmful matter left on the textile product reaches certain amount, it shall cause injury to people skin, even to body health. Hence, it is necessary to make the most general safety specifications on the textile products so that body health and individual safety can be ensured during production, circulation and consumption of the textile products. In view of vast function of textile products, this technical specification specifies the scope of application. Products not belonging to scope of this technical specification are listed in Annex A. This technical specification only sets general safety specifications on the textile products; other requirements shall be implemented in line with other correspondent standards. This technical specification will replace GB 18401-2001 Textiles-Limit to formaldehyde content from the implementation date of this specification. This technical specification shall be effective since January 1st, 2005. Product produced before January 1st, 2005 and conforming to relative standards shall be allowed a transitional period of 1 year till January 1st, 2006. After implementation of this technical specification, if general safety specifications on textile products in technical documents of other correspondent standards do not conform to this technical specification, this technical specification shall prevail. Annex A and Annex B of this technical specification are informative annexes and annex C is normative annex. This technical specification was proposed by China Textile Industry Association. This technical specification is under jurisdiction of National Technical Committee on Textiles of Standardization Administration of China. This technical specification was drafted by Standardization Institute of Textile Industry and National Quality Supervision & Inspection Center of Cotton Textiles. Chief drafting stuffs of this technical specification are: Zheng Yuying, Xu Lu and Wang Baojun. This technical specification shall be interpreted by Standardization Administration of the Peoples Republic of China (National Standardization Administration Bureau).

GB 18401-2003

National General Safety Technical Code for Textile Products

1 Scope This technical specification specifies general safety specifications on, test method, inspection rules, implementation and supervision of textile products. Other requirements on textile products shall be implemented as per relative standards. This technical specification is applicable to textile products for clothes and furnishing produced, sold and used inside China. Products for export can be implemented as per agreements in the contract. Products listed in annex A does not belong to scope of this technical specification, unless otherwise agreed by both the supplier and the buyer or otherwise regulated by the state. 2 Normative references The clauses in the following documents that were cited by this Standard became clauses of this Standard. For cited documents with a date, all their subsequent modifications (excluding corrections) or revisions do not apply to this Standard. However, parties having reached an agreement based on cited standards with a date are encouraged to study whether the latest versions of the cited documents with a date are applicable. For cited documents without a date, the latest versions apply to this Standard. GB/T 2912.1 Textiles-Determination of formaldehyde-Part 1: Free and hydrolyzed formaldehyde (Water extraction method) GB/T 3920 Textiles-Tests for color fastness -Color fastness to rubbing (GB/T 3920-1997, eqv ISO 105 X12:1993) GB/T 3922 Textiles-Testing method for color fastness to perspiration (GB/T 3922-1995, eqv ISO 105-E04: 1994) GB/T 5713 Textiles-Tests for color fastness-Color fastness to water (GB/T 5713-1997, eqv ISO 105-E01: 1994) GB/T 7573 Textiles-Determination of pH of the aqueous extract (GB/T 7573-2002, ISO 105-E01: 1994, MOD) GB/T 17592.1 Textiles-Test method of the use of banned azo colourants- Part 1: Gas chromatography/mass spectrography method GB/T 18886 Textiles-Tests for color fastness -Color fastness to saliva 3 Terms and Definitions The following terms and definitions apply to this technical specification. 3.1 Textile products Product that takes natural fiber and chemical fiber as raw material and is produced through processing crafts such as spinning, weaving and dyeing or through such crafts as sewing and compounding, for example, yarn, fabric and its finished product. 3.2 General safety specification The most basic requirements proposed to ensure that the textile product is harmless to human health. 3.3 Products for babies Textile products for babies within 24 months. 3.4 Products with direct contact to skin Textile product, a large part of which directly contacts body skin over when put on or used. 3.5 Products without direct contact to skin Textile product that does not contact human skin directly or only has a little area directly contact human skin when put on or used.

GB 18401-2003

4 Product categories 4.1 The products are divided into 3 categories: Category A: Products for babies; Category B: Products with direct contact to skin; Category C: Products without direct contact to skin; Annex B offers typical instances of 3 categories on the above. 4.2 Product that can be used after re-processed by the user (for example, surface material and wool) can be categorized as per its final usage. 5 Technical requirements 5.1 General safety specifications of textile products are shown in Table 1. Table 1 Item Formaldehyde content/(mg/kg) pH value Color fastnessb/Grade Water-proof Staining) (Discolor, Category A 20 4.0-7.5 3-4 3-4 3-4 4 4 Category B 75 4.0-7.5 3 3 3 3 None Prohibited Category C 300 4.0-9.0 3 3 3 3 -

Ache persperation resistance (Discolor, Staining) Alkali persperation resistance (Discolor, Staining) Dry friction resistance Saliva resistance Staining) (Discolor,

Particular smell Resolved aromatic amine dye

a If the product must be wet processing in follow-up process, pH value can be relaxed to 4.0-10.5. b Washing-bleaching products do not be required. c The list of decomposition carcinogenic aromatic amines not allowed in the dye under reducing condition follows Appendix C. Products for babies should meet technical requirements for products of category A, products with direct contact to skin should meet technical requirements for products of category B and products without direct contact to skin should meet technical requirements for products of category C. 5.3 Products for babies should be marked with words of Products for babies in directions for use. Other products should be marked with relative category of general safety specifications in directions for use. Note: Product that fits for babies at height of 80cm and below can be regarded as products for babies. 6 Test method 6.1 Measurement of formaldehyde content is implemented as per GB/T 2912.1. 6.2 Measurement of pH value is implemented as per GB/T 7573. 6.3 Measurement of color fastness to water is implemented as per GB/T 5713. 6.4 Measurement of color fastness to perspiration is implemented as per GB/T 3922. 6.5 Measurement of color fastness to rubbing is implemented as per GB/T 3920. 6.6 Measurement of color fastness to saliva is implemented as per GB/T 18886. 6.7 Peculiar smell Peculiar smell should be judged by sense of smell. The judger should be professional going through certain training and evaluation. 5.2

GB 18401-2003

After the sample is opened, inspect the project immediately. The test should be performed in a clean circumstance without abnormal smell. The judger is required to wear gloves, holding the sample close to nose and carefully smelling the smell carried by the sample. If one or several smells of moldy taste (such as smell of gasoline and kerosene), fish odour, dutrex, it shall be judged have abnormal smell and type of abnormal smell shall be recorded. Otherwise it shall be judged no abnormal smell. There should be 3 people to judge independently and coherent results of 2 judges shall be regarded as inspection results of the sample. 6.8 Dissoluble aromatic amine dye shall be implemented GB/T 17592.1 and the detection limit is 20mg/kg. 7 Inspection rules 7.1 Select typical samples randomly from each lot of products as per type and color by taking 1 sample for each type and each color respectively. 7.2 The cloth sampled should be at least 2m away from end of the cloth. The sample size should be the entire amplitude duration not less than 0.5m in length; quantity of costumes and finished products sampled should meet test requirements. 7.3 Samples taken should be sealed and placed without any treatment. 7.4 Evaluate by reference to Table 1 as per product type (safety specification category). If test results of the sample fit requirements in Table 1 (for product containing 2 or more types of components, each component should meet requirements in Table 1), general safety performance of this sample is acceptable; otherwise, it is rejectable. Note: Usually, for product of category B and category C, evaluation of small component whose weight is not more than 1% of the entire product may not be required. 7.5 If samples taken are all acceptable, general safety performances of this lot of products can be judged acceptable. If there is sample rejectable, the product of the type or color represented by this sample can be judged rejectable. 8 Implementation and supervision 8.1 As per relative regulations in Standardization Law of The Peoples Republic of China and Regulations for the Implementation of the Standardization Law of The Peoples Republic of China, organizations and individuals engaged in research, production and business of textile products should strictly implement this technical specification. Production, sale and import of product not conforming to this technical specification is forbidden. 8.2 As per relative regulations in Standardization Law of The Peoples Republic of China and Regulations for the Implementation of the Standardization Law of The Peoples Republic of China, State organs, enterprises and citizens all have the right to inform against, appeal against and expose acts of violating this technical specification. 8.3 As per relative regulations in Product Quality Law of the Peoples Republic of China, a supervision and inspection system based on random inspection is implemented by the state to test quality of textile products. 8.4 Product certification, if involved in this technical specification, shall be implemented as regulated by relative state laws and regulations. 9 Legal responsibility Act against this technical specification should be punished as per relative laws and regulations such as Standardization Law of The Peoples Republic of China and Product Quality Law of the Peoples Republic of China.

GB 18401-2003

Annex A (Informative annex) Catalogue of textile products excluded in the scope of this technical specification

A.1 A.2 A.3 A.4 A.5 A.6 A.7 A.8 A.9 A.10

Engineering textile products such as geotextile, tar felt base cloth Industrial textile products such as paper makers' felt, twill fabrics, filter cloth, insulation textiles Agricultural textile products such as base cloth for soilless culture Special protective products for gas defense, radiation protection, high temperature resistance Rope and net products such as fishing net, cable rope and climbing rope Packaging product such as hemp bag and postal parcel Medicare products such as medical gauze and bandage Cloth art and hairs doll Decorative articles such as decorative cloth, handicraft articles Outdoor decoration products such as cloth for advertising lamp, havelock

Annex B (Informative annex) Examples of Textile Products by Categories

Products given by Table B.1 are examples of product categories. B.1 should be decided as per its final usage. Table B.1 Category Category A (Products for babies) Category B (Products with direct contact to skin) Category C (Products without direct contact to skin) Category of product not listed in Table

Typical Examples Nappy, diaper, undergarment, pinny, pajamas, glove, stocks, coat, cap, bed products Bra, bellyband, waistcoat, underwear, cotton sweater, shirt, skirt, trousers (in summer), stocks, bed sheet Sweater, coat, skirt, trousers, curtain, bed cover, wall cloth, filling material, lapping cloth

GB 18401-2003

Annex C (Normative Annex) List of aromatic amines not allowed to be decomposed from the dye when restored to the original state Table C.1 Type 1 Aromatic amines cancerogenic to human being English Title 4-aminobiphenyl benzidine 4-chloro--toluidine 2-naphthylamine Chinese Title 4- 4-- 2- CAS Registry Number [92-67-1] [92-87-5] [95-69-2] [91-59-8]

Table C.2 Type 2 Aromatic amines cancerogenic to animals and possibly cancerogenic to human being English Title -aminoazotoluene 2-amino-4-nitrotoluene p-chloroaniline 2,4-diaminoanisole 4,4-diaminobiphenymethane 3,3-dichlorobenzidine 3,3-dimethoxybenzidine 3,3-dimethylbenzidine 3,3-dimethyl-4,4,-diaminobiphenylmthane p-cresidine 4,4-methylene-bis-(2-chloroaniline) 4,4-oxydianiline 4,4-thiodianiline -toluidine 2,4-toluylendiamine 2,4,5-trimethylaniline -anisidine 2,4-xylidine 2,6-xylidine Chinese Title 2--4- 2,4- 4,4- 3,3- 3,3- 3,3 3,3--4,4- 2--5- 4,4---2- 4,4- 4,4- 2,4- 2,4,5- 2,4- 2,6- _____________________ CAS Registry Number [97-56-3] [99-55-8] [106-47-8] [615-05-4] [101-77-9] [91-94-1] [119-90-4] [119-93-7] [838-88-0] [120-71-8] [101-14-4] [101-80-4] [139-65-1] [95-53-4] [95-80-7] [137-17-7] [90-04-0] [95-68-1] [87-62-7]