#Associations

2023-12-14

US flammability code references current AATCC laundering procedure

In October 2023, the United Stated Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) completed the rulemaking procedure to revise the Standard for the Flammability of Clothing Textiles in 16 CFR part 1610. The new regulations will go into effect six months later, on April 22, 2024. For more than a year, commissioners have considered data and public comment on several clarifications and updates, including reference to AATCC LP 1 Laboratory Procedure for Home Laundering: Machine Washing.

AATCC LP1-2021 is already familiar to many testing laboratories since it is used for other standards as well; as such, using this standard should be clear and low cost.”

—US CPSC

The revisions address three main areas. First, they aim to clarify and streamline the provisions regarding test result codes (i.e., burn codes), which help determine the classification of a textile and whether it may be used for clothing. The amendments remove an unnecessary code and revise wording in the provisions to clarify the existing requirements. Second, the amendments revise the stop thread specification, which indicates the thread that must be used in flammability testing. The description has become unclear, as threads matching the description in the Standard are no longer readily available. Third, amendments revise the refurbishing requirements in the Standard, which address dry cleaning and laundering specimens during the testing process. In recent years, there have been increasing restrictions on the use of the drycleaning solvent specified in the Standard, and washing machines that meet the specifications required in the Standard are no longer made.

The new refurbishing specifications reference AATCC LP1-2021. The CPSC says, “Staff expects that this will reduce burdens on testing laboratories because it will eliminate the need to maintain and repair older machines and allow those testing laboratories that can no longer maintain or obtain washing machines that comply with the current Standard to continue to test to the Standard.” Existing machines meeting the older specifications in AATCC TM124-2006 may still be used.

“Use of a single standard that is widely familiar to industry members should reduce the risk of confusion or testing errors, which may have some safety benefits for consumers by yielding consistent and reliable test results and classifications.”

—US CPSC

AATCC LP1 is available in the current AATCC Manual of International Test Methods and Procedures and as a downloadable PDF. Because it is incorporated in a federal regulation, the document is available at no cost. Specified detergent for flammability testing is also available directly from AATCC. The CPSC announcement explains that the reference to AATCC LP1 will reduce confusion and cost as well as testing errors.

Download AATCC LP1-2021

https://members.aatcc.org/store/lp001/2212/

Order AATCC LP1 Detergent

https://members.aatcc.org/store/wb-7-3kg/3230/

Find Washers & Dryers

https://www.aatcc.org/laundering/

AATCC announces 2025 Herman & Myrtle Goldstein Graduate Student Paper Competition winners

The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) recognized the winners of the 2025 Herman & Myrtle Goldstein Graduate Student Paper Competition. Founded in 1982 to give student members the chance to conduct and present original research, the competition was renamed in 1994 in honor of Herman and Myrtle Goldstein, following their US$60,000 endowment. Their gift is a lasting remembrance of their dedication to young people in the textile industry.

New funding available for textile research

The AATCC Foundation Student Research Support Grant Program provides financial assistance for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing textile-related projects. Students may submit proposals now for funding to be awarded January 2026. Applications must be submitted by October 1, 2025, to be considered.

European business associations celebrate the signature of the EU-Mercosur FTA

The 17th January marks a historic milestone with the signing of the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement, creating the biggest trading block in the world. European business – represented by more than 28 associations across a wide range of sectors – warmly welcomes this signature. It sends a strong and timely signal that the EU remains open and is committed to rules-based global trade. In a time of global uncertainty, this agreement is a key growth booster.

Latest news from Bremen: ICAC Plenary Meeting to take place right before the International Cotton Conference

The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) will hold its 83rd Plenary Meeting on 23–24 March 2026 at the Parliament building in Bremen. The meeting will take place immediately ahead of the 38th International Cotton Conference Bremen (25–27 March 2026) and marks a historic premiere: for the first time, the ICAC Plenary will be hosted in close cooperation with the Bremen Cotton Exchange and the Faserinstitut Bremen e.V. (FIBRE).

Textile machinery: the upcoming Colombiatex 2026 speaks Italian

Numerous Italian textile machinery companies will be attending the upcoming Colombiatex, the premier trade fair for the Colombian textile supply chain, held in Medellin from January 27 to 29, 2026. This year’s edition further confirms the strong bond between local textile manufacturers and Italian technology providers.

MUNICH FABRIC START: Between Attitude and Sensuality

The future begins where we reimagine it. After seasons of restraint, Spring.Summer 27 marks a conscious counter-trend: optimism, sensuality, and creative freedom are replacing pragmatism and neutrality. Physical presence and individuality are regaining importance – as a response to uncertainty, exhaustion, and algorithmic predictability. The overarching theme of PLEASURE stands for fashion as an emotional space, as an expression of attitude and cultural reflection. Colours, surfaces, and materials become vehicles for self-confidence and joie de vivre.

organIQ seek: smart alternative to potassium permanganate

CHT Group announces new technical findings within its organIQ seek platform that significantly advance the transition toward permanganate-free denim bleaching. Through extensive industrial testing and application research, CHT confirms that organIQ seek can now be used with remarkable effectiveness as a substitute for potassium permanganate in spray bleach, while remaining aligned with sustainability expectations and cost realities in the European market. At the COLOMBIATEX in Medellín as well as at the Exintex in Puebla and the Kingpins Show in Amsterdam the CHT Group will present organIQ seek as an alternative to potassium permanganate.

PERFORMANCE DAYS: Focus topic shifts to the beginning of the value chain

Following the last Focus Topic in October 2025, which placed Textile-to-Textile Recycling at its core, PERFORMANCE DAYS continues to drive the conversation around circularity – this time with an expanded and more upstream perspective. The upcoming Focus Topic, “Textile to Textile: The Role of Collectors and Sorters,” presented during the spring edition on March 18–19, will spotlight one of the most essential yet often overlooked components of a functioning circular textile system: the efficient collection and sorting of post-consumer textiles.

Proven performance, optimised costs – the new RE 6 EL

Nowadays textile companies increasingly need to produce small production runs and respond to market changes with instantaneous pattern changes in order to operate profitably – meaning they require machines that offer maximum flexibility, reliability and cost efficiency. KARL MAYER understands the challenges of the market and is launching its new RE 6 EL. The Raschel machine offers the core strengths of the classic RSE 6 EL and essentially the same performance parameters, but has been further cost-optimised largely due to local production advantages. This makes the newcomer an efficiency champion in production, especially when it comes to frequent pattern changes.