Colour Book_Grades_Fades_print

BVCPS
guide to
colour
fastness
and
greyscales

INTRODUCTION TO BVCPS

In today’s highly complex and changing consumer marketplace, those in the softlines and textile industry – from manufacturers to
retailers – need to be confident that the products they deliver to market meet acceptable standards.
Meeting these objectives is crucial, as non-compliant products risk being recalled, while poor quality can result in consumer
dissatisfaction and product returns.

At Bureau Veritas, our quality assurance services for softline products encompass quality and safety compliance testing, inspection and
consulting services to protect your brand.
The benefits of our comprehensive evaluation programme include meeting regulatory requirements for each distribution country;
minimising the risk of substandard merchandise and costly customer returns; and enhancing risk management and brand protection.
• Chemical, analytical, physical, flammability, performance and colour fastness testing
• REACH: Testing for substances of very high concern, a due diligence programme and consultancy
• Inspections, social audits and factory assessments
• Mill improvement programme
• China market access solution
• Regulatory compliance and technical consultancy
• Technical writing of performance and quality manuals
• Technical seminars (textile testing, REACH, children’s wear safety, flammability, etc.)

COLOUR FASTNESS

Poor colour fastness in textile products is a major source of customer complaint.
The fastness of a colour can vary with the type of dye, the particular shade used, the depth of shade and how well the dyeing
process has been carried out.
Dyes can also behave differently when in contact with different agents, for instance dyes which may be fast to dry-cleaning may
not be fast to washing in water. It is therefore important to test any dyed or printed product for the fastness of the colours that
have been used in its decoration.
There are a number of products that the garment may encounter during its lifetime which could cause the colour to either fade
or to bleed. Bleed factors may also have a varied effect depending on the end use of the garment.
Bureau Veritas CPS offer a number of colour fastness tests which cover the average life and use expectancy of the garment.

Colour fastness has two variations of change:

The colour of the sample being tested deteriorates, that is classed as fading
The colour transfers to an undyed material, that is colour staining.
In order to give a more objective result a numerical assessment of each of these effects is made by comparing the changes with
two sets of standard grey scales, one for fading and the other for staining.

COLOUR FADE GREY SCALES

Below is an example of the scales used to measure the levels of fading and staining.
The first scale (5) has two identical grey boxes ie the fabric colour is equal to the sample shade.
The last scale (1) shows the greatest contrast from the original shade, and numbers 2, 3 and 4 have intermediate contrasts.
After appropriate testing, the specimen is compared with the original untreated material and any change in shade is graded
with reference to the grey scale.

5 4/5 4 3/4 3

3 2/3 2 1/2 1

Sets of grey scales, examples of which are shown above, can be supplied by the British Standards Institution.

COLOUR STAIN GREY SCALES Multifibre strip

A similar set of grey scales is used for measuring staining. Lyocel | Cotton | Nylon |Polyester | Acrylic | Wool
Fastness rating 5 is shown by two identical white samples (that is no staining) where as rating 1 shows a white and a grey
sample.
The other numbers show geometrical steps of contrast between white and different shades of grey along the scales.
A piece of multifibre strip is compared with the treated sample that has been in contact with the tested sample and a numerical
assessment of staining is given.

5 4/5 4 3/4 3

3 2/3 2 1/2 1

PANTONE
RED

EXAMPLES OF RED

The below is an example of the fade and fastness scale of the relevant pantone shade. A number of
factors can vary the amount of fade and fastness which include: Compatibility of the dye and the fibre types,
dye molecule size, amount of dye used ie depth of original shade and presence of other chemicals in the fibre.

Pantone 5 4/5 4 Colour fade scale 2 1/2 1
No.
3/4 3 2/3

188

711
187
RED
32

1787 5

1 1/2 2 2/3 3 3/4 4 4/5

Colour stain scale
The above chart is meant as a guide for transfer and fade properties of colours when washed, this cannot be used
as an exact method of checking due to the variance in colour shades and the different fabrics used in the process.

PANTONE
GREEN

EXAMPLES OF GREEN

The below is an example of the fade and fastness scale of the relevant pantone shade. A number of
factors can vary the amount of fade and fastness which include: Compatibility of the dye and the fibre types,
dye molecule size, amount of dye used ie depth of original shade and presence of other chemicals in the fibre.

Pantone 5 4/5 4 Colour fade scale 2 1/2 1
No.
3/4 3 2/3

7483

356
3415
355

375 2X

1 1/2 2 2/3 3 3/4 4 4/5 5

Colour stain scale
The above chart is meant as a guide for transfer and fade properties of colours when washed, this cannot be used as an
exact method of checking due to the variance in colour shades and the different fabrics used in the process.

PANTONE
BLUE

EXAMPLES OF BLUE

The below is an example of the fade and fastness scale of the relevant pantone shade. A number of
factors can vary the amount of fade and fastness which include: Compatibility of the dye and the fibre types,
dye molecule size, amount of dye used ie depth of original shade and presence of other chemicals in the fibre.

Pantone 5 4/5 4 Colour fade scale 2 1/2 1
No.
3/4 3 2/3

2768

648

281

REFLEX

BLUE

285

1 1/2 2 2/3 3 3/4 4 4/5 5

Colour stain scale
The above chart is meant as a guide for transfer and fade properties of colours when washed, this cannot be used as an
exact method of checking due to the variance in colour shades and the different fabrics used in the process.

PANTONE
YELLOW

EXAMPLES OF YELLOW

The below is an example of the fade and fastness scale of the relevant pantone shade. A number of
factors can vary the amount of fade and fastness which include: Compatibility of the dye and the fibre types,
dye molecule size, amount of dye used ie depth of original shade and presence of other chemicals in the fibre.

Pantone 5 4/5 4 Colour fade scale 2 1/2 1
No.
2/3 3 2/3

4495

104
103

8032X

102

1 1/2 2 2/3 3 3/4 4 4/5 5

Colour stain scale
The above chart is meant as a guide for transfer and fade properties of colours when washed, this cannot be used as an
exact method of checking due to the variance in colour shades and the different fabrics used in the process.

PANTONE
PURPLE

EXAMPLES OF PURPLE

The below is an example of the fade and fastness scale of the relevant pantone shade. A number of
factors can vary the amount of fade and fastness which include: Compatibility of the dye and the fibre types,
dye molecule size, amount of dye used ie depth of original shade and presence of other chemicals in the fibre.

Pantone 5 4/5 4 Colour fade scale 2 1/2 1
No.
3/4 3 2/3

525

519
520
258

2563

1 1/2 2 2/3 3 3/4 4 4/5 5

Colour stain scale
The above chart is meant as a guide for transfer and fade properties of colours when washed, this cannot be used as an
exact method of checking due to the variance in colour shades and the different fabrics used in the process.

PANTONE
ORANGE

EXAMPLES OF ORANGE 1

The below is an example of the fade and fastness scale of the relevant pantone shade. A number of
factors can vary the amount of fade and fastness which include: Compatibility of the dye and the fibre types,
dye molecule size, amount of dye used ie depth of original shade and presence of other chemicals in the fibre.

Colour fade scale

Pantone 5 4/5 4 3/4 3 2/3 2 1/2
No.

724

1525
172
165

1375

1 1/2 2 2/3 3 3/4 4 4/5 5

Colour stain scale
The above chart is meant as a guide for transfer and fade properties of colours when washed, this cannot be used as an
exact method of checking due to the variance in colour shades and the different fabrics used in the process.

BVCPS SOFTLINES PRODUCTS

In today’s highly complex and changing consumer marketplace, those in the softlines and textile
industry – from manufacturers to retailers – need to be confident that the products they deliver to
market meet acceptable standards.
At Bureau Veritas, our quality assurance services for softline products encompass quality & safety compliance
testing and inspection & consulting services to protect your brand.

Bureau Veritas CPS softlines testing capable laboratories

Bangladesh Guatemala Malaysia Taiwan
Cambodia India Pakistan Thailand
China Indonesia Mexico Turkey
Egypt Italy Saudi Arabia United Kingdom
France Japan Singapore United States
Germany Korea Sri Lanka Vietnam

Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services UK
31 Kingsland Grange, Woolston, Warrington, WA1 4RW
Tel: 01925 854 360 Email: [email protected]