Healthcare & Medical Textiles
We test upholstery, curtains and bedding fabrics used in hotels and the healthcare industry. Vartest also evaluates medical textiles and bandages, gowns, nonwoven protective layers, and uniforms for commercial laundering, cleanability and microbiological performance.
find out more →Outdoor Fabrics
We test marine fabrics, awnings, tents and other outdoor products for tensile strength, flammability (CPAI-84 & NFPA 701), hydrostatic resistance, water repellency and a range of fastness tests. We also offer fungal resistance testing for those fabrics in high moisture environments.
find out more →Residential & Home Fabrics
We perform all ACT and CFFA required testing for residential upholstery, wall coverings, and drapery. We also test bedsheets, towels, coverlets, bedspreads, and rugs for fiber content, yarn type, staple length, construction, thread count, durability, fastness, and flammability.
find out more →For Litigation
Vartest is an 17025 Accredited Independent Third Party Lab, with witnessed testing for Plaintiffs, Defendants and their Experts, storyboards for jury/judge presentation, and more...
find out more →Contract & Hospitality Fabrics
We perform all ACT and CFFA required testing for woven and coated contract upholstery and hospitality fabrics. This includes abrasion, tear strength, breaking strength, flammability, coating adhesion, dynamic fatigue, light stability, and hydrolysis.
find out more →National, International & Private Label Brands
We support clients from the development stage, to pre-production and production, to warehouse pulls and in-store testing. We provide priority testing to meet tight deadlines and help clients verify supplier and marketing claims.
find out more →Manufacturers & Importers
We provide quality control testing to verify product performance and confirm regulatory compliance. We develop testing protocols tailored to clients’ needs. Vartest investigates quality issues and provides in-depth defect analysis. We also help manufacturers develop and verify marketing claims.
find out more →Retroreflective Traffic & Sign Sheeting
Vartest provides comprehensive road sign sheeting material testing to ensure it is the correct color and has the required visibility day and night. Our retroreflective capabilities include ASTM D4956 and ISO 7591 for sign sheeting and license plates.
find out more →High Visibility Safety Apparel (HVSA) & Workwear
Vartest is the leader in high visibility safety apparel (HVSA) testing. We offer comprehensive testing of retroreflective tape, fluorescent background material, garment assessment, and certification. Our HVSA testing covers ANSI/ISEA 107, CSA Z96, EN ISO 20471, AS-NZA 1906.4, and IMO SOLAS. For workwear, we provide thermal and flammability testing.
find out more →Industrial & Specialty Markets
We provide testing on industrial textiles, including coated, automotive, nonwoven, spacer, laminated & composite, filtration, and “smart” textiles. The performance testing of these materials varies by material construction and end use.
find out more →Firefighter & Police
We provide flammability (NFPA), retro-reflectivity, antimicrobial, thermal & radiant protective performance (TPP/RPP), physical properties, and thermal insulation testing on a sweating guarded hotplate for firefighter and police safety apparel.
find out more →Military Products
We are registered with the US Government and provide MIL-SPEC, flammability, antimicrobial, antifungal, TPP/RPP, physical properties, static decay, and various thermal and sweating guarded hotplate testing for suppliers to the military.
find out more →Retailers - Apparel & Accessory
We provide comprehensive testing of apparel, fabrics, trims and accessories covering the development stage, pre-production and production, warehouse pulls and in-store testing. We provide priority testing to meet tight deadlines and help clients verify marketing claims.
find out more →Introducing Vartest’s 24/7 Test Tracker
See all your Vartest tests in one place, including test history and current test status.
High Visibility Pink is becoming more common in garments
Vartest tests for all HVSA colors: Yellow, Orange, Red, and now Pink.
Fashion Institute of Technology Trains Vartest staff
The training covered crucial aspects of textile testing, ensuring our team's proficiency in identifying fibers, recognizing textile structures, and understanding technical details crucial for accurate testing.
Medical Projects: TQM Analysis of PPE Samples
Vartest is now providing Total Quality Management (TQM) support for n=32 Medical PPE projects at no extra charge.
New safety testing for EN 17353: Enhanced Visibility Equipment for Medium Risk Situations
Vartest Laboratories announces new capabilities for Testing and Certification of reflective garments and materials per EN 17353:2020.
High-Visibility Safety Apparel standard has been improved for 2020
The American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel (ANSI/ISEA 107) has been improved for 2020.
Virology and Vartest
We are performing all of the tests needed for surgical gowns, isolation gowns, and drapes
| AAMI PB70 Level | Test | Liquid Challenge | Result | Expected Barrier Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AATCC 42 Impact Penetration | Water | ≤ 4.5 g | Minimal water resistance (some resistance to water spray) |
| 2 | AATCC 42 Impact Penetration | Water | ≤ 1.0 g | Low water resistance (resistant to water spray and some resistance to water penetration under constant contact with increasing pressure) |
| 2 | AATCC 127 Hydrostatic Pressure | Water | ≥ 20 cm | Low water resistance (resistant to water spray and some resistance to water penetration under constant contact with increasing pressure) |
| 3 | AATCC 42 Impact Penetration | Water | ≤ 1.0 g | Moderate water resistance (resistant to water spray and some resistance to water penetration under constant contact with increasing pressure) |
| 3 | AATCC 127 Hydrostatic Pressure | Water | ≥ 50 cm | Moderate water resistance (resistant to water spray and some resistance to water penetration under constant contact with increasing pressure) |
| 4 | ASTM F1670 Synthetic Blood Penetration | Surrogate Blood | no penetration at 2 psi(13.8 kPa) | Blood and viral penetration resistance (2 psi) |
| 4 | ASTM F1671 Viral Penetration | Bacteriophage Virus | no penetration at 2 psi (13.8 kPa) | Blood and viral penetration resistance (2 psi) |
Impact and Puncture Testing at Vartest
We have a brand new instrument to run Impact and Puncture Testing, including ASTM D2794, ASTM D4226, ASTM D5420, and ASTM D5171
Vartest has a FAQ on UVC/UVGI and Textiles
Can UVA and UVB exposures be used to predict UVC results? No. Materials which deteriorate when exposed to UVA and UVB will also deteriorate when exposed to UVC...
