ISO 4484-3 was launched late last month to address the impacts of fiber fragmentation on the environment.
The standard provides a standardized method for the measurement of material mass released from textile end products during washing.
Under the terms of the standard, fibers shed during washing must be collected using a filter bag attached to the outlet hose of the washing machine and weighed to determine material loss from fabrics under standardized laundering conditions.
It is hoped that the textile industry can use this material loss data in the future development of clothing, home textiles and other textile products.
Manufacturers wishing to follow the standard can use testing and certification company SGS, which has been involved in fiber fragmentation studies and analysis since 2016 and which offers test services for the new standard through its network of over 40 softlines laboratories worldwide, the company said.