Colourfastness
Colourfastness is how well a dyed or printed fabric holds its colour against washing, rubbing (crocking), light and perspiration. It is graded 1 to 5 against grey scales in standard tests (ISO 105 / AATCC), where 4–5 is good and anything below 3–4 usually fails a buyer's spec.
The relevant tests depend on the end use: wash and rub fastness for bags and workwear, light fastness for awnings, curtains and anything outdoors, water and perspiration fastness for garments. Deep shades, turquoise and some reds are harder to get fast. A test report from an accredited lab is the normal proof.
When you order from a mill
Tell us the market and end use and we confirm which fastness tests apply and the grades we can hit, and arrange a third-party report where you need one.