NonWovens Standard Procedures (NWSP) Published by EDANA and INDA

EDANA is a group of more than 300 companies worldwide that champions the benefits of nonwovens for society by promoting the sustainable development of the sector. Nonwovens are engineered, versatile, ever-evolving materials found in a variety of products that improve the daily life experience of many people. Their products range from hygiene to geosynthetics, filtration, agriculture, automotive, medical, apparel and electronics.

EDANA is a leading global organization and the voice of the nonwovens and related industries. All of its activities reflect the changing dynamics of the nonwovens industry and focus on three areas in particular:

• Advocating for free and fair trade
• Encouraging product stewardship
• Creating a conducive environment for innovation and sustainable and profitable growth

EDANA member companies provide products and services ranging from raw materials to finished products and everything in between, including machinery, components, and development and testing facilities. They represent not only all types of nonwovens, but also materials commonly used with nonwovens, such as films and superabsorbent polymers.

Harmonized standards developed by EDANA are powerful tools to communicate, measure, produce and therefore ensure safe products based on mutual understanding. EDANA has a long tradition of establishing common standards and testing guidelines for products manufactured by the nonwovens and related industries and cooperating with standardization organizations.

Similarly, the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry Association (INDA) is an organization that serves hundreds of member companies in the nonwovens/engineered materials industry. INDA helps its members come together, connect, innovate, and grow their businesses. The testing methods developed by INDA help members succeed by providing the information they need to better plan and implement their business strategies.

In 2005, EDANA and INDA, leading global nonwovens organizations, began jointly publishing nonwovens standard procedures for the nonwovens and related industries.

Developed in partnership with INDA and EDANA, this resource helps define the nonwovens industry in technical terms, with determinants for the properties, composition and technical specifications of its products. The published standard procedures are internationally recognized, and the procedures provide a way for the nonwovens industry to communicate both globally and within the supply chain, ensuring that product properties are defined, manufactured and tested in a consistent manner.

The nonwovens standard procedures jointly developed by INDA and EDANA include methods for testing the structure and performance of nonwovens and related materials, many of which were developed by industry and adopted by ISO or CEN.

The NonWovens Standard Procedures (NWSP) are the result of efforts by INDA and EDANA to develop world-class testing methods for the global nonwovens industry.

NonWovens Standard Procedures (NWSP) published to date include:

• NWSP 10.1 Three standard test methods for nonwoven absorbency
• NWSP 10.2 Absorption rate of wiping materials
• NWSP 10.4 Evaluation of absorption of oils and oily liquids
• NWSP 20.5 Abrasion resistance of nonwoven fabrics using nonwoven modified Martindale abrasion test method
• NWSP 40.2 Electrostatic corrosion of nonwoven fabrics
• NWSP 70.1 Air permeability of nonwoven materials
• NWSP 70.3 Nonwoven dressing stock fluid breakthrough time using simulated urine
• NWSP 70.7 Repeated liquid impact - Over time
• NWSP 70.8 Wet back after repeated scratching time
• NWSP 70.9 Retention rate and rewet test
• NWSP 70.10 Centrifuge liquid holding capacity test (dry weight and wet spinning weight)
• NWSP 80.3 Water penetration of non-woven fabrics (spray impact test)
• Evaluation of NWSP 80.8 Water resistance (hydrostatic pressure) test
• NWSP 80.10 Non-woven fabric cover wet back
• Stiffness of nonwoven fabrics using NWSP 90.1 Cantilever test
• NWSP 90.3 Sap-O-meter hardness of non-woven fabric
• NWSP 100.1 Tear strength of nonwoven fabrics with falling pendulum (Elmendorf) apparatus
• NWSP 100.2 Tear strength of nonwoven fabrics by trapezoidal procedure
• NWSP 110.1 Tensile strength and elongation of nonwovens (handle strength test)
• NWSP 110.4 Tensile strength and elongation of nonwovens (strip method)
• NWSP 110.5 Resistance of nonwoven fabrics to mechanical penetration (ball burst procedure)
• NWSP 130.1 Mass per unit area
• NWSP 160.1 Pilling resistance of nonwoven fabrics (dry)
• WSP 241.2 Superabsorbent materials - Polyacrylate superabsorbent powders - Gravimetric determination of liquid retention capacity in saline solution after centrifugation
• WSP 242.2 Superabsorbent materials - Polyacrylate superabsorbent powders - Gravimetric determination of permeability-dependent absorption under pressure
• NWSP 350.1 Absorbency of menstrual tampons - Syngina method
• NWSP 402.0 Cup crushing
• WSP 511.3 Dispersibility Vortex test

Our organization has a strong staff that closely follows the developments in the world in the field of science and technology and constantly improves itself. Among the numerous test, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies provided for businesses in various sectors, there are also test services in accordance with the nonwovens standard procedures (NWSP) published by EDANA and INDA.