Sioen maintains impressive labs where products are tested for every kind of resistance relevant to their particular use: rain, wind, tear strength, UV-resistance, abrasion, ageing, crack resistance, flash fire, bullet and stab protection. While final testing to obtain certificates often has to be done by certified agencies, every item is first tested in-house. Our laboratories measure up to the best in the world.
With our spray test, we evaluate the water resistance or waterproofing capabilities of our products or materials. This test typically involves spraying water onto the item under controlled conditions to assess how well it repels or withstands moisture exposure.
The standard specifies a hydrostatic pressure method for determining the resistance of fabrics to penetration by water. The highest class of water penetration resistance in this European Standard was deduced from several national norms which imposed a test pressure of 0.13 bar (1300mm).
Waterproof material used in rain garments (EN 343) must withstand 9000 cycles of repeated flexing without losing its waterproofness. This test is also a method to evaluate and compare different waterproof materials.
The number of flexing cycles a waterproof, chemical protective fabric can withstand without showing damages, without losing its waterproof properties. Expressed in number of cycles and divided into 6 classes (from 1000 up to 100000 cycles).
Besides the selection of the materials and their water-resistant properties, the waterproofness of the seams and the design of the garment has an important role. At Sioen, the garments are put in a rain tower (build to EN 14360) on a mannequin for one hour with a rainfall of 450 l/m2/h to detect possible weak points in the design. The mannequin has a detection layer to visualize eventual leaking areas.
This test measures the limited spread of flames of vertically oriented textile fabrics (one or several layers), when subjected to a small defined flame. A defined flame from a specified burner is applied for 10 seconds to the surface or to the bottom edge.
This standard defines a method to compare the Heat Transfer Index (HTI) of materials and material assemblies.
The test EN ISO 6942 exposes the fabrics of the suit to an intense radiant heat (40 kW /m²). The threshold of pain (1st degree burns) is defined, as well as the moment that 2nd degree burns originate and the reaction time (the time between RHTI 12° and RHTI 24°).
Sioen has its own ballistic laboratory including a shooting range and evaluation equipment to put us ahead of the market. Utilizing cutting-edge bullet speed measurement tools, we rigorously test our bullet-resistant vests for optimal performance and reliability.
We utilize a specialized saw to evaluate the effectiveness of our chainsaw and brush cutting protective gear. This testing guarantees that our products deliver maximum safety by ensuring the saw halts in the event of an accident.
This measuring principle is used on fabrics with surface conductive yarns or homogenous conductive outside coating layers.
Determination of the resistance of the colour of textiles to the action of natural daylight. This is tested through an artificial light source that can represent natural daylight, the Xenon-arc fading lamp. The fabric is exposed to artificial light together with a set of Blue Wool Reference under controlled humidity. The colour fastness is evaluated by comparing the change in colour of the fabric with that of the Blue Wool Reference used (grade 1 to 8). This test is a requirement for hi-vis EN 471 complying fabrics.
Finished garments go through a specified number of washing cycles in order to determine washing durability.
This measures the fabric’s ability to withstand a tear, expressed in Newton. The trouser shaped test method is prescribed in a lot of types of protective garments.
In the Martindale test, wool or sandpaper is used to rub the fabric over and over again with considerable pressure. Depending on how tough the fabric needs to be, this vigorous rubbing can continue non-stop for hours... or even days.
The puncture resistance is specified in the standards for chemical protective garments. The force necessary to push a pointed object through a chemical protective fabric. Expresses in Newton and divided into 6 classes (from 5N up to 250N).
The force necessary to tear a fabric, measured by the force necessary to start or continue a tear in a fabric, and expressed in Newton. There are several possible test methods specified in various European and International Standards. In the standard for chemical protective garments the trapezoidal tear resistance is specified.
