Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
D3778-95 – Standard Test Method Technical Guide
🧥 Scope and Key Definitions
ASTM D3778-95a establishes performance criteria for woven outer fabrics used in women’s and girls’ dry-cleanable dress coats. Under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D13.56, this specification covers any textile fiber or mixture of fibers intended for the outer shell of such garments. The standard was originally approved in 1979, with the current edition approved in 1995.
The standard explicitly states it is not applicable to woven fabrics used for linings, interlinings, rainwear, or all-purpose water repellent garments. Bonded or laminated fabrics are also excluded from the scope (Section 1.2). When a fabric requires special treatment, specific methods developed for that material take precedence over the general requirements (Section 1.4).
⚠️ Scope Restriction: As per Section 1.2, do not apply this performance specification to linings, interlinings, rainwear, all-purpose water repellent garments, bonded fabrics, or laminated fabrics. Doing so may yield invalid assessment results.
⚙️ Performance Requirements and Referenced Test Methods
The specification defines fabric performance through a comprehensive suite of ASTM and AATCC test methods, as listed in Section 2 of the standard. Per Note 1, the current edition of each cited test method shall prevail when conducting evaluations.
| 🟦 Property | 📏 Standard / Method | 📐 Key Application |
|---|---|---|
| Breaking Force & Elongation | ASTM D5034 | Grab test for woven fabric tensile strength |
| Tearing Strength | ASTM D1424 | Falling-pendulum (Elmendorf) apparatus method |
| Tearing Strength | ASTM D2261 / D2262 | Tongue (Single Rip) method (CRE / CRT machines) |
| Resistance to Yarn Slippage | ASTM D434 | Standard seam method for seam slippage |
| Colorfastness to Crocking | AATCC 8 / AATCC 116 | Standard Crockmeter / Rotary Vertical Crockmeter |
| Colorfastness to Perspiration | AATCC 15 | Color change and staining evaluation |
| Colorfastness to Light | AATCC 16 | Lightfastness under specified conditions |
| Colorfastness to Burnt Gas Fumes | AATCC 23 | Resistance to atmospheric fading |
| Colorfastness to Dry Cleaning | AATCC 132 | Core requirement for dry-cleanable fabrics |
| Dimensional Changes | AATCC 96 / AATCC 135 | Fabric shrinkage/growth after laundering |
| Flammability | 16 CFR 1610 | Clothing Textiles Flammability Standard |
The standard also specifies the use of key AATCC evaluation procedures for grading results, as well as MIL-STD-105D for sampling inspection by attributes.
| 🟦 Evaluation Tool | 📏 AATCC Procedure | 🎯 Application |
|---|---|---|
| Gray Scale for Color Change | Evaluation Procedure 1 | Assessing colorfastness grades |
| Gray Scale for Staining | Evaluation Procedure 2 | Assessing staining of adjacent fabrics |
| Chromatic Transference Scale | Evaluation Procedure 3 | Evaluating color transfer |
📌 Sampling Note: Section 2.4 references MIL-STD-105D for inspection by attributes. ASTM D2905 is also cited for determining the number of specimens. Proper statistical sampling is critical for conformity assessment under this specification.
📊 Structuring a Compliance Evaluation
To pass the specification, a fabric must meet all applicable requirements from the referenced tests. The standard notes that it does not purport to address all safety concerns, and it is the responsibility of the user to establish appropriate safety and health practices prior to use (Section 1.5). The definition of “coat” in Section 3.1.1 anchors all requirements to an outer garment that covers the main part of the body.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
🔍 What types of fabrics are covered by ASTM D3778-95?
It covers women’s and girls’ woven dry-cleanable dress coat outer fabrics composed of any textile fiber or mixture of fibers. It does not apply to linings, interlinings, rainwear, or water repellent garments (Section 1.1, 1.2).
💡 How is a “coat” defined in this specification?
The standard defines a coat as “an outer garment which covers at least the…” torso or main upper body, establishing the end-use application for the fabric (Section 3.1.1).
⚡ Which test method is used for evaluating colorfastness to dry cleaning?
Per