Standard Quality: The First ISO International Standard In Textile Field Issued By Donghua University

Recently, the international standard led by Donghua University, Testing Methods for Textile Flax Fiber Components (ISO 5773:2013), was officially released and implemented on the official website of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). This standard is the first ISO international standard led by China in the field of natural cellulose fibers in the past decade. It is led by Li Weidong, a professor level senior engineer of the School of Textiles of Donghua University, and the executive deputy director of the Textile Testing Center of Donghua University, which helps to enhance China's voice in the field of textile international standard setting.

Flax fiber is the oldest textile fiber in the world. China is the largest country in the world in the import and processing of flax fiber. Every year, it imports 160000 to 200000 tons of flax raw materials, accounting for about two-thirds of the world's flax fiber raw materials. At the same time of high-quality development of flax fiber industry at present, the non-uniform testing standards for flax fiber at home and abroad have seriously affected the quality control of flax fiber in the production link and international trade, which has become a "choke" problem restricting the development of flax industry.

The ISO international standard Testing Methods for Textile Flax Fiber Components officially released this time is a method standard independently developed by China. The standard stipulates the quantitative analysis methods for chemical components of flax fiber, such as cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, pectin, lipowax, etc, It provides an effective detection method for the quality control of hemp fiber in all production links of spinning. This standard fills in the gap of relevant testing methods and standards at home and abroad at present, provides an internationally unified standard for testing the composition content of flax fiber, provides an important evaluation means and basis for its raw material analysis and textile processing quality control, and is of great significance for regulating the trade of flax fiber in the international market and guiding the raw material procurement, production and processing of enterprises.

ISO 5773:2013 international standard formulation was first proposed in 2019, led by Li Weidong, School of Textiles, Donghua University. The working group includes 44 experts from 14 countries around the world, involving flax fiber production and processing enterprises, distributors, R&D and production units, research institutes and other units. The project lasted for four years, investigated more than 200 flax fiber related enterprises around the world, and after hundreds of scientific experiments, organized three international meetings of ISO working group and several rounds of strict technical reviews organized by ISO Technical Committee. The draft standard was recognized by experts from all countries, and was finally voted by the International Standardization Committee at the end of April this year.

It is reported that the international standards in the textile field led by China this time will help improve the international standard system in the textile field, strengthen China's leading power in the formulation of international standards in the textile field, and expand China's influence in international standardization organizations.