Umbrella quality standards and testing

This article will provide you with a detailed international standards of the umbrella in the wind resistance, waterproof, durability and environmental protection, and introduce the corresponding test methods, to help you make informed decisions to buy or sell umbrellas.

 

I. Wind resistance

Wind resistance is the first indicator of whether an umbrella is "reliable". No one wants the umbrella bone to be easily blown over or broken in wind and rain.

1. International standards:

ISO 20638:2018 Umbrellas: it is an international standard that specifies in detail the test methods for wind resistance of umbrellas under different wind speeds. It usually observes the degree of deformation, reflexion, and damage of the umbrella bone by simulating a strong wind environment, and records the final wind speed at which the umbrella fails.

Japanese JIS S 4004 Umbrellas: The Japanese standard has clear provisions on the wind resistance performance of umbrellas, and usually requires that the umbrella bone should not be permanently deformed or damaged under a specific wind speed.

GB/T 23136-2008 Umbrellas: The Chinese national standard also puts forward requirements on the wind resistance performance of umbrellas. Usually wind tunnel test or wind testing machine is used for testing to assess the stability of umbrellas as well as the bending resistance of umbrella bones.

2. Testing methods:

Wind tunnel test: Place the umbrella in the wind tunnel, gradually increase the wind speed, and observe the force and deformation of the umbrella until the umbrella appears damaged or fails. Record its wind resistance level or maximum wind speed.

Manual flip test: Simulate the umbrella being blown over by the wind, observe the reflexion performance and recovery of the umbrella bone and surface. Even if the umbrella is blown over, high quality umbrella can be easily restored to its original shape.

Umbrella bone material strength test: test the strength and toughness of the umbrella bone material, such as fiberglass, aluminum alloy, steel through stretching, bending, etc., to ensure wind resistance from the source.

 

Ⅱ.Waterproof

Waterproof is the basic function of the umbrella, which determines whether it can effectively block rainwater.

1. International standards:

ISO 4920:2012 Textiles Spray test method: This standard is commonly used to test the water resistance of umbrella fabrics by spraying water on the surface of the fabric and observing the penetration of water droplets.

AATCC 22 Water resistance Spray Test: A standard of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Dyers, a common spray test method, whereby water droplets are rated according to their degree of wetting on the fabric.

GB/T 4744-2013 : This standard is used to test the ability of fabrics to resist water infiltration under a certain water pressure, and assess the water resistance of umbrellas more strictly.

3. Testing methods:

Spray Test: Fix the umbrella samples on the test frame, spray a quantitative amount of water with a standard spray nozzle in a specified time, and then observe whether the inside umbrella fabric appears to be wet, and grade the degree of wetting. The higher the grade, the better the water resistance.

Hydro Static Pressure Test: Fix the umbrella sample on the tester and apply gradually increasing water pressure to it until water droplets pass through the fabric. Record the water pressure value at this time, the higher the water pressure value, the stronger the waterproof performance.

Stitching waterproof treatment check: The stitching of high-quality umbrellas will be treated with glue or waterproof coating to prevent rainwater from penetrating through the needle holes. Visual inspection or small-scale water spray test can verify its effect.

 

Ⅲ.Durability

Durability covers the lifespan of the umbrella, the structural stability and the resistance of each component to wear and tear.

1. international standards:

ISO 105-B02: used to test the color fastness of umbrella fabrics to prevent fading of colors after prolonged use.

ISO 12947-2 : Used to test the abrasion resistance of umbrella fabrics and to assess their resistance to loss under repeated rubbing.

GB/T 23136-2008 Umbrellas: This standard has clear requirements for the opening and closing durability of umbrellas, and usually specifies that the umbrellas can still open and close normally after a long time.

GB/T 3923.1 : Used to test the tensile strength of umbrella fabrics and umbrella bone joints.

3. Testing methods:

Opening and closing test: Using automated equipment to simulate the repeated opening and closing umbrellas, reaching tens of thousands of cycles.

Component connection strength test: Tensile and torsion tests are conducted on key parts such as the umbrella bead, the umbrella bone connection, and the connection between the handle and the umbrella pole, to ensure that they are not easy to fall off or be damaged.

Color fastness test: Expose the umbrella samples to simulated sunlight, or conduct washing and rubbing tests to observe the color retention.

Abrasion test: Through the Martin-dale abrasion meter and other equipment, the umbrella fabric is repeatedly rubbed to observe the degree of abrasion and pilling.

Anti-aging test: Place the umbrella in a simulated high temperature, high humidity, ultraviolet rays and other harsh environments to assess the anti-aging properties of its materials.

 

Ⅳ.Environmental protection

As awareness of environmental protection rises, the environmental protection of umbrellas is also getting more and more attention.

1. International standards:

REACH regulation (EU): for the registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemicals, to ensure that the products do not contain hazardous substances, such as azo dyes, heavy metals and so on.

RoHS Directive (EU): restricts the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, which is required for smart umbrellas containing electronic components, although the umbrellas themselves do not exactly fall into this category.

OEKO-TEX® Standard 100: This is a globally applicable, independent testing and certification system for textiles and related products that ensures that the products are free of hazardous substances and are not harmful to health.

GB/T 18401: It stipulates the requirements for the limits of azo dyes, formaldehyde, carcinogenic aromatic amine dyes and other hazardous substances that are banned or restricted in textile products.

GB 3095 Ambient Air Quality Standards: Although not directly targeting the products, the waste gas emissions during the production process, etc. need to comply with the relevant environmental requirements.

3. Testing Methods:

Harmful Substances Testing: Commission a third-party laboratory to chemically analyze the umbrella surface, handle, coating and other materials to test whether they contain harmful substances restricted by REACH, RoHS, OEKO-TEX® and other standards, such as: Azo dyes testing: Ensure that banned azo dyes are not used in the dyeing process. Phthalates testing: Especially for plastic handles or coatings. Heavy metals: Checks for harmful heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury. Formaldehyde testing: To ensure that the formaldehyde emissions from umbrella fabrics comply with standards.

Recyclability and degradability assessment: Assessing the recycling potential of umbrella materials or their ability to degrade naturally at the end of their life cycle, which is becoming a trend, although there are currently fewer mandatory standards in this area.

Environmental management of the production process: Find out whether the supplier's production facilities comply with environmental regulations, such as wastewater treatment, exhaust gas emissions, solid waste disposal, etc.

 

It is crucial to choose umbrella products that meet quality standards. This not only reduces returns and customer complaints, but also establishes the professionalism and reliability of brand. When purchasing, you can require suppliers to provide relevant test reports: especially for key indicators such as wind resistance, water resistance and harmful substances. Know about the supplier's quality control system: Examine whether the production process and quality control links are sound. Select factories with international certifications.

If you have doubts about the report provided by the supplier, or want to further confirm the product quality, you can commission a well-known third-party testing authorities such as SGS, Intertek, BV, etc. to conduct sampling tests.

Huizhou HeSanjiang Umbrella Industry Co., Ltd. has in-depth understanding and strict control of umbrella quality standards, we will provide you with truly reassuring and durable products that will stand out in the competitive marketplace.