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��ɫֱ��is an international standards organization, following the  defined by the World Trade Organization (WTO). The first of these principles is Transparency—keeping members and the industry informed of standards-related projects. The second is Openness—interested parties are welcome to participate in all aspects of the standard development process.

��ɫֱ��research committees meet at least twice per year to develop and update textile standards, plan educational events, and share information. The meetings are free, open to all, and held in a hybrid format to allow both in-person and remote participation. For those who cannot attend, ��ɫֱ��publishes a status report on all open projects. The latest report is now available for view or download at www.aatcc.org/standards//transparencyf23/updates. A few projects are also highlighted here. To get involved, register for the upcoming series of meetings at .

��ɫֱ��Fall Research Committee Meetings
November 7-9
Research Triangle Park & virtual (Teams)

Hand, Haptics, Touch & Tactile

The way a fabric feels is critical to many end uses. ��ɫֱ��committee RA89 Hand Evaluation helps translate a subjective feeling to a quantifiable test result for valid comparisons and decision making. The committee has several current projects including terminology, modifying a procedure to incorporate a wet condition and instrumental evaluation, and development of a new test method. Members of the committee are also planning a Digital Lab exploring haptics and hand.

Save the dates!
November 8: RA89 Committee Meeting
December 13-14: Haptics Digital Lab

Water Repellency for Today’s Fabrics

��ɫֱ��committee RA63 Water Resistance oversees a range of standards for evaluation water repellence and resistance of textiles. One of its iconic methods is the ��ɫֱ��TM22 Spray Test. Simple, quick, and inexpensive, the test has been used to evaluate repellency for more than 80 years. But there is always room for improvement! The committee is considering options to more clearly define a “tap” and provide alternate evaluation metrics. Proposals also include suggestions for differentiating highly-repellent fabrics based on research at a member lab.

Other Projects

Research committees address everything from color to conductance. There are even committees devoted to emerging issues and correlating lab results to end use performance. Visit the ��ɫֱ��website to see what’s in process and attend the upcoming meeting to suggest new projects.

Take the Lead!

��ɫֱ��research committees are a great place to learn AND to share your expertise. Consider volunteering to lead a task group, chair a committee, or take notes as secretary. All provide great leadership experience for you and ensure standards work continues to benefit the whole industry and the consumers who use textile products. To volunteer or learn more about the available roles, contact ��ɫֱ��Technical Director Erika Simmons at simmonse@aatcc.org.