Information on the most widely used ASTM standards within the materials testing industry
ISO 13934-1: Textiles - Tensile properties of fabrics - Part 1: Determination of maximum force and elongation at maximum force using the strip method
ISO 13934-1 provides a testing procedure for determining the tensile properties of fabrics. It specifies a strip method for measuring the tensile strength (maximum force) and elongation at break of textile fabrics. It is widely used to evaluate the mechanical performance of woven, knitted, and nonwoven fabrics.
Applies to woven textile fabrics, but can also be applicable to fabrics produced using other techniques. it is not normally applied to woven elastic fabrics, geotextiles, nonwoven fabrics, coated fabrics, textile-glass woven fabrics, fabrics made from carbon fibers, or polyolefin tape yarns. This standard uses a strip method of testing to measure maximum force as well as elongation at maximum force. If required, it also records the force at rupture and elongation. Two sets of specimens are prepared, one in the warp direction and one in the weft direction.

ISO 13934-1 method specifies a procedure to determine the maximum force and the elongation at maximum force of textile fabrics using a strip method. Two sets of specimens are prepared, one in the warp direction and one in the weft direction. For this test, it is important to have an increased test data rate to ensure the capture of a high number of data points. This is because when individual fibers within the fabric fail, the data rate must be fast enough to catch these peaks.
![]() | ![]() |
Pneumatic side action grips with rubber coated jaw faces are well suited for clamping of the fabric strips. While manual action grips will work, many prefer pneumatic side action grips for ease of use, productivity, and better repeatability. Adjustable grip pressure also allows users to fine-tune the gripping pressure to avoid jaw breaks or slippage.
Fabric Tensile Strength Test | Strip Strength Test | Grab strength test | Tearing strength test | Elmendorf Tear Test | Bursting strength

The strip test is a tensile test in which the full width of the test specimen is gripped in the tensile grip jaws of a universal testing machine. During this test, tensile force is applied on the fabric specimen until it ruptures. Mechanical properties to analyze include the force at rupture and the elongation (expressed as percentage) at maximum force and/or at rupture.
ISO 13934-1 Specific Test Method:
The "strip method" involves clamping the entire width of a rectangular fabric specimen in the testing machine’s grips, then stretching it at a constant rate until rupture. Unlike the "grab method" (ISO 13934-2), which clamps only a portion of the specimen width, the strip method ensures uniform stress distribution across the full width, making it suitable for fabrics where edge effects (e.g., selvedge distortion) must be minimized.
The test records:
Maximum force (Fₘₐₓ): The highest load sustained by the specimen before rupture.
Elongation at maximum force (εₘₐₓ): The percentage increase in gauge length (distance between grips) at Fₘₐₓ, calculated as:

Test Equipment/Fixture Used:
| Tensile testing machine | A constant-rate-of-extension (CRE) type; Speed capable of constant rates extension of 20 mm/min and 100 mm/min; Can set the gauge 100mm and 200mm. |
| Tensile fixtures with jaws | Pneumatic or mechanical flat grips (deflection grips if slippage occurs). Full-width gripping is critical. The Width of jaws at least 60mm.
|
| Extension measuring device | Gauge length Typically 200 mm (±1 mm) for fabrics with ≤75% elongation; 100 mm for >75% elongation. |
ISO 13934-1 Test Specimen Information:
| Specimen Dimensions | Width: 50 ± 0.5 mm (full width gripped). Length: ≥200 mm (≥100 mm if elongation >75%). Marking: Two reference lines marked at the specified gauge length (200/100 mm) for elongation measurement. |
| Sampling & Preparation | Direction: Test in both warp (machine) and weft (cross-machine) directions; minimum 5 specimens per direction. Conditioning: Condition specimens in standard atmosphere (20 ± 2 °C, 65 ± 4% RH) for ≥24 hours before testing. Wet testing: Immerse specimens in water (20 ± 2 °C) for ≥1 hour; blot excess water and test immediately. Requirements: No creases, folds, selvedges, or non-representative areas. |
Test Procedures of ISO 13934-1 Fabric Tensile Test:
Specimen Preparation: Cut strips (50 mm wide × ≥200 mm long) along warp and weft directions. Label each specimen with orientation.
Conditioning: Place specimens in the standard atmosphere (ISO 139) for ≥4 hours.
Machine Setup: Set the tensile tester to a constant speed of (100 ± 10) mm/min (gauge length-dependent; if gauge length = 200 mm, speed ≈ 100 mm/min). Calibrate force and elongation measurements.
Mounting: Clamp the specimen in the grips, ensuring the initial gauge length (L0) is 200 mm (or as specified) and the strip is aligned with the pull direction. Avoid wrinkling or twisting.
Testing: Start the machine; it will stretch the specimen until rupture. Record the maximum force (Fₘₐₓ) and corresponding elongation (Lₘₐₓ).
Data Analysis: Calculate average Fₘₐₓ and εₘₐₓ for each direction. Report results as mean values with standard deviation.
Related Standard:
| ISO 13934-2 | Grab method for determining maximum force of fabrics (alternative tensile test; results not comparable to strip method) |
| ASTM D5035 | Standard Test Method for Breaking Force and Elongation of Textile Fabrics (Strip Method) ; ASTM equivalent strip method for fabric tensile strength. |
| EN 29073-3 | Textiles - Test Methods for Nonwovens - Part 3: Determination of Tensile Strength and Elongation |
| ISO 13935-1/-2 | Seam tensile properties (strip/grab methods for seam rupture force); |
Related products and device
Related Standard
ASTM D5035 : Standard Test Method for Breaking Force and Elongation of Textile Fabrics (Strip Method)
ASTM D5035 covers raveled strip and cut strip test procedures for determining the breaking force and elongation of most textile fabrics. Provision is made for wet testing.
The raveled strip test is applicable to woven fabrics while the cut strip test is applicable to nonwoven fabrics, felted fabrics, and dipped or coated fabrics. This test method is not recommended for knitted fabrics or for other textile fabrics which have high stretch (more than 11 %).
ISO 13934-2 Tensile properties of fabrics (grab method)
ISO 13934-2 specifies a procedure for the determination of the maximum force of textile fabrics known as the grab test. The method is mainly applicable to woven textile fabrics including fabrics which exhibit stretch characteristics imparted by the presence of an elastomeric fibre and mechanical or chemical treatment. It can be applicable to fabrics produced by other techniques.
It is not normally applicable to geotextiles, nonwovens, coated fabrics, textile-glass woven fabrics, and fabrics made from carbon fibres or polyolefin tape yarns. The method specifies the determination of the maximum force of test specimens in equilibrium with the standard atmosphere for testing and of test specimens in the wet state. The method is restricted to the use of constant-rate-of-extension (CRE) testing machines.
ASTM D1424 Standard Test Method for Tear Strength of Fabrics by Falling-Pendulum (Elmendorf) Apparatus
ASTM D1424 specifies the procedure for determining the force required to propagate a single tear through a fabric using the Elmendorf (falling-pendulum) tester. The test method is a single-tear (tongue) test. A rectangular specimen is slit partway along its length to create two tongues. The tear propagates from the slit across the width of the specimen.
ISO 13938-1:2019 Textiles — Bursting properties of fabrics — Part 1: Hydraulic method for determination of bursting strength and bursting distension
The method is applicable to knitted, woven, nonwoven and laminated fabrics. It can be suitable for fabrics produced by other techniques. The test is suitable for test specimens in the conditioned or wet state.
From the available data, there appears to be no significant difference in the bursting strength results achieved using hydraulic or pneumatic burst testers, for pressures up to 800 kPa. This pressure range covers the majority of performance levels expected of general apparel. For speciality textiles requiring high bursting pressures, the hydraulic apparatus is more suitable.
ISO 15630-2 Shear test machine and fixture for Welded steel fabric and lattice girders Steel are determined in tensile tests, flexure, node shear tests, high cycle fatigue tests.
Node shear test The welded joints (nodes) of reinforcing welded fabric and lattice girders are tested for shearing. This involves removing specimens from welded fabrics and lattice girders and placing them in special close-fitting specimen grips. Specimen grips used for this type of test must be accurately matched to the diameter and position of the ribbed wires, so that they do not influence the shearing forces.
FAQs about ISO 13934-1 Strip Method for Textile Tensile Test
Q1. Why is ISO 13934-1 important for textile materials?
Answer: Tensile properties (strength and elongation) are critical for fabric performance:
Durability: Ensures fabrics resist tearing/deformation during use (e.g., clothing stretching, industrial loads).
Safety: Critical for safety-critical textiles (seatbelts, fire hoses, protective gear).
Processability: Guides cutting, sewing, and dyeing (fabrics with appropriate elongation avoid damage).
Quality Control: Verifies raw material consistency, production quality, and compliance with standards/clients.
Q2. How does ISO 13934-1 differ from ISO 13934-2 (Grab Method)?
Answer:
ISO 13934-1 (Strip Method): Clamps the entire width of the specimen (50 mm). Ensures uniform stress distribution, minimizing edge effects (e.g., selvedge distortion). Ideal for evaluating overall fabric strength.
ISO 13934-2 (Grab Method): Clamps only a portion of the specimen width (25 mm). Used for fabrics with high variability (e.g., stretchy knits) where edge effects are less critical.
Q3. What if the specimen slips in the grips during testing?
Answer: Slippage invalidates results. Mitigate by:
Using grips with non-slip liners (rubber/serrated).
Ensuring proper alignment (specimen centered, no twisting).
Avoiding over-tightening (which may damage fibers) or under-tightening (slippage).
Q4: What is the standard test speed?
Answer: 50 mm/min for most fabrics; 100 mm/min may be used for high‑elongation materials.
Require More Customized Solutions?