Strip Method (Fabrics)

Textile tensile testing is a critical process in ensuring that fabrics meet performance requirements for their intended applications. Whether used in clothing, industrial products, medical textiles or sports gear, fabrics must be evaluated for their strength, durability and mechanical properties before entering production or the market.

Among the range of tensile testing techniques, the strip method is widely recognised for its accuracy and repeatability. In this method, a rectangular strip of fabric is clamped in a testing machine and subjected to a uniaxial tensile force until it breaks. Key parameters such as breaking force and elongation are recorded. These results help manufacturers predict how fabrics will perform under real-world stresses and ensure compliance with recognised textile test standards.

Standards from ASTM International and ISO provide a consistent framework for the strip method, ensuring results are comparable across laboratories and product lines. This standardisation is essential for quality assurance, product development and regulatory compliance.

The strip method involves cutting a specimen to a precise width, typically 50 mm or 25 mm depending on the applicable standard, and mounting it in the grips of a tensile testing machine. The machine applies an increasing load at a constant rate of extension until the specimen fails. Breaking force and elongation at break are measured directly, providing an accurate indication of tensile strength and ductility.

This method is particularly suited to:

• Determining the breaking force of fabrics for quality control and product specification.
• Comparing tensile properties between different fabric types, coatings or treatments.
• Assessing the effects of environmental factors such as humidity, UV exposure or abrasion.

Mecmesin’s OmniTest and MultiTest-dV systems, operated via VectorPro software, are designed for this type of precise, repeatable measurement. Grip configurations can be adapted for coated, slippery or highly elastic fabrics to ensure consistent results.

The strip method offers a number of engineering advantages:

• Precise force measurement using standard specimen dimensions and a constant rate of extension, reducing variability between tests.
• Versatility across woven, knitted, coated and nonwoven fabrics, making it suitable for varied product ranges.
• Compliance with industry standards from ASTM and ISO, ensuring acceptance in both commercial and regulatory settings.
• Direct elongation measurement alongside breaking force, giving a clear picture of flexibility and durability.

The strip method is defined in several national and international standards, each tailored to specific fabric types and performance requirements:

• ASTM D751-06 – Specifies tensile testing procedures for coated fabrics, including strip method guidance that accounts for the influence of coatings on grip behaviour, elongation and failure mode.
• BS EN ISO 13934-1 – Specifies the strip method for woven fabrics, determining maximum force and elongation at maximum force using a constant rate of extension.

Both standards define specimen preparation, conditioning, test speeds and calculation methods to ensure accurate and reproducible results.

Tensile testing via the strip method reveals mechanical properties that determine how fabrics perform in use. High tensile strength often correlates with resistance to tearing, seam slippage and wear. For example, protective clothing fabrics may require a minimum breaking force of over 1000 N on a 50 mm strip to meet safety specifications.

Accurate results depend on:

• Precision equipment that maintains a constant rate of extension and records force with high resolution.
• Calibrated load cells suited to the expected force range.
• Consistent sample preparation to avoid damage influencing results.
• Environmental control where temperature and humidity are stabilised prior to testing.

Using systems like Mecmesin’s OmniTest with VectorPro ensures control over these parameters, enabling repeatable and traceable results.

The strip method is used wherever fabric integrity under load is critical:

• Sports textiles such as climbing harness webbing, rugby jerseys and sailcloths are tested to ensure they withstand repeated high stresses.
• Medical textiles including bandages, surgical meshes and bio-textiles must combine tensile strength with flexibility for patient safety and comfort.
• Industrial fabrics like conveyor belts, filtration media and geotextiles are evaluated for strength retention in abrasive, high-load or chemically aggressive environments.

For instance, climbing harness webbing may require breaking forces exceeding 20 kN to comply with safety standards, verified through strip method testing.

Mecmesin offers fully configurable tensile testing systems that comply with leading ASTM and ISO strip method standards. OmniTest and MultiTest-dV testers, combined with VectorPro software, allow engineers to set precise test parameters, select the right grips for their fabric type and generate detailed reports for analysis and compliance.

If you need to implement or improve strip method tensile testing in your quality control or R&D process, speak to one of our experts. We can recommend the right test system, configure it for your fabric range and help you achieve consistent, standards-compliant results.