Separate the causes
The report shows two different grades
Check method edition, specimen face and direction, sample identity and separate dry/wet results. Ask the laboratory to clarify missing conditions. Do not average the grades, rename a failed requirement or transfer approval from another shade.
The cloth carries coloured fluff
Ask the laboratory to distinguish loose surface fibres from staining in its observations and retain the cloth. Do not remove fibres, brush the specimen or alter preparation outside the agreed method to obtain a better grade. A photograph alone cannot identify the transfer mechanism.
A pale lining or trim is added
Make an additional compatibility trial with the real contacting materials and intended care route. This supports garment selection but does not replace the specified rubbing test. A dark lining may hide a mark without resolving the material requirement.
Steps before deciding
- Record article, composition declaration, shade, lot, finish revision, specimen location and laboratory report ID; retain an untreated comparison cutting.
- Write the separate dry and wet acceptance requirements before reviewing a retest. Confirm the agreed method and the laboratory's specimen preparation and evaluation.
- Map contact zones: lining at armholes, pale facings, bags or other garment surfaces. State which combinations need a supplementary trial, without turning it into a standard test claim.
- If a finish or dye-route change is proposed, approve a limited trial first. Recheck rubbing, shade, hand and dimensions on the revised identified material; keep earlier results traceable.
- Release only the specified colour/lot and revision after the authorized buyer records compliance or a written, limited concession. Do not extend it automatically to every colour or repeat order.
Worked example
Hypothetical case: a navy coating meets its dry-rub requirement but misses the separately agreed wet requirement. Buying retains the report and test cloths, pauses that lot and requests an identified revised trial. A darker lining is considered as a design choice, not recorded as a passing wet test. Release remains open until the technical requirement or an authorized concession is resolved.
Buyer questions
Can I approve because the coat is dry-clean only?
Not on that statement alone. The care label does not replace the purchase specification or the contact risks agreed for the garment. Resolve the wet-rub requirement explicitly with the buyer.
Should I request a universal minimum grade?
No. Agree the method, separate requirements and intended application with the buyer and laboratory. This guide supplies no universal pass value or guarantee of stain-free use.
Discuss the evidence with Fred Textile
Email Fred Textile with the dry and wet report pages, shade/lot identity, retained-cloth photographs, actual lining or trim and the decision deadline. Request a material-specific review or trial plan; do not send only a request for 'better colourfastness'.
Reference and limits
ISO's public catalogue distinguishes dry and wet rubbing tests; it is not the complete licensed procedure. The investigation record below is editorial guidance, not a Fred Textile test result or a universal passing grade.
ISO 105-X12: colour fastness to rubbing ↗