An Explanation of Test Methods for Textile Snagging
Textile snagging refers to a surface defect caused when yarns or fibers within the fabric are caught by a sharp object. It typically manifests as protrusions—such as loops of yarn or fiber, fiber bundles, or fuzz—where fibers or yarns are pulled out from the fabric surface, or as “tight yarn” segments (tight streaks) where yarns or fibers are pulled taut; snagging usually presents as one or a combination of these phenomena.
Currently, there are three national standard methods for testing snagging resistance: “Textiles—Determination of fabric propensity to surface fuzzing and to pilling—Mace snag test method” (GB/T 11047—2008) (referred to as the Mace method); “Textiles—Determination of fabric propensity to snagging—Part 2: Rotating chamber method” (GB/T 11047.2—2022) (referred to as the Rotating Chamber method); and “Textiles—Determination of fabric propensity to snagging—Part 3: Card-clothing roller method” (GB/T 11047.3—2024) (referred to as the Card-clothing Roller method).
International standards for testing snagging resistance primarily include ASTM D3939/D3939M-13(2017) (Mace method), JIS L 1058:2021 7.1 (Mace method), JIS L 1058:2021 7.2 (Card-clothing Roller method), and BS 8479:2008 (Rotating Chamber method).
All three national standard test methods are applicable to knitted and woven fabrics; notably, the Mace method is particularly suitable for fabrics made from chemical filament yarns and their textured variants. None of the three methods are suitable for mesh-structured fabrics or nonwovens; additionally, the Mace method is unsuitable for pile fabrics, while the Rotating Chamber and Card-clothing Roller methods are unsuitable only for tufted fabrics.
Comparison of Testing Principles
| Test Method | Test Principle |
| Hammer Method | A tubular specimen is fitted onto a rotating drum surfaced with felt. A spiked hammer is placed on the specimen surface using a chain. As the drum rotates the specimen at a constant speed, the hammer randomly tumbles, bounces, and snags the specimen surface, causing snagging. |
| Box Method | A tubular specimen is secured using locking rings onto a polyurethane tube surfaced with felt, then placed inside a regular octahedral snagging box containing four rows of evenly spaced pins. The box rotates at a constant speed, causing the specimen to tumble and roll randomly while snagging against the pins, resulting in surface snagging. |
| Card-Clothing Roller Method | After sewing the specimen (with an internal spacer), one end is fixed to a rotating drum while the other remains free. As the drum rotates at a constant speed, the specimen periodically contacts snagging pins and drives a card-clothing roller that offers rotational resistance, causing snagging on the specimen surface. |
Comparison of Equipment/Materials
| Test Method | Equipment | Key Materials |
| Mace Snag Test | Mace snag tester | Chain; mace (32 mm diameter sphere with 11 tungsten carbide pins); drum covered with 3 mm thick rubber; felt (3–3.2 mm thick, 165 mm wide). |
| Random Tumble Snag Test | Random tumble snag tester | Pinned plate (20 metal snagging pins per row); polyurethane sample tube; felt dimensions (70 ± 0.5) mm × (110 ± 0.5) mm; polyurethane adhesive; locking ring. |
| Carding Roller Snag Test | Carding roller snag tester | Snagging pins (material: Mn60 A as specified in GB/T 699—2015 “Quality Carbon Structural Steels”); silicone rubber spacer (dimensions: length 120 ± 1 mm, width 90 ± 1 mm, thickness 1.1 ± 0.2 mm). |
Comparison of Test Steps/Test Parameters
| Test Method | Test Procedure | Test Parameters |
| Nail-hammer method | Mount the specimen flat onto the instrument’s rotating drum, ensuring the warp and weft directions are distributed randomly across different drums. Secure both ends of the specimen with two rubber rings. Place the nail-hammer on the specimen surface, guided by the guide rod. Start the instrument to allow the nail-hammer to tumble and bounce randomly on the specimen surface. Upon completion, remove the nail-hammer and the specimen. | Drum rotation count: 600 revolutions (alternative counts may be selected for special specimens as needed). |
| Tumbling box method | After using a vacuum cleaner to remove excess fibers and debris from the test chambers, place four specimen-loaded tubes into each chamber. Close the chambers and start the instrument to rotate them at a constant speed. Upon completion, remove the specimen-loaded tubes, take off the locking rings, and remove the specimens from the tubes. Chamber rotation speed: (60 ± 2) rpm; Chamber rotation count: 2000 revolutions (alternative counts may be selected for special specimens as needed). | |
| Card-clothing drum method | Apply a load to the card-clothing drum to adjust rotational resistance, then clamp the specimen onto the rotating drum so that the free end extends outward. Start the instrument to bring the specimen into periodic contact with the card-clothing. Stop after the specified number of rotations, remove the specimen for testing, and then test the other side. Once both sides have been tested, remove the specimen and take out the sewing thread. Load applied to card-clothing drum: 150 g; Rotating drum speed: (45 ± 1) rpm; Rotating drum rotation count: 5 revolutions (alternative loads and rotation counts may be selected for special specimens as needed). |
Comparison of Result Ratings
| Test Method | Snagging Resistance Evaluation |
| Mace Method | ≥ Grade 4: Good snagging resistance; ≥ Grade 3–4: Snagging resistance present; ≤ Grade 3: Poor snagging resistance |
| Tumble Box Method | ≥ Grade 4: Good snagging resistance; ≥ Grade 3: Snagging resistance present; ≤ Grade 2–3: Poor snagging resistance |
| Card-Clothing Drum Method | ≥ Grade 4: Good snagging resistance; ≥ Grade 3: Snagging resistance present; ≤ Grade 2–3: Poor snagging resistance |
In the evaluation of snagging resistance, all three methods characterize a rating higher than Grade 4 as indicating good resistance; however, at ratings below Grade 4, the Rotating Box method and the Needle-covered Roller method yield identical results, differing from those of the Mace method.
The national standard GB/T 21295-2024, *Technical Requirements for Physical and Chemical Properties of Apparel*, stipulates that finished garments requiring snagging resistance must achieve a rating of Grade 3–4 or higher. The textile industry standard FZ/T 70018-2023, *Requirements for Physical and Chemical Properties of Knitted Apparel*, mandates a minimum snagging resistance rating of Grade 3.
Snagging in textiles during daily use is essentially irreversible; therefore, contact with sharp objects must be avoided. Manufacturers can include advisory notes on product labels for fabrics prone to snagging, reminding consumers to avoid contact with sharp objects during wear, washing, and maintenance, thereby reducing the risk of snagging.
