ISO 105-B04, Test Protocol for Outdoor Testing of Textiles, Receives Significant Revision

For the first time in over 30 years, the test standard ISO 105-B04 Textiles — Tests for colour fastness Part B04: Colour fastness to artificial weathering: Xenon arc fading lamp test has been updated. This revision clarifies the intent of the standard - outdoor testing of durable textiles - and as a result significantly changes Q-Lab's recommendations to customers performing this test on their Q-SUN Xe-2 and Xe-3 test chambers. 

ISO 105-B04 is a standard practice designed to replicate outdoor lightfastness testing of textiles like wet laundry, flags, umbrellas, sun covers, outdoor foot mats, and others. Unlike most textile tests, this test utilizes water spray on textiles, in order to simulate rain. Since the standard's inception, unclear language specifying the light spectrum has led manufacturers to recommend Window glass filters, despite this test being intended for outdoor exposures.

As of the 2024 revised edition, ISO 105-B04 now explicitly requires Daylight optical filters to be used for this test. Any type of Daylight filter is allowed, though Q-Lab recommends a Type I filter like Daylight-Q or Daylight-F for the best match to outdoor sunlight.

Q-Lab will, of course, continue to provide Window glass optical filters and lanterns for Q-SUN Xe-2 and Xe-3 users who have already been using these filters for ISO 105-B04 and who want to continue testing as they have been. New users of the standard are strongly urged to follow the standard's requirement to use Daylight filters.

For additional information on this update and guidance on performing this test, please reach out to our team.