Laundering and Care Requirements in Standards
topic
EN 469 and NFPA 1971 require performance testing after multiple laundering cycles, typically 5 to 25 cycles, to verify that critical properties including thermal protection, moisture barrier integrity, retroreflective trim performance, and dimensional stability are maintained at specification levels through representative laundering exposure, with care labelling requirements specifying the approved laundering procedures that maintain clothing performance and void protection from improper care that degrades performance.
Role
Verifies that firefighting clothing maintains its protective performance through the laundering required for hygiene management and decontamination, with performance retention after laundering being the critical durability requirement for clothing whose safety function must be sustained throughout its service life, and care label compliance being essential for fire services to ensure that laundering procedures maintain rather than degrade the performance that initial certification verified.