Licensed fl eece test service

LICENSED FLEECE TEST SERVICE

Nestled between the North Wales coast and Mount Snowdon is the UK’s only accredited fibre testing laboratory. Wool Testing Authority Europe (WTAE) holds an International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) licence as managing director Dr Courtney Pye explains.

The wool testing industry is built on many decades of research

and development, with the IWTO test methods a result of this dedication. The alpaca industry does not have a regulated testing industry and consequently there is no regulation of laboratories. However, IWTO test methods offer a good alternative.

WTAE offers a fleece testing service using these test methods, supported by its accreditations and testing licence. The fleece testing service has recently been completely revised, including pricing, and the tests available include fibre diameter (FD), standard deviation, coefficient of variation, staple length, vegetable matter content and washing yield.

A test result is only as good as the test method used to produce it and we are proud of the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS) accreditation we hold to the international standard ISO 17025 and our status as an IWTO licenced laboratory. ISO 17025 is regarded as the gold standard for technical competence and WTAE ’s compliance forms the bedrock of the business. When a laboratory has this accreditation you can be assured of its technical ability and integrity of test results regardless of what they test, and we invest significant resources into maintaining these licences and accreditations.

Standardised testing

As we are authorised to test using IWTO test methods, WTAE uses standardised processes which are the norm throughout the fibre testing industry and this is key. The idea is that we can test a sample here in Caernarfon for FD, then send the same sample to another IWTO laboratory anywhere in the world, and they will obtain the same result. This is because we are all testing to the same standards which is the foundation of the IWTO licence and UKAS accreditation.

WTAE are also members of a round trial group known internationally as the ILRT. This consists of five laboratories, including WTAE. Each week, all participating laboratories run two trials, testing samples from the same common batch. Periodically we receive reports showing how we perform against one another. This gives added assurance to our clientele that WTAE is the UK’s leading laboratory for animal fibres and that our testing is harmonised with other laboratories worldwide.

One of the laboratory’s many strengths is its impressive conditioning laboratory which is the only IWTO approved conditioning laboratory in the Northern Hemisphere. Natural fibres are extremely hygroscopic and will gain moisture readily. This is one of the many wonderful qualities of natural fibres, but it can cause problems when testing for FD.

All FD determination takes place under standardised conditions as stipulated in the test methods, namely 20°C and 65% relative humidity (RH). All licenced laboratories will be measuring FD under these conditions, so whether it is a cold damp day in North Wales or a blistering hot dry day in Western Australia, the atmospheric conditions within the area where the samples are tested will be constant, as will the result.

WTAE is now working to build relationships with the alpaca industry and to give more breeders access to its accredited fibre testing facility. It undertakes fibre testing every day to approved and regulated methods which the alpaca industry can make valuable use of. We have much to offer the industry and have everything in place to provide an impartial, accurate and reliable fleece testing service.

We are always interested in feedback from the industry and are currently running a survey to assess the industry’s testing needs. The link for the survey is: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/LGM5933. Please complete this survey, your responses are very helpful for us. Also, visit our website: www.wtaeurope.com for more information on our services. We are considering our options for expanding our testing repertoire in the future and we will keep you posted on this.