Testex

The analytical laboratory at Testex is ISO 17025 certified[2] and conducts a variety of analytical tests designed to detect pollutants, residues, and trace elements in textiles. Testing and auditing are also conducted in accordance with the guidelines specified by the Oeko-Tex Association. These include Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex, Step, Made in green, Eco passport, Allergy Standards[3] and the Leather standard.

Testex conducts physical and chemical tests on fibers, yarns/ strings, woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, nonwoven fabrics, and finished products. The services also include physiological tests on textile fabrics and ready-made textiles, flooring tests and the testing of personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with ISO 17065,[2][4] which involves various flaming tests.

Testex AG was founded as the Zurich Silk Conditioning Institute in 1846[5] to combat silk fraud, which was a common practice at the time.[6] As silk can contain a high percentage of water without seeming wet – which leads to fluctuation in weight – drying the material and determining its actual weight was necessary to set prices.[7]

On 1 July 1847, the Silk Conditioning Institute started its operations.[8][9] In addition to silk, the institute also started to determine the commercial weight for the Basel ribbon industry.[10][11]

In 1870, the institute started testing the quality of the silk as well as the weight.[8] During World War I, profits were low due to inflation of the European currencies and difficulties with regard to sales, trade and communication as well as war taxes.[12]

The recession of the 1920 affected the institute, however, after the post-war recession had been overcome, the second half of the decade was a period of prosperity.[13] In 1932, the Zurich Silk Conditioning Institute moved to Gotthardstrasse 61.[14][7]

Since the turn of the century, artificial silk was increasingly in competition with silk, making it necessary to develop new quality testing methods.[8] After the end of the Second World War, the Zurich Silk Conditioning Institute managed to remain profitable by including other yarns in their testing process.[15]

At the beginning of the 1960s, the Zurich Silk Conditioning Institute faced numerous restructuring processes. A new administrative board decided that the Zurich Silk Association (ZSIG) should have a textile testing institute, and a large package of shares was transferred to the ZSIG, which thus became the largest shareholder.[16] As the importance of silk was declining, the institute changed its name to Testex AG in 1970.[5][8]

At the start of the 1980s, Testex was operating at a loss, in spite of the modernisation measures. As a consequence there were personnel changes and the company shifted its focus towards textile testing outside of the silk industry, for example cotton.[17]

At the beginning of the 1990s, Testex also progressed into the field of testing for harmful substances.[18]

In 1993, Testex joined the Öko-Tex Association.[5][19] In addition, the business expanded into the Asian market, where the demand for Öko-Tex tests was high,[7] opening the first branch abroad in Hong Kong in 1995.[8]

From the mid-1990s, testing focused less on the textile itself, but rather on the conditions under which the textile was produced. The “Öko-Tex Standard 1000”, which was introduced in 1995, incorporated additional parameters into the assessment.[20]

1999 a branch was opened in Shanghai.[17]

In 2012, Testex took over ÖTI Wien, an Austrian textile testing institute.[17]

At the end of 2006, Testex AG had 66 employees,[7] whereas in 2021 the company had employed over 300 people in 30 locations worldwide.[21]