ISO 105-A02

A gray scale is used for visually evaluating the colorfastness of textiles. There are two types of gray scales. one for assessing color change and another for assessing staining. The Gray Scale is an essential tool for textile product developers and manufacturers, as it helps determine the suitability of fabrics for specific applications based on their colorfastness. The ISO Gray Scale for Color Change consists of nine pairs of colored chips, 5, 4-5, 4, 3-4, 3, 2-3, 2, 1- 2, and 1, which illustrate how much a fabric’s color changes due to external factors like washing and exposure to light as described in ISO 105-A02. The result of a colorfastness test is evaluated by visually comparing the difference in color between the original (un-tested) and the tested specimens with the differences represented by the gray scale number grading. The color change grade is equal to that of the gray scale pair that is judged to have the same color difference. Results are reported as a gray scale for color change grade of 5 to I, with 5 representing no color change and 1 representing the most color change. This tool helps manufacturers determine whether a fabric will maintain its color over time under various conditions.