"Production and Marketing of Standard Reference Materials: Facing the Problems

of International Standardisation"

Mark Yare Enterprises Limited

• The wholly owned commercial subsidiary of The Society of Dyers and Colourists.

• The Society have been manufacturing Std. Reference materials since 1930’s.

• All profits are returned to The Society• World leading manufacturers of Quality

Assurance testing consumables for ISO test methods.

• Sell direct to 76 + countries.

THE REQUIREMENT FOR COLOUR FASTNESS STANDARDS

• Functional guide to performance in use• Ensuring goods are fit-for-purpose• Risk reduction• Supply chain communication• Customer / consumer confidence• Remove barriers to trade• Reduce barriers to process improvements.

TEST METHODS

• Meaningful• Reliable• Reproducible• Not take too long• Capable of with standing court room scrutiny• Easy to understand/ communicate

REFERENCE MATERIALS THE REQUIREMENT FOR

INTERNATIONAL STANDARDISATION

• Conformity.• Continuity.• Certificated.• Traceability.• Industry standard. • Confidence.

PROBLEMS FACING STANDARDISATION

• Proliferation of methods• Interpretation of standard methods.• Promotion of non-standard products e.g. domestic

detergent used in retailer standards. • Promoting the benefits of testing.• Competing systems/ materials.• Discrimination of quality differences.• Consistent terminology

IMPACT OF PROBLEMS ON PRODUCTION

• Detergents, almost identical but with OBA• Tolerances un-commercial.• Specification often physical and not linked to

performance in use. E.g. adjacent fabrics and makeweights.

• How to let customers discriminate between qualities of materials.

• Batch tracking, elaborate systems.• High quality and low volume = expensive.• Retention and storage of master standards.

IMPACT OF PROBLEMS ON MARKETING

• Inconsistent referencing in standards e.g. ECE Ref 77 or ECE B

• Brand or generic commodity.• Counterfeit and passing off.• How can customers tell the difference in quality?• Re-use of packaging.• Value for money?• Contradiction of ISO with retailer standards –

detergents.• Explaining the benefits.

DETERING THE PASSING OFF OF INFERIOR PRODUCTS

RISK REDUCTION(THE COST OF GETTING IT WRONG)

EXAMPLE:One claim in 2003, by a major UK retailer against a supplier, for

inadequate/ incorrect testing of a single style of garment =

£2,000,000.

£2 Million = 150,000 wash fastness tests at an independent UK accredited laboratory.

The price of SDC Multifibre DW for a single wash test = circa. £0.12

REDUCING PRODUCTION COSTS

• Fastness testing used to ensure cost reduction programs do not damage quality.

• Potential for saving:

Dyestuff costsChemical costsTimeWaterEnergyEffluent costsProcess routes

EXAMPLES OF SAVINGS

• Reduction in Syntan of 25%

• 1 less wash-off, 3500ltr water, energy and 30 min time saving.

• Switch to cheaper dye classes = 18% saving.

• Recommended UV absorber 4%– By testing each shade average 1.5% required.

Way Forward

• (Single reference standard.Competition withdrawal!)• Agree International master standards for all reference

materials.• Retailers to use ISO/ input to make ISO suitable.• Return to representative testing rather than try to

replicate all environmental conditions (simplify).• Greater performance based specifications for reference

materials.• Educate customer on the benefits of standard reference

materials.• Introduce durable identification features.

… FOR YOUR INVESTMENT IN QUALITY

Added Value, not added cost.