Ensure vital protection against pathogens. This feature validates a textile’s ability to resist blood penetration, maintaining safety in healthcare environments.
The Critical Role of Fluid Barriers
For healthcare professionals, first responders, and laboratory technicians, clothing is more than just a uniform—it is a critical barrier against biological hazards. Blood resistance ensures that textiles can prevent the penetration of blood and other body fluids, which may carry life-threatening blood-borne pathogens like Hepatitis or HIV. High-performance resistance is achieved through dense fiber structures, specialized membranes, or advanced chemical finishes that prevent liquid strike-through even under physical pressure.
Precision Testing and Global Standards
To verify that a textile provides reliable biological protection, materials undergo specialized laboratory testing using synthetic blood. Key international standards include ASTM F1670 and ISO 16603. In these tests, fabric samples are subjected to synthetic blood under varying levels of hydrostatic pressure. For higher safety classifications, fabrics may also undergo ASTM F1671 testing, which specifically measures resistance to viral penetration, ensuring that even microscopic organisms cannot pass through the material.
Validation through the High Performance Mark
By meeting selected technical benchmarks, your textile and apparel products become eligible for the Intertek High Performance (HP) Mark’s Blood-Resistant. This mark serves as a ‘proof of performance’ by validating that your product meets the HP Mark standards. You can display the mark on product tags, brochures, packaging, websites, and in both online and offline stores across multiple channels, confidently signal to consumers that the performance claims of your products are verified.
