Pongs Group GmbH & Co KG discovered holes in a cotton fabric after dyeing. PONGS commissioned the accredited testing laboratory of TITV Greiz to conduct an independent failure analysis. Textile physical, microscopic, and chemical examinations provided clear evidence of the cause of the defect, enabling the quality assurance processes to be optimized subsequently.
Company: Pongs Group GmbH & Co KG in Mühltroff
Number of employees: approximately 250
Headquarters: Düsseldorf
Industry: Manufacturer of technical textiles
Initial Situation: Holes in Cotton Fabric
Pongs Group GmbH & Co KG is a leading manufacturer of textiles for interior design, visual merchandising, trade show construction, stage design, theater, and digital printing. Since 1992, PONGS’s entire textile production—including warping, knitting, weaving, and finishing—has been located in Mühltroff, Saxony. Production takes place in Germany under constant quality control.
Holes formed in a cotton fabric dyed by a service provider. During the investigation, the dyeing facility cited an alleged lack of strength in the raw material—which would undermine PONGS’s high quality standards. To conduct an objective investigation and damage analysis, Pongs Group GmbH & Co KG therefore turned to the accredited testing laboratory at TITV Greiz.
Approach: Analysis of the damage using textile physical, microscopic, and chemical-analytical tests
The experts at the accredited testing laboratory of TITV Greiz tested the raw fabric and the dyed fabric for strength, specifically the maximum tensile force, in accordance with DIN EN ISO 13934-1. The test revealed nearly identical strength between the raw fabric and the dyed fabric.
As the damage analysis continued, the testers observed a noticeable color change at the edge of the existing hole in the dyed fabric. They then examined this using the so-called mushroom-head reaction to check for chemical damage to the cotton and compared the fabric at the hole with an undamaged area.
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| Figure 1: The cotton at the hole showed no signs of fungal growth, which can cause the fibers to swell in width. This indicates that chemical damage was present. |
Figure 2: The cotton in the undamaged fabric exhibited fungal growth. This indicates that there was no chemical damage. |
The hole was also tested for iron residues, as iron acts as a catalyst during the bleaching of cotton and can therefore cause bleaching damage. The blue color of the solution indicated the presence of iron.
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| Figure 3: The blue dye test showed a positive result for iron |
Result: Identifying the cause of the defect enables optimization of the dyeing processes
The investigations by the accredited testing laboratory showed that the cotton at the hole was severely chemically damaged. This fabric damage and the resulting hole formation were caused by iron-containing substances. Thus, the cause of the defect was unequivocally identified, and the quality assurance processes were subsequently optimized.
| Contact | |
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Sandra Haase
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Related Links
>> PONGS GROUP GmbH & Co. KG website
>> PONGS GROUP GmbH & Co. KG LinkedIn page
