Quick Insights
- Antiviral efficacy testing determines how well a textile product treated with antiviral agents is able to reduce or inactivate infectious viruses on its surface.
- ISO 18184 is one of widely accepted and used standards to test the antiviral efficacy of textile products
- Testing compares the amount of infectious virus recovered from a treated textile against an untreated control fabric.
- ISO 18184 testing provides quantitative data and results are based on log reduction value
- Higher reduction values indicate stronger antiviral performance
Summary
Antiviral efficacy testing determines the efficacy of textile in reducing or inactivating infectious viruses that come in contact with fabric surfaces. To achieve this, International standardized methods such as ISO 18184 stipulates testing conditions, test strains passing criteria to validate the product efficacy.
What is the need of antiviral textile testing ?
Antiviral textile technologies are built to reduce the risk of infection transmission across medical areas, hospitality, home furnishings and everywhere else. Such novel fabrics are built using strong antiviral agents which can neutralize virus particles.
However, simply adding an antiviral treatment is not enough. To support antiviral claims, such products are required to pass specific efficacy criteria set up by regional regulatory authorities to avoid misleading claims and ensure public safety.
Risks of non-compliance or untested claims
Failing to test antiviral textiles or making unsupported antiviral claims can lead to
- Regulatory scrutiny
- Product recalls or claim withdrawals
- Misleading or unsubstantiated claims can face legal liabilities
- Unverified claims can sabotage your brand reputation and credibility.
- Financial burdens and delays in product launch happen due to reformulation, retesting, relabeling, and compliance actions
What Is ISO 18184?
ISO 18184 is an international standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization. ISO 18184 standard demonstrates the test procedure in which antiviral textile fabrics are challenged with test strains to understand if they can truly inactive or kill virus after a defined contact time with fabric.
Also read : ISO 18184 Antiviral Textile Testing: How the Test Works, Results & Compliance Guide
What Does ISO 18184 Actually Measure?
- Reduction in infectious virus particles on an antiviral textile sample contaminated with viral strains
- Comparing antiviral performance of treated fabrics with untreated controls.
- Quantifiable log reduction data for supporting antiviral product claims
Why Untreated Controls Matter
Untreated control fabrics are a critical component of ISO 18184 antiviral textile testing. Without an untreated control, it is difficult to determine whether viral reduction is caused by the antiviral treatment or by natural viral decay resulting from environmental factors.
It is likely that viruses may lose infectivity over time due to environmental factors such as drying, temperature, or humidity.
In simpler words
- Untreated controls help to understand the natural survival rate of the virus during the test procedure.
- Help to build reliability and reproducibility of test results.
What Does Viral Reduction Mean in Textile Testing?
Viral reduction during antiviral textile testing is reduction in the number of infectious virus particles recovered from a treated textile exposed to test strains.
Viral reduction is calculated once the sample is neutralized after microbial challenge and then subjected to neutralization.
Higher viral reduction values indicate stronger antiviral performance.
How Does ISO 18184 Testing Work?
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Preparation of test specimens
Both treated and untreated textile samples are cut to dimension specified in standard guidelines.
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Virus inoculation
A standardized concentration of virus suspension is inoculated on test and control samples
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Incubation
Contaminated samples are incubated for a specific time period.
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Neutralization
After incubation, fabric samples are subjected to neutralization to recover remaining virus.
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Plating and incubation
The infectivity titre of the recovered virus is measured either by Plaque assay or by TCID50 assay.
Results
Results from treated samples are compared with untreated controls to determine antiviral activity and viral reduction.
Understanding log reduction in Viral Testing
| Log Reduction | Percentage Reduction Rates | Rating |
| Log 2-3 | 99% to 99.9% | Good antiviral efficacy |
| Log 3+ | 99.9% | Excellent antiviral performance |
Viruses commonly used in ISO 18184 testing
- Influenza A (H1N1, H3N2)
- Human Coronavirus (229E)
- Beta Coronavirus (OC43)
ISO 18184 vs other antiviral textile tests
ISO 18184 and JIS1922
| Specifications | ISO 18184 | JIS L 1922 |
| Purpose | Antiviral testing of textiles | Antiviral testing of textiles |
| Product types | Hydrophilic or porous textile materials | Hydrophilic or porous textile materials |
| Results | Quantitative log reduction date | Same to ISO 18184 |
| Market acceptance | Global markets | Japan and Asia markets |
Also read
ISO 18184 vs AATCC 100
| Feature | ISO 18184 | AATCC 100 |
| Purpose | Evaluates the antiviral efficacy of textile products | Evaluates the antibacterial efficacy of textile products |
| Product Types | Hydrophilic and porous textile materials | Hydrophilic and porous textile materials |
| Target Microorganisms | Viruses | Bacteria |
| Results Interpretation | log reduction values | log reduction values |
| Market acceptance | Globally recognised | Mainly applicable for us markets |
| Common Use | Antiviral-treated fabrics, masks, medical textiles, protective apparel | Antibacterial-treated fabrics, apparel, medical textiles, and consumer products |
Read more – ASTM E2149 vs AATCC 100: Choosing the Right Antibacterial Textile Test
ISO 18184 vs ASTM E2149
| Feature | ISO 18184 | ASTM E2149 |
| Purpose | To evaluate the antiviral effectiveness of treated textile materials under static contact conditions | To determine the antimicrobial activity of immobilized antimicrobial agents under dynamic contact conditions |
| Target Organism | Viruses | Typically bacteria |
| Test Conditions | Static contact | Dynamic contact (shaking) |
| Scope of products for testing | Hydrophilic or porous textile materials | Hydrophobic textile materials, paper, powder, granular materials |
| Claims | Antiviral textile claims | Antibacterial textile claims + can be customized for Antiviral textile claims |
Check here – ASTM E2149 Antimicrobial Activity Testing (Dynamic Contact Method)
Textile Products That Can Be Tested
ISO 18184 can be applied to a wide range of textile products, including:
Apparel and Clothing
- Sportswear
- Workwear
- Uniforms
Medical Textiles
- Hospital garments
- Surgical textiles
- Patient bedding
Home Textiles
- Bed linens
- Curtains
- Upholstery fabrics
Technical Textiles
- Transportation fabrics
- Protective textiles
- Industrial fabrics
Factors that influence results during antiviral textile testing
Several factors can affect antiviral performance –
- Type of antiviral technology used – Different antiviral technologies and active ingredients may exhibit varying levels of effectiveness against specific viruses. The mechanism of action and concentration of the antiviral treatment can significantly impact performance.
- Textile composition – Fiber type, fabric structure, absorbency, and surface characteristics can influence how viruses interact with the textile and how effectively the antiviral treatment performs.
- Contact time – Antiviral activity is often time-dependent. Longer contact periods may allow the antiviral treatment to inactivate a greater proportion of viruses, resulting in higher reduction values.
- Virus type – Not all viruses respond equally to the same antiviral treatment. Factors such as viral structure and susceptibility can affect the level of reduction achieved during testing.
- Treatment durability – The effectiveness of an antiviral finish is subjected to change due to repeated laundering, abrasion, environmental exposure. This can further impact the durability and long-term performance of the antiviral finish.
- Application method of the antiviral treatment – The way an antiviral agent is incorporated into the textile, whether through coating, impregnation, or fiber integration, can affect its efficacy and consistency across the fabric surface.
Checklist before sending a textile product for ISO 18184 testing
- Define the product claim you intend to claim (e.g., antiviral textile or antiviral-treated fabric).
- Provide untreated control samples for comparative evaluation.
- Specify the antiviral treatment or technology applied to the textile.
- Identify laundering history, especially if wash durability claims are to be assessed.
- Ensure samples are representative of the final commercial product.
- Determine target markets and regulatory requirements that may influence testing needs.
- Discuss suitable test viruses and study objectives with the testing laboratory before sample submission.
Choosing a laboratory for ISO 18184 Testing
We are a CRO and testing laboratory specializing in antiviral efficacy testing for textile products. Our virology experts conduct ISO 18184 studies to help manufacturers validate antiviral claims, compare treatment technologies, and generate reliable data for product development, compliance, and market access.
Contact our experts here to discuss your antiviral textile testing requirements.
FAQs
1. Is a higher antiviral activity value always better?
Yes. Higher values indicate stronger antiviral performance, but the desired level depends on the intended application and product claims.
2. Are antiviral textiles the same as antimicrobial textiles?
No. Antiviral textiles target viruses, while antimicrobial textiles are designed to target bacteria, fungi, or a broader range of microorganisms.
3. Can ISO 18184 results be used in product marketing?
Yes, ISO 18184 test results can be used for product marketing if antiviral textile claims comply with regional regulatory requirements.
4. Should antiviral textiles also undergo antibacterial testing?
Yes if your product is intended to offer both antiviral and antibacterial actions.
5. Can washed textiles be tested using ISO 18184?
Yes. Textiles can be tested before or after laundering to assess how washing affects antiviral performance.
6. Does ISO 18184 evaluate antiviral durability?
No.
7. How long does ISO 18184 testing take?
At MIS lab, it typically takes 3-4 weeks to complete the test.
