Baby Carrier Testing

Baby carrier inspection mainly conducts scientific testing and analysis on mechanical and physical property testing, chemical safety testing, colour fastness testing, burning performance testing, small parts and suffocation risk testing, and ergonomics and comfort evaluation, objectively assessing the product quality grade and issuing a detailed test report, providing a basis for manufacturers' quality control and downstream users' product acceptance.

Testing Items

Mechanical and physical property testing: This item is the cornerstone of the baby carrier safety. It mainly evaluates the stability of the overall structure of the carrier, including the seam strength, the firmness of the buckles and adjustment devices, and the dynamic load bearing capacity of the key connection points. By simulating the stretching, torsion and impact in the actual use, it ensures that the product will not break, slip or separate the parts under the load-bearing state, thereby preventing the fall risk of the baby.

Chemical safety testing: Aims to detect whether the materials of the baby carrier contain the toxic and hazardous chemicals harmful to the health of the infants. In accordance with the relevant standards, the decomposable carcinogenic aromatic amine dyes, formaldehyde content, migration amount of the heavy metals (such as lead and cadmium) and the content of the phthalates (plasticizers) are emphatically screened. These substances may be ingested by the infants through the skin contact or mouth contact, so the limit requirements are extremely strict.

Colour fastness testing: This testing evaluates the ability of the colour of the carrier fabric to resist shedding and migration under the various conditions. Including the colour fastness to rubbing (dry and wet rubbing), colour fastness to perspiration and colour fastness to saliva. For the infant products, the colour fastness to saliva is particularly important, to prevent the dyes from shedding due to the baby's biting and being accidentally eaten, ensuring the colour safety of the product.

Burning performance testing: Evaluates the burning characteristics of the textile materials used in the baby carrier, including the burning rate, afterflame time and afterglow time. The materials are required to be difficult to ignite, or can rapidly self-extinguish after ignition, to reduce the risk of the rapid flame spread when accidentally contacting the fire source, providing the additional fire safety protection for the infants.

Small parts and suffocation risk testing: Strictly checks whether there are the small parts on the carrier that can be grasped and put into the mouth by the infants, such as the decorative buttons, rivets or the labels that are easy to fall off. Through the torque testing, tensile testing and impact testing, the attachment firmness of these small parts is evaluated, and whether there are the openings or gaps that can form the suffocation danger is checked, ensuring compliance with the unique physical safety requirements of the infant products.

Ergonomics and comfort evaluation: Although not directly related to the safety, this item is related to the usability of the product and its influence on the development of the baby. The evaluation contents include the support of the carrier for the leg posture of the baby (M-shape), the fit of the back curve, the support stability of the head and neck, as well as the air permeability and the softness of the fabric, ensuring that the product conforms to the ergonomic design on the premise of safety.

Testing Scope

Full coverage of the structural types: The testing scope covers all the mainstream structural types of the baby carriers on the market, including but not limited to the front-facing carriers (facing inward/outward), back carriers, side carriers and multi-functional combined carriers. Due to the different force modes and risk points of the different structures, the testing emphasis is also different, for example, the front-facing carriers need to focus on the strength of the connection points of the waist belt and shoulder straps.

Key load-bearing components: The testing focuses on the core components bearing the weight of the baby. This includes the main load-bearing straps (shoulder straps and waist belt), connecting straps, adjustment buckles (side release buckles, ladderlock buckles and Velcro), as well as the sewing stitches and the webbings themselves. The strength, durability and reliability of each component are systematically evaluated under the simulated use conditions.

Materials contacting the baby: The testing scope includes all the materials that may directly contact the skin or mouth of the baby, such as the main fabric, lining, fillings, padding and seat belt sheaths. The chemical and physical safety performance of these materials is deeply analysed, ensuring that they are harmless and comfortable.

Auxiliary functional parts: The modern baby carriers are often equipped with various functional accessories, such as the drool bibs, wind hoods, storage pockets and detachable inner cushions. These accessories also need to be included in the testing scope, and the corresponding tests are carried out on their small parts safety, colour fastness and chemical safety, ensuring that they will not introduce the additional risks.

Applicability to the different age groups: According to the applicable age range marked by the product (such as the newborn, above 3 months and above 6 months), the test dummies of the corresponding weight and size are used for the evaluation during the testing. The babies at the different stages have the different physiological needs for the support and protection, and the testing needs to verify the safety and applicability of the product within its claimed whole applicable age/weight range.

Use instructions and marking: The testing scope also includes the product instruction manual, safety warning labels, washing labels and age/weight limit labels. The accuracy, completeness and clarity of this information are the important basis for guiding the consumers to use the product correctly and safely, and their standardization is also strictly examined.

Testing Methods

Static load testing: A standard test dummy is used, fixed in the carrier in the specified posture, and then a static load several times the maximum load-bearing nominal value is applied and maintained for a certain time. This method is used to evaluate the deformation resistance and damage resistance of the main structure, seams and connectors of the carrier under the continuous heavy pressure, and is the basic method for examining the structural integrity.

Dynamic strength and durability testing: The dynamic loads in the actual use are simulated through the dedicated testing equipment. For example, the carrier with the test dummy is repeatedly tumbled in a special roller, or the specific buckles and adjustment devices are subjected to thousands of opening and closing cycle tests. This method aims to evaluate the fatigue life and reliability of the product under the long-term repeated use.

Small parts testing method: In accordance with the standard procedures, the specified torque and tensile forces are applied to the accessible small parts on the carrier. A torque gauge and a tensile gauge are used to respectively apply the specific torque and tensile force, observing whether the parts fall off or produce the fragments that can be put into the small parts tester. This method is the key technical means for preventing the swallowing and suffocation risks.

Chemical analysis testing method: Precision instruments are used to carry out the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the sample materials. For example, a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) is used to detect the prohibited azo dyes and phthalates; an atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) or inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) is used to detect the heavy metal contents. The samples need to undergo the pre-treatment simulating the body fluids such as the perspiration and saliva.

Colour fastness testing method: In accordance with the standards, the specimen is sewn with the standard adjacent fabric, respectively placed in the simulated perspiration and artificial saliva, treated under the specific temperature and time, and then the grey scales or a colorimeter is used to rate the change in colour of the specimen and the staining of the adjacent fabric. The colour fastness to rubbing is rated through the dedicated rubbing instrument carrying out the reciprocating friction with a specified pressure.

Ergonomics evaluation method: Combining the objective measurement and subjective evaluation. The test dummies conforming to the human body size standards are used for the posture measurement (such as the leg opening angle and spine curvature), and at the same time, the real testers of the different body shapes (parents and the dummies simulating the babies) are invited for the actual wearing, comprehensively evaluating from the multiple dimensions such as the comfort, ease of use and support stability.

Testing Standards

Domestic Standards:

1. GB 31701, Safety technical code for infants and children textile products

2. GB 18401-2010, National general safety technical code for textile products

3. GB/T 2912.1, Textiles — Determination of formaldehyde — Part 1: Free and hydrolysed formaldehyde (water extraction method)

4. GB/T 17592, Textiles — Determination of prohibited azo dyes

5. GB/T 7573, Textiles — Determination of pH of the aqueous extract

International Standards:

1. EN 13209-2, Child use and care articles — Baby carriers — Safety requirements and test methods — Part 2: Soft carrier

2. ASTM F2236, Standard consumer safety specification for soft infant and toddler carriers

3. ISO 105, Textiles — Tests for colour fastness

Note: The applicable standard can be selected according to the product use and customer trade requirements; standards agreed in the contract take precedence over general standards.

Testing Instruments and Equipment

Universal material testing machine: Used to execute the key mechanical tests such as the static load, tensile strength, seam strength and buckle pull-off force. This equipment can precisely control the loading speed and force value, and record the force-displacement curve, providing the accurate quantitative data for evaluating the material strength and structural integrity. It is the core equipment of the physical safety testing.

Small parts tester and test cylinder: The small parts tester includes the torque pliers and tensile fixtures, used to apply the torque and tensile forces specified by the standards. The small parts tester is a graduated cylindrical measuring cylinder, used to judge whether the fallen parts or fragments constitute the "small parts" suffocation risk. This set of equipment is the dedicated tool for evaluating the physical hazards.

Burning performance tester: The vertical or horizontal burning tester is usually adopted. The specimen of the specified size is clamped vertically or horizontally, ignited with a standard flame source on its bottom edge or one end for a specific time, and then the afterflame time, afterglow time and damaged length of the specimen are automatically recorded, thereby scientifically evaluating the flame retardant characteristics of the textile fabric.

Colour fastness testing series equipment: Including the rubbing fastness testing machine (the rubbing finger is driven by the motor for the reciprocating movement), perspiration fastness tester (providing the constant temperature and humidity environment) and standard light source cabinet. The latter provides the standard light sources such as D65, used to compare the colour difference after the change in colour and staining of the specimen under the uniform lighting conditions, ensuring the objective and accurate rating.

Chemical analysis instruments: Mainly including the gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS), used for the efficient separation and precise identification of the complex organic compounds (such as the plasticizers and pesticide residues); and the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS), used for the precise determination of the trace and ultra-trace heavy metal elements. These high-sensitivity instruments are the technical guarantee of the chemical safety testing.

Standard test dummy: The standard dummies made according to the typical weights and sizes of the infants at the different months of age, and their joint mobility and weight distribution simulate the real babies. They are the indispensable tools for the load testing, dynamic testing and ergonomics evaluation, ensuring the consistency of the test conditions and the comparability of the results.