Blog

What Should You Ask When Requesting Nylon Spandex Swimwear Fabric Samples? 8 Questions and the Reports Behind Them

1 November 2026Zhang Zengwen · Maoxing Textile Dyeing

Short answer: When requesting nylon spandex swimwear fabric samples (nylon + elastane, 锦氨面料), ask eight things: end use and fiber content, recovery, abrasion and snagging, colorfastness to chlorinated water, light resistance, safety category, pilling grade and care labeling. Each question maps to a test report or a swatch check, so ask them all at once and check swatches against the list to avoid repeated sampling rounds.

Maoxing Textile Dyeing has been making nylon spandex fabric at Zhongda, Guangzhou for 15 years. Our earlier guide covers how to choose swimwear fabric; this one covers only what to ask and which reports to request when sampling.

Sample request checklist: which report answers each question?

Checklist of 8 questions for nylon spandex swimwear samples, from end use and fiber content to care label, each with the report or standard to check

Half of the eight questions are answered by reports and half by swatch checks.

Question	Answered by	Standard or check
1. Are end use and fiber content stated?	Label and report	Label matches report
2. How is the recovery?	Swatch	Stretch both ways, watch the return
3. Abrasion and snagging?	Swatch	Check wear areas; scratch with a fingernail
4. Is there a chlorinated water fastness report?	Report	GB/T 8433-2013
5. How is light resistance?	Report or sun test	Light fastness report; sun-tested swatch
6. Which safety category?	Report and label	GB 18401-2010, swimwear at least B
7. Which pilling grade?	Report	GB/T 4802.1-2008, grades 1-5
8. How are care labels marked?	Care label	GB/T 8685-2008

Why state end use and fiber content first?

Saying "swimwear" up front tells the supplier which fabrics to show and which standards apply. Ask for the fiber content ratio, and make sure the ratio on the swatch label matches the report; if not, ask why.

We do not recommend a specific ratio here; decide after comparing several swatches.

How do you ask about recovery, abrasion and snagging?

These three are confirmed mainly by swatch checks, so ask the supplier to pick swatches for swimwear use. According to the China Cotton Textile Association's textile knowledge pages, nylon (polyamide fiber) has high strength and abrasion resistance 10 times that of cotton, with good elasticity and recovery, but it deforms and wrinkles easily under small forces.

When swatches arrive, stretch them several times in both directions and watch the recovery; lightly scratch the surface to see whether yarns pull out. Abrasion resistance and snag resistance are separate checks.

Which report covers chlorine for nylon spandex swimwear fabric?

Ask directly for a report under GB/T 8433-2013, Textiles - Tests for colour fastness - Colour fastness to chlorinated water (swimming-pool water). Our source material has no reliable data on how well nylon spandex resists chlorine, so we give no rating; read the standard number, rating and conclusion, and let the standard and report decide, compared with your customer's requirement.

A verbal "chlorine resistant" claim should be backed by this report.

Should you ask about light resistance for outdoor swimwear?

UPF labeling under GB/T 18830-2009: UPF40+ for 40 < UPF ≤ 50, UPF50+ for UPF > 50; UV protective only if UPF > 40 and UVA transmittance < 5%

Yes. Nylon's lightfastness is not good, which is a weak point of nylon spandex. Ask whether a light fastness report exists; if not, sun-test a swatch against an unexposed piece.

If swimwear is labeled for sun protection, GB/T 18830-2009, Textiles - Evaluation for solar UV radiation protective properties, allows the term "UV protective product" only when UPF > 40 and UVA transmittance < 5%; 40 < UPF ≤ 50 is "UPF40+" and UPF > 50 "UPF50+". UPF is determined by a test report.

How do you ask about the safety category?

GB 18401-2010 safety categories table: A infant products, formaldehyde ≤20 mg/kg, pH 4.0-7.5; B direct skin contact including lingerie and swimwear ≤75, 4.0-8.5; C no direct skin contact ≤300, 4.0-9.0; confirmed by test report

Ask which GB 18401-2010 category the report shows: swimwear needs at least Category B, infant swimwear Category A. GB 18401-2010, National general safety technical code for textile products, divides textiles into Categories A, B and C; products not in direct skin contact need at least C, and the label must state the category.

Category	Scope	Formaldehyde (mg/kg)	pH range
A	Infant products	≤20	4.0-7.5
B	Direct skin contact (lingerie, swimwear, etc.)	≤75	4.0-8.5
C	No direct skin contact	≤300	4.0-9.0

Which category a fabric meets is determined by its test report.

How do you ask about pilling grade and care labeling?

Ask for the GB/T 4802.1-2008 pilling grade on the report, and check that garment care labels follow GB/T 8685-2008. Under the circular locus method, grade 5 shows no change, 4 slight, 3 moderate on part of the surface, 2 distinct over most of the surface, and 1 dense over the whole surface; a higher grade means better pilling resistance, and the required grade is set by your customer.

Care labels follow GB/T 8685-2008, Textiles - Care labelling code using symbols. Nylon's heat resistance and lightfastness are not good, so ironing and drying symbols should point to low heat and shade drying; exact levels follow the standard.

What comes after the samples and reports are checked?

Four steps to check a report: sample details, standard numbers, results and conclusions, then compare with order and customer needs

Sign off and keep an approved sample, and inspect bulk against it. A report covers only the submitted swatch; retest bulk samples when needed.

FAQ

Can I still take samples if there is no chlorinated water report?

Yes, for hand feel and recovery, but get a GB/T 8433-2013 report before bulk swimwear orders. Chlorine performance is decided by the report; there is no substitute data.

What extra should I ask for children's swimwear?

Ask whether the report shows GB 18401-2010 Category A: formaldehyde ≤20 mg/kg and pH 4.0-7.5, confirmed by a test report.

Does one swatch report represent the bulk?

Not directly; it covers only the submitted sample. Inspect bulk against the approved sample and retest when needed.

Is nylon spandex more comfortable than polyester spandex?

Nylon spandex usually feels more comfortable. Nylon absorbs moisture better than most synthetics; chlorine and light performance still need their own reports.

Sources

Nylon strength and abrasion resistance (10 times cotton); elasticity and recovery; easy deformation and wrinkling; moisture absorption and comfort vs polyester; poor heat and light resistance. China Cotton Textile Association, textile knowledge, http://www.ccta.org.cn/fszz/fzzsxx/rs/202104/t20210429_4136415.html , checked 2026-10-26.
GB/T 8433-2013, Textiles - Tests for colour fastness - Colour fastness to chlorinated water (swimming-pool water), https://std.samr.gov.cn/gb/search/gbDetailed?id=71F772D7EEF0D3A7E05397BE0A0AB82A , current.
GB/T 18830-2009, Textiles - Evaluation for solar UV radiation protective properties.
GB 18401-2010, National general safety technical code for textile products.
GB/T 4802.1-2008, Textiles - Determination of fabric propensity to surface fuzzing and to pilling - Part 1: Circular locus method.
GB/T 8685-2008, Textiles - Care labelling code using symbols, https://std.samr.gov.cn/gb/search/gbDetailed?id=71F772D77659D3A7E05397BE0A0AB82A , current.

Nylon spandex stretch fabrics Stall 16-18, North 5th Street, Zhongda Jiangnan Textile City, Haizhu District, Guangzhou WhatsApp: +86 15918964057