EN 18226:2026
(Main)Feather and down - Test methods - Determination of the quantitative composition of feather and down blended with other materials
- Abstract
This document specifies a method for the determination of the composition of blends of feather and/or down mixed with other materials suitable for or constituting filled manufactured articles in order to label and/or mark it or to verify the denominations reported on the label.
The determination is conditional upon the availability of a declaration of the composition of the non-plumage component.
- Status
- Not Published
- Publication Date
- 15-Dec-2026
- Technical Committee
- CEN/TC 443 - Feather and down
- Drafting Committee
- CEN/TC 443/WG 3 - Feather and down testing, identification and labelling
- Current Stage
- 5060 - Closure of Vote - Formal Approval
- Start Date
- 15-Oct-2026
- Due Date
- 02-Mar-2026
- Completion Date
- 15-Oct-2026
EN 18226:2026 is a CEN standard for testing feather and down blends mixed with other materials. It specifies how to determine the quantitative composition of those blends in filled manufactured articles, so the result can be used for labeling, marking, or checking label claims. The method applies only when the composition of the non-plumage component is declared.
What does EN 18226:2026 specify?
EN 18226:2026 specifies a test method for feather and/or down blended with other materials used in filled manufactured articles. The scope is practical: it is intended for composition checking, not for product design, and it relies on knowing the declared composition of the non-plumage component.
The document is organized into clauses on scope, references, terms, principle, apparatus, sampling and conditioning, procedure, calculation and expression of results, and the test report. In practice, that structure takes the user from sample preparation through separation, calculation, and reporting.
What are the key requirements of EN 18226:2026?
EN 18226:2026 bases the result on a representative sample, conditioning, and a staged separation of plumage and non-plumage material. The method matters because feather and down are non-homogeneous, so the document uses controls on sampling, weighing, and repeatability to limit avoidable variation.
Sampling, conditioning, and preparation
Clause 6 requires sampling according to EN 1883 and conditioning according to EN ISO 139. The laboratory sample is then homogenized before testing. In practice, this means the test portion must come from a conditioned, mixed sample, not from a loose grab sample.
Manual separation
Clause 7.2 describes a two-stage manual separation. The first separation sorts visible feather and down fractions into identified containers, while residual matter and foreign matter are retained separately. The second separation works on the down-rich fraction to separate down, feather fibres, and remaining non-plumage filling. This is the core of the method and is what allows the laboratory to report the composition of the blend in detail.
Choice of separation route
Clause 4 says the separation route depends on the non-plumage material. Polyester fibres and other synthetic fibres require both manual and chemical separation. Polyurethane foam, protein-based fibres, and cellulose-based fibres use manual separation only. For the reader, this means the declared filler type determines how far the laboratory must go.
Chemical separation
Clause 7.3 covers chemical separation of the plumage from the non-plumage filling when that route applies. The procedure uses a solvent in a closed jar, shaking, rinsing, drying, conditioning, and weighing of the remaining material. This step is used to quantify the non-plumage fraction and then derive the plumage content by difference.
Checks on mass loss and repeat testing
The manual separation includes a mass-loss control after each separation step, and the document sets limits that trigger a repeat analysis. Clause 7.2.4 also uses the difference between two tests to decide whether a third specimen is needed. In practice, these checks prevent a result from being accepted when handling losses or test scatter are too large.
Result calculation and reporting
Clause 8 combines the manual and chemical results to produce the final component percentages. It also applies a 5 % fibre allowance when down fibres and waterfowl feather fibres are part of the calculation. The final result is reported as the mean of the determinations, to two decimal places, with a separate statement for plumage and non-plumage filling when chemical separation is used.
What terms does EN 18226:2026 define?
EN 18226:2026 uses the terms from EN 1885 and adds several working definitions for the test.
- Blended filling - material of plumage and non-plumage origin used for insulation or stuffing in manufactured articles.
- Plumage filling - feather and down that has passed through processing such as washing, drying, and hygienic treatment.
- Non-plumage filling - any filling material other than feather and down.
- Substantial element - any component whose mass is at least 7 % of the total mass in a specimen.
- Final down count - the down content calculated after chemical analysis and reported in the test report.
- Final fibre count - the fibre content calculated after chemical analysis and reported in the test report.
Who uses EN 18226:2026?
EN 18226:2026 is used by testing laboratories, quality teams, manufacturers, buyers, and product verifiers working with feather and down-filled manufactured articles. It is relevant where the composition of a blend has to be checked against a label, a declaration, or a procurement specification. It is also useful for laboratories that need a common procedure for comparing results across samples or across sites.
Which standards are used with EN 18226:2026?
EN 18226:2026 refers to several supporting standards that make the method workable.
- EN 1883 - provides the sampling method for feather and down.
- EN 1885 - provides the terms and definitions used in the document.
- EN ISO 139 - provides the standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing.
- EN ISO 1833 (all parts) - provides the quantitative chemical analysis methods used for textile fibres.
- EN ISO 3696:1995 - supplies the water grade used in the reagent list.
What does the EN 18226:2026 document contain?
EN 18226:2026 contains the working procedure needed to separate, weigh, and calculate the composition of a feather and down blend. It includes container-identification tables for the first and second separation, so the laboratory can sort feather types, down, fibres, residual matter, foreign matter, and non-plumage filling in a consistent way.
The document also includes a figure showing the hand movement used in the second separation. That matters because the method depends on careful handling of down clusters and fibres.
For calculation work, the document gives formulas for mass loss, component portions, means, and relative deviation, together with the rules for deciding whether more testing is needed. It also includes a reporting section that lists the information the test report has to carry, including the verified composition of the non-plumage material.
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Frequently Asked Questions
EN 18226:2026 is a draft published by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). Its full title is "Feather and down - Test methods - Determination of the quantitative composition of feather and down blended with other materials". This standard covers: This document specifies a method for the determination of the composition of blends of feather and/or down mixed with other materials suitable for or constituting filled manufactured articles in order to label and/or mark it or to verify the denominations reported on the label. The determination is conditional upon the availability of a declaration of the composition of the non-plumage component.
This document specifies a method for the determination of the composition of blends of feather and/or down mixed with other materials suitable for or constituting filled manufactured articles in order to label and/or mark it or to verify the denominations reported on the label. The determination is conditional upon the availability of a declaration of the composition of the non-plumage component.
EN 18226:2026 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 59.040 - Textile auxiliary materials. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.
EN 18226:2026 is available in PDF format for immediate download after purchase. The document can be added to your cart and obtained through the secure checkout process. Digital delivery ensures instant access to the complete standard document.
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN 18226:2025
01-december-2025
Perje in puh - Preskusne metode - Določanje količinske sestave perja in puha,
mešanega z drugimi materiali
Feather and down - Test methods - Determination of the quantitative composition of
feather and down blended with other materials
Federn und Daunen - Prüfverfahren - Bestimmung der quantitativen Zusammensetzung
von Federn und Daunen in Mischung mit anderen Materialien
Plumes et duvets - Méthodes d’essai - Détermination de la composition quantitative de
plumes et duvets mélangés avec d’autres matériaux
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 18226
ICS:
59.040 Pomožni materiali za tekstilije Textile auxiliary materials
oSIST prEN 18226:2025 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
oSIST prEN 18226:2025
oSIST prEN 18226:2025
DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
prEN 18226
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
September 2025
ICS 59.040
English Version
Feather and down - Test methods - Determination of the
quantitative composition of feather and down blended
with other materials
Plumes et duvets - Méthodes d'essai - Détermination Federn und Daunen - Prüfverfahren - Bestimmung der
de la composition quantitative de plumes et duvets quantitativen Zusammensetzung von Federn und
mélangés avec d'autres matériaux Daunen in Mischung mit anderen Materialien
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 443.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations
which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.
This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.
Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2025 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 18226:2025 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.
oSIST prEN 18226:2025
prEN 18226:2025 (E)
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
1 Scope . 4
2 Normative references . 4
3 Terms and definitions . 4
4 Principle . 5
5 Apparatus . 5
6 Sampling, conditioning and preparation of the test specimens . 6
7 Procedure . 6
7.1 General. 6
7.2 Manual separation . 7
7.2.1 First separation . 7
7.2.2 Second separation . 8
7.2.3 Calculation of the component portions . 10
7.2.4 Mean and the relative deviation . 12
7.3 Chemical separation . 13
7.3.1 Chemical separation procedure . 13
7.3.2 Calculation of results for the chemical separation . 13
8 Calculation and expression of results . 14
8.1 Calculation of the component portions . 14
8.1.1 General. 14
8.1.2 Total blended filling . 14
8.2 Expression of results . 15
8.3 Testing variance . 15
9 Test report . 15
Bibliography . 16
oSIST prEN 18226:2025
prEN 18226:2025 (E)
European foreword
This document (prEN 18226:2025) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 443 “Feather
and down”, the secretariat of which is held by UNI.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
oSIST prEN 18226:2025
prEN 18226:2025 (E)
1 Scope
This document specifies a method for the determination of the composition of blends of feather and/or
down mixed with other materials suitable for or constituting filled manufactured articles in order to label
and/or mark it or to verify the denominations reported on the label.
The determination is conditional upon the availability of a declaration of the composition of the non-
plumage component.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 1883, Feather and down — Sampling in view of tests
EN 1885, Feather and down — Terms and definitions
EN ISO 139, Textiles — Standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing (ISO 139)
EN ISO 1833 (all parts), Textiles — Quantitative chemical analysis
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in EN 1885 apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
3.1
blended filling
materials of plumage and non-plumage origin, used for insulation and/or stuffing in manufactured
articles
3.2
plumage filling
feather and down which has been passed through all the working processes, including washing, drying
and all hygienic treatments
3.3
non-plumage filling
any material other than feather and down, used for insulation and/or stuffing in manufactured articles
3.4
substantial element
any element having a mass ≥ 7 % of the total mass in any of the specimen
Note 1 to entry: Average mass is calculated with two tests.
3.5
final down count
down content calculated after chemical analysis to be reported in test report
oSIST prEN 18226:2025
prEN 18226:2025 (E)
3.6
final fibre count
fibre content calculated after chemical analysis to be reported in test report
4 Principle
A known quantity of the filling material shall be sampled in accordance with EN 1883 and subjected to a
separation process for the purpose of identifying its constituent components.
The separation method shall be selected based on the nature of the non-plumage material, as specified
below:
— Polyester fibres and other synthetic fibres: both manual and chemical separation shall be carried out;
— Polyurethane foam, protein-based fibres, and cellulose-based fibres: only manual separation shall be
carried out.
The separation shall be performed in accordance with the procedure specified in Clause 7.
Once separated, the components of the non-plumage filling shall be identified as follows:
— textile fibres: the composition shall be determined in accordance with the methods set out in the
EN ISO 1833 series;
— other materials: identification shall be carried out using appropriate analytical methods that ensure
accurate and reproducible results [1].
5 Apparatus
5.1 Box for the manual separation (separation box), usually consisting of the following parts:
— black and smooth base about 450 mm in length and about 300 mm in width, having a suitable fixture
or area to insert the containers into;
— front part about 150 mm high open or provided with two openings wide enough to permit the
operators’ hands to enter the box;
— back part about 300 mm high;
— two side parts fit for front and back parts;
— cover, to avoid air draughts during the execution of the test, made of glass or other transparent
material to permit the separation of the elements;
— lamp to allow the illumination of the box.
NOTE It has been experienced that lamps with heat emission especially if placed too close to the specimen
might decrease its moisture content.
5.2 Weighing containers with cover, made of aluminium or other light antistatic material fit to
contain and weigh the different elements of the filling, with a capacity up to 300 ml.
5.3 Tweezers, fit to pick the single elements.
5.4 Analytical balance, with an accuracy of 0,1 mg.
oSIST prEN 18226:2025
prEN 18226:2025 (E)
5.5 Mixing container with base dimensions of (300 × 300) mm and 150 mm high.
5.6 Reagents
— Purified water (grade 3 water according to EN ISO 3696:1995).
— Sodium Hypochlorite (NaClO) solution between 0,9 to 1,1 mol/L (bleach).
— Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) solution.
5.7 Shaking jar, cylindrical shaped glass or plastic with a watertight lid (2 000 ml).
5.8 Horizontal shaking machine with 150 shakes per minute and a shaking width of 30 mm to
40 mm.
5.9 Oven capable of being controlled at (105 ± 2) °C, and suitably ventilated.
5.10 Desiccator with desiccating agent.
5.11 Standard sieve with stainless steel mesh Number 200 (74 micron opening).
5.12 Plastic or rubber gloves.
5.13 Paper towel.
5.14 Flat, soft, non-electrostatic brush, from 2 cm to 3 cm wide.
6 Sampling, conditioning and preparation of the test specimens
6.1 Sampling is carried out according to EN 1883.
6.2 Conditioning of the samples is carried out according to EN ISO 139.
6.3 Draw a sample of no less than 50 g from the conditioned laboratory global sample. Put the sample
into the mixing container (5.5) and mix very thoroughly by hand to make it homogeneous.
To determine the final result, it is necessary to have validated analysis of at least two test specimens while
sometimes replacement or additional specimens are to be used. Therefore, preparation of spares over
the three specimens is suggested.
7 Procedure
7.1 General
The procedures shall be carried out in a conditioned room in accordance with EN ISO 139, the sample
shall be weighed within 1 h before testing.
Various types of materials can be blended with down and feathers.
A two-step process should be used to report the composition of the blended filling.
STEP 1: Complete a manual separation according to 7.2.
STEP 2: Chemically separate the plumage from the non-plumage filling (see 7.3).
Based on the non-plumage filling, only manual separation or both separations should be performed, e.g.:
— Polyester fibres and synthetic fibres: both separations;
oSIST prEN 18226:2025
prEN 18226:2025 (E)
— Polyurethane foam, protein-based fibres, cellulose-base fibres: manual separation only.
7.2 Manual separation
7.2.1 First separation
Mark the weighing containers (5.2) with the indication A, B, C, D, E and Q; weigh them with their cover,
with an accuracy of 0,1 mg.
Carefully pull at least 12 g. Do not add any material to adjust the weight of the sample.
Equally divide the 12 g of material into two separate beakers each containing approximately the same
weight.
Make sure all the material is separated into one of the two containers.
The two beakers do not necessarily have to have the same exact weight.
Put one of the weighed test specimens into the separation box (5.1).
With tweezers, remove initially all feathers from the plumage; brush the feathers gently between thumb
and index finger of one hand to remove any down fibre or residual matter caught therein.
Identify the single
...