Martindale Abrasion vs ICI Pilling Box: Which Fabric Test Tells You What

Ask a fabric supplier for a durability test and you will often hear two names: the Martindale abrasion test and the ICI pilling box. They sound interchangeable but they measure completely different failures. Martindale tells you how a fabric wears down and forms holes; the ICI pilling box tells you how a fabric fuzzes and forms pills. Choosing the right one — and reading the result correctly — is the difference between a fabric that lasts and a collecting that looks worn out in weeks.

Fursone in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, runs 300+ looms and has produced knit and woven fabrics since 2020, and it tests boucle lines to ISO grade 3-4 pilling resistance. That number only means something if you know which test produced it.

What the Martindale Test Actually Measures

The Martindale test (BS EN ISO 12947) rubs the fabric against a standard abradant in a figure-eight motion under a set pressure, counting the cycles until the fabric fails. The result is a number of cycles: a lower count means the fabric wears through quickly, a high count means it is durable. It is the standard you see on upholstery and heavy jacket fabrics, and it predicts surface wear and holes under friction.

What the ICI Pilling Box Measures

The ICI pilling box (BS EN ISO 12945) is different. Instead of rubbing, it tumbles the fabric in a lined box with cork or cotton lining for a set number of revolutions, then grades the resulting pilling on a scale from 1 (severe pilling) to 5 (no change). It predicts the fuzz pills that form on knit sweaters and boucle jackets after normal wear. A boucle fabric that feels soft can still pill badly, which is why Fursone grades its boucle at ISO 3-4 — a score that reads as “light pilling, generally acceptable”.

Which One Should You Ask For

Choose the Martindale for upholstery, heavy outerwear and anything subject to sustained abrasion, like seats and elbows. Choose the ICI pilling box for knits, boucle, and soft jackets where the risk is fuzzing rather than actual wear. In many cases you want both — a fabric can be abrasion-resistant yet pill heavily. That is why a quality contract should specify not just “tested” but which standard and which pass level, as covered in the tweed pilling case study.

How to Read and Compare Results

The trap is comparing a Martindale cycle count to a pilling grade — they are not comparable. A fabric that survives 40,000 Martindale cycles and a fabric that scores pilling grade 4 are answering different questions. Always request the standard, the sample size, and the pass/fail threshold, and compare like for like. Testing also depends on the knit gauge: a 7-gauge knit and a 12-gauge knit do not wear the same.

Behind fabric flammability, the U.S. also sets a regulatory textile test standard for clothing that buyers should know exists. The eCFR 16 CFR Part 1610 covers fabric flammability for apparel, and it is worth knowing how your fabric performs while you are already running durability tests.

If you are sourcing these fabrics for a collection, start with the chanel-style tweed fabric range and request a sample to match your spec.

See also: tweed pilling case study.

See also: knit gauge.

See also: what to do if a fabric fails inspection.

Common Questions

Is Martindale better than the ICI pilling box?

Neither is “better” — they measure different failures. Use the Martindale for abrasion and hole resistance, and the ICI pilling box for fuzz and pilling. For a knit boucle or sweater fabric, the pilling box is usually the more relevant test.

What pilling grade is acceptable for apparel fabric?

For a knit outerwear fabric, a grade of 3-4 or 4 is generally acceptable, meaning light pilling after normal wear. Grade 1-2 indicates heavy pilling and should be avoided for a premium product. Always match the grade to the fabric’s expected use.