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Which apparel components need load or corrosion testing before shipment?

Metal components fail in two ways — corrosion and pull-out — so a components supplier should state the salt spray hours and the pull strength, not just the finish name. Our production standard is 24 hours to ASTM B117, reported per lot; 48 hours and above is a special requirement, quoted as its own line. The numbers below are the thresholds buyers write into a tech pack, and what we build and test to.

24 h salt spray standard48 h on requestEN 1811 nickel releasePer-lot reports
Load and corrosion

What each component has to hold

Two figures decide whether a component survives the season: the force it holds before it separates, and the hours its plating survives neutral salt fog. Base metal matters less than plating thickness, and plating thickness is a decision made before the parts are run.

Apparel components — base metal, plating, pull or attachment requirement, and where the part is used. Salt spray 24 h to ASTM B117 as standard, 48 h and above on request.
ComponentBase metalPlating optionsPull / attachment requirementWhere it is used
Prong snap (ring snap)Brass or zinc alloyBright nickel, nickel-free (palladium or tin), antique60–80 N adult · 90 N minimum for kidswear, no separationApparel, kidswear, leather
Spring snapBrassBright nickel, nickel-free, gunmetal60–80 NBags, outerwear, leather
Tack button (jean button)Brass cap, steel tackNickel, gunmetal, antique brass, painted150–250 N on the shankDenim, workwear, bags
RivetBrass or zinc alloyNickel, antique, painted120–180 N along the rivet axisDenim pockets, stress points
Eyelet / grommetBrass, steelNickel, black oxide, painted100–150 N perpendicular to the settingLacing, drawcords, bags
D-ringZinc alloy die-cast, or steel weldedNickel, gunmetal, powder coat200–300 N loaded through the barBags, straps, outerwear
Buckle / sliderZinc alloyPowder coat, nickel, antique200–300 N through the frameBag hardware, webbing
Hook & bar, hook & eyeBrass, steelNickel, nickel-free60–80 NTrousers, bras
Metal cord endBrass, zinc alloyNickel, antique, painted80–120 N to cord slip or breakDrawcords, hoods
Sew-on press studBrassNickel, nickel-free60–80 N adult · 90 N minimum for kidswearKidswear, leather

These are typical brand requirements, not legal limits. Where your manual names a different number, your number wins — we quote against it and state the test method so both sides measure the same thing.

Test method

The method decides the number

Two labs can report different newtons for the same part. The difference is almost always the fixture and the load path, not the part.

How each apparel component is tested — method and the detail that changes the result
ComponentMethodWhat decides the result
Prong snap16 CFR 1500.51 tension; brand manuals are often stricterThe buyer's manual where it names a number — children's items are governed by the small-parts rule as well as the attachment
Tack buttonPull perpendicular to the shank at 20 mm/minLoad path: a denim waistband pulls on the shank, not the face
Rivet, eyeletClamp and pull along the axis of the partSetting quality decides the result more than the metal does
D-ring, buckleLoaded through the bar, never through the frameTesting the frame measures the wrong part and flatters the result
Cord endCord clamped, pulled to slip or breakTip retention after wash matters more than dry pull
Nickel releaseEN 1811 screening, EN 12472 wear simulation, third-party laboratoryProlonged skin contact only — the report ships with the goods
Buyer questions

Apparel components — FAQ

Which apparel components need load or corrosion testing before shipment?
Any part that carries load — D-rings, buckles, snaps, tack buttons, rivets, eyelets, cord ends — and any plated part that meets sweat, wash or a laundry process. Our production standard is 24 hours of salt spray to ASTM B117, reported per lot against the bag code; 48 hours and above is a special requirement that needs the plating thickness quoted for it.
Do you make the metal parts yourself?
No — metal parts are supplied through long-standing partner factories and inspected against the same approved reference as our buttons. Buttons are made in our own factory. We would rather state that plainly than imply a plant we do not have: a buyer who audits will find out either way.
Can you meet a 48-hour salt spray requirement?
Yes, as a specified requirement rather than a default. It is a plating-thickness decision, so it is quoted as its own line before the parts are made — it cannot be added as a test afterwards. Tell us the hours and the standard at RFQ stage.
Which parts need nickel-release testing?
Parts in prolonged skin contact: snaps, rivets, buttons, buckles and hooks on garments worn against the skin. Testing to EN 1811 with EN 12472 wear simulation is run by a third-party laboratory, and the report ships with the goods. Nickel-free plating is available where the destination rules or the wearer requires it.
Will your part fit my attaching machine?
Tell us the machine make and model, or send a photo of the tooling, and we confirm which of our parts and which setting tool fits it before you order. A part that is dimensionally correct but does not sit in your press is a line stoppage, not a saving.
What is the MOQ for snaps and rivets?
It is quoted per part, because it depends on whether the size and finish already exist or a die-cast or stamped mould is needed. Send the drawing or a sample and we quote the part and the tooling as separate lines, each with its own lead time.

Related: metal parts we supply · premium metal, 22 series · the full pull-test and salt spray reference · all five categories on one PO

Send the drawing, get the part and the tooling quoted separately

Tell us the base metal, the finish, the test requirement and the attaching machine. We quote the part and the tool as two lines, each with its own lead time.

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