On Oct. 29, 2001, ASTM Committee D13 on Textiles issued a Memorandum of Understanding with the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC), a test-method developer for the textile wet-processing industry in Research Triangle Park, N.C.

AATCC and Committee D13 initiated a program of mutual cooperation that coordinates the development of textile standards and helps to avoid duplication. John Y. Daniels, AATCC executive director, and Kay M. Villa, D13 committee chairman, signed the document.

“This MOU formalizes a long, rich history of cooperation between the two organizations,” said Villa, president of Kay M. Villa Consulting, Inc., Needham Heights, Mass. “It will serve as a road map to guide our activities and coordinate areas of mutual interest so that we may expeditiously bring new standards and products to meet our users needs.”

A joint AATCC/ASTM advisory committee will:

• Co-sponsor exploratory meetings for the development of new standards of mutual interest;
• Review new standards activities and programs and advise on the appropriate organization to develop new standards of mutual interest;
• Offer non-members review and comment on draft standards in the initial stages of development, in areas of mutual interest where the standard may materially affect members;
• Coordinate terminology of mutual interest to AATCC and ASTM;
• Promote awareness of the textile standard-development process in the fiber, textile, finished product, retail, fabricare, and consumer sectors;
• Focus on improved access and linkages between AATCC and ASTM Web sites, and the textile standards on those sites;
• Explore ways, in collaboration with the U.S. TAG administrator for ISO/IEC/ITU, to “better leverage” the interests of U.S. textile standards.

For further technical information, contact Kay M. Villa, Kay M. Villa Consulting, Inc., Needham Heights, Mass. (phone: 781/258-1666), or John (Jack) Daniels, AATCC Technical Center, Research Triangle Park, N.C. (phone: 919/549-8141, ext. 222). Committee D13 meets Oct. 13-16 in Norfolk, Va. For meeting or membership details, contact Maxine Topping, manager, ASTM Technical Committee Operations (phone: 610/832-9737). //

Copyright 2002, ASTM