GB/T 10288-2026 "Test methods for down and feather" was released on April 30, 2026, and will be officially implemented on September 1, 2026, replacing the old version GB/T 10288-2016. The new version has made significant revisions to the test methods for three core quality indicators of down and feather: component analysis, identification of goose and duck species, and fill power. It has also added test methods for washed down and feather. The new standard will facilitate more accurate laboratory operations, reduce discrepancies in test results between different laboratories, and create a fairer competitive environment for third‑party testing institutions, down raw material suppliers, down product manufacturers, and the entire down industry, thereby promoting the healthy development of the down and feather sector.

The author attempts to summarize the core revisions of the new GB/T 10288-2026 standard in the most concise manner for the reference of industry colleagues.

If enterprises wish to gain an in‑depth understanding of the reasons behind these revisions and to make their laboratories more professional, they may contact the author for further discussion. As one of the drafters of this standard, the author can share more stories about its development.

**I. Scope**

1. **New classification system added**

   - Divided into two sets of methods: washed and washed (scoured) down

   - Test methods for washed down are included in Appendix A (normative)

2. **Boundary clarification:** Not applicable to blended products of down + other fibers

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**II. Normative References**

- Removed the reference document GB/T 601 "Chemical reagent — Preparations of standard volumetric solutions" from the old standard.

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**III. Terms and Definitions**

1. Removed the old term “moisture rate” and uniformly use “moisture content”.

2. The definition of “regain” is more precise: emphasizes “the mass of water removed after drying”, rather than all moisture present in the down.

**IV. Test methods for washed (scoured) down and feather (Appendix A) – New**

- Fills the gap of no dedicated method for washed down.

**V. Test methods for washed down and feather (key revisions)**

**1. Sampling and specimen preparation**

**(1) Sample quantity**

- Washed down: According to delivery batch (same variety / same grade / same process)

- Finished products: ≥200 g to meet minimum test requirements

**(2) Sampling from finished products**

- Heat‑sealed fabric: Tear along the heat‑sealed strip

- Double‑layer fabric: Carefully cut open the fabric at the double‑layer seam using a blade to avoid damaging the material quality

- Layered or partitioned filling: Different specifications of down and feather should be sampled separately, tested separately, and reported separately

**(3) Pre‑treatment environment for fill power:** Steam blowing / air blowing drying pre‑treatment should not be carried out under standard atmospheric conditions.

**(4) Sample reduction quantity**

- Washed down: 200 g (300 g for pure feather pieces)

- Washed down: 400 g

**(5) Specimen mass for fill power**

- Down content ≥50%: 35 ± 2 g (previously 40 g)

**(6) Sample retention:** Reused down and feather should be stored separately by category.

**2. Component analysis (major revision)**

**(1) Instruments**

- Sorting box: changed to reference dimensions, not mandatory

- Ruler: 0.5 mm graduations (previously 1 mm), improved precision

**(2) Two new notes added to 5.2.2 General provisions**

- Down filaments, feather filaments, and land bird filaments are usually >4 mm and can be picked up with tweezers; those that cannot be picked up are counted as impurities.

- Impurities in washed down and feather: usually do not contain foot scales or sand; include skin debris, small blood vessels, other fibers, and powder that cannot be picked up with tweezers.

**(3) Test procedure**

**a. Initial sorting requirements refined:**

- Break apart clumped down into individual clusters

- Thoroughly remove small feathers, land bird feathers, etc.

- For reused down and feather, also pick out other fibers and place them in a separate beaker; other fibers content should also be included in impurity content.

- Pale yellow fibers are not classified as foreign‑colored fibers.

**b. Second‑stage sorting requirements refined**

- Grasp the base of the down cluster with tweezers

- Gently shake up and down 5 times (one up‑and‑down cycle counts as one shake)

- Down filaments brought out are included in the down content.

- Separate cluster by cluster; the action should be continuous.

- For reused down and feather, also pick out other fibers separately.

**(4) Result reporting**

- If the difference between duplicate specimens >2% → test a third specimen and take the average of the three.

**3. Identification of goose and duck species (major revision)**

**(1) General provisions**

- If the specimen is labeled as pure goose feather pieces, only identify the feather species.

- If the specimen is labeled as goose feather (down) without a stated down content or with a measured down content <80.0%, identify both feather and down species separately.

- For goose down with a measured down content ≥80.0%, only identify the down species.

- If nodes are present, observe the nodes.

- If nodes are absent or indistinct, observe the barbicels. The spacing and position characteristics of barbicels in goose and duck are the same as those of nodes in goose and duck.

- If barbicels are absent or indistinct, classify as indistinguishable; classify filoplumes as indistinguishable feathers.

- If both node and barbicel characteristics of both goose and duck are present, classify as duck.

**(2) Test procedure**

(1) Indistinguishable down (feathers) should be confirmed under a microscope at ≥150× magnification.

**(3) Final result reporting**

(1) In case of dispute or arbitration, the results reported after species identification of down and feathers following component analysis shall prevail.

(2) If the difference between duplicate specimens >5% → test a third specimen and take the average of the three.

**4. Fill power (major revision)**

**(1) Apparatus and equipment**

- Test cylinder: changed to stainless steel mirror‑polished cylinder.

- Pressure plate mass: changed to (94.25 ± 0.25) g, tolerance tightened to ±0.25 g.

- Stirring rod diameter: changed from approximately 10 mm to (8 ± 1) mm.

- Steam generator: heating power changed from 1400 W‑1800 W to not less than 1800 W.

- Hair dryer: added specifications: “Round air outlet diameter 35 mm–50 mm; air speed 18 m/s–24 m/s at 3 cm from the outlet; temperature 80°C–110°C at 3 cm from the outlet.”

**(2) Specimen preparation**

- Steam blowing: 20 seconds per side, 80 seconds total (four sides). Increased steaming time. Steam movement: from top to bottom, left to right in a “Z” pattern. Resting time: 5 minutes.

- Air drying: Within 5 cm of the mesh of the pre‑treatment box. Hair dryer movement: from top to bottom, left to right in a “Z” pattern, and finally blow once around the border of each side in a “□” pattern. 45 seconds per side, 180 seconds total. Increased blowing distance and time.

**(3) Test procedure:** For the second and third tests, there is no need to pour the specimen out of the metal cylinder.

**5. Cleanliness**

**(1) Glassware**

- Replace the 250 mL conical flask with a 1000 mL graduated cylinder or measuring cup.

- Added a 2000 mL beaker.

- For the 2000 mL wide‑mouth bottle, specified the external diameter of the bottle bottom as approximately 120 mm.

**(2) Specimen preparation**

- Hand shaking wetting ≤5 minutes.

- If the sample floats after shaking, note this in the report.

**(3) Arbitration method:** Method A (the 2016 version used Method B).

**(4) Results:** If >1000 mm, report directly as >1000 mm.

**6. Oxygen consumption**

**(1) Apparatus:** Added a 1000 mL graduated cylinder; removed the 10 mL pipette.

**(2) Reagents**

- Added preparation procedure for 3 mol/L sulfuric acid.

- Potassium permanganate: c(1/5KMnO₄) = 0.1 mol/L; using equivalent concentration instead of conventional molar concentration.

**(3) Test procedure**

- Preparation of the blank sample is moved to the first step (previously the last step).

- Replace the blank sample every 12 hours.

- Endpoint: A light pink color appears against a white background.

**7. Fat content**

**(1) Apparatus and equipment**

- May use a 150 mL extraction spherical flask

- Added tweezers.

**(2) Test procedure**

- Pre‑dry the filter paper thimble to constant weight. Specimen dry weight = thimble weight minus paper weight.

- The filter paper thimble should not be higher than the siphon tube mouth.

- When removing, squeeze the filter paper package with tweezers to remove residual diethyl ether.

**(3) Results:** If the difference between duplicate specimens >0.2% → test a third specimen and take the average of the three.

**8. Odor**

**(1) Personnel:** No olfactory defects, no colds, no conditions affecting smell, no body odor; removed the statement “smokers are prohibited”.

**(2) Operation:** After opening the bottle cap, three persons quickly sniff in turn.

**(3) Results:** Changed from “Pass/Fail” to “presence or absence of distinct, unpleasant odor”.

**9. pH value**

**(1) pH meter:** Accuracy improved to 0.01 units, with temperature compensation.

**(2) Specimen preparation:** Break feather pieces >5 cm into pieces <5 cm; replaces the old standard “cut sample to about 5 mm”.

**(3) Removed the old standard requirement for boiling distilled water.**

**(4) Shaking:** Shake on a room temperature shaker for 3 hours.

**(5) Test:** Room temperature (old standard was 25 ± 1 °C).

**(6) Results:** If the difference between duplicate specimens >0.2 → retest until two valid values are obtained.

**10. Moisture content / Regain**

**(1) “Moisture content” replaces the old term “moisture rate”.**

**(2) Constant weight:** The difference between two consecutive weighings shall be ≤0.1% of the latter mass.

**(3) Removed the evaluation content for moisture rate/regain.**

**Source:** Cao Zonghua's Down Life WeChat public account