Technical requirements for paper napkins used during meals in Vietnam

1. Technical requirements for paper napkins used during meals in Vietnam 

According to TCVN 7065:2010, the technical requirements for paper napkins used during meals in single-ply, double-ply, and triple-ply forms are as follows:

Raw materials for producing paper napkins

Paper napkins are made from bleached paper pulp, which can consist of either virgin paper pulp or a mixture of virgin and recycled paper pulp.

Size of paper napkins

Paper napkins are produced in various sizes, depending on the agreement between the manufacturer and the customer.

Some common sizes currently available on the market are 195 mm x 210 mm and 330 mm x 330 mm.

Appearance criteria for paper napkins

- The paper must be uniform and soft. The paper can be embossed or non-embossed.

- Paper napkins can be white, dyed, or printed with designs as per customer requirements. White paper napkins must have an ISO whiteness greater than 75%.

- The surface of the paper must be clean and free from defects such as holes, large clumps of paper pulp, which can cause difficulties during use.

- Paper napkins should not have an unpleasant odor in both dry and wet states.

Physical property criteria for paper napkins

The physical property criteria for paper napkins are as shown in the table below:

Table - Physical and mechanical criteria

Hygiene criteria for paper napkins

The chemicals and colorants used in the production of paper napkins must comply with current sanitary regulations.

2. Testing methods for paper napkins used during meals in Vietnam

According to TCVN 7065:2010, the testing methods for paper napkins used during meals are conducted as follows:

(1) Sampling

Sampling is carried out according to TCVN 3649:2007 (ISO 186:2002).

(2) Conditioning

Based on TCVN 6725:2007 (ISO 187:1990), the principle of conditioning is to place the sample in a standardized environment where all surfaces of the sample are exposed to air. Equilibrium is considered achieved when the results of two consecutive weighings within a minimum time difference of 1 hour do not exceed 0.25% of the total mass of the sample. For samples with a high basis weight, the time between the two weighings must be longer. The time between the two weighings depends on the air circulation in each testing room.

It should be noted that for testing rooms with good air circulation, the conditioning time is typically 4 hours. For paper with a high basis weight, the minimum conditioning time is between 5 and 8 hours. For paperboards with a high basis weight, the conditioning time can be 48 hours or longer.

(3) Visual criteria

Visual observation is done with the naked eye.

Whiteness is determined according to TCVN 1865:2007 (ISO 2470:1999).

(4) Quantification

Quantification is carried out according to TCVN 8309-6:2010 (ISO 12625-6:2005), which determines the mass and area of a test sample or samples of paper napkins. The quantification is calculated based on the mass per unit area of the collected test samples. For finished paper products, the quantification is also calculated based on the mass and area of a specified number of finished paper napkin products.

(5) Tensile strength

According to the regulations in TCVN 8309-4:2010 (ISO 12625-4:2005), a certain-sized paper napkin sample is stretched at a constant rate on a tensile testing machine until it breaks. The tensile force, as a function of the elongation of the sample, is measured and recorded.

From the recorded data, the tensile strength, corresponding elongation at break, and energy absorbed during the test are calculated.

(6) Water absorption capacity

According to TCVN 8309-8:2010 (ISO 12625-8:2006), the water absorption capacity of paper napkin samples is measured by placing the samples in a cylindrical basket and submerging them in water using the weight of the basket and samples.

The time required to fully wet the sample is measured, and the absorbed water mass is determined after establishing the soaking and draining times under specified conditions.

Best regards!