FZ/T 64123-2025, "Cotton Swabs for Daily Use," is the first standard formulated by my country's textile industry specifically for daily-use cotton swabs. Issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People's Republic of China, it will come into effect on June 30, 2026. This standard applies to cotton swabs intended for daily personal care and skin cleaning; it outlines comprehensive technical requirements-covering raw materials, appearance, dimensions, internal quality, and microbiological indicators-and specifies the corresponding test methods and inspection rules. The standard references multiple related standards, such as GB 15979 and YY/T 0330, ensuring alignment with hygiene and medical standards.
Product Classification and Appearance Requirements
The standard classifies daily-use cotton swabs into four types based on the shape of the swab tip: gourd-shaped, spiral, teardrop-shaped, and pointed. Regarding appearance, the swabs must be free of black spots, mold, and impurities; they must be well-formed and free from significant dimensional deviations. The swab tips should not be dyed; if natural colored cotton is used, an identification report must be provided. For swabs intended for infants and young children, gourd-shaped or spiral tips are recommended to enhance safety. The swab sticks should be smooth and uniform in thickness, with no breakage or splitting. Additionally, the distance from the top of the swab tip to the top of the stick must be at least 1.5 mm; this dimensional requirement ensures both comfort and functionality during use.
Industry Standards for Cotton Swabs
For instance, tests for ether-soluble and water-soluble substances measure the content of low-molecular-weight residues in the swab tip, while testing for fluorescent whitening agents ensures that such chemical brighteners are not used. Mechanical tests simulate the stresses encountered during actual use: the swab stick must withstand a 300g weight for 30 seconds without breaking, and the swab tip must withstand a 300g weight for 10 seconds without detaching.
Microbiological and Toxicological Requirements
The standard stipulates that microbiological indicators must meet the following criteria: total bacterial count ≤ 200 CFU/g and total fungal count ≤ 100 CFU/g; furthermore, specific microorganisms-such as coliforms, *Pseudomonas aeruginosa*, *Staphylococcus aureus*, and hemolytic streptococci-must not be detected. Toxicological safety is assessed in accordance with the requirements for the "sanitary cotton products" category (including sanitary cotton pads, tampons, swabs, and balls) set forth in GB 15979-2024. These requirements align with standards for disposable sanitary products, thereby ensuring the hygienic safety of the product.
