Are you a parent worried about the materials used in your children’s clothing? Or an environmentalist concerned about clothes that release hazardous or toxic materials into the air?
Dubai’s Central Laboratory (DCL) offers a garment testing service — at affordable rates — that can help put your mind at ease.
The lab offers a wide variety of quality physical and chemical tests to cater to consumers who want to make sure their hard-earned money is put to good use and aligns with their expectations for safety and quality.
Available to the public, the service ensures that garments sold in Dubai conform to stringent safety and environmental regulations, thereby reducing the risk of harmful exposure to chemicals or poorly made products.
What are the available tests?
The garment testing service offered by DCL enables clients to submit garments for comprehensive analysis. The primary objective is to verify that clothing items meet local and international standards for safety, durability, and environmental impact. The service includes a range of tests designed to assess the physical and chemical properties of textiles, ensuring that garments are safe to wear and free from harmful substances.
Tests include:
- Fabric strength and durability: This assesses the resilience of the material, ensuring that the fabric can withstand wear and tear without premature degradation.
- Colour fastness: This test checks whether the garment’s colours are resistant to washing, rubbing, and exposure to light, ensuring they do not fade or transfer onto other materials.
- Chemical composition analysis: This focuses on identifying hazardous substances, such as formaldehyde and certain dyes, that can pose health risks to consumers. The presence of banned dyes, which can release carcinogenic compounds, is also tested.
Pricing and categories
The service is offered at accessible rates, starting at Dh30 for basic tests. The cost varies based on the type and complexity of the tests required. For instance, more detailed chemical analyses or advanced durability tests may incur additional charges.
Here are some of the available tests:
| Type of test | Test duration (working days) | Price |
| Measurement of pH | 3 | Dh155 |
| Toxic heavy metals | 3 | Dh315 |
| Extractable dyestuffs in textile including allergenic and carcinogenic dyestuffs | 5 | Dh385 |
| Colour fastness | 2-5 | Dh30 to Dh200 |
For the full list of tests and their prices, visit the Dubai Municipality website.
How to access the service
Consumers wishing to test their garments should follow these steps:
- Go to the Dubai Municipality website then select Services – Individual Services – Test Samples of Consumer Products – Apply Now, or visit Dubai Municipality – Dubai Central Laboratory Department.
- Bring the samples to the lab or through a shipping company. Here’s the address: Dubai Central Laboratory Department – Customer Happiness Centre – Block D2 – Ground Floor, Makani number: 29644 93053.
- Pay the fees.
- Receive the test result report through the website or by e-mail.
The test begins once the required fees are paid. You must pay the test fees within 10 days of submission. If the fees are not paid within this period, the application is automatically cancelled.
Official working hours at Dubai Central Laboratory are Monday to Thursday from 7.30am to 3.30pm and Friday from 7.30am to 12pm.
How to pay
Paying for the service can be done through the Dubai Municipality app, the Dubai Now app or via the Dubai Smart Government Portal.
People can also pay via Al Ansari Exchange either in cash or in a cheque to the order of Al Ansari. Payment methods also include Noqodi digital wallet, direct debit, credit card, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.
Terms and conditions
All terms and conditions related to the testing of consumer product samples must be reviewed and approved through the Dubai Municipality website before applying.
The DCL says that in case a sample is in the testing process and additional samples are required for analysis, it has the right to request the customer to provide more samples. The customer must then provide the samples within the stated duration or else the request will be cancelled.
For the full list of terms and conditions to the service, visit the Dubai Municipality website.