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Nondurable goods or soft goods are generally agreed to be products with an expected lifespan of no more than three years. These include packaging and paper, food, fuel, clothing and textiles, and other personal or consumer products. Liquids, plastics, and rubber materials also fall under this category.

In order to meet quality, industry, or regulatory requirements, nondurable goods are often tested by third party laboratories like Element. Our polymer, composite and textile scientists, manufacturing engineers, chemists, and materials experts test these products for strength, durability, environmental exposure or climatics, material properties, material identification, or other necessary information. 

Standards for testing consumable goods and products

Consumable goods are regulated for safety by agencies such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission and by organizations such as the Rubber Manufacturers Association, but cover a broad range of applications. 51³Ô¹ÏÍøexperts test to such standards as:

• ASTM D1230, "Standard Test Method for Flammability of Apparel Textiles." This test method covers the evaluation of the flammability of textile fabrics as they reach the consumer for or from apparel other than children's sleepwear or protective clothing.

• RMA IP-14, "Specifications for Anhydrous Ammonia Hose." A Rubber Manufacturers Association standard. This specification covers hose, three-inch inside diameter and smaller, commonly referred to as "pressure transfer hose, used to convey anhydrous ammonia liquid or to convey anhydrous ammonia gas where the gas is in contact with liquid ammonia."

• 3-A Sanitary Standards, "Accepted Practices and E-3-A Sanitary Standards (Eggs)." 3-A SSI formulates sanitary standards and accepted practices for the sanitary design, fabrication, installation and cleanability of dairy and food equipment or systems used to handle, process and package consumable products where a high degree of sanitation is required.