New IPC Standard Sets First Global Benchmark for E-Textile Wearable Reliability

IPC announces the release of IPC-8981, Quality and Reliability of E-Textile Wearables. This first-of-its-kind standard sets baselines for testing and classifying e-textile wearables, addressing key challenges in product reliability, performance, and quality assurance. IPC-8981 introduces a common framework for evaluating wearables that integrate electronics directly into textile materials—applications that span healthcare, defense, fitness, and consumer technology.

The standard was developed by the IPC E-Textiles Wearables Standard Task Group, led by Vladan Koncar of ENSAIT GEMTEX Lab – University of Lille and Sigrid Rotzler of Fraunhofer-Institut fur Zuverlassigkeit und Mikrointegration. The task group included international experts from both the textile and electronics industries, bringing multidisciplinary insight to the testing needs of e-textile wearables.

“As the first standard of this kind, IPC-8981 provides a solid basis for e-textile developers to make their products more reliable, set quality targets, and choose relevant testing methods,” Rotzler explained.

Added Koncar, “Our IPC-8981 standard and the associated test methods are essential: They help companies from both the textile and electronics sectors collaborate more effectively to develop high-quality products that are ready for market adoption.”

IPC-8981 is supported by 14 newly published IPC-TM-650 Test Methods covering environmental and mechanical durability factors such as abrasion, perspiration, UV exposure, and washing. It also offers guidance on part classification, testing thresholds, and how to reduce unnecessary testing steps to streamline development.

The release of IPC-8981 marks a pivotal step forward for the e-textiles wearables industry—providing the tools needed to transform wearable electronics from promising prototypes into reliable, market-ready solutions.

To purchase IPC-8981, visit the IPC Store. To learn more to join the IPC E-Textiles Wearables Standard Task Group and guide future enhancements to the standard, visit IPC's committee page.