What we test on every rug, what we arrange on request

Which tests does PiHue perform routinely, and which are arranged on request?

Four tests are routine and in-house on every rug — GSM, size, skew, and net and gross weight. Three tests are routine and third-party — Oeko-Tex Standard 100 (Hohenstein, Germany), the Chem-ST restricted-substances panel (Eurofins Gurgaon, monthly random), and wool content plus hexapod testing (IICT Bhadohi). Every other test on this section is arranged per project on request.

This page is the boundary. It exists because most manufacturer test claims collapse routine and on-request into a single "we test to X" line that is honest at one end and misleading at the other. A buyer relying on such a page cannot tell whether X arrives with the shipment or requires a separate PO with a project fee.

What is done in-house on every rug?

The receiving check runs on every rug before packing and covers GSM, length, width, skew, and net and gross weight — all on the same slip, all traceable to the rug's off-loom ID in the ERP.

• GSM — whole rug weighed, weight divided by measured area, checked against the specified GSM. ±5% tolerance, committed in writing on the PO.
• Length and width — measured with tape, checked against the SKU and the approved CAD. ±3% size tolerance.
• Skew — the difference between the two diagonals. Tolerance: not more than 1 inch.
• Net and gross weight — both recorded before shipping.

A piece failing any of these checks is rejected and remade — not reworked and not discounted.

What is done routinely as a third-party test?

Three test streams run continuously without a per-project trigger — the buyer does not need to specify them at PO to get them:

• Oeko-Tex Standard 100 — certified through Hohenstein in Germany, base class. Renewed annually.
• Chem-ST restricted-substances panel — run monthly at Eurofins Product Testing India in Gurgaon against a random sample from the production floor. Thirty-one parameter groups; covers AFIRM RSL limits, EU regulation (REACH Annex XVII, REACH SVHC, POP Regulation) and partial GOTS parameters. Overall rating on the most recent report: PASS on both Chem-ST and EU Regulation.
• Wool content and hexapod testing — performed at IICT Bhadohi (the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology, in the same town as our factory). Wool content quantifies actual wool percentage in yarn or a finished sample. Hexapod testing is a mechanical wear-simulation test.

Note: the Chem-ST panel is a monthly random check, not a per-shipment test. Buyers whose project requires per-shipment chemical testing should specify at PO stage.

What is arranged per project on request?

Everything else. Named third-party partners cover the range:

• California Proposition 65 clearance — via Eurofins on request, chargeable to the project.
• REACH SVHC statement — supplied on request; the monthly Chem-ST panel already screens against the ECHA candidate list, so a statement for a specific shipment can be issued from that data without additional testing.
• Colourfastness (ISO 105-X12, ISO 105-B02, ISO 105-E01, ISO 105-E03) — through Intertek, SGS or Eurofins on request.
• Tensile and tear strength (ISO 13934, ISO 13937) — through Intertek or SGS on request.
• Abrasion / wear (EN ISO 12947 Martindale, ASTM D4157 Wyzenbeek) — through Intertek or SGS on request.
• Tuft bind (ISO 4919, ASTM D1335) — through Intertek or SGS on request.
• Fire testing (ASTM E648, IMO 2010 FTP Code Part 2, EN 13501, CPSC 16 CFR 1630) — always project-specific; PiHue holds no blanket fire certification and does not imply yacht or marine capability.
• VOC / emissions (ISO 16000, AgBB, GREENGUARD) — through Intertek or SGS on request; typically commissioned only when a specific building certification programme requires it.

Every one of these tests is a real capability through a named third-party partner. None of them is routine. If your project needs any of them, say so at PO stage and we scope the test alongside the production timeline.

What is NOT routine — please read this if you skip everything else

Some things a buyer might assume are routine at a certified factory are not. Naming them explicitly:

• Fire ratings — not routine. Project-specific arrangement through Intertek or SGS. No blanket ASTM E648, IMO or EN 13501 certification.
• Colourfastness — not routine. Arranged on request.
• Tensile, tear, abrasion and tuft bind — not routine. Arranged on request.
• VOC / emissions — not routine. Arranged on request.
• Per-shipment chemical testing — not routine (the Chem-ST panel is a monthly random check, not a per-shipment check).
• GOTS certification — PiHue is not GOTS-certified. Do not assume GOTS from the presence of partial GOTS parameters in the monthly Chem-ST panel.

The standards explained reference covers what each standard measures without implying PiHue performs it routinely.

Why publish the boundary this plainly?

A test scope that reads as broader than it is destroys credibility on any programme where the buyer's own compliance team checks the claim against evidence. A test scope that is narrow but honest survives that check. This page is the shorter, harder version of the promise.