EN 343

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EN 343

Protective garments against wet weather

Picto de la norme textile EN 343
Discover all the EN 343 standard products

Protective clothing EN 343

Protective clothing designed to protect against bad weather (rain, snow), fog and ground humidity.

  • Water penetration resistance (WP) and water vapour resistance (RET) are essential properties
  • The materials, seams and design of protective garments are all tested

The EN 343 standard replaces the EN 343: 2003 + A1 2007 standard

Scope of application of the EN 343 standard

  • Protection against wet weather: i.e. rainfall or snow.
  • The standard does not apply to conditions other than precipitation i.e. water spray or waves.

Performance tests

PropertyOuter layerWaterproof or thermal insertLining
Water penetration resistance (before/after pre-treatment)XX
Water vapour resistanceXXX
Traction resistanceX (fabrics)
Tear resistanceX (knitting)
Resistance to burstingX
Dimensional variationsXXX
Seam resistanceX

Resistance to water penetration

WPClass 1Class 2Class 3Class 4
Outer fabric before pre-treatment≥ 8 000 Pa___
Exterior fabric after each pre-treatment_≥ 8 000 Pa≥ 13 000 Pa≥ 20 000 Pa
Seams in X before pre-treatment≥ 8 000 Pa≥ 8 000 Pa≥ 13 000 Pa_
Seams in X after pre-treatment by washing___≥ 20 000 Pa

Water vapour resistance

The water vapor resistance (WVR) of all combined layers of the garment must be consistent: the lower the WVR, the more breathable the complex.

RETClass 1Class 2Class 3Class 4
M² x Pa / WRET > 4025 < RET ≤ 4015 < RET ≤ 25RET ≤ 15

EN 343: 2007 reminder

RETClass 1Class 2Class 3Class 4
M² x Pa / WRET > 4020 < RET ≤ 40Ret ≤ 20Not planned

The water column states the pressure the garment should be able to withstand: the higher the water column, the more resistant the garment to water pressure

EN 343 resistance
EN 343

The different resistances of the EN 343 standard

  • Outer layer resistance to traction

    No change: minimum 450N value and not including any materials which stretch more than 50%

  • Outer layer tear resistance

    Reduction in minimum value: Drop from 25 N to 20 N

  • Outer layer resistance to bursting

    • Not tested in previous version is now:
    • Minimum 100 kPa for a 50cm2 test sample
    • Minimum 200 kPa for a 7.3cm2 test sample

  • Dimensional variations

    No modification for woven materials, treated or laminated (3% maximum)

  • Seam resistance

    Reduction in minimum value: Drop from 225 N to 200 N

  • Marking

    • X: Water penetration resistance class (1-4)
    • Y: Water vapour resistance class (1-4)
    • A: Optional: Ready-to-wear clothing tested under rain simulator
    • X replaces R if the garment has not been tested

Recommended working minutes

Effects of water vapor permeability on the maximum recommended continuous wear time in minutes for a full suit consisting of jacket and pants without thermal insulation liner

Temperature C° / MinutesClass 1Class 2Class 3Class 4
2560105180_
2075250__
15100___
10240___
5____
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