How are Condoms Tested?

Condoms are sensitive products. To ensure their effectiveness, condoms have to be duly tested for endurance and performance.

When it comes to condom testing, each country goes through a different government agency whose responsibility it is to standardize condoms and make sure they are effective and meet regulated safety requirements.  In the United Kingdom, condoms are approved by Kitemark. Other European countries get approval by CE Mark. In the United States, condoms must go through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and meet their requirements.

There are usually six tests given to ensure latex condoms meet regulated standards. These tests include an air burst test, a tensile property test, a dimension test, a leakage test, a package integrity test and a  lubricant quantity test. These tests are most often given to condoms that are right off the manufacturer’s floor.

The air burst test is inflates the condom with air until it bursts, measuring the strength of the latex, the air pressure within the condom and the amount of air a condom can withhold before it bursts.

The tensile test measures latex condom properties including forces needed to burst the tested latex ring, percent elongation and tensile breaking strength.

The dimension test is used to determine the length, thickness and width of the condom. Leakage tests are made throughout the course of manufacturing as well as in quality lab tests on a product ready for shipment. There are two leakage test methods.  One is electrically test. Our condoms 100% electrically tested. If a hole is present in the condom, the electric current would easily pass. In a wet test, the condom is put into a water-based solution and tested with electric currents to check for holes.

Package integrity tests have resulted in several regulatory organizations requiring that all condoms be packaged within foil packages, as foil does not allow the condoms to weaken as quickly as those packaged in plastic. In a package integrity test, the packages seal is tested by applying stress to it.

Because the varying levels of lubricant present within a condom package can slow deterioration, some organizations have requested this be a standard test, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

We welcome customer visit our factory. We will show the test for you. Any questions email us: rita@customcondomsfactory.com  or rita@mangocondom.com