1.1 The purpose of this standard is to determine the width of any fabric in a state of laxity, achieved by abandonment or zero tension in the normal testing atmosphere. 1.2 This method is intended to be used when it is essential to obtain accurate measurements. The width of a fabric can vary appreciably during storage, due to the gradual loss of stresses resulting from manufacturing and finis ing. It is therefore, advis ble that the fabrics remain unrolled and freely exposed as long as possible, to monitor their laxity before making measurements.