The tearing property of paper gives a measure of a piece of paper's resistance to the tearing forces it is subjected to. It is measured in mN both longitudinally and transversely. Two types of instruments are used, the Elmendorf and Trouser tearing instruments. Tear resistance depends on the degree of fiber refining and the quality and quantity of fillers used. This property is important in many applications involving cover, wrapping, bond and envelope stocks. The standard test methods followed are TAPPI T414, TAPPI T470 and ISO 1974.
