Catherine Seville-Clare
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For more than three decades, we have been making it easier for our customers to select safer and more flame retardant textiles, without compromising the look and feel of the fabrics. Embracing technological advancements has kept us at the forefront of fire safety in contract textiles, with a proven history of pioneering innovation to improve our processes.

As a company, we were the first to introduce inherently flame retardant Trevira CS yarns to our industry, creating safer fabrics that prevent the spread of fire without the need for additional finishes, ensuring no impact on the aesthetic or textural qualities of the fabric.

Our quick guide to understanding the various flame retardancy tests in our industry will help you identify the relevant certification for your requirements and select the right fabric.

Specific Fire Retardancy Tests

CURTAINS INCLUDING SHEERS

There are no requirements for flame retardancy of any drapes used in a domestic or private residential environment.

 Hospitals and Healthcare Environments

Any drape used in a contract setting is subject to flame retardant requirements.

| BS5867 Part 2 Type B

 Hotels, Public Buildings and Offices

• Face Ignition test (Flame applied for 15 seconds)

• Pass = Flame does not reach any edge of a fabric test piece

• Pass = No flaming debris from a fabric test piece

| BS5867 Part 2 Type C

• Face and Back Ignition test (flame applied for a range of application times)

• Wash requirement to 50 washes (for FR treated fabrics)

• Pass = Any resultant after flame must cease within 2.5 secs

| BS EN13773: 2003

 Harmonised European Standard

• Edge ignition test with Radiant heat source applied to the fabric test piece

• Combination of EN1101 and EN13772

| Marine Standard: IMO 2010 FTP Code Annex 1 Part 7

• Edge and Face ignition test (propane gas flame applied for 5 and 15 second intervals)

• Pass = Any resultant after flame must cease within 5 seconds

BEDDING ITEMS AND BEDS

Under domestic regulations, only the product filling for bedding items are required to be tested.

Under contract regulations these are the following standards that may be considered for the fabric being used:

| BS7175: 1989

 For Bed Covers, Bedthrows and Pillows

• Cigarette, Match and Crib ignition sources are used to satisfy the safety level based on a risk assessment and tested on complete units ie pillows, quilts.

| Marine Standard IMO 2010 FTP Code Annex 1 Part 9

• Cigarette and Match ignition sources are used with an additional fuel source (increasing the harshness) in the form of a cotton pad on top of the flame source

| BS EN ISO 12952 – 1/2: 2010

• Cigarette and match ignition sources are used for assessment of the ignitability of individual bedding items

| BS7177 : 2008 & A1 : 2011

 For Bed Bases and Mattresses

• Performance standard including three levels of hazard Low, Medium and High

• Low Hazard | Cigarette and Match | Domestic

• Medium Hazard | Cigarette, Match and Crib 5 | Hotels and some Healthcare

• High Hazard | Cigarette, Match and Crib 7 | Prisons and some Hospitals

| UPHOLSTERY & HEADBOARDS

There are specific regulations for upholstered furniture used in domestic environments. The regulations require a pass to BS5852 part 1: 1979 cigarette and match test. The test must be conducted over specific non FR foam.

Upholstered furniture used in a contract environment may be tested in the following way:

| Performance Standard BS7176: 2007 & A1: 2011

 This is a performance requirement that uses test methods BS5852 & EN1021 – 1/2 over a specified FR foam and includes 3 Hazard  levels

| Performance Standard BS7176 – LOW HAZARD

 Tested to Cigarette (EN1021-1) and Match ignition (EN1021-2) sources Offices/schools/colleges

| Performance Standard BS7176 – MEDIUM HAZARD

 Tested to Cigarette (EN1021-1) and Match ignition (EN1021-2) with the addition of Crib 5 (BS5852: 2006) source for Hotels, Public Buildings and Healthcare environments

| Performance Standard BS7176 – HIGH HAZARD

 Tested to Cigarette (EN1021-1) and Match ignition (EN1021-2) with the addition of Crib 7 (BS5852: 2006) source for Prisons, some Hospitals and offshore installations

| Marine Standard – IMO FTP Code 2010 Annex 1 Part 8

 Test standard for Marine use including a propane flame application of 20 seconds over Non-FR foam

USA FR – UPHOLSTERY

| NFPA 260

 This is the national flame retardancy standard tested to Cigarette and Match ignition sources.

 Some regulations are left to local fire officers/building code  officials

| CAL TB 117

 Test specimens are mounted at 45° and exposed to flame  application for 1 second

 Pass: No ignition

 Virtually all upholstery fabrics pass

| CAL TB 116

 Tested to cigarette ignition and carried out on complete units

| CAL TB 133

 Tested on a complete unit for items in high-risk occupancies

 i.e non-domestic

USA FR – CURTAINS

| NFPA 701

 This is the national standard for flame retardancy for drapery

 Pass: No after flame/droplets after 2 seconds.

 No weight loss more than 40%