Flamecoating/ Fire Resistant Fabrics

         Understanding FR (Fire Rating) requirements is essential to our practice as emerging  interior designers. Most notably, as we enter our future careers, we must be aware of legality issues we might encounter. While specifying fabrics and applications, it is vital to understand that we are accountable for the product and its performance.....

• In many environments today, fire retardancy and flame resistance (FR) qualities are required for fabrics; in other cases, it is a desirable quality, at the least. For commercial and hospitality applications—for example, an awning used on an office building or an exhibit hall banner—FR ratings are essential. Fortunately, end product manufacturers (EPMs) have access to an increasing variety of textiles and finishing treatments to ensure that the application will be flame resistant. - Specialty Fabrics Review

http://www.trevira.com/en/textiles-made-from-trevira/home-textiles/flame-retardant-textiles-trevira-cs.html

http://specialtyfabricsreview.com/articles/0410_f1_flameresistant.html

 

Decoding:

• Fire Resistant - Fire resistant refers to a fabric or fiber that has been treated to discourage the spreading of flames.
• Fireproof - Fireproof means that a fabric literally will not burn. To be labeled fireproof, the Federal Trade Commission requires that a fabric must be 100% fireproof. If the fiber or fabric has been treated to prevent flames from spreading, it must be labeled as fire resistant.
• Flameproof - Flameproof is a synonym for fireproof.
• Flame Retardant Fabric - A fabric that resists or retards the spreading of flames. A flame retardant fabric can be made by using fibers that are themselves flame retardant (inherently flame retardant) or by using special finishes on fabrics 

Textiles F.R. Limited: Flame Retardancy Finishers & Consultant

Domestic Upholstered Furniture - Regulation Reference

The statutory instrument embraces all domestic upholstered seating furniture (as well as children's furniture). This includes music stools, foot stools and pouffes, bean bags and floor cushions sold for use in domestic dwellings. For the purposes of this discussion, cover fabric will refer to the permanent cover of upholstered furniture.

Removable covers which are supplied with the furniture are regarded as permanent covers by the statutory instrument. Replacement covers supplied by the original furniture manufacturer are also deemed to be permanent. However, removable covers supplied by producers other than the furniture manufacturer are classed as loose covers.

Any fabric which is supplied as a permanent cover on furniture must:

comply with the cigarette test (BS5852:Part 1:1979:Source 0), there are no exceptions either pass the appropriate match test; the one used depends on whether the material is a visible or non-visible part of a cover or if the fabric is classified as "exempt" (i.e. composed of at least 75% by weight of cotton, modal, flax, silk, viscose or wool used either separately or together and not coated with any polyurethane preparation) then it need not comply with the match test providing the furniture contains a fire-resistant interliner (complying with schedule 3 of the statutory instrument)

Cover fabric which has been treated with a flame retardant chemical must undergo a cleansing procedure described in BS5651:1978:Clause 4 (30 minute water soak) prior to cigarette or match testing. The match test is conducted over "standard foam" as described in the statutory instrument. Most cigarette testing is in practice conducted over standard foam as well (the so called "worst case scenario") although for the purposes of the statutory instrument it can be carried out over the actual filling composite used in the finished furniture or indeed any legal filling material (the type of filling used will be stated on the certificate issued by the laboratory conducting the test).

"Non-visible" cover fabric which has been flame retarded may undergo a modified cigarette and match test in which the cleansing procedure is omitted and the match test is conducted over combustion modified foam. Non-visible cover fabric is defined as

any part of the cover or furniture on which a back, arm or seat cover rests the underside or reverse side of a seat or back cushion which has not been designed as reversible the underside of non-reversible arm cushions provided they are secured and cannot be displaced in normal use the dust cover on the underside of the furniture

Loose covers should be match resistant when tested over standard foam.

Stretch covers should be match compliant when tested over combustion modified foam.

The regulations do not apply to pillow cases or loose covers for mattresses and bed-bases.

Removable braids and trimmings, lightweight scrims (used over foams & fillings) and springs and not required to comply with the fire resistance requirements.

Cane furniture upholstery (seat & back cushions) supplied with the furniture must meet the requirements described for permanent covers. These cushions cannot be considered as scatter cushions (which have different requirements).

Garden furniture which is also suitable for indoor use (including conservatories) must comply with the permanent cover requirements.

Products for use as nursery furniture which are upholstered or upholstered items which are designed to hold a baby or small child must comply with the regulations as described for permanent covers. Nursery items include the following

baby seats/bouncing cradles/baby rockers baby car seats designed for home as well as car use baby walking frames cots/travel cots carry-cots carry-cribs/baby cribs/moses baskets highchairs chair harnesses playpens (including playpen mattresses) prams push-chairs upholstered liners supplied with any of the above items.

Baby nests are exempt from the match resistance test. They must comply with the cigarette test and meet the requirements described in the statutory instrument for filling materials.

Common Treatment Method:   Backcoating: Process used for upholstery fabric, lightweight flat woven cottons Finishing Sprays: http://www.resistflamefinishing.com/finishing.asp -Kendall Cardone