Flame resistant (FR) clothing is a foundational way to help keep your employees safe and protected from burns caused by flash fires, electric arcs and combustible dust. These hazards can be especially prevalent in many different industries and trades like:
Link to Xinxing FR
Within each profession and industry, the legal requirements for safety workwear vary based on the duties each position entails. Because of these very specific requirements, there are distinct levels of flame resistance protection and a variety of FR fabrics available on the market.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) sets the standards and requirements that fire resistance garments must adhere to.
“Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace”, known as NFPA 70E, covers electrical safety requirements for workers, focusing on safeguards to remain productive within their respective job functions. The purpose of the standard is to provide “practical safeguarding of employees during activities such as the installation, operation, maintenance, and demolition of electric conductors, electric equipment, signaling and communications conductors.”
In short, NFPA 70E exists to protect electrical workers across all industries who work on or near electricity or energized parts/equipment capable of generating an arc flash.
NFPA 70E is considered the most widely practiced, comprehensive standard for electrical safety in the workplace. Electrical worker FR clothing must comply with these standards, which establishes CAT categories that define the level of arc rating needed by clothing to perform specific hazardous tasks. The standard identifies the distinct types of fire protective clothing needed for specific types of work.
Some of the key garment tests to comply with 70E include:
NFPA is the clothing standard for protection against flash fire hazards. This requirement is most commonly applicable to non-electrical work found in oil and gas industries, but it does encompass all potential jobs where flash fire is considered a hazard.
The purpose of NFPA is similar to 70E in that it exists to protect workers from burns caused by hazardous working conditions or materials in the workplace. It provides the minimum requirements “for the design, construction, evaluation, and verification of flame resistant garments for use by industrial personnel.” It intends to reduce burn injuries and the severity of burns for wearers.
The garment requirements laid out in NFPA are extremely stringent. FR clothing must tested and certified by a third party before being made available on the open market, and garments must defy melting, dripping, or after-flame burning, similar to 70E.
While FR garment designs do sometimes adhere to both standards, it is important to note that compliance with one standard does not mean compliance with the other.
While “flame resistance” and “flame retardant” are terms sometimes used interchangeably, there are differences. Flame resistance refers to any fabric where fibers have a natural resistance to burning when exposed to flame. Wool, for example, is highly unlikely to fully ignite because any flames introduced to a wool garment tend to be naturally extinguished by the fibers themselves.
Flame retardant fabrics, on the other hand, are made up of fibers treated by chemicals to make them exceptionally resistant to fire. They can burn, but at a much slower rate than all other fabrics and with the added ability to extinguish themselves.
If a flame is removed from either of these garment types, the fabric will stop burning. This means it will not burn on its own and wearers of these fabrics will have added protection against ignition.
Some of the leading clothing manufacturers we offer, like DRIFIRE® and SteelGuard®, design, test, and innovate FR clothing by using many types and blends of different fibers to make FR fabrics. Synthetic fibers continue to be a large portion of what comprises FR garments, but everyday fibers like cotton can also become flame resistant when flame retardant chemicals are added.
Nylon and polyester are both popular synthetic fibers that have fire resistant qualities. Plastic-based fibers (like nylon and polyester) tend to melt instead of burn, making them great for FR garment fabrics. Nylon and polyester are both popular materials used in FR clothing due to these high melting points and low thermal conductivity. Manufacturers often treat these synthetic fibers with a fire-resistant chemical for additional protection.
Aramid fibers are another type of synthetic fiber known for their resistance to high temperatures and corrosion. They are also extremely lightweight, yet high strength which make them an excellent fiber for usage in high-performance, FR fabrics. Aramid fibers are known for being stronger than steel at only a fifth the weight of steel.
Modacrylic are synthetic fibers known for their durability, comfort and protection. They have flame retardant qualities, but also are known to be comfortable due to low density of modacrylic fibers. These fibers can be easily dyed, shaped and are known to dry fast. As such, fabrics made with modacrylic fibers are commonly used in performance FR clothing and other workwear.
Cotton, by nature, is not flame resistant. It is highly flammable. However, chemically-treated FR cotton is indeed flame resistant. FR cotton feels and performs much like cotton, but with the added protection against fire making it another common fabric found in FR clothing. Some garments are 100% cotton, yet the flame retardant chemicals make those same garments flame-resistant and able to comply with FR standards. Cotton and nylon fibers are often blended to form a popular flame resistant fabric option for FR clothing manufacturers.
Most FR fabrics are often a specific blend of these kinds of fibers coated with fire-resistant chemicals. The blend ratios and chemical treatments required depend on the application of the garment and which NFPA standards to which it needs to comply.
How do flame resistant fabrics work? Essentially, FR fabrics are made up of fibers that won’t ignite – often flame retardant fibers, but sometimes a mix of both flame retardant and naturally flame resistant fibers. With all these fibers, both synthetic and natural, FR clothing manufacturers can mix and match different blends to create new and innovative fabrics that increase protection and garment performance, like enhanced moisture wicking, comfort, air flow or durability.
The properties of these fabrics tend to perform well to meet various standard measurements, including:
Self-extinguishing – Garments should extinguish themselves after 12 seconds of flame exposure.
Charring – Most FR fabrics should char (but not burn), which acts to eliminate the fire’s fuel while helping to block the heat from the fire.
Insulating properties – In certain workplace environments, insulating properties are needed to assess how well a garment can protect the wearer from the heat of flames as well as protection in freezing temperatures.
FR garments require special safety and care considerations to help the distinct types of FR fabrics retain their flame retardance. NFPA 70E standards state that garments should keep all their FR properties after 25 washes (and dries). But this is only possible if FR clothing is meticulously cleaned. Proper laundering and maintenance are necessary for FR clothing and critical for extending the longevity of the garments so that they keep you and your team safe.
Soils and stains MUST be removed entirely before FR clothing can be used in the field. A small oil stain on your flame resistant coveralls, for example, increases the risk of garment ignition. FR garments must also remain free and clear of other safety-compromising contaminants, like soap residue or calcium and magnesium salt build-up that can build up through washing or hard water.
Proper cleaning of FR garments is a bit more complicated than your standard cotton or polyester clothing items, but a uniform rental service can remove these challenges, shifting the responsibility of cleaning from your team to an experienced professional with established cleaning processes and protocols for FR fabrics.
A Vestis uniform rental program helps businesses just like yours save time and money while alleviating the challenges of cleaning, maintaining and managing critical safety apparel. Leveraging a uniform rental program, businesses can improve safety, ensure regulatory compliance and gain peace of mind knowing that all the routine maintenance and upkeep are handled by FR clothing professionals. Read more about the benefits of renting FR clothing and uniforms.
Want more information on Fire Retardant Cotton Fabric? Feel free to contact us.
From superior fire protection to enhanced comfort and mobility, Vestis is proud to offer several FR clothing options from the industry’s top manufacturers. We are also the exclusive industrial laundry provider of rental DRIFIRE FR rental garments, a proven leader in the FR industry.
Along the way, we help ensure your facility remains compliant with all the statutory requirements related to flame resistant clothing based on your company’s protection needs. Here is how our FR uniform rental program works:
From soft furnishings, office blinds, and school carpets to commercial doors, fire-retardant fabrics and materials are an absolute necessity in everyday living. What were originally interior fire hazards are now designed to improve fire safety in the home.
A fire retardant fabric’s sole purpose is to slow rather than fuel a fire’s spread, keeping your home and those in it safer.
For the technical bit: Fire retardant fabric (‘fire resistant fabric’, or ‘FR fabric’) is a material that meets certain fire safety standards set by law.
Some fabrics are naturally fire retardant, like natural fibre wool fabrics, for example, pass the domestic upholstery standards without further chemical treatment (more on this later). Otherwise, non-FR fabrics can be treated to make them fire-safe.
Fabrics can be chemically treated to provide the all-important fire retardancy. Fabrics are either sprayed or dipped in flame-resistant and retardant chemicals.
Chemically treated fabrics are rated fire-retardant down to the temperature and time it takes to burn.
Fire and flame retardant fabrics are self-extinguishing fabrics, when a flame reaches these materials, the fabric will actually slow the burning process, or resist the flames altogether.
The added fabric chemicals prevent oxygen from reaching the material layer. The chemicals create a physical barrier on the fabric’s surface, slowing the burning process.
Other fabrics might have flame-retardant materials physically woven into the fabric, therefore any washing and cleaning will not deplete the fabric’s fire retardancy.
Our collection of flame-retardant fabrics includes faux leather, cotton ticking stripe, outdoor PU, faux fur and more. There’s really no need to make any compromises when it comes to fire-retardant upholstery fabric. You can still find soft, luxurious, durable fabrics in our fabric range. Take a look at the fabrics product page and product specifications to check the “Fire Retardancy” field to check the rating.
Otherwise just from looking and feeling a material you sadly can’t tell if it’s fire retardant. It’s best to check before you buy for the fire-retardancy seal of approval or the rating of the material.
There’s a lot to consider when choosing upholstery fabrics, curtain fabrics or soft furnishing fabrics for your home. Fire safety is generally improved when consciously choosing fire retardant fabrics in home improvements. Fire retardant fabric regulations differ between commercial and domestic properties, here’s what you need to know.
Upholstery fabrics used within a domestic environment have to pass domestic upholstery standards, also known as BS, Source 0 + 1, or simply as ‘cigarette and match‘. If you’ve ever bought a sofa or armchair you might recall seeing large tags with green borders attached to it, declaring that the piece meets domestic standards.
The short answer is: no, not necessarily. However, you should give it serious consideration, and we strongly recommend it, but there is no agency or body in the UK that will force you to cover your own furniture in FR fabric. The safety advantages are obvious, but if cost is a paramount concern then you can usually save a few pounds per metre by buying a non-FR fabric.
If you’re sending furniture off to a professional upholsterer, however, and providing your own fabric, then any reputable tradesperson will likely insist that you choose a fire-retardant upholstery fabric. Your upholsterer may refuse to work with your choice if you can’t supply an FR certificate. Upholsterers can be as liable under the law as a retailer would be if they tried to sell you a piece of furniture that doesn’t meet safety standards, even if they’re only recovering it.
The domestic standard doesn’t cover all scenarios. If you’re using the fabric in a contract environment–offices, hotels, restaurants, bars, pubs, clubs, etc…–then the fabric has to pass to a higher contract upholstery standard. Known as BS, Source 5, or simply Crib 5 (named so for the equipment used to test the fabric in a laboratory–a small wooden crib).
This fabric will usually be more expensive, as a heavier application of FR chemicals is often required to bring a non-FR fabric up to standards.
There are actually no UK standards for fabric used in domestic curtains. If you were making curtains for yourself then arguably this makes little difference, as you could have chosen a non-FR curtain fabric anyway. This also means that you can make curtains for sale to the general public without having to worry about the safety requirements.
However, choosing fire-retardant fabric for curtains is a great way to introduce peace of mind into your nest and an attractive feature for buyers when purchasing your curtains (if you make and sell them)!
There are requirements for curtains used in a contract environment, and the British standard is known as BS Part 2. There are many subtypes to the standard according to the environmental risk – an office, for example, is considered relatively low risk, whereas a hospital or prison would be considered a much higher risk.
The best advice we can offer when trying to get to grips with this standard would be to contact your local fire officer.
We don’t currently sell any fabrics that have been explicitly tested to the BS standard. Some may, but you would need to have them tested yourself in order to confirm, and we offer no warranty or guarantee as to a particular result.
A common question. Aside from the obvious safety concerns, it depends on where the end product is being used.
If you’re making something yourself, for use in your own home, then there should be no other risks than the obvious safety implications. If you’re making products that you plan to sell, however, then you could be exposing yourself to both civil and criminal liability if the worst happens.
If you’re buying for a contract environment, then you’ll need to be able to supply proof that your upholstery and curtains meet UK standards if you’re ever inspected by your local fire office. How likely such an inspection is to happen will depend on the locality, but it shouldn’t be considered worth the risk.
Another common question. A fire retardant or resistant fabric isn’t fireproof fabric. It will still burn if you set fire to it. The aim of treatment, and the British standards in general, isn’t to stop the fabric from catching on fire, but rather to slow the spread of flames enough that it gives you and your family time to escape the property.
For more information, please visit Flame Retardant Knit Fabric.