BS 5867 Part 2: Curtain Fire Standard Types A, B and C Explained

BS 5867 Part 2 is the British Standard for the flammability of curtains, drapes and window blinds. It is the fire standard a designer specifies for contract curtains in hotels, offices, public buildings and healthcare. This guide explains the three performance types, A, B and C, how the test works, and which type to specify. For the practical side of contract curtains, including fullness, lining and light control, see our contract curtain fabric specification guide. For the upholstery fire standard, which is separate, see our BS 5852 Crib 5 guide.

What BS 5867 Part 2 Covers

The current edition is BS 5867-2:2008, Fabrics for curtains, drapes and window blinds, Part 2: Flammability requirements. It sets three levels of performance. Type A is the least severe, Type B sits in the middle, and Type C is the most demanding. Each type pairs an ignition test with a cleaning or laundering stage, so the result reflects how the fabric behaves after it has been cleaned in use, not only when new.

BS 5867 applies to hanging fabrics. It is not interchangeable with BS 5852 Crib 5, which tests upholstered composites. A Crib 5 upholstery certificate does not qualify a fabric for contract curtain use, and a BS 5867 certificate does not qualify a fabric for seating.

How the Test Works

A specimen of the fabric is hung vertically and a small flame is applied to its face, not its bottom edge. The assessor records how the fabric ignites, whether holes form, how far the flame spreads, and whether flaming droplets or debris fall from the specimen. To pass, no hole or flame front may reach the top or either side edge of the specimen, and no flaming debris may separate from it.

Type A uses the BS EN ISO 6941 method with a 10-second flame application. Type B uses the BS EN ISO 15025 method with a 15-second flame application. Type C also uses BS EN ISO 15025, with a staged sequence of flame applications rising from 5 seconds to 30 seconds.

Where a curtain is lined, the face fabric and lining are tested together as the made-up combination, because a compliant face fabric over an untreated lining may not pass as an assembly.

Type A, Type B and Type C Compared

Type A. The baseline level, tested with the shorter flame. The test includes a cleaning stage to the supplier’s care instructions, or a water soak where no cleaning method is given. Type A is rarely the level asked for on contract projects.

Type B. The level specified for most contract interiors, including hotels, offices and public buildings. The cleaning stage follows the same principle as Type A, but the ignition test is more severe. Unless a fire risk assessment calls for something different, Type B is the level commonly accepted for non-domestic curtains.

Type C. The level for healthcare and any setting where curtains are laundered repeatedly, such as hospital cubicle curtains. The fabric is tested before and after 50 cycles of commercial laundering to BS EN ISO 10528, and the flame sequence is the most severe of the three. Topical treatments that wash out cannot meet it, so Type C fabrics are usually inherently flame retardant.

Who Requires It

There is no legal requirement for curtains in private homes to meet BS 5867. The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 cover upholstery, not curtains. In non-domestic buildings, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places responsibility on the responsible person for the building, who relies on the fire risk assessment. In practice, the designer specifies the type, confirms it with the client and the fire officer, and supplies the certificates at handover.

Achieving BS 5867: Treatment or Inherent Fibre

Most decorative curtain fabrics in natural fibres need a topical flame-retardant treatment to reach Type B, usually applied by wet padding. Treatment can alter the handle of light fabrics, particularly sheers, and its durability depends on the cleaning regime, so the cleaning method must be agreed with the treatment house. Inherently flame-retardant fabrics, such as Trevira CS constructions, meet the standard without treatment and keep their performance through washing, which is why they dominate Type C applications. For which fibres can be treated, see our FR treatment and fibre compatibility guide and our how FR treatment works guide.

How to Specify Correctly

State the standard and type in full. Write BS 5867-2:2008 Type B, or Type C, rather than “FR” or “fire rated”.

Match the type to the cleaning regime. Curtains that will be laundered commercially need Type C. Curtains that will be dry cleaned or spot cleaned are normally specified to Type B.

Test the made-up combination. Where curtains are lined or interlined, confirm the certificate covers the face fabric with the lining actually used.

Ask for an independent certificate. A treatment certificate shows the fabric was treated, not that it passed. Request a test certificate from a UKAS-accredited laboratory for the specific fabric and type.

For the full specification library, see our fabric buying guide by purpose.

Quick answers

What is BS 5867 Part 2?
BS 5867 Part 2 is the British Standard for the flammability of fabrics for curtains, drapes and window blinds. The current edition, BS 5867-2:2008, sets three performance types: Type A, the least severe; Type B, the level specified for most contract interiors; and Type C, the most demanding, for healthcare and repeatedly laundered curtains. It is separate from BS 5852 Crib 5, which applies to upholstery.

What is the difference between BS 5867 Type B and Type C?
Type B is the standard level for contract curtains in hotels, offices and public buildings, tested with a 15-second flame and a cleaning stage. Type C adds a more severe staged flame sequence and testing after 50 cycles of commercial laundering, so it suits healthcare and any curtain that is washed repeatedly. Type C fabrics are usually inherently flame retardant, because topical treatments tend to wash out.

Can a Crib 5 fabric be used for contract curtains?
Not on the strength of the Crib 5 certificate. BS 5852 Crib 5 tests upholstered composites, while contract curtains must meet BS 5867 Part 2, usually Type B. A fabric used for both upholstery and curtains on a contract project needs a certificate for each standard.

Do curtains in a private home need to meet BS 5867?
No. There is no legal requirement for domestic curtains to meet BS 5867, and the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 do not cover curtains. The standard applies in practice to non-domestic buildings, where the fire risk assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 sets the requirement.

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