Tag: contract fabric

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Fabric Abbreviations and Textile Label Codes: A Complete Reference for Interior Designers

Fabric Abbreviations and Textile Label Codes: A Complete Reference for Interior Designers

Two separate systems: Fabric labels carry both fibre composition abbreviations (WO for wool, CO for cotton, PES for polyester) and cleaning code abbreviations (W, S, WS, X). They are different systems with different purposes.
Most searched: WS, WV, WP, PA, CV, EA — these are fibre composition codes, not cleaning codes. WS means cashmere goat; it is not the cleaning code for water-soluble cleaning.
Cleaning codes: W means water-based cleaning. S means solvent or dry cleaning only. WS means either method. X means vacuum or brush only — no liquid cleaning.
European standard: ISO 2076 defines the standard fibre abbreviations used across the EU. Some Italian and European variants differ from the ISO codes.

Fabric labels on upholstery textiles, curtain fabrics, and soft furnishings carry two distinct types of abbreviated code: fibre composition codes declaring what the fabric is made from, and cleaning codes declaring how it should be maintained. Understanding the difference between the two systems, and knowing what each code means, is a practical daily requirement for any interior designer or specifier. This reference covers both systems in full.

Fibre Composition Abbreviations

Fibre composition abbreviations on fabric labels follow ISO 2076, the international standard for textile fibre names. The codes below are the standard abbreviations used across the UK and EU. All EU fabrics must carry a label declaring fibre content by percentage using these codes.

Natural Protein Fibres

WO — Wool. Fleece of the domestic sheep.

WV — Virgin wool. Wool that has not previously been processed into a textile product. Distinct from recycled or reclaimed wool. Also written as New Wool on British labels.

WP — Alpaca wool. Fleece of the alpaca. In some Italian labelling WP also indicates baby alpaca specifically.

WL — Llama wool.

WS — Cashmere. Fibre from the undercoat of the cashmere goat, known in German as Kaschmir and in French as Cachemire. WS appears on cashmere fabric and cashmere throw labels as the fibre composition code. It is not a cleaning code.

WM — Mohair. Fleece of the Angora goat. Used in mohair velvet upholstery fabric and mohair knit fabrics.

WK — Camel hair.

WA — Angora wool. Fibre from the Angora rabbit. Distinct from WM (mohair, which is from the Angora goat).

SE — Silk. Natural protein fibre produced by the silkworm. In German the word for silk is Seide, hence SE.

Natural Cellulosic Fibres

CO — Cotton. The most widely used upholstery and curtain fibre globally.

LI — Linen (flax). Bast fibre from the flax plant. Also known by its German name Leinen or French lin.

HA — Hemp. Bast fibre from the cannabis plant. In German Hanf.

JU — Jute. Bast fibre, typically used in hessian and backing fabrics.

SI — Sisal. Leaf fibre from the agave plant.

CR — Coir. Coconut fibre used in matting and some backing applications.

Man-Made Fibres from Natural Sources

CV — Viscose (also known as rayon). Regenerated cellulosic fibre made from wood pulp. Widely used in fabric linings, velvet piles, and blended upholstery fabrics. Also written as VI on some Italian labels.

CMD — Modal (also known as polynosic). A modified form of viscose with higher wet strength.

CLY — Lyocell. Regenerated cellulosic fibre produced in a closed-loop solvent process. Sold under the brand name Tencel by Lenzing AG.

CA — Acetate. Cellulose acetate, a semi-synthetic fibre with a silky handle. Not suitable for FR treatment at significant proportions.

CTA — Triacetate. Similar care and treatment limitations to CA.

CUP — Cuprammonium (cupro). Used in some luxury linings and smooth-handle fabrics.

Synthetic Fibres

PES — Polyester. The most widely used synthetic fibre globally. Trevira CS is a permanently flame-retardant variant of polyester.

PA — Polyamide (nylon). In some European labelling also appears as NY.

PAN — Acrylic (polyacrylonitrile). Not suitable for FR treatment. Solution-dyed acrylic such as Sunbrella is the standard for outdoor and marine upholstery. In Italian labelling sometimes abbreviated as PM.

PP — Polypropylene. Not suitable for FR treatment.

PUR — Polyurethane. Used in stretch fabrics and as a bonding layer in coated or laminated textiles.

EL — Elastane (also known as spandex or Lycra). Also written as EA on some Italian labels.

MT or ME — Metallic fibre.

AF — Other fibres not otherwise classified.

Common Italian and European Label Variants

VI — Viscose (equivalent to CV in ISO standard).

EA — Elastane (equivalent to EL in ISO standard).

PM — Acrylic or polyester (context-dependent in Italian labelling).

PC — Acrylic (polyacrylonitrile, equivalent to PAN).

PBT — Polybutylene terephthalate, a form of polyester used in some technical fabrics.

WP — Baby alpaca in some Italian labelling.

Cleaning Code Abbreviations

Cleaning codes appear on upholstery fabric data sheets and on care labels attached to finished upholstered pieces. They are a separate system from the fibre composition abbreviations.

W — Water-based cleaning. The fabric can be cleaned using water-based cleaning agents and foam upholstery cleaners. This code does not mean the fabric is waterproof — it means water-based products can be applied to the surface without damage.

S — Solvent-based cleaning only. The fabric should be cleaned using dry-cleaning solvents only. Water applied to an S-coded fabric will typically cause watermarks, pile distortion, or shrinkage. Most velvet fabrics — including mohair velvet, cotton velvet, and silk velvet — carry an S code. This is the single most important cleaning code for interior designers to communicate to clients and housekeeping teams.

WS — Either water-based or solvent-based cleaning may be used. Note that WS as a cleaning code is entirely distinct from WS as a fibre composition code (cashmere). The context — care label or fibre content label — determines which meaning applies.

X — No liquid cleaning. The fabric should only be maintained by vacuuming or brushing. No water-based or solvent-based liquid cleaners should be applied.

P — Professional dry cleaning only (used on garment care labels following GINETEX international care symbols).

F — Professional dry cleaning with petroleum-based solvent (GINETEX care symbols).

Understanding WS, WV, and WP: The Most Commonly Confused Abbreviations

Three abbreviations cause consistent confusion because they look like cleaning codes but are fibre composition codes.

WS is cashmere. WV is virgin wool. WP is alpaca or baby alpaca. All three are fibre composition abbreviations defined by ISO 2076. They appear on fabric content labels alongside the percentage of each fibre present — for example, 90% WS 10% SE means 90% cashmere and 10% silk. They have no connection to cleaning instructions.

When a fabric data sheet or care label shows WS followed by a percentage, it is always a fibre content declaration. When WS appears alone on a care instructions line or inside a cleaning care symbol, it is always a cleaning code.

Quick Reference List

  • AB — Abaca
  • AF — Other fibres
  • CA — Acetate
  • CLY — Lyocell / Tencel
  • CMD — Modal
  • CO — Cotton
  • CR — Coir
  • CTA — Triacetate
  • CUP — Cuprammonium / Cupro
  • CV — Viscose / Rayon
  • EA — Elastane (Italian variant of EL)
  • EL — Elastane / Spandex / Lycra
  • HA — Hemp
  • JU — Jute
  • LI — Linen / Flax
  • ME / MT — Metallic fibre
  • PA — Polyamide / Nylon
  • PAN — Acrylic
  • PBT — Polybutylene terephthalate
  • PC — Acrylic (Italian variant)
  • PES — Polyester
  • PM — Acrylic or polyester (Italian variant)
  • PP — Polypropylene
  • PUR — Polyurethane
  • SE — Silk
  • SI — Sisal
  • VI — Viscose (Italian variant of CV)
  • WA — Angora wool
  • WK — Camel hair
  • WL — Llama wool
  • WM — Mohair
  • WO — Wool
  • WP — Alpaca / Baby alpaca
  • WS — Cashmere
  • WV — Virgin wool

Cleaning codes:

  • W — Water-based cleaning safe
  • S — Solvent / dry clean only
  • WS — Water or solvent cleaning safe
  • X — Vacuum or brush only. No liquid cleaning

For fabric care symbols and international care label icons, see our fabric care symbols guide. For cleaning codes by fabric type including mohair velvet and faux leather, see our fabric hand and tactile properties guide. For mohair velvet and upholstery fabric ranges, visit the mohair velvet upholstery page. .

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What Is Sanforisation? Sanforised and Sanforising Explained for Interior Designers

What Is Sanforisation? Sanforised and Sanforising Explained for Interior Designers

What it is: A mechanical pre-shrinking finishing process applied to woven fabric before it leaves the mill. Named after Sanford Lockwood Cluett, who patented the process in 1930.
Which fabrics: Most commonly applied to cotton and linen. Also used on some cotton-blend upholstery and shirting fabrics.
Why it matters: Fabric that has not been sanforised may shrink when used in curtains or upholstery that are subsequently washed or exposed to moisture. Sanforised fabric has been pre-shrunk to defined limits at the mill, reducing but not eliminating subsequent shrinkage.
On the label: Sanforised is a registered trademark. Fabric labelled Sanforised has been tested and certified to shrink no more than 1% in either direction. Sanforised-Plus is the rating for fabrics with even greater dimensional stability.

Sanforising is a mechanical finishing process applied to woven fabric to reduce the shrinkage that would otherwise occur when the fabric is exposed to moisture or heat after making up. Interior designers encounter the term on fabric data sheets and labels, most commonly on cotton and linen upholstery and curtain fabrics. Understanding what it means and what it does not guarantee is a practical specification consideration.

How the Process Works

Sanforising passes the woven fabric through a machine that compresses it mechanically in the warp direction — along the length of the fabric. A rubber blanket is stretched and then released, and the fabric is carried through this process so that the yarns are forced into a more compact arrangement in the warp direction before they are set by steam. The result is a fabric whose yarns have already been displaced into the position they would naturally move to if the fabric were washed. When the finished curtain or upholstered piece is subsequently washed or exposed to moisture, the fabric has less remaining tendency to shrink because the displacement has already occurred.

The process addresses warp shrinkage — shrinkage along the length of the fabric. Weft shrinkage — shrinkage across the width — is controlled by a separate process called tentering, in which the fabric is held to a defined width during drying and heat setting. Sanforised fabric has typically been through both processes.

What Sanforised Means on a Label

Sanforised is a registered trademark owned by Cluett, Peabody and Co. Fabric carrying the Sanforised mark has been independently tested and certified to shrink no more than 1% in either the warp or weft direction when washed. This is the residual shrinkage after the sanforising process — fabric may still shrink by up to 1% in each direction, but no more.

Sanforised-Plus is a higher standard, certifying residual shrinkage of no more than 0.5% in either direction. It appears on some high-quality cotton fabrics and performance linens.

Fabric described as pre-shrunk rather than Sanforised may have been through a similar mechanical process but without independent certification to the same standard. The level of residual shrinkage permitted under a pre-shrunk claim is not standardised.

What It Does Not Guarantee

Sanforised certification applies to shrinkage caused by washing. It does not address all the dimensional changes that fabric may undergo in use. Natural fibre fabrics — cotton and linen in particular — absorb and release atmospheric moisture as humidity changes. This hygroscopic behaviour causes minor dimensional changes that are distinct from washing shrinkage and are not addressed by sanforising. In environments with significant humidity variation — a room that alternates between very dry and very damp conditions — even sanforised linen or cotton may show minor dimensional change over time.

Sanforised certification also does not address the relaxation shrinkage that may occur in curtains hung under their own weight over time, particularly in heavy cotton or linen fabrics. This is a tension-release effect rather than a moisture-induced shrinkage and is unrelated to the sanforising process.

Relevance for Upholstery Specification

For upholstery fabrics that will not be washed — most contract upholstery is dry-clean or spot-clean only — sanforised certification has limited direct relevance to the face fabric performance. Where it matters most is in curtain fabrics that will be laundered, and in loose covers and cushion covers in domestic settings where machine washing is planned.

For linen upholstery fabrics, the dimensional stability of the fabric during making-up is more practically significant than its washing shrinkage. A fabric that relaxes or distorts during the tension applied in upholstery construction will affect the alignment of the finished piece regardless of its sanforised status. Confirm dimensional stability under tension with the supplier for any linen or cotton fabric being used in tight upholstery applications.

For linen upholstery fabric specification, see our upholstery linen page. For fabric care and cleaning codes, see our fabric care symbols guide. For fabric hand and how natural fibres behave in use, see our fabric hand and tactile properties guide.

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What Is BS 476 Part 7 Class 1 ( BS476 )

BS476 Part 7 Class 1 is the FR / Fire Retardancy test for contract wall covering.

In the case of fabric wall coverings, the fabric is held vertically and subjected to a flame. If the rate of spread of any flame falls below a certain level the test is passed.

The test is a severe one. It is appropriate for example, in hotels and offices.

When organising treatment for your fabric ask for it to be treated so that it passes this standard test and inform the treatment company that the fabric will be subsequently tested.

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What is BS5867 / BS 5867 part 2 type B? type C?

For the full guide to BS 5852 Crib 5 fire standards for contract upholstery, see: BS 5852 Crib 5: A Complete Guide for Interior Designers and Specifiers.

BS 5867 Part 2 Type B is the contract fire retardancy standard for curtains.

As an interior designer you do not need to understand the technical details of the test. However you are responsible for the project and must:

  • Confirm what standard is required for your project.
  • Specify fabric that meets that standard.
  • Prove that the fabric installed complies.

Here is what to do:

1. Determine the fire retardancy standard required. This may involve contacting the local fire officer. Confirm what documentation you need to provide.

2. Confirm with your fabric supplier whether the fabric inherently meets the standard or requires treatment.

3. On purchasing the fabric, specify the treatment required. Say to the fabric company: treat this fabric to BS 5867 Part 2 Type B and provide documentation confirming this has been done.

4. A treatment certificate confirms the fabric has been treated to the standard. It does not confirm the fabric has passed the test. For larger projects, arrange for your specific batch of fabric to be independently tested after treatment at a UKAS-accredited testing laboratory (not the treatment house). At the end of that process you will receive documentation confirming the fabric meets the standard.

Related: fire retardancy for contract upholstery, Crib 5 and BS 7176.

Test Details

Test method

A sample of the fabric, vertically held, is exposed to a small flame. For Type B (hotels and similar) the ease of ignition is observed. It is noted whether the flame reaches any edge of the specimen and whether any burning pieces fall. For Type C (NHS environments) the fabric is further assessed for behaviour once the flame is removed but when the fabric may still be smouldering. The fabric is tested before and after laundering: Type B requires 12 wash cycles at 40 degrees; Type C requires 50 wash cycles at 40 degrees.

Type B performance criteria: The edges must remain completely intact and no burning debris should fall.

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Mohair Velvet, Silk Velvet: How to upholster using it

Silk Velvet Upholstery Fabric TextileMohair Velvet and Silk Velvet buyers consider this: You have just invested a considerable amount of money in a high quality silk velvet or mohair velvet. Are you really considering upholstering with it yourself. Use an experienced upholsterer who, to be brutally honest, should not need the instructions that follow.

Some velvets are woven with a nap others are not. It is not a problem either way. If there is a nap you need to know which way it goes as that affects the process of upholstering. When you run your hand down the mohair velvet or silk velvet the smoothed direction indicates the direction of the nap. Remember this, it is important.

I’m assuming that you have already checked that the fabric is not damaged and that each piece is from the same dye lot.

The nap should be upholstered downwards for:

– the back;

– the seat; and

– side surfaces.

The nap should be upholstered from the outside inwards for:

– arm rests.

How do you flip your cushions? Top to bottom or left to right?

Most people flip from top to bottom. It is therefore standard upholstering practice to upholster the front and the back the opposite way. IE when they are flipped over the nap is the same.

You should use a layer of wadding between the foam and the fabric. The wadding can be either cotton or synthetic it does not really matter but check with any fire rating requirements. Again check that you are using the right kind of foam but HR foam or cold foam are both fine.

However if the pile is vertical then we advise the additional use of a cotton slip-cover.

Going back to the foam for a minute we advise that you use white wadding. In certain circumstances it is possible that grey wadding will ‘bleed’ causing marks on your beautiful Mohair Velvet. For example this may be caused from moisture used in the cleaning process.

Always use wadding on the arm rests as a protective layer to help eliminate ‘sharp’ edges. Using wadding on arm rests will thus reduce wear and tear considerably.

For the piping never use synthetic piping cord, always use cotton piping cord. As with the arm rests this will reduce wear and tear by eliminating the ‘sharper edges’.

Again to reduce wear and tear also use the length of the fabric to make the piping. this will look better as well.

Happy Upholstering

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New images on the KOTHEA web site.

Perhaps not the most exciting news you will read today I know! We have been aware for a few months that our web site images needed to improve. We re-used the same images again and again. So we have finally acquired a new image for just about every page, all reflecting the product we offer in the relevent area! Well, at least you can sleep soundly tonight knowing that we are happy. I joke of course.

Coming from the designer/producer/supplier of fabrics angle makes it a little tricky for us. We do not feel it is our job to stage our fabrics on a photo set in a room of our liking. We are not the interior designers, that’s your job! We may see one of our fabrics in a certain way – for example I always associate our faux leathers with bar stools (misspent youth). However you may well see many other angles: wall covering, cushions and so on. So we try not to second-guess you. the interior designer. So, our challenge is to show some of the fine detail of our products without you being able to either see it in 3D yourself or feel it. Tricky. Have a look.

Anyway, we hope you enjoy the photos (along with the parts of the new collections on flickr) and any comments will be greatly appreciated.

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What Is Trevira CS? Inherently Flame-Retardant Polyester Explained

What Is Trevira CS? Inherently Flame-Retardant Polyester Explained

What it is: Trevira CS is a brand name for a permanently flame-retardant polyester fibre manufactured by Trevira GmbH in Germany. The CS stands for Comfort and Safety.
How it works: The flame-retardant additive is incorporated into the polyester polymer during fibre production — it is part of the fibre itself, not a surface treatment applied afterwards.
Why it matters: The fire resistance is permanent. It cannot be washed out, worn off, or degraded by cleaning. Fabric made from Trevira CS does not require topical FR treatment to achieve contract fire standards.
Certification: Trevira CS fabric can achieve BS 5867 Part 2 Type B and Type C for curtains and BS 5852 Crib 5 for upholstery, depending on fabric construction.

Trevira CS is one of the most widely used inherently flame-retardant fibres in the UK and European contract interiors market. It is specified for curtains and upholstery in hotels, offices, healthcare facilities, and public buildings where fire compliance is required and the permanence of the fire performance is commercially important. This guide explains what Trevira CS is, how it differs from topically treated polyester, and where it is and is not appropriate to specify.

Inherent vs Topical Flame Retardancy

Standard polyester fabric does not meet UK contract fire standards without treatment. The two routes to compliance are topical FR treatment — applying chemical compounds to the fabric surface after weaving — or using a fibre with inherent flame retardancy built into the polymer from manufacture.

Trevira CS takes the second route. The phosphorus-based flame-retardant compound is added to the polyester melt during fibre extrusion. It becomes part of the polymer chain rather than sitting on or in the fabric surface. This means the fire performance is genuinely permanent — it survives laundering, dry cleaning, and normal use without degradation and without the re-treatment requirements associated with topically treated fabrics.

This permanence is the primary commercial advantage of Trevira CS over topically treated alternatives in high-frequency-cleaning environments such as healthcare curtains and hotel restaurant seating where laundry cycles are regular and frequent.

Fire Standards Trevira CS Can Achieve

Fabric woven from Trevira CS yarn can achieve BS 5867 Part 2 Type B for curtains and drapery, and Type C — which includes a laundering pre-conditioning requirement — making it appropriate for hospital cubicle curtains that are regularly laundered. This is the most demanding UK curtain fire standard and one that few non-inherent fabrics can meet reliably over repeated wash cycles.

For upholstery, Trevira CS fabric can be constructed to achieve BS 5852 Crib 5, though the specific fabric construction — weave density, pile height if applicable, and backing — affects the result. A fabric containing Trevira CS yarn is not automatically Crib 5 certified: the specific fabric as constructed must be tested and certified by a UKAS-accredited laboratory.

Trevira CS fabric also achieves good performance against the IMO fire standards used in marine and yacht interiors, making it a practical specification for vessels requiring FTP Code compliance. See our IMO marine fire standards guide for marine application requirements.

Where Trevira CS Is and Is Not Appropriate

Trevira CS is well suited to curtain fabrics in healthcare, hospitality, and institutional environments where BS 5867 Type C compliance and launderability are required simultaneously. It is also appropriate for acoustic panel fabrics and wall lining fabrics where a surface spread of flame classification is needed without reliance on topical treatment. For high-frequency-cleaning upholstery in healthcare environments, Trevira CS upholstery fabric is a practical alternative to silicone leather where a fabric aesthetic is preferred.

Trevira CS is standard polyester in all its non-fire properties. It does not have the tactile warmth of natural fibres, the lustre of mohair or silk, or the inherent sustainability credentials of wool or linen. For hospitality and high-end residential interiors where tactile quality and aesthetic warmth are the primary criteria, natural-fibre fabrics with independent fire certification are typically preferred over Trevira CS. For the distinction between inherent and topical fire resistance across fibre types, see our FR treatment and fibre compatibility guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Trevira CS need FR treatment?

No. The flame-retardant property is inherent to the fibre — it is part of the polymer structure from manufacture. Fabric made from Trevira CS does not require topical FR back-coating or wet-padding treatment to achieve its fire performance. This is what distinguishes it from standard polyester fabric, which would require topical treatment to meet contract fire standards.

Does Trevira CS fire performance survive washing?

Yes. Because the flame retardancy is part of the fibre polymer rather than a surface application, it is not affected by washing, dry cleaning, or abrasion. This makes Trevira CS particularly appropriate for healthcare curtains and other applications requiring regular laundering without re-treatment or re-certification.

Is all Trevira CS fabric automatically Crib 5 certified?

No. Trevira CS yarn has inherent flame-retardant properties, but the specific fabric woven from it must be tested and certified by a UKAS-accredited laboratory to confirm it meets the required standard for the specific application. The weave construction, pile height, and backing all affect the fire performance of the finished fabric. Always obtain a test certificate for the specific fabric being specified rather than assuming certification from the yarn specification alone.

For the Crib 5 standard for upholstery, see our Crib 5 guide. For curtain fire standards including BS 5867 Type B and Type C, see our hotel fabric specification guide. For inherent vs topical fire resistance across fibre types, see our FR treatment and fibre compatibility guide. For how FR treatment works, see our how FR treatment works guide.

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KOTHEA 2010 Fabric Collections

Finally! Our summer collections have been decided and we will begin to introduce the new designs and colourways throughout the remainder of this year. We have been inundated with new work in the first part of this year causing our blog posts to be curtailed and our ‘spring’ collection to nearly be an autumn/fall collection. Not that we really do seasonal collections in any case.

I will return later in another post to KOTHEA’s awesome sales figures for the financial year just finished. Most surprising, especially considering we are in the midst of a recession. We had our best ever year and by quite a large margin.

We expect some coverage of the new collections in World of Interiors and Elle decoration but, again, more on that at another time.

Where can you see our collections? Well, we are as elusive as ever but we are starting to digitize some images to our flickr feed (click the images on the right or here). The flickr update is ongoing, there is information on flickr now but some of the images are not final and some images do not have full associated descriptions / product details but we are woking on that this week. Our usual clients will receive the new collections in due course starting in late summer; if you need them more urgently for pressing projects of course we will be happy to oblige. Please get in contact in the usual way.

Not all are in production yet but most sampling is available now.

As a very broad summary we have:

1. New colours of several existing ranges including faux leather;

2. More velvets including patterned and crush;

3. Striped, double-width linens;

4. Upholstery weight linen; and

5. A few more interesting one-off designs in limited colourways like the one heading up this blog post.

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What is UK FR treatment BS7176 BS5852 Crib Test?

For a complete guide to specifying fabric for hotel and hospitality projects, including BS 7176 fire certification, cleaning regime compatibility, and Martindale thresholds by room type, see: How to Specify Fabric for Hotel and Hospitality Projects.

For a comprehensive guide to BS 5852 Crib 5, including what the test is, the three-stage procedure, the difference between inherent and topical certification, and how to specify correctly, see: BS 5852 Crib 5: A Complete Guide for Interior Designers and Specifiers.

Summary: for contract upholstery in the UK, the full test is a water-soak plus Crib 5 plus cigarette test plus match test. Read on for the detail on how to get the treatment done correctly.

For contract upholstery fabric in the UK your fabric normally needs to be treated to pass BS 5852 Source 5 (Crib 5). When getting a fabric treated, ask for it to be treated to that standard. As a designer that is all you should normally have to do.

Treatment must be undertaken at a UKAS-accredited company. There are various ways of treating fabrics to meet the standard. You do not need to know them all; that is the job of the treatment house. Tell them what standard the fabric needs to achieve, that you will be getting it tested independently afterwards (that encourages them to do it properly), and that the fabric will be subject to a water-soak test.

The reason for specifying the water-soak is that some older treatment methods are permissible within the standard but can fail the water-soak stage. These treatments can contain phosphorous-based chemicals that wash out. If a fabric is not inherently fire retardant, part of the test involves soaking it in water, which can remove the treatment and cause the test to fail.

Some treatment houses do not have the machinery required for the more advanced treatment methods and simply immerse fabric in a bath of fire-retardant chemicals. Specifying that you will be testing afterwards, including the water-soak, motivates the treatment house to use the correct process.

As part of the treatment process, some companies will carry out an indicative test and issue a certificate of treatment. This means the fabric should pass the Crib 5 test. However the crib test itself has not been carried out at this stage. Check with your client and fire officer whether an indicative certificate is acceptable, or whether they require the full independent Crib 5 test to be completed, which takes longer and costs more.

Fire regulation must be taken seriously. The repercussions of non-compliance are significant.

As a minimum, when commissioning FR treatment:

  • Use a UKAS-accredited treatment company.
  • Specify: treat this fabric to pass BS 5852 Source 5 (Crib 5).
  • Specify: it will be water-soaked and tested independently afterwards.
  • Ask for an indicative test at the end of treatment and a certificate of treatment.

BS 7176 and Hazard Categories

Most UK fabric companies and designers work to Crib 5. There is a higher level of testing and certification called BS 7176, which includes the Crib 5 test, the cigarette and match tests, and the water-soak, and additionally requires the test to document the specific end-use environment and the exact foam to be used in the installation. This means the test mimics your specific project’s conditions as closely as possible.

When specifying a BS 7176 test you need to state how the fabric will be used: in a hotel, a restaurant, a hospital, a prison, an offshore installation, and so on. These end-use environments determine the hazard category of the test.

The treatment applied to achieve BS 7176 Medium Hazard is the same as for Crib 5. The difference lies in the documentation and the scope of the test. Specifying BS 7176 Medium Hazard is advisable for complex or sensitive contract projects, and for furniture manufacturers who wish to label their products as suitable for specific commercial environments.

For a full explanation of BS 7176 hazard categories and when to use them, see our complete guide to BS 5852 Crib 5.

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