Tag: upholstery fabric

Posted on

Getting a better Martindale abrasion test result for interiors fabric

Rumours abound that different testing houses give different Martindale abrasion test results for the same fabrics. Is there any truth to that?

Probably not.

Sometimes the tests can be carried out differently and so the results are different. There is a British Standard for abrasion testing which specifies how the test is done, if it is done in a different way then that may affect the result.

For example if we ‘know’ that a fabric is going to achieve about 35,000 Martindale ‘rubs’ then we would ask the testing company to test to 40,000 or if we were uncertain of the likely result we would ask them to test to end-point.

It is usual practice for the fabric to be rubbed in increments of 3,000 or so at a time. Clearly it is easier if a machine is left to run for 30,000 rather than 3,000 and then reset 10 times. Also the ‘correct’ (latter) way will give an accurate result of exactly when the fabric wears out.

I’m not sure why this is done not having read the British Standard myself in detail; maybe the fabric tension on the machine is meant to be checked every 3,000 rubs?

Anyway, if the test is not done properly then a LOWER result will be obtained.

So, providing a reputable testing house that is properly accredited has undertaken the test then it is safe to assume that the result is accurate. Of course the fabric piece that you buy may vary ever so slightly and this might cause minor variations. But that is the nature of some fabrics. A fault in the fabric may also cause it to wear out much quicker than expected but that fault should normally have been spotted by your upholsterer before they used it.

Posted on

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.

Request Samples

Order cutting samples of any fabric from our current collections. Trade accounts only.

Order Cuttings
Posted on

Dye Lot Samples vs. Stock Cuttings

What is the difference between a dye lot sample and a stock cutting?

In the UK those phrases are taken to mean the same thing. But that is not universally true so I will explain.

When you as an interior designer are about to place an order you need to get a cutting which you keep in your records stating exactly what colour the fabric will be. So you need a cutting from the exact roll of fabric which is going to be cut for you by the supplier. Once you have a this “dye lot sample” or “stock cutting” the onus is then on the supplier to supply you with the exact fabric.

Is this always important?

This is particularly important as the colour of many fabrics vary slightly between different batches of production. This is common across all suppliers.

Usually, however, it will not matter if your ENTIRE order comes from a roll that was different from the original sampling. The difference will be trivial and not noticed.

But if you are being supplied with more than one piece then it often DOES matter. The different rolls of fabric when made-up side-by-side can be noticeably different.

Sometimes even if the fabrics are different; the way they are made up, the lighting or where they are in a room can make the difference not noticeable.

Various technical reasons explain all of this, such as the variability of colour in man-made dyes, however designers need only know that it can and often does happen that fabrics vary slightly in their colour.

If in doubt obtain a dye lot sample/stock cutting.

Posted on

Velvet

Velvets have become increasingly popular over the last 5 years. Both residential and contract usage of velvets have increased tremendously. Having been produced for hundreds of years velvets never seem to have lost the attention of discerning designers.

Interior Designers are often interested in the properties and manufacture of velvet – the two being necessarily related. The depth of the pile, the durability of the finish, the ease of maintaining the beautiful finish.

Velvet is made in one of two ways – cut or uncut:

1. Cut pile

a. Here the loom is configured to Continue reading “Velvet”

Posted on

Faux Leather Skin – Heavy Contract Upholstery Walling

LONDON, England. 07-DECEMBER-2009 11.30 AM: KOTHEA today announced it has expanded its extensive contract faux skin collections by the addition of KOFAUXLEATHER. KOFAUXLEATHER is a high durability, faux leather: a superb contract fabric with a very high Martindale result. It simply and effortlessly delivers longstanding elegance in all the right bars, hotels and marine environments both as upholstery and as a wall or door covering. It looks great.

KOFAUXLEATHER

Reference: 04-003-378

Colour Shown: Marle

Other colourways: 18

Width: 140cm

Repeat: none

Composition: 100% Cotton basecloth, 94% vinyl 6% polyester coat.

Martindale: 100,000++

Primary Usage: Heavy contract upholstery and walling.

Type of fabric: Faux Leather / Faux Skin

About KOTHEA.

KOTHEA are a Continue reading “Faux Leather Skin – Heavy Contract Upholstery Walling”

Posted on

Upholstery Textiles / Upholstery Textile

Upholstery textiles from KOTHEA offer the very best Martindale / rub test values for contract and residential usage. KOTHEA never compromise on elegance in design throughout their extensive range of collections that encompass many textured upholstery textiles and hard wearing textiles such as mohair velvet and faux leather. Much more textile information can be found about our products and company elsewhere here in The Fabric Blog.

Try searching for particular technical characteristics like ‘Martindale’ or ‘ the specific type of product like ‘Mohair’ or ‘upholstery fabric’ or ‘textured upholstery’ .

Alternatively ask a question by commenting on this page and it will be answered.

Posted on

Upholstery Fabric / Upholstery Fabrics

Upholstery fabrics from KOTHEA offer the very best Martindale / rub test values for contract and residential usage. KOTHEA never compromise on elegance in design throughout their extensive range of collections that encompass many textured upholstery fabrics and hard wearing fabrics such as mohair velvet and faux leather. Much more information can be found about our products and company elsewhere here in The Fabric Blog.

Try searching for particular technical characteristics like ‘Martindale’ or ‘ the specific type of product like ‘Mohair’ or ‘upholstery fabric’ or ‘textured upholstery’ .

Alternatively ask a question by commenting on this page and it will be answered.