Flame Retardancy of Digitally Printed Backdrops

For years, many digital printers have felt that, if the substrate manufacturer certifies that the fabric is flame retardancy, the digital printer can feel confident to certify that the digitally printed panel is flame retardant.   Many printers still feel this way.

Unfortunately, we have found that this is not always the case.  Depending on the  type of ink and the type of fabric substrate used, as well as the specific colors and ink saturation of a particular image, the completed digital backdrop may be less flame retardant than the unprinted fabric substrate.  In some cases, the inks (or the specific combination of inks and substrate) may actually cause the digital backdrop to become flammable.

So, what do companies that offer custom digital printing services do, in addition to using flame retardant substrates, to ensure that the backdrops they print are flame retardant?  Can they really test every single backdrop to see if the specific combination of inks and colors and saturation and fabric used for that specific backdrop has retained the flame retardancy of the fabric substrate?  And what do they do if it doesn’t?

Here at Sew What?, we have carefully considered all of these questions.  As you are probably aware, if you are a regular reader of this blog, flame retardancy is of utmost importance to us.  We manufacture custom stage drapes and scenic backdrops for use in public spaces – music tours, schools, churches, theatres, special events.  With very rare exception, every drape that we make must meet flame retardancy standards.

As a result, after extensive research and development, we made the choice to topically treat our digital backdrops for flame retardancy – after printing but before sewing.  Yes, some may think that this is overkill.  In some cases (perhaps with a certain type of ink or colors or low ink saturation or fabric), the backdrop might be flame retardant without the topical treatment.  But we’d rather be safe than sorry.

What are the advantages of this decision to our customers, particularly our music touring customers?  It means that when they arrive at a venue in South Dakota or Sacramento or Boston, they can feel comfortable that the backdrop will pass a field test by the local fire marshal.   No production designer or tour manager wants to be told, a few hours before a show, that the backdrop failed a burn test and they have to either remove it from the venue or find a local company to topically treat it onsite (usually at great expense due to the rush situation and onsite visit).

And even with the decision to topically treat our digital backdrops (and the resulting additional cost to do so), we have found that we are still able to remain competitive from a price standpoint.   Which is important – our customers want a safe product, but they still need to consider the bottom line.  And we can feel satisfied that we have offered our customers a product that is both beautiful and safe.

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Does IFR mean it is “more flame retardant” than FR?

I have posted a number of times on the issue of flame retardancy of stage curtains, in part because it is one of my areas of expertise (though I still have a lot to learn) but mostly because I find that it is not only an important topic, but also an area about which there are many misconceptions.

Last June, for example, I posted about the differences between IFR, FR,  NFR and other related terms.  The primary difference between FR and IFR is the method in which a fabric is made flame retardant.  Either it is made flame retardant in the fiber stage (IFR) or it is made flame retardant after weaving (FR). 

Occasionally, we have clients who request an IFR fabric because they believe that it is “more” flame retardant than an FR fabric.  For example, they will state that, because the drapery will be near pyrotechnics on a rock show stage, they prefer to use an IFR fabric.

The reality, though, is that a brand new IFR fabric is neither more nor less flame retardant than a brand new FR fabric, and vice versa.  Both fabric have been tested and certified to meet specific flame retardancy standards, such as NFPA 701 and California’s Title 19. 

Now, there is a difference in longevity of flame retardancy between IFR and FR.  Typically, an IFR fabric will remain flame retardant for the life of the fabric (regardless of whether it is laundered, dry-cleaned, etc).  However, an FR fabric will eventually lose its flame retardancy (usually due to laundering, repeated dry cleaning, or extended exposure to high humidity conditions).  Once it is retreated, though, it again is “equal” to the IFR fabric in terms of flame retardancy.

And remember, there are instances in which a drape made from a flame retardant fabric will lose its flame retardant properties.  One way is if dust is allowed to accummulate on the surface of the drape.  Did you know that dust (as it is composed primarily of organic matter) is flammable?  In such a case, it doesn’t matter if the drape is made of IFR fabric or FR fabric – if there is a layer of dust on the surface, the drape might not be flame retardant.

So, when choosing the fabric for stage curtains, there are many factors that are important to consider – budget, longevity, cleaning options, durability, and much more.  But choosing IFR over FR because it seems “more flame retardant” should not be one of the factors.

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FR Regulations in Australia

Recently I came upon some information sent to me a few years ago by Greg Hooper of FireShield Australia.  I had asked him if he could give me the the scoop on flame retardancy regulations in Australia.  I am obviously quite familiar with FR regulations in the United States, and I also have a smattering of knowledge regarding European requirements, but I knew almost nothing about Australian requirements. 

Flame retardancy of hanging fabric (drapes and curtains) is covered by two standards of the Australian Building Code.  Standard AS 1530.3 covers curtains and drapes that are actually hung (such as on curtain track or a pipe batten).  If a curtain or drape is attached to the wall (such as stapled to the wall), it is considered a wall fixture and would be covered by ISO 9705.

Regardless of whether a curtain or drape is certified flame retardant in another country (such as the United States), in order to be used in Australia, it must be tested to the Australian standard by a laboratory that has been accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities of Australia (NATA).  There are  a couple of ways that this can be done.  The first option is to contract directly with a testing laboratory (such as AWTA) for testing.  This will cost around $650 US ($720 AUS) per fabric.  A total of 10 samples, each 24″ x 18″, are required.  The average turnaround is two weeks, with results faxed and mailed to the customer.

The second option is to contract with a flameproofing company in Australia.  If it is a type of fabric that they have previously treated and had tested, the flameproofing company may already have lab test results on file; otherwise they will treat the sample(s) and arrange for lab testing.  The cost using a flameproofing company will vary, depending on services rendered, but obviously, if the flameproofing company has to send the samples to a testing lab, the cost will include the lab test fees plus the fees from the flameproofing company.  The process may also be a little different if the fabric is inherently / permanently flame retardant; if a chemical flame retardant treatment has not been used, I am not sure if a flameproofing company (which specializes in topical treatment) can assist or if you would need to go directly to the lab for testing.

Certainly some things to think about if you are taking the tour to Australia…

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Wondering how to clean synthetic fabric drapes?

In reviewing my posts over the last 9 months or so, I noticed that, while I had shared information on how to clean and maintain cotton velour drapes, I haven’t posted about cleaning drapery made from a synthetic fabric, whether it be a synthetic velour or another synthetic fabric.  So, I thought it was about time that I do so!

The first thing to consider is whether the fabric is topically treated for flame retardancy (FR) or is inherently/permanently/durably flame retardant (IFR/PFR/DFR).  Generally, you can find out this information by reviewing the Certificate of Flame Retardancy issued by the drapery manufacturer.  This is important, because some synthetic fabrics must still be topically treated for flame retardancy.

If your drape has been topically treated for flame retardancy, the drape must be dry-cleaned, using the same procedures as my earlier post for cleaning cotton velour.   Do not launder or otherwise clean with liquids!

However, if your drape is from an inherently/permanently/durably flame retardant fabric (such as Avora® or Trevira® polyesters and many other polyesters), you have the option to either launder or dry clean.  Smaller drapery can be machine-washed in any home washing machine.  Larger drapery should be professionally laundered or dry-cleaned.  Be aware that there could be a small amount of shrinkage (generally not more than 1%) when laundering.

Washing

• Wash lights and darks separately
• Hand wash or machine wash (“Delicate” cycle)
• Cold water
• Mild detergent (such as Woolite®)
• No bleach
• Hang dry or tumble dry at low to medium heat
• Once drapes are dry, immediately hang or roll to prevent wrinkling

Dry Cleaning

• Request the use of fluorcarbon solvents under easy care conditions

Spot Cleaning of non-velour fabrics

• For drapes made from fabrics without a nap (such as Poly Muslin), you can also choose to spot clean if the drape is generally clean but has one or two small spots 
• Use a stick stain remover (such as Tide To Go®) to help prevent water stains (which could result through use of spray and rinse type stain removers).

Maintenance

Proper maintenance can extend the life of the drapery.  If drapery is kept hanging (such as in a theatre), dust may accumulate on the drape.  To remove the dust, first brush the back of the drape, working from the left side to the right, using a soft bristled brush.  For non-napped fabrics, next brush the face of the drape in the same manner.  For napped fabrics (such as a synthetic velour), brush the face twice – first brushing the entire face of the drape by going against the nap and then brush the entire face of the drape by going with the nap.

If your drapes do not remain hanging but are instead stored for later use, make to store them properly.  Do not store in plastic as this can cause moisture to accumulate (which could lead to mildew or mold).  Instead, store in a Sew What? drapery bag or in a canvas bag or hamper.  To minimize wrinkling, fold along the width and then roll the drape from the bottom up to the top.  If possible, hang the drape several days before needed so that wrinkles can “hang out.”

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Worldwide FR Standards?

Recently, during a web search, I came across a company advertising that their drapes were flame retardant according to British, European, US and World standards.  I was flabbergasted.

As I have mentioned before, standards and regulations regarding flame retardancy of stage curtains vary widely, both within the United States and throughout the world.  In the United States alone, there is NFPA 701 (national standard, but not an official law or regulation), California Title 19, New York City regulations, Boston regulations, and who knows how many more.  In Europe, there is Britian’s BS 5438, Germany’s B1 & B2, and France’s M1, and perhaps others that I don’t know about.  (Apparently, there is also a unified European Union standard, but it has yet to be approved and adopted fully throughout Europe).  From what I understand, there are yet more regulations in Asia and elsewhere in the world.

So how can one company state that their drapes meet FR standards for the entire world?  I suppose it is possible that a fabric could meet all FR standards in the world, but has this company actually had the drapes tested to every single standard in the world (there must be dozens, perhaps even a hundred or more different standards)?  I doubt it.  And, frankly, I can’t imagine any company actually providing a Certificate of Flame Retardancy covering every FR standard in every country in the world.   So I don’t understand how a company could make such a statement on their website.

No wonder people are confused about FR standards!

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Call for a Federal law on flame retardancy

In my years here at Sew What? Inc., I have become the resident flame retardancy “expert.”  While I readily admit that I don’t know it all, I do seek to constantly educate myself on the subject and to seek out others who can teach me .  But the more I learn, the more frustrated I become at the differing requirements throughout the United States.

In my opinion, the greatest single problem with the question of flame retardancy of stage curtains and other hanging drapery in the United States is that there is no real Federal law governing this subject.  Yes, there is a national standard (NFPA 701), but the fact is that NFPA 701 is not a law.  It wasn’t even developed by a Federal, State or local government agency.  It was developed by the National Fire Protection Association, a non-profit organization.

Now, I have the greatest respect for the National Fire Protection Association.  They are a terrific organization dedicating to minimizing the devastation that fire can have on life and property.  My issue is that it seems that we as a nation have abdicated responsibility in the area for FR standards to the NFPA. 

Yes, some states have taken on the challenge.  California, for example, has developed their own standards and regulations for flame retardancy – Title 19.  But in a way, this is really the problem – the fact that regulations vary state to state and even city to city.  Many states simply regulate that drapery must be flame retardant according to the NFPA 701 standard, but some states (such as California) have their own different standard.  Then you add to the mix the fact that certain cities (such as New York City) have their own regulations (which often differ from those of the state).  For example, the State of New York simply requires that drapery meet the NFPA 701 standard.  New York City, however, has a different more specific standard. 

So, what does a band do that will be performing at 20 different venues throughout the country?  Tour management has to make sure that all the set drapery meets the FR requirements of all the show locations.  So, if the band is playing in California and Boston and New York City and various other places throught the country, the band has to do the following:

1) Get a Certificate of Flame Retardancy from the drapery vendor showing the drapery meets both Title 19 (California) and NFPA 701 (various states) standards

2) Send a sample of each fabric, along with a use application, to the Boston Fire Department for approval

3) Get a special New York City Certificate of Flame Retardancy, signed by a certified NYC tester as well as notarized.

4) Depending on other other show locations, there could be even more – these are just the most common.

Doesn’t this just seem ridiculous?  Why can’t there be a single standard, backed up by a single Federal law or regulation, that would apply to all cities and states throughout the country? 

So my call is this - let’s come up with a single standard, regulate it on a Federal level, and get rid of all these differing state and local laws and regulations.  Sounds like a no-brainer to me!

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Anti-Bacterial Polyester?

I recently learned about Trevira CS Bioactive.  It has all the FR characteristics as the regular Trevira CS, which I posted about recently, but it also has something extra.

Just as additions are made in the chemical stage to make Trevira CS inherently flame retardant, silver ions are added in the chemical stage to make Trevira CS Bioactive permanently antimicrobial, without diminishment through washing or age.

The information that I am reading seems to focus mainly on Trevira BS Bioactive in use in apparel (the manufacturer mentions it is “compatible with skin”), so I am not sure the extent of the need for antimicrobial properties in stage curtains, but it certainly is interesting.

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Avora and Trevira Polyesters

I’ve been doing a little research lately, in regards to Avora and Trevira polyester fabrics.  I thought it would be interesting to find out what distinguishes them from each other and from the old garden-variety polyesters, and then pass that info on to my readers. 

Apparently, there was intially one fabric called TreviraFR.  At some point, the company that manufactured TreviraFR split into two completely separate companies.  One company began making “Avora®FR” (typically refered to as “Avora”) and the other began making “Trevira CS” (typically refered to as “Trevira”).   However, from everything I have read, it appears that both fibers are manufactured in the same way.

During the manufacture of the fiber, an organic phosphurus compound is added to the polyester polymer, changing the chemical structure of the polyester fiber.  The resulting fiber has a lower melting point than “regular” polyester fibers, which allows causes the fibers to melt away from the flame.  This means less combustion, fewer melting drips and self-extinguishment. 

Because the flame retardant compound is added during the manufacture of the fibers themselves (rather than during the weaving process of turning fibers into fabrics), the fibers (and the resulting fabrics) are considered inherently and permanently flame retardant.  The flame retardancy will not be removed though washing or dry-cleaning.

By comparison, “regular” polyesters do not have the extra organic compound added to the chemical structure of the fiber, they are not considered “inherently” flame retardant.   While as a general rule most polyesters tend to be permanently flame retardant (as opposed to many natural fibers, such as cotton, which are considered non-flame retardant unless topically treated), not all polyester fabrics are permanently flame retardant.  Some are, some are not.  Some factors that may affect the flame retardancy of a polyester fabric are:  the fabric weight, the type of weave, and the nap (if any).  Those that are permanently flame retardant are referred to as “durably flame retardant,” meaning that the flame retardancy is long-lasting and generally will not be removed by normal washing and dry-cleaning.

Not surprisingly, fabrics made from Avora and Trevira fabrics tend to be a little more expensive.  Why?  Because of that extra step in the fiber manufacture, in which the chemical structure of the fiber is changed to increase its flame retardancy.  Does this mean that a fabric made of ”plain” polyester is a lesser choice?  Not necessarily.  It just means that you should understand what you are buying and, if you are not sure of flame retardancy specifications of that fabric, ask for clarification from your fabric or drapery supplier.

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Flame Retardant vs. Flame Proof

Recently, the question was posed of us regarding an FR fabric that we were recommending to a client, “In the event that the onsite Fire Marshal holds a match to this fabric, will it burn?”  This brought up the common misconception in regards to the difference between flame retardant vs flame proof. 

Flame retardant does not mean that a fabric will not burn.  Just about any flame retardant fabric will burn to some extent, depending on the degree of heat.  What distinguishes an FR fabric from an NFR fabric is the degree to which each will burn.  A flame retardant fabric will experience much less burning – when fire is introduced to the fabric, the flame retardant properties of the fabric will cause the flame spread to be slowed considerably (sometimes to almost nothing) and the flame will self-extinguish.  With an NFR fabric, there is nothing to retard the flame, and therefore the flame will spread rapidly through the fabric and will continue to spread even after the initial flame source is removed.

It would be unfair to ask any provider to guarantee that any FR/IFR/DFR fabric will not burn if flame is introducted, because it will burn to some extent.  However, the provider’s Certificate of Flame Retardancy verifies that the fabric is flame retardant and has been tested to ensure that the burning is minimal and that the flame extinguishes rapidly, according to standards set by the National Fire Protection Association.

Is there such a thing as flame proof fabric?  Recently I have heard of one – Glass Cloth. 

Glass Cloth (also known as Woven Glass) is composed of 100% woven fiberglass.  According to my research, Glass Cloth is considered non-combustible (i.e. flame proof) due to its extremely high heat resistance (2075 degrees Fahrenheit, according to a manufacturer of this product).

I haven’t yet worked with Glass Cloth (or even handled it), so I don’t know how appropriate it would be for custom stage curtains.  I also suspect that it may cost a little more than traditional stage fabrics.  But it certainly sounds interesting.

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Can a Hand-Painted Backdrop be Certified FR?

While the majority of the scenic backdrops that we make are digitally printed, we do offer custom hand-painted backdrops as well.  In other situations, the client purchases a “plain” backdrop (typically in natural or white muslin) and then hand-paints it themselves.

Recently, a client asked us for a New York City Certification of Flame Retardancy.  We were providing the fabric and sewing the backdrop, but they were planning to paint it themselves.  In discussing the situation with the client, we realized that there are probably others out there wondering whether their painted backdrop can be certified as flame retardant.  So, here is a brief explanation.

Yes, if the fabric itself is flame retardant, the fabric can be certified as FR in NYC.  However, NYC regulations require a final FR certificate for the “completed composition,” of which the muslin is only one component.  Therefore, the certificate for the fabric alone will not suffice for a painted backdrop.

However, it is possible to get certification of a hand-painted backdrop, provided certain steps are taken:

1. Both the underlying fabric and the paint are flame retardant.  This would be accomplished by utilizing FR fabric (such as FR Muslin) and by adding an FR chemical to the paint used.  However, even with this step, the painted backdrop may not pass flame retardancy testing.  Therefore, it is recommended that the user (or a certified applicator) also spray the back of the painted backdrop with a flame retardancy chemical.

2. Contract with an registered NYC tester to have the backdrop tested for flame retardancy.

3. Prepare a sample of the painted backdrop (usually done by painting / FR treating a smaller sample piece at the same time as the main backdrop).  All treatment of the sample should be the same as that of the full-sized backdrop (i.e. the same original fabric should be used, as well as the same paints and FR chemical additive, and the back of the sample should be sprayed with FR treatment just like the full backdrop).

4. Write a statement verifying how you treated the backdrop (such as what FR chemical(s) was used and whether you added the chemical(s) to the paints and/or sprayed it to the back of the finished piece), and send the sample and statement to the NYC registered tester

5. The NYC registered tester will perform a “match test” to see if the sample meets NYC standards in regards to flame retardancy.  If so, the tester will provide you with a flame certificate, which you would show to the FDNY Fire Marshal onsite when the backdrop is in use in New York City. 

This is the process for New York City, but I am sure that a similar method would be conducted for other locations throughout the US.  If in doubt, check with the local or state fire marshal in your area.

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