Information on Sew What? Inc. Certificate of Flame Retardancy (“Flame Certificate”)
|
|
Upon request, Sew What? Inc. will provide a Certificate of Flame Retardancy for any fabrics and/or sewn goods sold as flame retardant. This includes fabrics designated as “FR,” “DFR,” “IFR,” and “PFR.” The Certificate of Flame Retardancy is valid for one year.
Fabrics that have been topically treated for flame retardancy (such as FR Cotton Velour) are designated as “FR.” These fabrics (or sewn goods manufactured from these fabrics) are eligible for a 1 year certificate. Our responsibility as a vendor of the materials ends at the time of the certificate expiration. Each year after certificate expiration, an onsite NFPA 705 Field Test by a certified tester is recommended by Sew What? Inc. and may be required by the end user’s State or Local Fire Marshal to update the certificate. The FR treatment is typically good for 5 years, at which time the NFPA 705 Field Test may result in a required "re-spray" by a certified flame retardancy applicator. Laundering or repeated dry-cleaning may result in loss of flame retardancy in a shorter time frame and is therefore not recommended.
Fabrics that are durably, inherently, or permanently flame retardant are designated as “DFR,” “IFR,” or “PFR.” This includes many polyester fabrics, such as Encore Velour. These fabrics (or sewn goods manufactured from these fabrics) are eligible for a 1 year certificate. Our responsibility as a vendor of the materials ends at the time of the certificate expiration. Each year after certificate expiration, an onsite NFPA 705 Field Test by a certified tester is recommended by Sew What? Inc. and may be required by a State or Local Fire Marshal to update the certificate. The DFR/IFR/PFR content in the fabric fiber is such that the IFR quality usually will be maintained for the life of the fabric (dependant on use / abuse) and therefore the NFPA 705 Field Test will typically not require a "re-spray". Laundering or dry-cleaning will generally have no effect on DFR/IFR/PFR fabrics, but heavy dust build-up and other extreme environmental conditions could do so.
Costs and coordination of annual NFPA 705 Field Test and any resulting re-spray application of flame retardancy chemicals are the responsibility of the end user.
Proper care of your fabric and drapery can help extend the flame retardancy of your fabric and drapery as well as its long term usability. For more information on proper care and cleaning, please review our Drapery Care and Cleaning FAQs.
The Sew What? Inc. Certificate of Flame Retardancy is designed to certify compliance with NFPA 701 standards and, in the case of certain fabrics, with regulations in the State of California and/or New York City. Regulations and procedures vary according to the specific location in which the fabric will be used, and not all cities, states, and venues accept NFPA 701 certification. For more information on how to determine the flame retardancy regulations and requirements in your area, please read our article Navigating Flame Retardancy Requirements in the United States.
|
