Upholstery Fire Barriers Based on Natural Fibers

Abstract

The problem of flammability of upholstered seats has been studied for a long time (Horrocks and Kandola, 1997). The studies resulted in considerable progress in the production of upholstery materials-covering, barrier and filling ones, including those made of natural fibers (Lee, Rowel et al, 1991). The natural raw materials in upholstery systems are used mainly as decorative, padding, filling and barrier materials, especially for products of a higher standard. Natural raw materials are valued in different kinds of furniture, such as armchairs and couches in seats for land transportation vehicles. They require, however, proper flame retardant protection to meet different ever-increasing fire safety requirements in the transportation, interior furnishing and furniture industries (Damant, 1996). New fire retardant textile upholstery composites have been developed at the Institute of Natural Fibres, using fire-retarded flax non-woven (LinFR) FT. The non-woven used in the composites plays the role of fire barrier that reduces the vulnerability of filling material to the development and spread of fire. It also enhances the softness of the whole upholstery system. The work presented in the paper includes: • Manufacture of upholstery composites consisting of difficult-to-ig-nite non-woven and selected decorative fabrics. • Flammability tests and the determination of selected metrological properties of upholstery composites. • Application examples of the composites in upholstery products.