FR Regulations & The Bedding Industry

On July 1, 2007, The Consumer Product Safety Commission required all bedding manufacturers to meet the very stringent fire retardency regulations (CFR #1633).

There are a couple of methods used by manufacturers to make their mattresses compliant. For most, cost is the determining factor, but other issues need to be addressed. Some methods have show not to be as reliable as others while others may have side-effects.

The first method used is a non-woven material, much like dacron, which goes directly under the fabric. Because of the intensity of the fire testing, this method required that mattresses be made one sided. At Hawn this was not what we were looking. Logic indicates, that a flippable mattress will last about twice as long as one that cannot be turned. We tried the non-woven on our turnable mattresses, but to no avail. When it came to the fire test itself, there were many problems. So, this particular method was ruled out.

The second method was a spray. While it appears to be effective, the chemicals used can present some problems for some people. The use of boric acid can cause problems for those who have asthema. Boric acid can also iritiate the skin. Other chemicals which may be included are vivnlidene chloride, DBDPO and antimony. Borax has long been tried within the industry to combat the old #1632 cigarette testing for mattresses. Its inconsistency and the fact it was originally used in powder form presented problems. At Hawn, this was never an option for us.

A third method, and the one we use at Hawn, is a cotton/fiberglass blend fabric. This is, as far as we know, the strongest and most reliable fire barrier currently available. It does cost a little more than the other methods, but it gives excellent results. With this method, we are still able to produce double-sided mattresses for longer wear. Also, as far as we know no physical side-effects have been reported. We are very pleased with the results, and our customers would never know of the FR standards or the methods used unless we told them. Most manufacturers would rather not discuss this matter.

Charles Pinder
President