THE FLAMMABILITY ASPECTS OF DECORATIVE TRIMMINGS .1. FLAMMABILITY OF TRIMMINGS USED ON UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE

Fundamental studies have been carried out on the flammability aspects of decorative trimmings used on upholstered furniture. In addition to the trimmings being tested in isolation, tests were also carried out t o assess their flammability in conjunction with flammable upholstery f oam as well as with a variety of fabric/foam composites. The flammabil ity has been assessed by ignition to a smouldering cigarette and by a match-equivalent butane flame on a BS 5852 rig. A test method has been proposed which is a modification of the US-UFAC test to include the a ssessment of trimming ignitability to a simulated match flame. The eff ect of live flame was found to be different from the effect of a smoul dering cigarette. In live flame tests the pass/fail boundary was found to be dependent on the type of fabric covering the foam.