Fire resistant composites for upholstery

The problem of flammability and relevant method of examination of upholster ed furniture has been the subject of research interest since many years. Th is resulted in a significant progress in the manufacture of upholstery mate rials both covering and barrier ones as well as fillings. As a result of th e studies performed, it has been established that flammability of upholster ed furniture depends not only on the furniture components, but also on asse mbling, as well as on structural and finishing materials. At the Institute of Natural Fibres (INF), upholstered chairs were designed for cinemas, thea tres and conference rooms, following the European Union requirements concer ning safety of industrial products. The above upholstered chairs are distin guished not only by their modern design line and functionality, but also by increased fire resistance. The choice of decoration, barrier and filling m aterials was performed by giving preference to safe materials which do not emit hazardous substances while used. In alternative designs of upholstery composites, differences in softness of seat and backrest were taken into ac count and materials were chosen in such a way that upholstered chairs for p articular purpose provided maximum comfort. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.