Fire-retardant clothing

In general, textiles, including clothes, can catch fire quickly. Not only does a large part of our homes consist of textiles, such as drapes, carpets, net curtains, furniture and bedding, but these textiles can also be found in our wardrobes and on our bodies. If textiles are not fire resistant, a house can be engulfed in flames within a few minutes. In addition, all the smouldering textiles can produce toxic fumes that can cause many respiratory problems. Burning clothes, on the other hand, can cause terrible burns. Because of that, and also due to European legislation prescribing it, many textile and clothing manufacturers nowadays produce flame-retardant textiles and fire-retardant clothing.

Flame-retardant textiles

Some fabrics, such as cotton, jute, and viscose, are extremely flammable. Although poly-amide and polyester are flame retardant, when these fabrics come into contact with fire they can melt. The extremely hot, molten droplets can leave very nasty burns if they come into contact with the skin. Therefore, an increasing number of requirements are now imposed on clothing, and textiles in general. Clothing, for example, must be fireproof. This is why textile manufacturers, such as Fur-Textiles Netherlands, increasingly opt for flame-retardant textiles or fire-retardant clothing. Hereby, the British Standard and EN 71 standard are applied, guidelines which ensure the safety of textile products. An example of flame-retardant textiles produced by Fur-Textiles Netherlands is technical fleece. This is used for functional clothing, such as fire-fighting suits and police uniforms.

Why opt for flame-retardant textiles or clothing?

The clothes we wear and other textiles, other than fire-fighting suits, are not intended to protect us against flames and fire. If the textile comes into contact with fire, clothing can easily catch fire. Many fires involving clothing or other textiles are caused by human error, such as carelessness and inattentive behavior. Take, for example, a sleeve accidentally coming into contact with the flame of a candle over dinner, a bathrobe hanging over the flames of a stove or a cigarette touching a curtain. In all these cases, it would not be good if the textiles caught fire instantly. Fur-Textiles Netherlands is a manufacturer specialised in flame-retardant imitation fur and fleece used for clothing. Please contact us for further information about our various possibilities.