Fabric Flammability and Home Safety

Not all fabric burns the same way, and the difference is large enough that the United States has banned an entire category of cloth from being sold for clothing. Fiber type sets the baseline: protein fibers such as wool and silk are relatively difficult to ignite and tend to self-extinguish, cellulosics such as cotton, rayon and linen ignite readily and burn with a spreading flame, and thermoplastics such as polyester and nylon melt and shrink away from a flame but can drip while burning.

Construction matters at least as much as fiber. A dense, tightly woven cotton twill burns slowly. The identical fiber spun into a light, open, brushed or napped fabric burns very fast, because the raised surface fibers present enormous surface area to the air. Napped fleece, brushed flannelette, chiffon and open gauzes are the constructions that concern regulators most.

The general apparel standard

Textiles intended for clothing sold in the United States must meet a mandatory flammability standard that sorts fabric into three classes by how fast a flame travels 5 inches up a specimen held at 45 degrees. Under the Standard for the Flammability of Clothing Textiles, Class 1 is normal flammability with a flame spread time of 4 seconds or more for plain surface fabrics, Class 2 is intermediate and applies only to raised fiber surfaces at 4 to 7 seconds, and Class 3 is rapid and intense burning. The regulation describes Class 3 textiles as dangerously flammable and recognised by the trade as unsuitable for clothing, and provides that articles exhibiting Class 3 characteristics shall not be marketed or handled.

This is why commercially sold apparel fabric in the US is generally safe by default. It has already been screened out if it failed. Fabric sold for other end uses, imported yardage and vintage stock have not necessarily been through that screen.

Children's sleepwear is a separate, stricter regime

Sleepwear for children is regulated far more tightly than ordinary clothing, because a child asleep or half asleep near a heat source is a specific and well documented hazard scenario. The standard uses a vertical char length test rather than the 45 degree flame spread test. Under the flammability standard for children's sleepwear in sizes 0 through 6X, specimens are suspended vertically and exposed to a flame for 3 seconds, and to pass, the average char length of five specimens must not exceed 17.8 cm (7.0 inches) with no individual specimen exceeding 25.4 cm (10 inches). A parallel standard covers sizes 7 through 14. The rules also set out sampling plans, laundering tests, and labelling and hangtag requirements, with specific exemptions including tight fitting garments, infant garments and diapers.

The practical consequence for home sewists is significant. A nightgown made from ordinary quilting cotton or from brushed flannel will very probably not meet the sleepwear char length requirement, even though the fabric is perfectly legal to sell as apparel yardage. Flame resistant fabrics exist and are sold specifically for this purpose, and snug fitting knit designs are the route the industry generally takes.

If you sell what you make

These standards are not advisory. Anyone manufacturing, importing or selling garments in the United States, including a home business selling at a craft fair or online, has legal obligations that cover flammability, labelling, tracking and certification. The requirements differ depending on the garment type, the sizes, whether it is a children's product and where you are selling. This article is informational and is not legal advice. If you sell garments, consult the Consumer Product Safety Commission or the equivalent regulator in your country directly, and get advice specific to what you make before you list it.

Fire safety in a room full of fabric

Separately from what your fabric becomes, consider what it is while it sits on the shelf. A sewing room typically holds a large mass of combustible material in one place, alongside an iron, a heat press and several appliances.

• Keep fabric, batting, patterns and interfacing clear of the iron, the heat press, heaters and any other heat source.
• Store bulk fabric in closed containers or cupboards rather than open piles near appliances.
• Keep aerosols, spray adhesives and solvent products away from heat and out of direct sun.
• Fit working smoke alarms on every level of the home and test them regularly.
• Keep a clear escape route out of the room, which piled fabric has a habit of blocking.

If you have any concern about fire risk in your home, your local fire service is the right body to ask, and many offer free home fire safety checks.