• Login
    • Join
  • Subscribe Free
    • Magazine
    • eNewsletter
    Checkout
    • Magazine
    • News
    • Exclusives
    • Applications
    • Technology
    • Market
    • Other
    • Top 40
    • Buyers Guide
    • Hygiene Directory
    • More
  • Magazine
  • News
  • Exclusives
  • Applications
  • Technology
  • Market
  • Other
  • Top 40
  • Buyers Guide
  • Hygiene Directory
  • Current / Back Issues
    Features
    Editorial
    Columns
    Digital Edition
    Southeast Asia Edition
    eNewsletter Archive
    Editorial Guidelines
    Subscribe Now
    Advertise Now
    Top Features
    Natural Hygiene Products Market Keeps Growing

    Fiber Companies Take Notice

    What is the USDA BioPreferred® Program and How Does it Work?

    Household Wipes Report

    INDEX 23: Nonwovens Industry Gathers in Geneva, Switzerland
    Company Cameo
    Financial News
    Machinery Equipment
    New Products
    Nonwovens News
    Patent Review
    People in the News
    Supplier News
    Top News
    Live From Shows
    Top News
    Rascal + Friends Expands Distribution with Walmart

    Andritz Partnership with Pellenc ST and Nouvelles Fibres Enters New Phase

    Terra Baby Diapers, Wipes Launch in U.S. and Canada

    The Honest Company to Exit Europe, Asia

    TechnoPlants to Exhibit at ITMA
    Nonwovens Insights
    Online Exclusives
    Adult Incontinence
    Absorbent Core
    Antimicrobials
    Apparel
    Automotive and Transportation
    Face Masks
    Chemicals / Adhesives
    Construction
    Contract Services
    Diaper, Baby
    Electronics
    Feminine Hygiene
    Fibers
    Filtration
    Flame Retardance
    Geotextile / Agrotextile
    Home Products
    Hygiene Film/Components
    Industrial / Institutional
    Inspection / Quality Control
    Machinery and Equipment
    Medical
    Wipes

    Rascal + Friends Expands Distribution with Walmart

    Terra Baby Diapers, Wipes Launch in U.S. and Canada

    Maxcess International Opens New Facility in Mumbai

    Harper Hygienics Launches Hemp-Based Intimate Care Wipes

    Biodiapers Signs Agreement with Sicam
    Air Through Bonding
    Airlaid
    Carded/Carding
    Chemical Bonded
    Composite
    Meltblown
    Needlepunch
    Nanotechnology
    Spunbond
    Spunbond/Spunmelt
    Spunlace
    Thermal Bonded
    Wetlaid

    Andritz Buys 100% Stake in Dan-Web

    Sandler Group

    Domtar Celebrates Airlaid Nonwovens Expansion

    Ahlstrom Introduces Reliance Fusion Sterilization Wrap

    Acmemills Launches Natura Nonwoven for Flushable Wipes
    China
    Eastern Europe/Russia
    India
    Middle East/North Africa
    North America
    Pacific Rim
    South/Central America
    Turkey
    Western Europe

    Cinte Techtextil China Set for September

    Maxcess International Opens New Facility in Mumbai

    Investor Prevents Closure of Advansa Manufacturing

    Naturopera Invests in Sustainable Baby Diaper Production

    China's Nonwovens Production Remains Stable in 2022
    Associations
    Contracts / Awards
    Education
    Facilities / Capacity
    Green / Sustainability
    Legal / Regulatory
    Market Data
    Flushability
    Mergers and Acquisitions
    Product Improvement / Innovation
    R&D/Basic Research
    Shows / Events

    Andritz Buys 100% Stake in Dan-Web

    Cinte Techtextil China Set for September

    Maxcess International Opens New Facility in Mumbai

    Investor Prevents Closure of Advansa Manufacturing

    Acmemills Launches Natura Nonwoven for Flushable Wipes
    Chart
    Companies
    All Companies
    Categories
    Company Profiles
    Add New Company
    International Buyers Guide Companies
    Alliance Machine and Engraving

    Welspun India Ltd.

    Investkonsult Sweden AB

    Foshan AZX Machinery Co., Ltd

    Dukane Center of Excellence for Personal Care, Nonwovens and Packaging
    Brands
    Brand Owners
    • Magazine
      • Current / Back Issues
      • Features
      • Editorial
      • Columns
      • Digital Edition
      • Southeast Asia Edition
      • eNewsletter Archive
      • Editorial Guidelines
      • Subscribe Now
      • Advertise Now
    • Breaking News
    • Buyers Guide
      • All Companies
      • Categories
      • Company Profiles
      • Add Your Company
    • Applications
      • Absorbent Core
      • Adult Incontinence
      • Antimicrobials
      • Apparel
      • Automotive and Transportation
      • Chemicals / Adhesives
      • Construction
      • Contract Services
      • Diaper, Baby
      • Electronics
      • Feminine Hygiene
      • Fibers
      • Filtration
      • Flame Retardance
      • Geotextile / Agrotextile
      • Home Products
      • Hygiene Film/Components
      • Industrial / Institutional
      • Inspection / Quality Control
      • Machinery and Equipment
      • Medical
      • Wipes
      • Face Masks
    • Technology
      • Air Through Bonding
      • Airlaid
      • Carded/Carding
      • Chemical Bonded
      • Composite
      • Meltblown
      • Needlepunch
      • Nanotechnology
      • Spunbond
      • Spunlace
      • Thermal Bonded
      • Wetlaid
      • Spunbond/Spunmelt
    • Market
      • China
      • Eastern Europe/Russia
      • India
      • Middle East/North Africa
      • North America
      • Pacific Rim
      • South/Central America
      • Turkey
      • Western Europe
    • Other
      • Associations
      • Contracts / Awards
      • Education
      • Facilities / Capacity
      • Green / Sustainability
      • Legal / Regulatory
      • Market Data
      • Mergers and Acquisitions
      • Product Improvement / Innovation
      • R&D/Basic Research
      • Shows / Events
      • Flushability
    • Top 40 Companies
      • Chart
      • Companies
    • Online Exclusives
    • Slideshows
    • Hygiene Directory
      • Brands
      • Brand Owners
    • Experts Opinions
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Infographics
    • Whitepapers
    • Events
      • Industry Events
      • Live From Show Events
      • Webinars
      • Live From Asian Connections
    • Jobs
    • Resources
      • Suppliers Gallery
      • Literature Showcase
      • Web Showcase
      • Home Page Showcase
    • About Us
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of Use
    Features

    Flame Retardants: Bedding and Beyond

    as the industry waits for extensions on antiflammability regulations in the bedding and furniture industries, new products roll out to make nonwovens

    Flame Retardants: Bedding and Beyond
    Safe Leigh Premium Natural Fibers
    Karen McIntyre, Editor03.06.12
    During the past five years, the nonwovens industry has reaped the benefits of national legislation requiring mattress tops to withstand a certain amount of heat before combusting into flames. This legislation, first passed in California and later nationally by the Consumer Products Safety Commission, requires mattress tops to meet certain flammabilitiy standards to reduce the severity of fires ignited by open flames such as candles, matches and lighters.

    Passed nationally in 2006, this legislation created a temporary boom for nonwovens producers in this category. While the flammability effect could be achieved in traditional woven mattress tops, many bedding manufacturers opted for nonwovens because of their ability to achieve the results right in the manufacturing process without the use of an extra step post production. Additionally, the use of nonwovens requires less toxic aftertreatments, making the final product safer for consumers.

    Five years after the ruling, most of the nonwovens manufacturers—including Milliken, Freudenberg and Precision Custom Coatings—doing business in this space have reported high penetration levels within the mattress top markets, but they continue to eye the passage extended regulations, covering upholstered furniture and top of the bed materials, as growth engines moving forward. While these regulations continue to be put on the back burner, the industry is optimistic that they will ultimately go into affect. After all the, top-of-bed legislation was more than a decade in the making and the boost that ruling gave was worth the wait for many.

    The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) continue to conduct research aimed at expanding the mattress flammability regulations.  The commission also proposed an amendment to the existing mattress standard (16 CFR Part 1632) to incorporate the new Standard Reference Material cigarette developed in cooperation with NIST (SRM 1196) as the ignition source in the tests. NIST’s research on the SRM cigarette could also be incorporated into the proposed upholstered furniture rule. NIST’s research toward a possible SRM test foam is also progressing, as is other continuing testing at the CPSC laboratory.

    Among these tests is the reported development—by the NIST —of a bench mock-up flammability test for furniture. Some current standards require you test an entire piece of furniture but with the bench scale, you can do a mock-up and if it passes you may not have to burn a full piece of assembled furniture. It allows companies to start doing a lot more testing of combinations. One of the approaches that NIST is working with is a ‘layer-upon-layer’ approach. If the upholstery fabric is flame resistant and the first layer below it is flame resistant, and so on, you may be able to pass a more severe test than if only one layer has some fire protection in it.”

    In the meantime, the NIST is providing resources for companies that might want to target this market when the time comes. The institute’s website has a list of requirements a barrier product has to meet and nonwovens makers and suppliers are now working on making their offerings more robust because they are trying to protect a lot more polyurethane foam in the furniture than they had to protect in mattresses. 

    Beyond the furniture market, flammability efforts are being made in protective apparel, military and aerospace applications, to name a few. In response to this, nonwovens makers and their suppliers are constantly broadening their efforts in this technology.

    Raw material supplier Leigh Fibers is focusing on the flame retardant market with its SafeLeigh product line. The line, which is inherently fire retardant and made from recycled materials can be used in heat and flame barriers and insulation products.

    “Inherent fire retardancy means that our customers don't need to use chemical treatments, eliminating drying and processing time. Because SafeLeigh is made from recycled materials, it helps our customers meet their buyers’ green requirements and reduces landfill waste,” said Parris Hicks-Chernez, marketing and advertising manager.

    Hicks-Chernez says Leigh Fibers has seen an increased interest in SafeLeigh as a result of new legislation as well as a push from the final customer for green and

    Another company making headway in the FR materials market is Precision Custom Coatings, Totowa, NJ with its Satin FR line. Noting that Precision offers FR barriers that address the regulations as well as polyester quilting materials and laminated components.

    Meanwhile, Lenzing produces a flame resistant cellulose fiber, Lenzing FR.  It is made from wood pulp which is extracted from trees grown in managed forests.  “We make it flame resistant by including an additive in the fiber during manufacture,” says Tom Burrow, marketing manager Lenzing FR. “This is permanent—it cannot be washed out and stays with the fiber for the whole of its life, so the fiber is inherently flame retardant.

    Lenzing FR is used in a range of protective clothing. Tencate produce Defender M which is used by the U.S. military for their battledress uniforms.  Meanwhile other fabrics are produced for use in firefighting, metal and glass splash protection, electric arc protection and welding protection.  Lenzing FR fabrics work well in these applications because when exposed to flame or intense heat they char but do not shrink or split open.  Fabrics are comfortable to wear because the cellulose from which the fiber is made is hydrophilic and has excellent moisture handling capabilities, Burrow adds. “The fiber is produced from highly sustainable raw material and can be easily disposed of at the end of its life,” he explains.

    In January, Lenzing announced it had sealed a deal with the U.S. military  to supply flame-resistant specialty fibers for a new generation of U.S. Army combat uniforms. The signature of U.S. President Obama on December 31, 2011 formally approving the National Defense Authorization Act enables the delivery of “TenCate Defender” uniform fabrics for an unlimited period of time (“permanent waiver”). The key component included in this fabric is the heat protection fiber Lenzing FR of the Austrian Lenzing Group. In principle, only clothing products with the  “Made in USA” seal are allowed for the U.S. Army. Up until now, textiles made from Lenzing fibers were supplied on the basis of a limited exemption granted in the year 2008.

    Clariant Takes Green Approach to FR
    Clariant’s latest offering to the flame retardant market is the Pekoflam system, which the company is touting as a  fundamental breakthrough in durable FR finishes heralding a new generation in the production of FR protective textiles. Clariant’s bicomponent system, Pekoflam ECO and Pekoflam SYN, meets the needs of the textile industry for a more sustainable and high performance FR application that can be used with existing equipment.



    “The Pekoflam process is based on a synergistic application of phosphorus and nitrogen,” explains Thomas Winkler, head of Clariant’s Business Unit Textile Chemicals. “When we were examining the methods currently in use for creating fire retardant textiles as part of our innovation program, we knew we had to move away from traditional methods and get rid of any formaldehyde emissions. Balancing our innovation parameters of cost effectiveness, safety and sustainability, while at the same time providing a viable, commercial solution for our partners in the global textile industry, has taken some three years of research and development where the final solution was jointly developed utilizing an external research and development partnership. The result has been worth the wait.”



    The new bicomponent Pekoflam system – ECO for ecological and economic, SYN for synergy – has a very low impact on the fabric strength to which it is applied.

    By creating the new Pekoflam system, which is suited to cotton and cotton-rich blends, Clariant is again broadening the opportunities for manufacturers to develop their product range and markets. Until now, they have had to rely mainly on systems based on commodity chemistry that can be very restrictive, especially in the production of materials that may be used in children’s clothing. As health and safety issues have grown in recent years, the manufacturers have been targeted for alternative materials by many brands and retailers of home textiles. 



    Clariant’s Textile business has been focusing successfully on non-halogenated* products for a fairly long time. Finally – with Pekoflam – the problem of formaldehyde and amine emissions* has also been eliminated in FR systems. 

Moreover, the current FR systems also can affect the residual tensile strength of fabrics, which places severe limitations on the weights of fabric that could be produced.



    Flame retardant products are creeping into
    the consumer goods market like this fire
    extinguishing blanket to help put out home fires.

    “The new Clariant chemistry is not simply another product on the market – it provides a fundamental and far-reaching change to the way the producers of FR fabric have been forced to work. The new system doesn’t contain any SVHC2 restricted chemicals, commonly used in FR and it’s cost efficient, too,” says Mr. Winkler.

The Clariant theme of Sustainable Protection will also highlight another innovation in fire retardant finishing. Pekoflam HFC is a novel powder flame retardant coating technology, in which organic phosphinate compounds substitute for halogen-based systems. It focuses on applications to synthetic fibers, especially for the upholstery sector and carpeting. The non-halogenated coating reduces smoke emissions, a problematical aspect associated with halogen based coatings. Pekoflam HFC provides high performance on synthetic fibers and blends. It has better binder compatibility and a lower impact on rheological behavior commonly observed by increased viscosity when compared to other phosphorus based powder flame retardants.
    Related Searches
    • bedding
    • retailers
    • regulation
    • sustainability
    Related Knowledge Center
    • Fibers
    • Apparel
    • Flame Retardance
      Loading, Please Wait..
      Trending
      • ITMA ASIA + CITME Announce Second Location
      • The Honest Company To Exit Europe, Asia
      • Terra Baby Diapers, Wipes Launch In U.S. And Canada
      • Andritz Buys 100% Stake In Dan-Web
      • KNH Launches Eco-Friendly Menstrual Pads
      Breaking News
      • Rascal + Friends Expands Distribution with Walmart
      • ITMA ASIA + CITME Announce Second Location
      • Andritz Partnership with Pellenc ST and Nouvelles Fibres Enters New Phase
      • Terra Baby Diapers, Wipes Launch in U.S. and Canada
      • The Honest Company to Exit Europe, Asia
      View Breaking News >
      CURRENT ISSUE

      June 2023

      • Natural Hygiene Products Market Keeps Growing
      • Fiber Companies Take Notice
      • What is the USDA BioPreferred® Program and How Does it Work?
      • Household Wipes Report
      • View More >



      Cookies help us to provide you with an excellent service. By using our website, you declare yourself in agreement with our use of cookies.
      You can obtain detailed information about the use of cookies on our website by clicking on "More information”.

      • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms And Conditions
      • Contact Us

      follow us

      Subscribe
      Nutraceuticals World

      Latest Breaking News From Nutraceuticals World

      Women in Nutraceuticals Names Global Lead in India Ahead of Nutrify C-Suite Summit
      Batory Foods Acquires Tri-State Companies
      Blue Diamond, Brightseed Partner To Discover New Almond Bioactives
      Coatings World

      Latest Breaking News From Coatings World

      AkzoNobel to Supply Porsche China with Complete Water-Based Refinish Range
      Evonik Earns ACC’s Sustainability Leadership Award
      Sandrine Garnier Joins ChemQuest as a Director
      Medical Product Outsourcing

      Latest Breaking News From Medical Product Outsourcing

      Merit Medical Acquires AngioDynamics' Catheter Portfolio
      iCAD Strengthens Leadership Team
      HeartFlow's RoadMap Analysis Debuts in the U.S.
      Contract Pharma

      Latest Breaking News From Contract Pharma

      Quell Therapeutics, AstraZeneca Partner on Engineered Treg Cell Therapies
      Charles River, INADcure Collaborate on Gene Therapy Manufacturing
      Lotus Clinical Research, Trialogics Partner for Clinical Trial Software Services
      Beauty Packaging

      Latest Breaking News From Beauty Packaging

      Guerlain's 'Secret' Archive—the World's 1st Lipstick, Perfume, & Nivea Jar
      Mary Kay Supports Ocean Conservation & Coral Reef Protection
      TerraCycle and Wrinkles Schminkles Announce Recycling Program
      Happi

      Latest Breaking News From Happi

      Sabinsa Wins 2023 Technology Innovation Award in China for LactoSpore
      Cepsa Química’s Sustainable Lab Slashes Carbon Footprint Up to 80%
      CPL Aromas Launches 2022 Sustainability and Impact Reports
      Ink World

      Latest Breaking News From Ink World

      ITMA 2023 Opens with Mega Showcase of Innovative Solutions
      Kornit Digital Shows Enhanced Presto MAX at ITMA 2023
      Kornit Digital Unveils Apollo Platform, Enhanced Atlas MAX PLUS at ITMA 2023
      Label & Narrow Web

      Latest Breaking News From Label & Narrow Web

      AWT Labels & Packaging acquires ASL Print FX
      Avery Dennison announces new cohort of startups for AD Stretch Accelerator Program
      Appvion unveils new film label facestock
      Nonwovens Industry

      Latest Breaking News From Nonwovens Industry

      Rascal + Friends Expands Distribution with Walmart
      ITMA ASIA + CITME Announce Second Location
      Andritz Partnership with Pellenc ST and Nouvelles Fibres Enters New Phase
      Orthopedic Design & Technology

      Latest Breaking News From Orthopedic Design & Technology

      SurGenTec's TiLink-L SI Joint Implant Gains FDA Nod
      Orthopedic Prosthetic Market to Eclipse $3.39 Billion by 2030
      Osso VR Launches Virtual Reality Training Program
      Printed Electronics Now

      Latest Breaking News From Printed Electronics Now

      Sensirion Air Quality Sensors Harmonized with RESET Air Standard
      Identiv Introduces Industry’s First Battery-Free Metal Sensor IoT Devices
      Heliatek Joins European Solar PV Industry Alliance (ESIA)

      Copyright © 2023 Rodman Media. All rights reserved. Use of this constitutes acceptance of our privacy policy The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Rodman Media.

      AD BLOCKER DETECTED

      Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
      Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker.


      FREE SUBSCRIPTION Already a subscriber? Login