Recently, the question was posed of us regarding an FR fabric that we were recommending to a client, “In the event that the onsite Fire Marshal holds a match to this fabric, will it burn?” This brought up the common misconception in regards to the difference between flame retardant vs flame proof.
Flame retardant does not mean that a fabric will not burn. Just about any flame retardant fabric will burn to some extent, depending on the degree of heat. What distinguishes an FR fabric from an NFR fabric is the degree to which each will burn. A flame retardant fabric will experience much less burning – when fire is introduced to the fabric, the flame retardant properties of the fabric will cause the flame spread to be slowed considerably (sometimes to almost nothing) and the flame will self-extinguish. With an NFR fabric, there is nothing to retard the flame, and therefore the flame will spread rapidly through the fabric and will continue to spread even after the initial flame source is removed.
It would be unfair to ask any provider to guarantee that any FR/IFR/DFR fabric will not burn if flame is introducted, because it will burn to some extent. However, the provider’s Certificate of Flame Retardancy verifies that the fabric is flame retardant and has been tested to ensure that the burning is minimal and that the flame extinguishes rapidly, according to standards set by the National Fire Protection Association.
Is there such a thing as flame proof fabric? Recently I have heard of one – Glass Cloth.
Glass Cloth (also known as Woven Glass) is composed of 100% woven fiberglass. According to my research, Glass Cloth is considered non-combustible (i.e. flame proof) due to its extremely high heat resistance (2075 degrees Fahrenheit, according to a manufacturer of this product).
I haven’t yet worked with Glass Cloth (or even handled it), so I don’t know how appropriate it would be for custom stage curtains. I also suspect that it may cost a little more than traditional stage fabrics. But it certainly sounds interesting.
If you have any questions on Flame Resistant Fabric. We will give the professional answers to your questions.