How our fabrics comply with fire retardant regulations

What is traditional fire retardant?

‘Fire retardant’ (FR) in fabrics first came about during the 1980’s as a result of growing fears surrounding house fires, mainly due to rise of using highly flammable foam padding in house furniture such as chairs and sofas and the prevalence of smoking in the household. As a result the Furniture and Furnishings Fire Safety regulations 1988/89 were brought in, and have since been revised in 1993 and 2010.

As a result of this, British fire safety standards are some of the highest in the world and furniture that is sold in the UK has to pass strict tests. There are still hazards to health through fire retardant fabrics and materials however, as a large number of the chemicals used to ensure materials pass fire retardant regulations release toxic fumes when burnt which can cause health problems to people if inhaled during a house fire for example.

What is mattress tick?

When we refer to mattress tick (or ticking) we are talking about the fabric layer covering the outer sleeping surfaces of the mattress, which comes into contact with the outer environment. This is usually covered with a mattress protector and bottom sheet so isn’t seen every day.

Harrison Spinks investment in weaving looms:

We have recently invested in state of the art weaving looms meaning that the majority of our mattress tick is woven at our factory here in Leeds, where we hand make all of our mattresses.

What is Harrison Spinks inherently fire retardant mattress tick made of?

It is woven from an incorporated modal viscose fibre (made of cellulose from trees such as the beech tree) and finished using only steam (water). It has inherent and permanent fire retardant properties, meaning there is no need to use any chemicals to treat our mattresses to make them fire retardant.

How long does Harrison Spinks inherently fire retardant mattress tick last?

The inherent fire retardant property that Harrison Spinks have developed in this unique fabric means that the fibre stays fire resistant for the entirety of its lifetime. If you compare that with the harsh chemicals that are added to traditional mattress fabric, these can wear off fairly quickly once the mattress has had a lot of use, and with a mattress being used for 7-9

Producing our inherently fire retardant mattress tick in this way means that there are less harmful chemicals used in the production of our mattresses, which is better for your health and better for the environment too.

Sleep well? We do.