ABSTRACT

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the state of California's Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation are developing mandatory flammability standards to address open flame ignition of mattresses, filled top-of-the bed products, and upholstered furniture (i.e., soft furnishing products). There are mandatory and voluntary cigarette ignition standards in the U.S. for mattresses and upholstered furniture. Boric acid treated cotton batting has been used in mattresses and upholstered furniture for years because it can prevent or reduce cigarette and open flame ignitions. There are many new developments with cotton batting for use as fire-blocking barriers that have dimensional stability/integrity, and resiliency (e.g., thermal bonded and blend products) and could be used as a drop in component fire blocking barrier for soft furnishings. Some new developments with FR-cotton and cotton/modacrylic blended batting are discussed.