Flame-retardant textiles 2015: how to reconcile legislation, ecology and economy?

Because of the high number of victims and damages caused by a fire, it is logical that the standards regarding fire retardancy and inflammability are becoming increasingly severe. Therefore it is essential that flame-retardant agents are added to textiles. However, the use of these FR-products is strictly controled for several reasons: strict European legislation (REACH, CLP), strict requirement of eco-labels (European Ecolabel, Oeko-Tex® 100…). It goes without saying that the sector voices its concern. The textile industry insists on the development of alternative products and treatments complying with all these requirements.

General objectives of the trajectory

Enabling the companies of the target group to reply to the very strict FR requirements by
  • mapping the most important industrial fire retardants and their applicability in the textile sector
  • looking for synergies between product suppliers and the textile industry
  • upgrading fire retardant textiles through the evaluation of alternative systems and an optimal harmonisation with the textile sector (coating and extrusion)
  • raising awareness on the issue, new legislations and labelling (REACH, Oeko-Tex, EcoFlower,…)
  • dissemination of test results to the companies belonging to target group

Expected results

  • 30 companies will actively participate in the users' committee (UC) and will
  • acquire the necessary knowledge to make a suitable choice of FR product, also in view of the standard and label requirements
  • become familiar with the procedures/directives to produce compounds or formulations, to use them during extrusion or finishing operations
  • acquire knowledge on the availability of FR products and where they can be found (database) creating new collaborations between FR producers and chemicists and textiles companies
  • at least 10 companies will validate the results through company-specific cases during the trajectoryt
Project website
Project funding:
Vlaams Agentschap voor innoveren en ondernemen
Project partners:
Flamac
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