Flammability Requirements for Bedding

Bedding

• Bedding -- blankets, comforters and sheets -- is not regulated and is not required to be flame-retardant, although some fabrics are naturally more flame-retardant than others. Wool and silk, for example, are made from protein fibers and are very slow to ignite and burn. Cotton, linen and rayon ignite and burn very quickly, while nylon and polyester are somewhere in the middle in terms of flammability.

Mattresses

• All mattresses sold in the United States must pass testing for flammability. The cigarette test involves placing lit cigarettes on the bare surface of the mattress, and along the seams, as well as on a mattress covered by two sheets. To pass the mattress flammability test, the cigarettes can leave no more than a 2-inch burn mark, including marks that extend into the filling. A minimum of 18 cigarettes are burned and the cigarettes are placed in six different locations on the mattresses.

Method

• Most modern mattresses are made from flame-resistant fibers, although older mattresses and mattress pads may have been treated with brominated flame retardants to make them fire-resistant. These chemicals may interfere with thyroid hormone production or cause other health problems, according to the Healthy Child Healthy World website. All mattresses must have a permanent label affixed to the mattress that indicates the year and location the mattress was manufactured. The letter "T" indicates that the mattress was treated with a fire-retardant chemical.

Considerations

• Although bedding and pillows are not required to be flame-resistant, check the product labels for specific information. Materials that have been treated for flame resistance require special care during laundering. For example, sleepwear for children is usually treated for flame resistance. The use of fabric softeners or carbonate-based laundry detergents can reduce the fabric's flame resistance.