Specification guide
Fire standards for curtains, blinds, cushions and bedding
Which British Standard applies to each soft furnishing item, what each test involves, and the level usually required by sector, from hotels to hospitals to passenger ships.
The standards explained
The terms that appear in schedules and on fabric labels, and what each one actually tests.
- BS 5867-2:2008
- The curtain, drape and blind fabric standard. Fabrics are tested for flammability by applying a small flame to a vertical sample and measuring whether the flame reaches an edge, how long it burns afterwards and whether flaming debris falls.
- Type A
- The lowest level, intended for domestic use. Not accepted in contract interiors.
- Type B
- Flame applied to the face for 15 seconds. The flame must not reach any edge and there must be no flaming debris. The usual requirement for hotels, offices, education, retail and public buildings.
- Type C
- Flame applied to face and back for a range of times with a stricter afterflame limit. For treated fabrics the result must hold after 50 washes; inherently FR fabrics pass without a durability caveat. Required in hospitals, care homes and sleeping-risk premises.
- BS 5852
- The ignition-source test used for upholstery, cushions and, via BS 7175, bedding. Defines Source 0 (smouldering cigarette), Source 1 (match flame), Source 5 (Crib 5, a small wooden crib) and Source 7 (Crib 7, a larger crib).
- BS 7176:2007
- Classifies upholstered furniture and filled cushions by hazard category using BS 5852 sources: low (domestic), medium (hotels, offices, restaurants, education), high (hospitals, care homes, hostels, student accommodation) and very high (prisons, secure units).
- BS 7175:1989
- The bedding standard. Bed covers, runners, throws and bedspreads are tested as made-up items against Source 0, 5 and 7. The specification states which sources the item must resist.
- BS EN 13120
- The child-safety standard for internal blinds: cords and chains must not form a loop a child can be caught in, with tensioned or breakaway devices and limits on cord length.
- IMO 2010 FTP Code
- The marine fire test code for SOLAS passenger vessels. Part 7 covers curtains and drapes, Part 8 upholstered furniture, Part 9 bedding components.
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
- The law behind all of this in England and Wales: the responsible person for any non-domestic premises must assess and reduce fire risk. The fire risk assessment decides which standard and level each item must meet.
Standard required by item and sector
| Item | Standard | What it tests | Typical requirement by sector |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curtains, drapes and sheers | BS 5867-2:2008 | Type B: flame applied to the face for 15 seconds; the flame must not reach any edge and there must be no flaming debris. Type C: flame applied to face and back for a range of times with a stricter afterflame limit; treated fabrics must also pass after 50 washes. | Type B: hotels, offices, schools, universities, retail, public buildings, holiday lodges. Type C: hospitals, care homes, healthcare, secure accommodation and anywhere with a sleeping risk. |
| Curtain linings and interlinings | BS 5867-2:2008 | The lining is tested as a fabric in its own right. A lined curtain is only compliant if every layer passes. | Match the face fabric: Type B or Type C. |
| Roman blinds | BS 5867-2:2008 and BS EN 13120:2009+A1:2014 | Fabric to BS 5867-2 as for curtains. BS EN 13120 covers the safety of cords and chains: breakaway or tensioned devices and cord length limits. | Fabric Type B or C by sector as above. EN 13120 child-safe operation is expected in schools, nurseries, care homes and any premises where children may be present. |
| Pelmets and valances | BS 5867-2:2008 | Fabric to BS 5867-2. Board substrates are specified to the relevant building material class. | As curtains: Type B or Type C. |
| Bed runners, throws and bedspreads | BS 7175:1989 | The made-up item is tested against ignition sources from BS EN 597 and BS 5852: Source 0 (smouldering cigarette), Source 5 (Crib 5 wooden crib) and Source 7 (larger crib). | Source 0 and 5: hotels, student accommodation, holiday lodges. Source 7: typically hospitals, care homes and secure settings. Confirm against the fire risk assessment. |
| Cushions and bolsters | BS 5852 (cover) and BS 7176:2007 (filled item) | Cover fabric tested against Source 5 (Crib 5) over a standard FR foam; the filled cushion is then classed under BS 7176 as medium, high or very high hazard. | Medium hazard (Crib 5): hotels, offices, restaurants, education. High hazard: hospitals, care homes, hostels, student accommodation. Very high hazard: prisons and secure units. |
| Upholstered items (reference) | BS 7176:2007 | Headboards, seating and other upholstered furniture are classed by hazard category on the same BS 5852 ignition sources. | Medium: hotels and offices. High: healthcare, care homes, hostels. Very high: prisons. Shown for reference; not currently supplied by CreateFR. |
| Cruise ships and ferries | IMO 2010 FTP Code | Part 7 covers vertically supported textiles (curtains and drapes); Part 9 covers bedding components; Part 8 covers upholstered furniture. | All SOLAS passenger vessels. Marine-certified fabrics are listed in the IMO collection. |
This table is a guide to the standards most commonly specified. The building's fire risk assessment takes precedence where it differs. Every fabric on this site is inherently flame retardant, so performance does not depend on a treatment that can wash out.
Frequently asked questions
Do curtains in commercial buildings have to be fire retardant?
Yes. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 makes the responsible person for any non-domestic premises accountable for reducing fire risk, and BS 5867-2 is the recognised standard for curtains and drapes. Type B is the usual requirement for hotels, offices and schools; Type C applies where people sleep under care, such as hospitals and care homes.
What is the difference between BS 5867 Type B and Type C?
Type B applies a flame to the face of the fabric for 15 seconds and requires that the flame does not reach an edge and nothing burns off. Type C applies the flame to both face and back for longer, sets a stricter afterflame limit and, for treated fabrics, requires the result to hold after 50 washes. Type C is the higher level and is specified for healthcare and sleeping-risk environments.
Does BS 5867 apply to cushions and bed runners?
No. BS 5867 is a curtain standard. Bed runners, throws and bedspreads are tested as made-up items to BS 7175 against cigarette and crib ignition sources. Cushion covers are tested to BS 5852 Source 5 (Crib 5) and the filled cushion is classed under BS 7176. A fabric being BS 5867 certified tells you nothing about how it will perform on a bed or a cushion.
What does inherently fire retardant mean?
The flame retardancy is built into the fibre itself, typically Trevira CS, FR polyester or wool, so it cannot wash out or wear off. Treated fabrics rely on a chemical finish that can degrade with laundering and has to be re-tested. Every fabric on this site is inherently FR; we do not stock treated fabrics.
Do curtain linings need to be fire retardant?
Yes. A lined curtain is only compliant if every layer meets the standard, and a Type C fabric lined with a non-FR lining is a Type C failure. All our linings, including dimout and blackout, are inherently FR and certified to BS 5867-2.
Which standard applies on cruise ships and ferries?
The IMO 2010 FTP Code. Part 7 covers curtains and drapes, Part 9 bedding and Part 8 upholstered furniture. Fabrics certified to IMO Part 7 are listed in the IMO Marine Certified collection.
Can you supply fire certificates for a project file?
Yes. Every fabric page carries the standard and Type it is certified to, and the manufacturer's test certificate is supplied with the order on request so it can be filed with the building's fire risk assessment.
Need this priced for a project?
Tell us the sector and we match fabric, lining, pad and construction to the standard the fire risk assessment requires.