EN 1021：The series standards for EU furniture fabric flammability requirements

EN 1021：The series standards for EU furniture fabric flammability requirements

 1. Standard Positioning

The EN 1021 series constitutes the EU's specialized flammability testing standards for upholstered furniture decorative fabrics, applicable to filled furniture products like sofas, armchairs, and headboards. It evaluates resistance to cigarette smoldering and small open flames.

 2. Detailed Standard Breakdown

 (1) EN 1021-1: Cigarette Smoldering Test

- Test Principle  

  Simulates scenarios where lit cigarettes fall onto furniture surfaces (one of the most common fire ignition sources).  

- Key Parameters  

  - Cigarette specs: Standard non-filter cigarettes (80±5mm length, 1.1±0.1g weight)  

  - Placement: Horizontally positioned at fabric seams or filling depressions  

  - Duration: 60-minute observation period  

- Pass Criteria  

  ✅ Smoldering must not spread beyond 100mm from cigarette  

  ✅ No sustained flames within 60 minutes  

 (2) EN 1021-2: Small Flame Test

- Test Principle  

  Simulates contact with small ignition sources like matches or lighters.  

- Key Parameters  

  - Flame source: Butane flame (35±2mm height)  

  - Contact duration: 15 seconds direct fabric contact  

  - Observation period: 20 minutes  

- Pass Criteria  

  ✅ Flame spread ≤100mm  

  ✅ All flames must self-extinguish within 20 seconds  

 3. Sample Requirements

 4. Correlation with EN 13501-1

Successful EN 1021 testing enables further EN 13501-1 fire classification:

- Typical Classification  

  - Passing EN 1021 → Typically achieves Class C (slow burning)  

  - For Class B (flame retardant), additional SBI test (EN 13823) required  

 5. National Implementation Variations

 6. Compliance Recommendations

1. Material Optimization  

   - Prioritize tightly woven fabrics (≥500g/m² yields higher pass rates)  

   - Recommended fillings: Flame-retardant polyester fiber (over standard PU foam)  

2. Testing Considerations  

   - Seams require separate testing (most common failure point)  

   - Dark-colored fabrics need extended observation (charring may be overlooked)  

3. Certification Process  

 7. Common Failure Causes

- EN 1021-1 failures: Non-FR filling materials/missing flame-retardant interlinings  

- EN 1021-2 failures: Insufficient fabric weight/low fiber melting point