The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has amended the Standard for the Flammability of Clothing Textiles. The Commission published a final rule (FR) 16 CFR 1600 on October 25, 2023, to improve clarity in existing provisions, broaden the scope of permissible testing equipment and materials, and address outdated equipment requirements.
Standard for the Flammability of Clothing Textiles: Revisions Outlined in the Final Rule
The published final rule comes with a set of revisions, including:
Burn Code Classification
The final rule streamlines the burn codes list for raised surface fabrics to improve comprehensibility. Notable revisions include revising the order of the burn codes used for identifying flammable and dangerous fabrics, the requirement to state actual burn time in seconds without accompanying burn data has been removed.
Stop Thread Specifications
Tex sizes of the stop thread have been revised from “Tex size of 35 to 45 Tex” to “a Tex size of 40 ±5,” reflecting an adjustment in industry standards to ensure consistency in textile evaluation.
Refurbishing
The final rule introduces changes to dry cleaning, where hydrocarbon solvents are recognised as an alternative to Perchloroethylene. In laundering processes, the existing reference to AATCC TM 124-2006 has been replaced with a reference to AATCC LP1-2021, Table I (1) Normal (IV) Hot. For drying, the reference to AATCC TM 124-2006 has been replaced with a reference to AATCC LP1-2021, Table VI (Aiii) Permanent Press.
Implementation and Impact
The final rule is scheduled to be effective on April 22, 2024. Stakeholders across the industry are encouraged to familiarize themselves with these revisions. You may find the full final rule published by the CPSC here.
