Fire Retardant Fabric: What You Need To Know

For many professionals, personal protective clothing and accessories are the first line of defense against on-the-job accidents and injuries. As a result, the right fire retardant or fireproof fabric plays a role in creating safer products and safer workspaces.

Apex Mills is proud to be a supplier to manufacturers across the country. We sell a wide range of fire and flame retardant textiles that meet industry-standard safety guidelines while delivering value and long-lasting performance in any application.

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What Is Fire Retardant Fabric?

Manufacturers generally classify fire retardant fabric into one of two types:

• Inherently Fire Retardant Fabric: Inherently fire retardant fabric is made from fibers that are, on their own, resistant to combustion when they come into contact
  with a spark or flame.
• Treated Fire Retardant Fabric: Treated fire retardant fabric is a fabric that is not inherently flame retardant but has, after milling, been treated with a chemical that makes it so.

Within either category, a wide range of features — including the composition, weight and construction of the fabric — will determine the level of fire resistance it offers. Different products meet different regulatory standards, the most important of which are NFPA 701, FAR 25.853, ASTM D6413 and EN 1021. To make an informed purchase, you’ll need to know the type of conditions your end users will be exposed to, as well as the specific safety criteria they need to meet.

What Applications Are Fire Retardant Fabrics Ideal For?

Apex Mills engineers fire retardant fabrics for personal protective clothing, drapes, tents, tarps, furniture upholstery and more. Specific industries we serve include:

• Healthcare/Hospitals: Safety is critical when working with vulnerable people. At the same time, doctors, nurses and other caregivers need to know they’re protected, too.
  It’s for these reasons that hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities typically use flame-resistant fabrics for drapes, mattress covers and other purposes.
• Military: Military clothing should be durable enough for use in the most demanding environments while remaining lightweight and comfortable. Apex Mill manufactures custom fire retardant military fabric for any environment.
• General Safety: Personal protective clothing ranges from jackets and pants to vests and accessories. Our fabrics are ideal for clothes and outerwear used in manufacturing, construction, utility, oil and gas and other industries.

Why Choose Apex Mills as Your Flame Retardant Fabric Manufacturer?

Apex Mills specializes in application-driven design — rather than offer a set of stock products, we’ll work with you to assess your technical, regulatory and project-specific requirements, then create a custom fabric that provides the perfect combination of design, strength, elasticity, finish and other factors.

With a long history of serving clients in demanding industries, we know the importance of quality and safety — and the role that flame resistant fabric can play in it. Our products can meet NFPA 701, FAR 25.853, ASTM D6413 and EN 102 standards — we manufacture everything in a US-based, ISO 9001-registered facility to ensure a high level of quality control and production oversight.

In short, we are flexible, consistent and customer-driven in everything we do. If you’d like to request a quote or learn more, get started by filling out the survey on our Custom Solutions page.

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