Carrington Textiles has announced the NFPA 2112 certification of its reengineered range of flame-retardant fabrics in response to the needs of customers who want to offer garments that not only provide comfort, but also excellent performance against flash fire, electrostatic discharge, ultraviolet radiation, electric arc and chemical splash.

The six fabrics are said to deliver excellent protection against fire with best in class, exceptionally low average predicted body burn percentages. Available in a variety of weights, they provide great colour fastness, wash shrinkage, shade consistency and the guarantee of being industrially launderable for the lifetime of the garment, Carrington says.

Offering the comfort, softness and moisture control of a 100% cotton fabric are the members of the Flameshield family in their 230gsm and 280gsm weight versions. These fabrics are well regarded in the market for their lightweight, hardwearing properties and breathability.

Flametuff 220AS, 250AS and Satin 330AS offer the benefits of high content cotton in the blend, in addition to their high tenacity nylon composition to create a product that endures the test of time. According to the company, these fabrics have excellent antistatic properties and ultraviolet protection of 50+ UPF.

Also providing “great antistatic properties”, as well as incorporating Cordura technology for long lasting performance is Flametougher 280AS. This product represents Carrington Textiles’ next generation of stronger, tougher and more hardwearing flame-retardant workwear.

Flameshield, Flametuff and Flametougher fabric families have been part of Carrington Textiles’ Flame Retardant range for many years and are a favourite for workwear for the medium and heavy industry.

What does the NFPA 2112 certification really mean?

“The NFPA 2112 is the ‘Standard on Flame-Resistant Clothing for Protection of Industrial Personnel Against Short-Duration Thermal Exposures from Fire’. In other words, this standard protects workers from flash fire exposure and injury by specifying performance requirements and test methods for flame-resistant fabrics,” Carrington explains.

“The standard specifies minimum requirements of the design and construction of a garment made from the fabric tested. To achieve the NFPA 2112 certification, the garment needs to be tested to a short 3 second exposure fire at 84 KW and achieve a predicted body burn of 50% or less.”

Carrington continues: “The NFPA 2112 standard offers not only piece of mind to garment makers as they can rest assured the end user will be protected, but also the opportunity to supply garments in the North American and Middle Eastern markets where the standard is necessary.”

Carrington Textiles’ Sales & Marketing Director, Paul Farrell, explains: “Safety and performance are two of the most important pillars on which we based everything we do. That’s the reason why we subjected these fabrics to more rigorous tests to reach the NFPA 2112 standard. If you think about it, all garments can look the same, but the difference between having workwear that’s NFPA 2112 certified or not will unfortunately make the difference during an on-site accident.”

One of Europe’s largest textile suppliers to the workwear market with bases in the UK, mainland Europe and Asia, Carrington Textiles supports many of the world’s largest employers – spanning sectors from heavy industry to health.

Formed in Lancashire, UK, in 1891, the company continues to lead the industry in personal protective equipment. Carrington Textiles’ current product range includes sustainable, workwear, flame retardant, waterproof and defence fabrics, with properties that include anti-microbial, antistatic, high visibility, water repellency as well as protection against chemical splash, electric arc and ultraviolet radiation. Operating in 81 countries worldwide and with an international network of sales representatives, customers include: NHS, McDonalds, BUPA, TATA Steel, Shell, Coca Cola, Airbus, Jaguar Land Rover, BP, and Arcelor Mittal.

www.carrington.co.uk