Recently, the United States has implemented strict controls on upholstered furniture. On Amazon’s U.S. site, upholstered furniture must pass the 16 CFR 1640 test established by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). This is serious; to ensure products can be listed, it is advisable to submit the 16 CFR 1640 test report promptly and also prepare the corresponding GCC certificate.
What is upholstered furniture?
According to the definition of 16 CFR 1640, upholstered furniture must meet the following characteristics:
Used indoors.
Movable or fixed.
Has soft padded seats, backs, or armrests.
Equipped with or sold with cushions or pillows (whether fixed or not), or filled with any material (including that hidden under coverings).
Provides body support for individuals in a sitting or lying position.
It is important to note that this standard also applies to furniture used by children, but does not include mattresses, bed frames, bedding, or furniture used solely for physical training and exercise.
16 CFR 1640 Flammability Requirements for Upholstered Furniture
According to the regulations, constrained upholstered furniture must comply with TB 117 – 2013, which pertains to the flammability of upholstered furniture in California. The specific testing requirements are as follows:
Outer fabric testing: A test model is created using non-flame-retardant foam provided by the laboratory and the submitted fabric. After 45 minutes of testing, the sample must not exhibit smoldering or glowing, and the length of char marks after testing must not exceed 45mm (measured from the starting point of the cigarette placement), and no open flame should occur during the test.
Intermediate barrier requirements: Testing is conducted using non-flame-retardant foam provided by the laboratory, the submitted barrier, and non-flame-retardant pure cotton fabric from the laboratory. After 45 minutes, there should be no smoldering or glowing, and the length of char marks must not exceed 38mm, with no open flame. Here’s a little knowledge: if the outer fabric fails the test but is covered with a tested intermediate barrier that extends to all edges and the top of the finished product, then the furniture can still use this outer fabric.
Filling material testing: The submitted filling and the standard non-flame-retardant fabric are combined for testing. Similarly, after 45 minutes, there should be no smoldering or glowing, and the length of char marks must not exceed 38mm, with no open flame.
Bottom support material testing: Samples are placed as required, a cigarette is ignited and directly applied to the sample, then covered with non-flame-retardant standard fabric. After 45 minutes, there should be no smoldering or glowing, and the length of char marks must not exceed 38mm, with no open flame.
16 CFR 1640 Labeling Requirements
Upholstered furniture that meets the standards must have a permanent label stating: “Meets the flammability requirements for upholstered furniture set by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).” Specific requirements include:
Clear visibility: The certification statement must be prominent and easy to read.
Font requirements: The font height must be at least 1/8 inch and not smaller than other text on the label.
Color and border: Text in black, background in white, and the label must have a black border.
Label placement: The statement must be on the front of the label in English and cannot be on the back (the back can be in other languages). The label can be separate or added to the existing California TB 117 label.
