Enacted in 1953, the Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA), 15 U.S.C. §§ 1191-1204, was enacted by Congress to protect individuals from burns, fires, illness, and death as a result of highly flammable clothing. In 1967, Congress amended the FFA to expand its coverage to include interior furnishings as well as paper, plastic, foam, and other materials used in wearing apparel and interior furnishings. Under the FFA, CPSC can issue mandatory flammability standards. The Commission has established standards for the flammability of clothing textiles, vinyl plastic film (used in clothing), carpets and rugs, children's sleepwear, mattresses, and mattress pads, which are discussed further below.
General Wearing Apparel
The Standard for the Flammability of Clothing Textiles, codified at 16 C.F.R. part 1610, provides methods of testing the flammability of clothing and textiles intended to be used for clothing, establishes three classes of flammability, sets forth the requirements which textiles shall meet to be classified, and warns against the use of those textiles which have burning characteristics unsuitable for clothing.
For more information, visit our clothing and general wearing apparel FAQs.
Vinyl Plastic Film
The Standard for the Flammability of Vinyl Plastic Film, codified at 16 C.F.R. part 1611, provides a minimum standard for the flammability of vinyl plastic film for use in wearing apparel. The material covered by the standard is nonrigid, unsupported, vinyl plastic film, including transparent, translucent, and opaque material that is plain, embossed, molded, or otherwise surface treated. Common examples of garments which are constructed with vinyl plastic film include disposable diapers and raincoats.
For more information, visit our vinyl plastic film FAQs.
Children’s Sleepwear
CPSC issued the Standards for the Flammability of Children’s Sleepwear, codified at 16 C.F.R. part 1615 for sizes 0 through 6X and 16 C.F.R. part 1616 for sizes 7 through 14, to protect young children from death and serious burn injuries associated with the ignition of sleepwear garments. The standards were designed to protect children from small open-flame sources, such as matches, lighters, candles, fireplace embers, stoves, and space heaters. The fabric and finished garments of children’s sleepwear subject to the standards must pass certain flammability tests. See the following section for products that meet the definitions of “infant garments” and “tight-fitting garments”, which are considered excepted from children’s sleepwear flammability testing requirements.
For more information, visit our children’s sleepwear FAQs.
Infant Garments and Children’s Tight-fitting Sleepwear Garments
Sleepwear that meets the “infant garment” sizing, measurement, and labeling requirements as defined at 16 C.F.R. § 1615.1(c) or that meets the “tight-fitting garment” sizing, measurement, tagging, and labeling requirements as defined at 16 C.F.R. §§ 1615.1(o) and 1616.2(m) are considered excepted from the flammability testing requirements of 16 C.F.R. part 1615 and 16 C.F.R. part 1616. However, these garments are still subject to the flammability requirements of 16 C.F.R. parts 1610 and/or 1611, as applicable (see sections above).
For more information, visit our infant garments and children’s tight-fitting sleepwear garments FAQs.
Carpets and Rugs
The Standard for the Surface Flammability of Carpets and Rugs, codified at 16 C.F.R. part 1630, and the Standard for the Surface Flammability of Small Carpets and Rugs, codified at 16 C.F.R. part 1631, provide a test to determine the surface flammability of carpets and rugs when exposed to a small ignition source. Small carpets/rugs are those with no dimension greater than 6 ft. and an area not greater than 24 sq. ft. Carpets/rugs subject to 16 C.F.R. part 1630 are those with one dimension greater than 6 ft. and a surface area greater than 24 sq. ft. Depending on the size of the carpet/rug, different requirements apply.
For more information, visit our carpets and rugs FAQs.
Mattresses, Mattress Pads, and Mattress Sets
Mattresses and mattress sets must comply with two federal mattress flammability standards: the Standard for the Flammability (Smoldering) of Mattresses and Mattress Pads, codified at 16 C.F.R. part 1632, and the Standard for the Flammability (Open Flame) of Mattress Sets, codified at 16 C.F.R. part 1633. 16 C.F.R. part 1632 prescribes requirements for testing of prototype designs of mattresses and mattress pads to determine the ignition resistance of a mattress or mattress pad when exposed to a lighted cigarette. 16 C.F.R. part 1633 establishes flammability requirements for mattress sets and limits the size of the fire generated by a mattress set during a thirty-minute test.
Mattress pads must comply with the Standard for the Flammability (Smoldering) of Mattresses and Mattress Pads, codified at 16 C.F.R. part 1632.
For more information, visit our mattresses, mattress pads, and mattress sets FAQs.
Upholstered Furniture
Enacted by Congress in 2020, the COVID-19 Regulatory Relief and Work From Home Safety Act establishes flammability requirements for upholstered furniture. CPSC issued a direct final rule to codify these requirements at 16 C.F.R. part 1640, which incorporates the standard for the flammability of upholstered furniture set forth by the Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair, Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation of the Department of Consumer Affairs of the State of California in Technical Bulletin 117-2013. The standard was created to reduce house fires, as upholstered furniture is frequently the first thing to catch fire in a house fire. It requires that upholstered furniture is subject to certain flammability testing and labeling requirements.
For more information, visit our upholstered furniture FAQs.
Certification
Section 14(a) of the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) requires manufacturers and importers of consumer products subject to a regulation, standard, or ban enforced by the CPSC to certify that those products meet the requirements of the standard by issuing a certificate of compliance (Children’s Product Certificate or CPC for children’s products, General Certificate of Compliance or GCC for general-use products). If an exemption or determination applies that makes testing to a particular safety rule unnecessary, the citation for the children’s product safety rule must still be listed. See the following table for the citation to use in section 2 of the CPC or GCC:
| Product | Citation |
|---|---|
| General wearing apparel | “16 C.F.R. part 1610 – Wearing apparel” *No GCC is required for adult wearing apparel that is exempt from testing under 16 C.F.R. § 1610.1(d); see the Commission's Statement of Policy on Enforcement Discretion. |
| Children’s sleepwear | “16 C.F.R. part 1615 – Children’s sleepwear: sizes 0 though 6x (FF 3-71)” “16 C.F.R. part 1616 – Children’s sleepwear: sizes 7 through 14 (FF 5-74)” |
| Infant garments | “16 C.F.R. § 1615.1(c) – Infant garments: ● 16 C.F.R. part 1610 – Wearing apparel” |
| Children’s tight-fitting sleepwear | “16 C.F.R. § 1615.1(o) – Tight-fitting children’s sleepwear sizes 0 – 6X: “16 C.F.R. § 1616.2(m) – Tight-fitting children’s sleepwear sizes 7-14: |
| Carpets and rugs | “16 C.F.R. part 1630 – Carpets and rugs” “16 C.F.R. part 1631 – Small carpets and rugs” |
| Mattresses, mattress pads, and/or mattress sets | “16 C.F.R. part 1632 – Mattresses and mattress pads” “16 C.F.R. part 1633 – Mattresses and mattress sets” |
| Upholstered furniture | None, see 16 C.F.R. § 1640.4(a) |
For more information on certification, visit our CPC business guidance page or GCC business guidance page.
Additional Information
- Clothing and general wearing apparel FAQs
- Vinyl plastic film FAQs
- Children’s sleepwear FAQs
- Infant garments and tight-fitting sleepwear garments FAQs
- Carpets and rugs FAQs
- Mattresses, mattress pads, and mattress sets FAQs
- Upholstered furniture FAQs
Contact
For more information, please contact the Small Business Ombudsman (SBO) team:
- SBO contact form
- Toll-free: (888) 531-9070
- Email: SBO@cpsc.gov