Contract Curtain Fabrics: NFPA 701, BS 5867 Part 2 and EN 13773 Compared

Contract Curtain Fabrics: NFPA 701, BS 5867 Part 2 and EN 13773 Compared

Short answer: any curtain or drape used in a contract setting — hotel, office, school, hospital, public building — is subject to flame-retardant requirements, and which standard applies depends on the destination market, not on the fabric. NFPA 701 is the North American test for drapery and hanging textiles. BS 5867 Part 2 is the British contract standard, divided into Types A, B and C by end use, with Type B covering hotels, public buildings and offices. EN 13773 is the European classification for curtains and suspended fabrics, where Class 1 is the highest. A fabric certified to one of these is not automatically acceptable under another.

### Why residential logic fails in contract projects

In a private home, curtain fabric selection is an aesthetic and functional decision. In a hotel or office it is a code compliance decision with a paper trail attached. Three things change:

1. The requirement is mandatory, not advisory, and the authority having jurisdiction can require evidence.

2. The evidence must match the fabric supplied, not a similar fabric from the same range or a different colourway of it.

3. Treated fabrics can lose performance. Where flame retardancy comes from a chemical treatment rather than the fibre itself, laundering and ageing matter — which is why durability of the treatment after washing is part of serious specifications.

That third point is the one most often missed on imported contract orders.

### The three frameworks

#### NFPA 701 (North America)

A test method for the flame propagation of textiles and films used in hanging applications — drapery, curtains and similar. It is the standard normally cited for interior drapery in US commercial and public buildings. Note that NFPA 701 tests a different property from ASTM E84, which assesses surface burning characteristics and is typically applied to wallcoverings and surface finishes. Specifying the wrong one is a common documentation error: a fabric with an ASTM E84 report may still be unable to demonstrate NFPA 701 compliance for drapery use.

#### BS 5867 Part 2 (UK)

The British flammability test for curtain and drape fabrics in the contract industry, structured by end use:

| Type|Typical application| | ---|---| | Type A|Lower-risk applications| | Type B|Hotels, public buildings and offices — the common contract requirement| | Type C|Highest-risk applications, such as certain healthcare and high-hazard settings|

For UK hospitality work, Type B is the specification to expect, and the classification should be stated on the certificate rather than inferred from a general "FR" claim.

#### EN 13773 (Europe)

The European classification system for the burning behaviour of curtains and suspended fabrics, with classes describing performance and Class 1 representing the highest level. Some European markets also reference national standards — DIN 4102 in Germany is a common example — so a pan-European order may need more than one document.

### Inherent versus treated flame retardancy

This is the distinction that determines lifetime performance:

• Inherently flame-retardant fibres (for example FR polyester constructions) carry the property in the fibre itself. Washing does not remove it, which is why inherent fabrics dominate serious hospitality specifications.

• Chemically treated fabrics have a finish applied. They can meet the same test on day one, cost less, and lose performance progressively with cleaning and age.

Ask which one you are buying, and if it is treated, ask how many wash cycles the certification survives and at what temperature. A hotel that launders curtains on a cycle will not maintain compliance with a treatment rated for fewer cycles than its housekeeping schedule.

### What a usable certificate looks like

A compliance document is only useful if it ties to the goods in the container. It should state:

1. The standard and the test method, including the part and type where applicable (BS 5867 Part 2 Type B, not just "BS 5867").

2. The specific fabric identity — name, reference, composition, weight — matching what is being supplied.

3. The colourway coverage. Some certificates cover a whole range; others are colour-specific, because pigments and finishes vary.

4. The test laboratory and date. Old reports for a fabric whose construction has changed are a known weak point.

5. For treated fabrics, the wash durability claimed and the cycles tested.

If any of those five is missing, the certificate cannot be relied on in a project handover pack.

### Practical specification advice by project type

• Hotel guest rooms (UK) → BS 5867 Part 2 Type B, inherent FR preferred given laundering cycles.

• US hospitality and commercial → NFPA 701 for drapery; confirm whether the authority also wants documentation for any wallcovering separately under ASTM E84.

• EU projects → EN 13773 with the class stated; check for national requirements in the specific country.

• Blackout linings → the lining is a separate fabric and needs its own certification. A compliant face fabric with an uncertified blackout lining is a non-compliant assembly.

• Multi-market rollouts → specify inherent FR fabric with multiple certifications rather than sourcing per market; it costs more per metre and less in total.

### What to ask any supplier

1. "Which standard, part and type is this certified to, and can I see the report?"

2. "Is the flame retardancy inherent to the fibre or an applied treatment?"

3. "If treated, how many wash cycles does the certification cover, and at what temperature?"

4. "Does the certificate cover this exact colourway?"

5. "Is the blackout lining separately certified?"

6. "Can you supply a sample for third-party testing in my market?" — for large contract orders this is normal practice, not an insult.

7. "What documentation will accompany the shipment for the project handover pack?"

### Frequently asked questions

Is "fire retardant" the same as "fireproof"? No. These standards measure resistance to flame propagation under a defined test — how the fabric behaves when ignited, not immunity from burning. Marketing that implies fireproof should be treated as a warning sign about the supplier.

Does a domestic curtain need FR certification? Requirements focus on contract and public settings. Private residential requirements vary by jurisdiction and are generally less onerous — but if the project is a rental block, student housing or serviced apartment, treat it as contract.

Can an untreated fabric be treated after manufacture? Yes, and it is common — but the resulting performance and its wash durability must be tested and certified on the finished fabric, not assumed from the treatment chemistry.

We are buying from a manufacturer overseas. Whose responsibility is compliance? Commercially, the party placing the goods on the market carries the exposure. Contractually, specify the standard, require the documentation before shipment, and consider third-party testing on the first order.

Written by the engineering team at GRAND HOMEDECOR (Guangdong Grand Homedecor Technology Co., Ltd.). Standard references are provided for orientation and are not legal advice — confirm current requirements with the authority having jurisdiction for your project. Fabric certification packs for our curtain and drapery range are available on request.