Fire-resistant fabrics or those treated with flame-resistant substances don’t burn as fast as natural or untreated fabrics. Halloween costumes made of nylon, polyester, acrylic fabrics, or other synthetic materials are more resistant than natural fibers.
The Consumer Products Safety Commission reports that in 2011, more than 3,500 Halloween-related injuries occurred in October and November. Injuries due to costumes included falls, collisions, and burns. Halloween costume flammability testing ensures the costume meets the Federal Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA) and is flame resistant.
Open flames inside jack-o-lanterns can pose a serious threat at Halloween time, and certain costume fabrics and materials do not meet the federal flammability standard. The standard says that if a flame spreads across a 6-inch piece of fabric in less than three and a half seconds, the material can not be labeled as “fire resistant”.
Fire-resistant fabrics still have the potential to burn however, fabrics treated with flame-resistant just don’t burn as fast. Halloween costumes made of nylon, polyester, acrylic fabrics, or other synthetic materials are more resistant than natural fibers. In addition to ensuring the costume itself is fire or flame-resistant, parents need to ensure that all accessories, wigs, and masks are also made of fabric or material that doesn’t burn rapidly. As packaging can be misleading, it is important to check the label itself for a phrase such as “flame-retardant,” “flame-resistant,” or “fire-resistant”.
If you are a parent who enjoys making or DIYing your child’s costume, you can still look for fabrics and materials with less burning potential, like synthetic fibers tend to have. You can also add a fire retardant spray, giving an extra layer of safety.
In addition to choosing a Halloween costume that is flame-resistant, CPSC recommends the following costume tips to ensure you have a fun and safe Halloween:
- To reduce the risk of contact with a candle or other potential fire source, avoid ill-fitting clothing, baggy sleeves, capes, billowing skirts, loose scarves, belts, or other fabric, or flimsy material that could drag on the ground
- Choose bright colors to improve visibility for motorists
- Add reflective tape to treat bags and costume edges
- Carry a flashlight
- Wear sturdy, well-fitting shoes
- Secure hats, wigs, or other headwear so it will not obstruct the child’s vision
- Ensure masks fit properly, providing enough ventilation and allowing full field of vision
- Remove sharp objects. Any swords, knives, and accessories should be soft and flexible
In addition to flammability testing, sometimes companies and organizations need laboratories to test their costumes, fabrics, or accessories for other things. The following are some of those test requests we have helped facilitate:
- Consumer products laboratory needed for metallurgical testing of costume jewelry components for nickel and lead to ensure compliance with import levels to Turkey
- Product Safety laboratory needed for ASTM heavy metals testing of Costume Jewelry for product approval.
- Performance laboratory needed for ASTM and ISO testing of protective fabric used in coveralls to ASTM F2130, Standard Test Method for Measuring Repellency, Retention, and Penetration of Liquid Pesticide Formulation Through Protective Clothing Materials or iso 22608, Protective clothing — Protection against liquid chemicals — Measurement of repellency, retention, and penetration of liquid pesticide formulations through protective clothing materials A lab with ISO17491-4 capabilities would be welcomed.
- Materials laboratory needed for flammability of industrial, coated textiles to two BS Specifications including BS 7837:1996, Specification for flammability performance for textiles used in the construction of marquees and similar textile structures BS 5438:1989, Methods of test for flammability of textile fabrics when subjected to a small igniting flame applied to the face or bottom edge of vertically oriented specimens
- Materials laboratory needed for flammability of industrial, coated textiles to two BS Specifications including BS 7837:1996, Specification for flammability performance for textiles used in the construction of marquees and similar textile structures BS 5438:1989, Methods of test for flammability of textile fabrics when subjected to a small igniting flame applied to the face or bottom edge of vertically oriented specimens
- LONG-TERM TESTING Physical laboratory needed for ASTM flammability testing of paint to ASTM D822 Open-Flame Carbon-Arc Exposures of Paint and Related Coatings, test to four 4×6 samples
- Automotive laboratory needed for FMVSS flammability testing according to FMVSS 302, Flammability of materials used in the occupant compartments of motor vehicles
- View more test requests
If you are a manufacturer or producer of Halloween costumes or decor and need a laboratory to perform flammability testing, let us help! Contact Us for more information, or Submit a Free Laboratory Test Request.
