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The company's protective fabrics are fire-resistant, not just flame-retardant.

Textile Innovation | Spartanburg, South Carolina

Following the merger of two leading brands into its textile division in 2014, first Westex as a Milliken brand, and then Polartec in 2019, Milliken has become the forefront of the supply of fire protection fabrics.

This status is supported by more than 150 years of expertise and more than 3,000 textile-related patents.

It is useful to treat flame retardant as a noun and fire resistance as an adjective

However, for Drew Child, Project and Technical Director of Milliken Textiles, it is particularly important to emphasize that the company’s protective fabrics-used in work clothes and uniforms, as well as firefighters and military fighters-are fire-resistant, not just It is a flame retardant.

"Basically, it is useful to think of flame retardants as a noun and fire resistance as an adjective," he explained. "Flame retardant is a chemical additive designed to interrupt combustion, and the fire resistance of textiles refers to the inherent non-combustibility of fabrics. Therefore, fire resistance is an inherent characteristic of materials.

"When a material is described as flame-retardant, it is important to know what standard its performance meets, because there are many standards covering the flame-retardant level, such as hotel bedding or theater seats. What is needed for protective clothing is easier to meet. Basically, the first group only needs to make sure that the bedding or seats burn slowly enough to allow guests in hotels or other public places to escape the building. This is good for those designed to be used at any level. Personal protection fabrics are not enough."

In the United States, the NFPA701 standard covers many fabrics in public places, such as hotel linens, bedspreads, upholstery and seats. Cotton fabrics may not even need any treatment to meet their requirements, while polyester fabrics can be blocked by the use of suitable additives. Burning agent.

NFPA 2112 is the main standard for fire resistance of work clothes. It is suitable for people working in potentially hazardous environments, such as the petrochemical industry and oil rigs.

For firefighters, the United States must meet the stricter NFPA1971, and there are also comparative standards in the European ISO system.

"A few years ago, flame retardant-based reflective vest materials did not meet the required standards for protective clothing, so compliance with these materials is critical," Child emphasized. "The abbreviation'FR' can refer to fire resistance and flame retardant, which is a bit confusing."

Westex's fire-retardant (flame-retardant) protective fabrics can be divided into three different technical categories, all of which are based on carefully selected fiber mixtures, use a unique fabric structure, and add patented finishing technology. All three categories provide certified flame retardancy throughout the life cycle of the garment, so the selection of the appropriate technology is based on application and other factors such as cost and comfort.

Products that provide the highest level of durability are products that contain high-temperature fibers (such as aramid). This category includes Westex Synergy and Synergy Pro for industrial workers, and ResQ for firefighters and the military.

“Aramids like Nomex, Kevlar, Conex, and Twaron do not burn themselves, as do inorganic fibers such as glass and basalt,” Child explains. "So, fabrics based on them are the most durable, but aramid fibers are also very expensive, and fabrics based on them tend to be rougher, so they are not very comfortable. They are also not suitable for providing arc flash protection."

Westex DH is based on modified acrylic (modified acrylic) fiber and has passed the arc flash and flash fire protection certification. The woven fabric also provides breathability and optimized moisture management to keep the wearer cool, dry and comfortable, while maintaining an excellent appearance after washing and preventing pilling.

"Westex DH provides more comfort, but compared to aramid-based products, clothing needs to be replaced earlier, which is always a trade-off," Child said. "The specific usage and maintenance instructions for all our grades are published on the company's website."

For corporate workwear, Westex Ultrasoft fabrics are designed to provide comfort and safety, using a blend of 88% cotton and 12% high-strength nylon. The fabric is carefully designed to use the abrasion resistance of the outer surface of nylon to extend the wearing life, and the cotton fiber closes to the skin to optimize comfort.

UltraSoft fabrics are also ideal for enhanced arc and flash exposure protection and multi-purpose protection.

"They provide the comfort and refreshing appearance of cotton, which is important for corporate workwear," Child said. "Their flame retardancy is based on phosphorous flame retardants, which form a carbon layer when exposed to flames to form a fire barrier. We have been working to develop, evaluate and implement new technologies to understand how they can add value to the protective textile market ."

Polartec FR knitted fabrics and fleece fabrics now bring additional performance fabrics and technology to Milliken's product portfolio.

In total, Milliken now has approximately 8,000 employees in 46 locations around the world involved in its specialty chemicals, floor coverings and textiles business, headquartered in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

“All of our fabrics have gone through extensive testing protocols, because understanding each performance parameter is crucial,” Child concludes. "Then we insisted on strict quality control to ensure that nothing could escape our attention. Knowing that everything was done well here, I slept well at night."

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