Certification and Registration
16 CFR 1630 & 1631 Flammability of Carpet Surfaces
Category:
CPC
Federal law requires carpets to comply with flammability standards and other applicable requirements, including those under the CPSIA.
Manufacturers and importers of general‑use carpets must issue a General Conformity Certificate (GCC) demonstrating that the carpet has been tested (or subjected to a reasonable testing procedure) and meets the standards, or is properly labelled accordingly. For carpets designed primarily for children 12 or younger, manufacturers and importers must issue a Children’s Product Certificate (CPC) confirming compliance with the standards and additional CPSIA requirements, after testing by a CPSC‑accredited third‑party laboratory.
What is a carpet?
1.A large carpet is a finished textile or similar floor covering with dimensions exceeding 6 feet in length and an area greater than 24 square feet. This includes “carpet tiles” of that size. It does not include resilient floor coverings (e.g., linoleum, vinyl tiles).
2.A small carpet is as above but does not exceed 6 feet in length or 24 square feet in area.
What is the purpose of establishing carpet standards?
These standards reduce death, injury, and property damage from carpet ignition. They provide a test for surface flammability when exposed to small ignition sources.
Applicable Standards
16 CFR 1630 Standard for the Surface Flammability of Carpets and Rugs
16 CFR 1631 Standard for the Surface Flammability of Small Carpets and Rugs
What are the requirements for a carpet?
All carpets manufactured, imported, or sold in the U.S. must meet the flammability acceptance standards. Small carpets that do not meet the standards may still be sold, but must bear the following permanent label:
FLAMMABLE (FAILS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE STANDARD FF 2-70): SHOULD NOT BE USED NEAR SOURCES OF IGNITION.
Surface flammability test
Eight conditioned specimens (9" × 9") are exposed to a timed combustion panel in a test chamber. Equipment and materials are specified in 16 CFR §§1630.4(a) and 1631.4(a).
Each specimen is placed seam‑side up on the laboratory floor, covered with a flattening frame. A methenamine tablet is placed at the centre of the 8‑inch opening and ignited with a match or lighter. The test runs until:
1.all flames and glow disappear, or
2.flames or smoke reach within 1 inch of the crimping frame.
Test criteria and acceptance criteria
Test criteria – a specimen passes if the charred area does not extend within 1.0 inch of the hole edge.
Acceptance criteria – at least 7 of 8 specimens must pass for the carpet to comply.
Label requirements
If the carpet is treated with a flame retardant or made of flame‑retardant fibres, it must be marked with the letter “T”. For commercial installations, “T” must appear on the label and/or invoice.
Small carpets that fail the acceptance criteria must bear the permanent warning label quoted above.
FLAMMABLE (FAILS US. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE STANDARD FF 2-70): SHOULD NOT BE USED NEAR SOURCES OF IGNITION.
Special requirements for certain carpets
● Carpets treated with flame retardants or made from such materials must be cleaned or washed 10 times using specified methods.
● For large carpets using aluminium trihydrate as a flame retardant in the backing, the cleaning requirement is currently suspended.
● Shaggy or hide carpets (natural wool/animal hair, no synthetics, flame‑retardant treated) may use alternative washing procedures (16 CFR §§1630.61 or 1631.61) and must bear the specified label.
● Wool plush carpets may use alternative washing (16 CFR §§1630.62 or 1631.62) and must bear the required label.
Warranty requirements for retailers or distributors
Before issuing a warranty, reasonable and representative testing is required. Each carpet series/style (identical in dye grade, type, and process) must be tested at least once upon production, import, or receipt of 25,000 linear metres, and again for each subsequent 50,000 linear metres. The guarantor must maintain detailed records per 16 CFR §1630.31(g) or §1631.31(g).
Additional CPSIA requirements for carpets
For carpets designed or intended for children 12 or younger (“children’s carpets”):
1.Surface coating – lead in paint must not exceed 0.009% (90 ppm).
2.Lead content – total lead in any accessible part must not exceed 100 ppm (0.01%).
3.Testing and certification:
1) Carpets for adults and children over 12 require a GCC (based on testing or a reasonable testing procedure). Small carpets with the permanent warning label still require aGCC.
2) Children’s carpets must be tested by a CPSC‑accredited third‑party lab, and manufacturers/importers must issue aCPC.
4.Tracking label – children’s carpets must have a permanent traceability label on product and packaging, including origin, manufacture date, and batch/serial information.
For more information, please contact SATISFY customer service. SATISFY offers one‑stop carpet flammability testing – including preliminary assessments, documentation preparation and submission, end‑to‑end monitoring of testing and certification, compliance labelling, and post‑testing follow‑up.
Related Information
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