TEXTILES.ORG
Compiled by Juli Case
In the field, it’s easier to have a label sewn in to our canopies showing that they’re made of flame-retardant materials rather than try to keep a paper certificate on hand. The California State Fire Marshal provides examples of labels, but NFPA doesn’t, and a lot of the materials I use pass NFPA 701. Is it okay to use the NFPA logo on the labels I create?
Unlike the California State Fire Marshal, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is not a government entity. It’s a not-for-profit organization that, among its other fire safety-related activities, writes a number of flammability codes and standards. We contacted NFPA’s licensing department with your question and were informed that the NFPA logo is reserved for use only by NFPA and its products. They do not allow its use by others. NFPA 701, the Standard Methods of Fire Tests for Flame Propagation of Textiles and Films, doesn’t have a labeling section; and, again unlike the California State Fire Marshal, NFPA does not test or certify any materials. If you do create your own label, NFPA indicated that you need to make it clear that it is your company that is making the claim that the fabric passes, and not NFPA, and that there is no misunderstanding that a particular product has any sort of NFPA approval.