Buyers often assume that because a reflective film has a metal surface it will not burn. It will. The aluminium layer is far too thin to matter; the polyester film, the adhesive and the scrim or core underneath are all plastics that burn like plastics. If a product needs a fire rating, it needs a specifically fire-rated grade and a test report to prove it.
What “fire retardant” means
A fire-retardant (FR) grade is made with additives in the film, the adhesive or the scrim that slow ignition and flame spread and reduce dripping. It does not make the material non-combustible. FR grades are tested to a named standard, and the rating only applies to the construction that was tested.
The tests that apply to reflective films
- CPAI-84 is the North American standard for flame resistance of tent materials, widely required for grow tents and camping products sold in the United States and Canada.
- EN 13501-1 classifies construction products in Europe; reflective insulation used in buildings is usually asked for a class B, C or D with smoke and droplet ratings.
- NFPA 701 covers drapes and hanging fabrics in the United States and is sometimes requested for room liners.
- UL 94 applies to plastic parts in equipment and is occasionally asked for in enclosure applications, although it is not designed for fabrics.
Ask the customer which standard their market requires before you order material; the answers above are not interchangeable.
What we can supply
Fire-rated grades are available for our woven reflective laminates, foil-scrim laminates and reflective insulation. Standard grades of plain metallised PET film are not fire rated. Each FR construction we quote comes with the test report naming the standard, the laboratory and the tested construction.
How to specify
State the standard and the class you need, the market it is for and the assembly the material will be used in. We will confirm whether an existing report covers it. If it does not, we can arrange testing of your specific construction, which takes a few weeks. Ask about a fire-rated grade.