Procedures have been developed to assess the flame resistance of fabrics. Three common tests follow:

  • Diagonal Flame Test – In this test for flame resistance, a specimen is mounted at a 45° angle and exposed to an open flame for a specific time. The test measures the ease of ignition and the rate of burning.
  • Horizontal Flame Test – A test for flame resistance in which a specimen is mounted in a horizontal holder and exposed to an open flame for a specific time to measure the burning rate and char-hole diameter.
  • Vertical Flame Test – A test for flame resistance in which a specimen is mounted in a vertical holder and exposed to an open flame for a specific time. The open flame is then extinguished and continued flaming time and char-length of the sample are measured.