Put simply, a fire label is a legally required safety measure, which involves a fire safety label being attached to any upholstered furniture for sale within the UK. One of the most common examples of these is sofas, lounge chairs, ottomans and armchairs, all of which require a label to be sold and donated to charity for resale.
Since 1998 when the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations were introduced, all sofas that were sold within the UK were legally required to carry a fire label – something only awarded if the sofas are treated with fire-retardant chemicals. Under the relevant fire regulations, the following criteria must be met for a fire safety label to be attached:
A fire safety label will also describe the UK supplier, date of manufacturing or importation, and the specific materials used within the manufacturing of the sofa. You should also be able to find details such as whether the sofa’s interior is fire resistant and how the sofa was able to meet the safety requirements set out.
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Fire labels are crucial if you are looking to donate or sell your old sofa, as this label is an indication that the item has met specific safety standards and is safe to rehome.
In fact, permanent fire safety labels are a legal requirement on upholstered furniture and other items, since it demonstrates compliance with British Fire Safety Regulations which are designed to keep you as safe as possible in your home. The reason for this is that many upholstered pieces of furniture are composed of foam, fillings and other potentially flammable fillings.
Without assurance and a label that proves this compliance, UK charities are legally unable to accept any upholstered goods donations, such as sofas, meaning that you will have to find other ways to get rid of your old sofa.
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So, if you are looking to donate an old sofa, you should locate any fire safety labels and ensure that these labels remain well-attached for the charity to see!
Although, it is worth noting that charities that don’t resell donated sofas but instead give them away free of charge to those who need them may accept sofas without a fire label, since it is not required if the sofa isn’t being resold. However, finding a charity that does so can be a challenge.
Most typically, you will find a fire label on any external surface of the sofa, including underneath any removable seating and within cushion covers. Wherever they are, they should be securely attached, and there should be one attached to each component of a set to ensure the right standards are met. For example, if you have an armchair that accompanies your sofa, this too should have a fire label attached.
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All fire labels are either sewn or stapled into the cushion or on the underside of the sofa. It will usually have a batch or ID number detailed on the label, which allows it to be traced back to the manufacturer if any problems do arise regarding the fire safety compliance of the furnishing.
With studies revealing that over 17 billion pounds is being forked out on furniture by UK households, it begs the question of what we can do with sofas without fire labels if we don’t want them cluttering up our homes. Fortunately, there are other ways to get rid of your unwanted sofa if it doesn’t have a fire label, such as to:
If you need to get rid of your sofa quickly and it lacks a fire label, one option is to take it down to the tip. This is a popular choice for individuals with large vehicles that can fit the sofa in and for people with the support needed to lift bulky furniture, like sofas, which are known for being heavy and awkward to carry and transport.
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Alternatively, you could hire a professional sofa removal company who will collect, lift, transport and dispose of your sofa on your behalf, causing you no stress at all. Often, this can save you time and hassle since sofa removal services can often be available the very same day and provide you with the assurance you need that your old sofa is being disposed of responsibly and within the planet in mind.
If you are seeking a sofa removal service that you can trust or any other type of furniture removal service, get in touch with our friendly team today. We have years of experience clearing and disposing of furniture and are on hand for same-day, flexible collection appointments.If you’ve ever donated an item of upholstered furniture, furnishings or other products containing upholstery to a charity, you’ve most likely been asked the question “does it have its fire safety label attached?”
But what exactly is a fire safety label? How can you find it, and more importantly, how do you know if the label is legally compliant?
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Permanent fire safety labels are legally required on upholstered items and furnishing such as a sofa, with the intention of letting people know that the item complies with British Fire Safety Regulations. Many upholstered items contain foams, fillings and other materials, that could potentially be flammable and because of this, items must have set levels of fire resistance determined through a series of flammability tests.
Mattresses, divans and bed base fire regulations are covered under a separate British Standard, more information on it can be found in further information and advice at the end of this guide.
To be able to donate your upholstered item to a charity, the permanent fire safety label must be attached – otherwise they will not be able to take it from you. Please keep your fire safety labels attached to your items of furniture for this reason!
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Permanent labels can come in two formats and will typically look like the following examples provided by FIRA (Furniture Industry Research Association):
When furniture is sold as a collection of items (such as sofa and two armchairs) the permanent label must be present on each individual item. Permanent labels can also sometimes be incorporated with other labels, such as the care label.
The labels can typically be found sewn in under a cushion, or on the edges of an item. Sometimes the labels can also be found underneath the item too.
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The fire labels for mattresses, divans and bed bases are covered by a separate piece of legislation – BS 7177. They typically look like the following label:
Unfortunately you will not be able to donate your item to charity without the fire label attached. Charities would be breaking the law if they collected it from you and sold the item to another person without the assurance it is safe.
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The charity reuse sector is facing a dual challenge of increased demand for its services and a sharp decrease in available resources.At , customers are at the centre of everything we do. We are committed to help the many people live a better everyday life at home. And, for us, a better life means a safer life – for you and your family, the environment, and our planet. Fire risks are often a lesser discussed topic when it comes to safer life at home, but we, at , understand the harm they can bring.
As a global home-furnishing brand, we believe we have a responsibility to create products that are as fire safe and healthy as possible. This means we have a high level of fire safety in our products and at the same time, we refrain from using chemicals and substances that can be harmful to people and the environment.
We are able to do this because we have five dimensions that we call Democratic Design at the heart of every product we design and develop. The five dimensions include great form and function, good quality, high focus on sustainability, and an affordable price. On top of this, every new product now includes circular capabilities for prolonged product and material life.
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The Democratic Design mind-set ensures that when we develop upholstered furniture and mattresses, we work on both our safety and sustainability promises to find the best solution and create a great product. What this means is when we address the fire safety concerns, we understand that we cannot do it at the expense of health and the environment. And, when we consider health and environmental needs, we also look for ways to mitigate fire risks.
Globally, legislators have adopted different approaches when it comes to product fire safety for upholstered furniture and mattresses. While always aims to refrain from the use of specific chemicals in our products as described in our Chemical Strategy, we always meet all local market requirements.
And, there are several big steps we have taken on our own to to balance the health and safety agendas. For example, we phased out all brominated flame retardants in upholstered furniture and mattresses in 2000.
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But existing fire safety regulations
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