Flame Resistance of Hand Made Wool Carpets

Abstract

Handmade wool carpet production in Albania constitutes an important outcome for local producers. In order to guarantee the continuity of production, the quality of the products should be assured. Apart from various physical and mechanical properties necessary for the production line and long-life usage, the fire resistance of the carpet, in particular concerning flammability, is an important property mentioned in EU regulations. Hence, this paper focuses on testing the flammability of handmade carpets used primarily for floor coverings. In this research project five different handmade carpets, randomly chosen and consisting of sheep and goat fibers, are considered. Samples were tested according to ISO 6941:2003. Based on the obtained results, the tested products demonstrate very good behavior in terms of fire resistance and appear to meet the EU standard regarding the flammability of floor coverings.