Tests show value of woollen seat cover

Press, 9 December 1983, Page 15

Tests show value of woollen seat cover

A match held against a synethic seat cover will burn through to the polyurethane foam underneath in a few seconds, and the seat will be ablaze uncontrollably in 30 seconds.

Yet a seat covered with wool upholstery only chars on the outside, does not burn through, and can withstand much fiercer flames. This was demonstrated at a transport upholstery seminar organised by the Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand and held at Lincoln this week. Sixty-five representatives of transport and other firms interested in upholstery watched the demonstrations.

In the tests, a match was held for 20 seconds against a small seat with untreated wool upholstery covering it. The wool charred to form a

protective barrier from the highly flammable foam underneath. When a match was held against a polypropelenecovered seat, the cover melted away in a few seconds and the polyurethane squab underneath ignited, producing an intense flame and highly toxic fumes. The test demonstrated was the standard British test of the ignitability of upholstered furniture. All seats manufactured there must pass the test which may become the international standard.

The special products manager of the International Wool Secretariat, Mr Michael Johnston, said that wool upholstery could provide an excellent market for New Zealand wool in Europe.

“New Zealand fine wools have a good reputation,” he said. “I feel very confident about the future of them.”

He said that Europeans were happy to pay the extra SNZ6O to SNZIOO to have wool-blended upholstery in their cars for the extra comfort and safety.

Most modern seats had polyurethane foam squabs in them yet it was one of the most flammable items in the modern home, said Mr Johnston.

“It’s a question of cost difference for the extra comfort and safety,” he said.

People attending the seminar also saw a film made by the Wool Board, which showed that it took only 3¥z minutes to set a room ablaze after holding a match against a polypropy-lene-covered couch.