16 CFR 1633 and Fire-Retardant Mattress Fabrics: What Brands Need to Know
Every mattress set sold in the United States has to pass a federal open-flame test. For brands, that standard, 16 CFR part 1633, shapes the cover design, the fabric choice and the paperwork. This guide explains what the rule requires and how fire-retardant (FR) mattress fabrics fit in. It's a plain-language overview; always read the regulation itself and work with a qualified test lab.
What is 16 CFR 1633?
16 CFR part 1633 is the Consumer Product Safety Commission's Standard for the Flammability (Open-Flame) of Mattress Sets. It applies to each mattress set manufactured, imported or renovated in the US on or after the standard's effective date. It sits alongside 16 CFR part 1632, a separate standard that covers cigarette ignition resistance.
How the open-flame test works
The test method in § 1633.7 exposes a mattress specimen to a specified flaming ignition source: a pair of propane burners that apply different heat fluxes for different times to the top and sides. The specimen then burns freely under well-ventilated, controlled conditions while the lab measures the heat it releases using oxygen consumption calorimetry.
The pass/fail criteria
Under § 1633.3(b), the specimen must meet both of these:
Peak heat release rate of no more than 200 kW at any time during the 30-minute test
Total heat release of no more than 15 MJ in the first 10 minutes of the test
The test operator should stop the test and record a failure if the fire grows large enough to need suppression.
Mattress sets, not just mattresses
A mattress sold with a foundation must be tested with that foundation. A mattress sold without one is tested alone.
Prototype testing and what counts as a change
Under § 1633.4, a manufacturer must have three specimens of each prototype tested, with passing results, before selling mattress sets based on that prototype. Pooling and confirmation testing are allowed under § 1633.5.
A mattress set can be sold without its own test if it differs from a qualified prototype only in:
Length and width, but not depth, such as twin, queen or king
Ticking, unless the prototype's ticking has characteristics, such as a chemical treatment or special fiber composition, designed to improve test performance
Another component, material, design or assembly method, as long as the manufacturer can show on an objectively reasonable basis that the change won't cause the set to exceed the limits
Why this matters for fabric: if your FR performance depends on the ticking itself, for example an inherent FR panel or border fabric, changing that ticking is not a free swap. Plan your qualification testing around the fabric you'll actually produce.
Records and labels
Records (§ 1633.11)
Manufacturers and anyone first introducing mattress sets into commerce must keep records in English at a US location. These include test results and details of every test, failures included, with the test facility and test data.
Labels (§ 1633.12)
Each mattress set needs a permanent, conspicuous, legible label in English with information including the manufacturer's name and, for US-made sets, the manufacturer's complete physical address. Imported sets list the foreign manufacturer and the importer. The regulation spells out exactly what the label must say.
Where FR mattress fabrics come in
Most mattresses meet 1633 with a fire barrier, a layer that resists the flame and protects the foam and other fuel underneath. Traditionally that barrier is a separate layer under the decorative ticking. FR ticking options can simplify the build.
Inherent FR vs added layers
Separate barrier plus decorative ticking: the classic approach, which adds a layer and a production step.
Inherent FR decorative fabric: the decorative ticking itself acts as the barrier, which can mean fewer components and steps.
Creative Ticking Flame Fence™ by TIO Tec™
Creative Ticking's patented Two-in-One (TIO) technology combines decoration and fire protection. Flame Fence by TIO Tec™ is a patented CFR 1633-compliant decorative knitted inherent fire barrier. According to Creative Ticking, TIO Tec inherent FR panel and border fabrics let brands:
Save about $8 per cover plus labor
Increase manufacturing efficiency by eliminating production steps
Reduce additional SKUs
Eliminate harmful FR chemicals while keeping the look, feel, stretch, recovery and performance of the cover
Flame Fence ECO is free of glass fiber, and all Creative Flame Fence Eco by TIO Tec™ fabrics are California Prop 65 compliant. Testing is currently qualified on an 11" foam mattress (3" memory foam and 8" conventional foam). Ask us about qualification for your construction.
Learn more on our safety page.
A 1633 checklist for brands
Define each prototype and whether it's sold with a foundation.
Pick the fire barrier strategy: separate barrier or inherent FR ticking.
Test three specimens per prototype at a qualified lab.
Treat changes to FR-performing ticking as changes that need testing.
Keep complete test and manufacturing records at a US location.
Label every mattress set exactly as § 1633.12 requires.
Pairing FR with comfort features? See Cooling Mattress Fabrics Explained.
FAQ
What are the 16 CFR 1633 pass limits?
A peak heat release rate of no more than 200 kW during the 30-minute test, and total heat release of no more than 15 MJ in the first 10 minutes.
Does 1633 apply to imported mattresses?
Yes. It applies to mattress sets manufactured, imported or renovated on or after the effective date.
Can I change the ticking without retesting?
Only if the prototype's ticking isn't designed to improve fire test performance. FR ticking changes need testing.
Is Flame Fence fiberglass-free?
Flame Fence ECO is free of glass fiber.
Talk to Creative Ticking
Get the FR brochure on our safety page, or contact us at beverlyknits.com/contact, info@beverlyknits.com or 704-861-1536.
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