Amazon Sofa 16CFR 1640 Test GCC Certification

The U.S. marketplace requires upholstered furniture to pass the 16CFR1640 test before being sold. The California TB117-2013 flammability standard has been upgraded and incorporated into U.S. federal regulations. All imported or domestically sold upholstered furniture in the U.S. must meet flame-retardant testing requirements to enhance consumer safety.

Scope of 16 CFR 1640

16 CFR 1640.3 defines regulated "upholstered furniture," including the following items:

1. Upholstered products for indoor use;

2. Upholstered products that are movable or fixed;

3. Products with upholstered seats, backs, or armrests;

4. Fillings or stuffed items sold as part of furniture;

5. Upholstered children's furniture.

The California TB117-2013 flammability standard has been upgraded and incorporated into U.S. federal law as part of 16 CFR1640. This standard applies to federal requirements for U.S. upholstered furniture products. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued the 16 CFR 1640 regulations on upholstered furniture flammability, which came into effect on June 25, 2021. All imported or domestically sold upholstered furniture (excluding mattresses and bed frames) must meet the California flame-retardant test CATB 117-2013.

16 CFR 1640 Flame-Retardant Requirements

16 CFR 1640 specifies that upholstered furniture (including chairs, sofas, beds, etc.) must meet certain flame-retardant performance requirements. These include but are not limited to:

1. Burning Rate:The burning rate of upholstered furniture when exposed to fire must be controlled within a certain range to reduce fire spread.

2. Smoke Generation:The amount of smoke produced during combustion must be limited to minimize health risks.

3. Flame Spread:Surface materials and fillings of upholstered furniture must have certain flame-retardant properties to prevent rapid flame propagation across the furniture.

16 CFR 1640 Labeling Requirements

According to 16 CFR 1640, compliant upholstered furniture must have a permanent label stating:

> “Meets the flammability requirements of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for upholstered furniture.”

Specific requirements are as follows:

1. Visibility:The certification statement must be prominently displayed and easy to read.

2. Font Requirements:Font height must be at least 1/8 inch and not smaller than other text on the label.

3. Color and Border:Text must be black on a white background, and the label must have a black border.

4. Label Placement:The statement must appear on the front of the label in English. Other languages may appear on the back of the label.