What Is TB117-2013 Compliance Testing

Background of TB117 Testing

On December 27, 2020, U.S. President Donald Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act (HR 133), which incorporated California Technical Bulletin 117-2013 (TB 117-2013) — the California flammability standard for upholstered furniture — into a nationwide mandatory regulation. The regulation came into full effect on June 25, 2021.

This means that all upholstered furniture imported into or sold within the United States(excluding mattresses and bed frames) must comply with the California TB 117-2013 flammability test.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), all upholstered furniture that passes the TB 117-2013 test must carry a permanent labelstating:

> “Complies with U.S. CPSC requirements for upholstered furniture flammability.”

Scope of TB117 Testing

TB 117-2013, effective January 1, 2014, is a mandatory cigarette ignition resistance testfor upholstered furniture materials, issued by the California Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair, Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation (BEARHFTI).

The standard consists of four main test sections:

a. Outer Cover Fabrics

b. Barrier/Interliner Materials– positioned between the filling and the outer fabric

c. Filling Materials– such as foam, polyester fiber, polystyrene beads, feathers, etc.

d. Decking Materials– materials used as the bottom support

> Compared with the 2000 version, TB117-2013 only requires cigarette smolder resistance and no longer includes open-flame testing.

Applicable Products

TB117 applies to indoor upholstered products containing resilient filling materials, except for the following exempted products:

(a) Products intended solely for outdoor use

(b) Products with filling material less than ½ inch thickand no horizontal or vertical seams

(c) Infant and juvenile products, such as:

- Cradles and bassinets

- Child booster seats

- Car seats

- Changing pads

- Play mats and activity mats

- High chairs and cushions

- Infant rockers and carriers

- Infant swings

- Walkers

- Nursing pillows and pads

- Play yards and playpens

- Portable hanging chairs

- Strollers

General Test Summary

The test sample and standard reference foam are assembled into a furniture mock-up model(as illustrated in the standard). A lit cigarette is placed at the intersection of the seat and back. The test evaluates whether the sample resists smoldering ignition.

TB117 Testing Requirements

a. Outer Cover Fabrics

- Combine non-flame-retardant foam(provided by the lab) with the submitted fabricto form a test model.

Pass/Fail Criteria:

1. The sample must show no smoldering or glowing45 minutes after the test begins.

2. The char lengthmust not exceed 45 mmfrom the cigarette position.

3. No flamingis allowed during the test.

b. Barrier/Interliner Materials

If the outer fabric fails the test but a barrier layeris added and the barrier passes testing, the furniture can still use that fabric — provided the barrier fully covers all sides and top surfacesof the final product.

Barrier Test Setup:

- Combine non-flame-retardant foam(lab-provided), the submitted barrier, and non-flame-retardant cotton fabric(lab-provided).

Pass/Fail Criteria:

1. No smoldering or glowing 45 minutes after the start.

2. Char length ≤ 51 mmfrom the cigarette position.

3. No flaming during the test.

c. Filling Materials

(e.g., foam, fiberfill, polystyrene beads, feathers, etc.)

- Combine the submitted fillingwith non-flame-retardant standard fabric(provided by the lab) for testing.

Pass/Fail Criteria:

1. No smoldering or glowing 45 minutes after the start.

2. Char length ≤ 38 mmfrom the cigarette position.

3. No flaming during the test.

d. Decking Materials

- The sample is placed horizontally, a lit cigarette is applied directly on it, and a non-flame-retardant standard fabricis placed on top.

Pass/Fail Criteria:

1. No smoldering or glowing 45 minutes after the start.

2. Char length ≤ 38 mmfrom the cigarette position.

3. No flaming during the test.

JJR LAB TB117 Services

JJR provides CA TB117 flammability testing services, including:

- Pre-test sample preparation guidance

- Post-test technical support, such as report interpretation and improvement recommendations

In addition to TB117 compliance testing — a mandatory California requirementfor upholstered furniture — JJR also offers one-stop regulatory compliance services, including:

- Law label registration

- Label design and review

These services ensure that your upholstered furniture products fully comply with U.S. regulatory requirementsfor market entry.