The Benefits of Fire-Resistant Artificial Leather

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In recent years, the demand for fire-resistant or fire-retardant PVC leather has gone up a significant amount, especially when it comes to public spaces and hotels where safety is of utmost importance although people use fire-retardant artificial leather in their homes too. Today, we will explore the significance of fire resistance in artificial leather and shed light on the various fire standards we have available - CRIB 0, CRIB 1, NFPA 260, CAL TB 117, DIN 4102-B2, EN 1021, 1&2, and CRIB 5. We will also delve into the challenges faced while manufacturing this product and in achieving the stringent CRIB 5 standard and how reputable external labs help in providing credibility through rigorous testing and certification for our products.

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Different countries require different fire standards - CRIB 0, CRIB 1 AND CRIBE 5 come under the UK norms, NFPA 260 and CAL TB 117 come under the USA norms, DIN 4102-B2 comes under the Germany norms and lastly EN 1021, 1&2 comes under the EU norms. Our company follows all these norms and supplies fire-resistant artificial leather to all these countries.

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The fire standards, namely CRIB 0, CRIB 1, and CRIB 5 serve as benchmarks to determine the fire resistance of the artificial leather. The CRIB 0 test involves exposing the material to a matchbox flame, while the CRIB 1 test simulates a cigarette burn. These standards indicate that while the material may catch fire, it will self-extinguish and prevent the spread of flames during small accidents. The NFPA 260 uses standard methods of tests and a classification system for cigarette ignition resistance on the fabric. The CAL TB 117 test requires the fabric to withstand 12 seconds of an open flame without letting it spread. The DIN 4102-B2 test involves the fabric being suspended vertically with a 20mm high flame being applied for 15 seconds. The EN 1021, 1&2 examines the fabric’s reaction with a burning cigarette and butane flame.

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On the other hand, CRIB 5, which is the highest fire standard, poses a significant challenge due to its technical complexity. It is a mandatory requirement for public spaces and hotels, emphasising the need for PVC leather that offers exceptional fire resistance. Achieving CRIB 5 certification is not an easy feat, and only select companies possess the expertise to produce such products, Klassik being one of them.

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To ensure the reliability and credibility of fire-resistant artificial leather, manufacturers often rely on the services of external laboratories such as SGS. SGS is a renowned global testing and certification agency that operates labs worldwide, providing comprehensive assessments of various materials. In the case of our CRIB 5 artificial leather, we have gone the extra mile to obtain certification from both Indian and UK SGS labs. This dual certification enhances the credibility and authenticity of our fire-retardant artificial leather, assuring customers and clients that the product has undergone rigorous testing and meets the stringent CRIB 5 standards.

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We produce a whole range of fire-resistant artificial leather products - one conforming to CRIB 0 and CRIB 1, and the other meeting the challenging CRIB 5 standard - and all of these have distinct advantages. While both CRIB 0 and CRIB 1 provide a certain level of fire resistance, CRIB 5 artificial leather provides superior protection, making it ideal for high-risk environments. By utilising CRIB 5 artificial leather, public spaces, hotels, boats etc. can significantly enhance their fire safety measures, mitigating the risk of fire-related incidents and protecting the lives of occupants. Additionally, the utilisation of such materials promotes compliance with fire safety regulations, demonstrating a commitment to ensuring the well-being of visitors and employees.

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Fire resistance is a crucial aspect to consider when selecting materials for public spaces and hotels. The three fire standards - CRIB 0, CRIB 1, and CRIB 5 - serve as essential benchmarks in evaluating the fire resistance of artificial leather. While achieving CRIB 5 certification presents a significant challenge, it offers unparalleled safety benefits and peace of mind, and we are here to make it easy for our customers.

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Safety is always a priority and by investing in our machinery and gaining credible certification, we aim to offer the best and safest fire-resistant artificial leather to our trusted clientele.

Published on
August 16, 2023
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More from Klassik

How to select the Best Products for Home Decor

The pandemic saw a considerable rise in home decor sales. Many families stuck in their homes decided to revamp, remodel and renovate their homes with new furniture and decor items. There was a time when people were actively searching for home renovation ideas, especially home renovation ideas on a budget. That led them to purchase anything that was pocket friendly and good to look at, without considering other factors like durability, quality, maintenance and the like.  

When it comes to modern-style furniture and giving your house a makeover, we suggest opting for PVC leather, or what’s popularly known as faux leather, PVC Vinyl and artificial leather. Artificial leather or faux leather provided by Klassik gives you a combination of aesthetics, durability, quality and safety. Here’s how:-


1. Our products are high in quality.


We use European machines from Matex and industry-leading quality management systems such as ISO and IATF to produce our artificial leather to ensure the best quality.



2. We offer variety.

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With a dedicated design team and R&D team, we offer a wide range of printed designs, colors and embossed textures in our artificial leather or faux leather. All of which can be used for a variety of applications.



3. Our products are easy to maintain and highly durable.


A clean cloth with a light soap is all it takes to clean our PVC leather cloth and the extensive finishing coats we put on our PVC leather cloth make it long-lasting, and an investment in your home decor.



4. Our products are ideal for both indoor and outdoor furniture.


Whether you are looking for home decor and interior design for indoor or outdoor furniture, we’ve got you. Our PVC leather cloth is stain resistant - so you can let your little one play on it stress-free and throw a party without worrying about spilling food and drinks. It is also prepared for certain degrees of sunlight and moisture exposure that prevent our PVC leather cloth from fading when left outside on a terrace or balcony. We have a special range of products on which we apply specific finishes that have UV rays resistance and anti-bacterial properties.



5. Our products are safe.


One of the most important qualities of our artificial leather or faux leather is that it is also flame resistant. Safety is of utmost importance and comes before aesthetics and design. The finish that we apply on our PVC leather cloth can help delay the spread of fire or can help the fire self-extinguish and burn for a restricted amount of time and length. To ensure this, every product goes through rigorous burn tests and we also adhere to all the International norms such as CRIB 5, BS 5852, CRIB 0 & 1, NFPA 260, CAL TB 117 etc. for extra safety.

Being faux leather suppliers in India, we ensure every step is taken towards only providing the best to our patrons. Whether you are looking at the interiors of a living room, modern furniture for a bedroom or even outdoor furniture design, faux leather or artificial leather is the way to go. It’s also the more sustainable option.

Our wide range of artificial leather options allows you to discover unique home decor ideas and add a modern touch to your furniture. Explore all our artificial leather designs here to see our product range.

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New BIS Norms for the Indian footwear Industry

Footwear has always been a fundamental part of the dynamic world of fashion. With an array of styles and materials available, consumers expect not only trendy designs but also high-quality products that prioritise comfort, safety, and durability, which is why our clients at Klassik request the same. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) recently stepped in to ensure that footwear manufacturing adheres to certain strict quality standards. We live in an ever-changing world and are always expected to adjust to the ‘new normal’. That being said, as a company, Klassik always ensures that adjusting to novelty is a seamless process for us as well as our clients.

The BIS, or Bureau of Indian Standards, is a national body in India responsible for setting standards for various products, including footwear. These mandatory quality standards are created to ensure that small-scale, medium-scale and large-scale footwear manufacturers produce safe, reliable, and high-quality products. These various norms for footwear manufacturing encompass a wide range of aspects, including material specifications, testing procedures, and labelling requirements.

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“The standards prescribe what kind of raw material like leather, PVC, and rubber to be used in manufacturing footwear besides norms on making soles and heels, among other parts of the footwear.” says an article in The Economic Times.

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This step is essentially being taken so that India can maintain the same quality standards that you see globally. As a country, we are growing and evolving and want to maintain the same standards as our peers.

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As per the norms BIS all PVC products are now meant to be phthalate-free. Phthalates are a group of synthetic chemicals that are used to manufacture a wide range of products and are now banned from the PVC industry. They have many harmful side effects and we as a company stand against using chemicals that don’t benefit our clients in any way whatsoever.

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Another part of the BIS norm states that the tearing strength of PVC products used as uppers should be more than 3kg to ensure durability, which essentially means that a force of 3kg or greater needs to be applied to tear the PVC textile through and through. For this reason, all products manufactured by us follow this norm very specifically and are termed as high-tear.

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The change in norms made by the BIS did create a buzz in the manufacturing industry however, for us at Klassik, we were more than accommodating to this development. Klassik possesses all the required equipment and machinery to adhere to these standard norms. The PVR leather we manufacture for footwear already meets the requirements of these norms due to the state-of-the-art infrastructure we have invested in.

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As a company, we believe in investing in the future, and that mindset has stood advantageous to us today as we can seamlessly adjust to the changing and upgrading norms of the industry and supply only the best material to our clientele in India and abroad. This is also the reason why the new BIS norms do not pose a threat to our production process, or change in prices. Thus maintaining the same high-quality standards without anything affecting our relationship with our clients and factory workers.

Klassik’s CSR initiatives

At Klassik, we truly believe that CSR extends beyond just financial contributions. Our team has aimed to make a positive impact by empowering local communities through our CSR efforts.

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We want to create tangible, lasting impacts, and one of our core commitments has been investing in the development of local schools. We provide support that addresses real needs and makes a direct difference in the lives of students and educators.

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Our various initiatives over the years include not only building roads to schools but also donating water coolers to ensure students stay hydrated and helping with infrastructure repairs to create better learning environments for the kids.

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This year’s CSR initiative has been a special and important one. We have worked towards improving the outdoor facilities in two local schools near our factory- one primary and one secondary. This initiative was born out of a common problem faced by students and teachers alike- an unpaved ground that was difficult to use. The ground was practically unusable due to it being a pit. It was hard for the schools to use as children could not sit or play on it without ruining their clothes; during rainy days, it would become a muddy mess; and on windy days, the dust would be hazardous to the eyes and lungs. This made having any outdoor activities impossible.

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We wanted to step in and provide a solution that would benefit the students, teachers, and the community at large and so we decided to transform the barren land into a permanent, usable ground by installing interlocking tiles. We wanted to ensure that the school had a clean, safe, and durable surface for students to engage in outdoor activities.

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Our team was invited for the inauguration of the newly built ground with a very special welcome. We got a chance to interact with the faculty as they expressed their gratitude for the latest development. They were looking forward to using the new ground. Their response was overwhelming, making us trust that our efforts are going in the right place for the right reasons. With CSR, it is very essential to choose projects that will make positive impacts tomorrow, starting today.

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At Klassik, all our initiatives are chosen by the team and not the top management, making them all the more meaningful. They help the company identify pressing issues and ensure more involvement in the community. These are employees who are deeply connected to the community and understand the challenges they face. With their help, we are able to tackle one concern at a time with our CSR efforts. We will continue our efforts in supporting local schools and creating a better environment for the leaders of tomorrow.

Our future plan is to expand our CSR initiatives to include even more projects that improve education and infrastructure for the new generations.