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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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Stepping into the Footwear Industry

We manufacture PVC leather or artificial leather for various components of open and closed footwear. We have been trusted suppliers to many footwear OEMs and brands in India, as well as neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Open footwear consists of formal, casual, sports as well as school shoes. On the other hand, open footwear consists of sandals, slippers, and other such products. Each type of footwear has different components that make the design, and we supply PVC leather for all those components. For instance, we supply PVC leather or artificial leather for shoe uppers (used on closed footwear), lining (that’s used for the inner side of the shoe as well as the tongue of the shoe), folding upper (the strip that goes on top in slippers and sandals), sandwich (a two side stiff PVC which acts as folding upper), the industry name for this is double sided coated PVC Leather. We cover the entire shoe.

We have a vast design library of more than one hundred embossing rollers, print rollers and design papers, making it easy for us to offer new products by trying different permutations and combinations. We also have low MOQ requirements which allows the customer to pick multiple colours and build a diverse portfolio of products.

Our footwear production is not only about delivering the best quality product to our clients, it’s more than that. Our in-house design team specializes in forecasting fashion trends and is continuously launching new designs, colours, and grains. All our products are customized as per the technical requirements of our customers.

Footwear is part of the fashion industry and so our clients require innovative designs, colors and grains every month. We launch new products every week after collaborating with our global partners and suppliers to keep up with market trends. Other than that, our marketing team travels extensively within India and other locations to catch contemporary trends and present them to our clients.

However, manufacturing PVC leather or artificial leather for footwear is not just about trends, we often face technical requirements. Some footwear types such as sports shoes, school shoes or safety shoes are very technical products. They require not only strength but also durability in different weather conditions such as extreme cold, high heat and humidity. We understand these concerns faced by our clients and try to be a trusted supplier so these issues are not a headache for the clients.

In a nutshell, we have the infrastructure and testing facilities to provide materials as per the specifications of our clients on a consistent basis.

One must wonder why brands pick artificial leather over genuine leather or fabric for their shoes, and the answer is quite simple. PVC leather or artificial leather is less expensive than real leather and more durable than fabric. PVC leather has a good look and feel. Another major reason that has taken light in recent times is that people want to be more sustainable, and that reduced the usage of genuine leather. Apart from being sustainable, people who follow strictly vegan lifestyles and stand for animal rights do not purchase anything made from animal skin, thus shifting to more cruelty-free products.

Most of our clients are big brands in the footwear industry and have their own specific requirements and specifications involving strength, durability, stretch and the like. Because our facilities help us meet those needs the clients have made us trusted partners and collaborate with us for their footwear requirements. The shoes that are made from our PVC leather or artificial leather are for the mass population and must be durable and withstand the test of time with ease. And, that has been one huge focus of ours during production. If you are a brand looking for a supplier for your products, then explore more about us here and get in touch with us.

Company culture at Klassik

We at Klassik, function as a team but also as a family. When it comes to running a large business with employees from various backgrounds and strata, we believe it is essential to find ways to create bonds that make working together a smooth and seamless process. Keeping our employees happy and satisfied is a big part of our company ethos and culture.

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Apart from the regular check-ins to ensure everything is running smoothly, we also host company events that help blow off steam and create a lively, healthy environment. However, these events or activities, as we call them, are not only aimed at leisure but have certain wellness aspects to them.  

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One of the activities, which we find extremely beneficial, is the Health Camp. Many people in India do not have easy access to quality healthcare. We want our employees to be healthy and happy as they work hard to make our brand what it is. A Health Camp is conducted on a yearly basis to identify any undetected health issues that our employees might be suffering from. Furthermore, we take proactive steps to ensure the treatment of any health concern, if detected. We want to work towards a healthier future and ensure our employees’ utmost comfort and well-being.

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Another event, which is popular amongst all employees, is the Cricket Tournament. Cricket is one of the most beloved sports in India and who doesn’t love some friendly competition to distract themselves from the stress of work with an enjoyable game. We host the Cricket Tournament twice a year - during Summer and Winter, which gives our employees something to look forward to as a much-needed break from their daily routines. This event is a big team-building activity in which more and more employees seem eager to participate. Apart from promoting teamwork, playing a sport is also a great way to build physical fitness, further boosting endurance and stamina.

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International Yoga Day is observed yearly on 21st June, and we at Klassik conduct a yoga session for our employees every year. Yoga is an activity that not only boosts physical health but also mental well-being. It is important for us to ensure that our employees are looked after physically and mentally. The yoga session aims to reduce mental stress, increase energy levels and improve physical fitness as well as flexibility. Healthy employees, as it turns out, are happy employees.  

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Getting our employees together to participate in activities other than work is a great way to create a positive work culture and environment. We take the health and wellness of our employees very seriously. Most people might not have access to medical attention or have time to take a break from daily routines with yoga sessions and cricket matches but we want to ensure they receive all the attention they need.

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While keeping all customers and clients happy is a major priority for any business, one must not forget about keeping the hardworking employees happy too.