Riverside FR

Embroidery on Flame Resistant clothes

One of the most common questions in the FR industry is whether or not company logos should be FR.

There are many options for putting logos on garments. Let’s discuss them.

While some people say “Yes-Always!” and some say “No-The standard allows Non-FR logos”, the answer is really in the middle. Although FR embroidery is not expensive, there may be other issues that may make Non-FR logos the preferred choice.

Valid reasons why people use Non-FR logos include:

• Particular corporate colors are not able to be reproduced in FR thread.
• The design is small and will not introduce much flammable material to the garment.
• The  logo is positioned such that it will not pose a risk.

Bogus reasons why people use Non-FR logos include:

• Cost. – Most FR logos should not cost more than 1.00 more than regular logos.
• The local embroidery or screen print shop does not want to fool with FR thread. – Go somewhere else!

What does OSHA say? Logos are not discussed in OSHA’s 1910.269. However, there is a letter of interpretation from 2006 (Show me) that basically states that the employer is responsible for choosing FR or Non-FR logo thread just like they are responsible for choosing FR fabrics. The letter suggests that ASTM F-1506-02ae1 can be used as a guide for this decision. That version of F1506 is now outdated and F-1506-08 says the same thing, so let’s look at it.

What does F1506 say? Here is an excerpt:

“X1.2.5 Logos, name tags, and other heraldry, such as flag patches and company award insignias, are used to identify the organization and individual. If these items are constructed of non-flame resistant materials (such as polyester or rayon), their overall area should be minimized on the garment. For example, large company logos across the back of the garment should not be applied. In addition, the use of several logos over the entire garment should be avoided.”

Remember, If you want the full story, you should purchase and read this standard. (Purchase a full copy here)

Riverside interprets this paragraph to mean that each case needs to be reviewed and that the customer must choose the appropriate option.

Embroidery: If there is an embroidered logo that is very small (like “Joe’s Electricians”),  it would be acceptable in non-FR thread. If there is an embroidery that is relatively large and has a solid embroidered background, that would need to be embroidered with FR thread.

We use a simple rule, if the embroidery has a greater filled area than a business card, it has to be FR thread. If it is under that, it is the purchaser’s call. Also if there are multiple large embroideries, they really should be sewn   with FR thread.

Screenprinting: This is another enhancement that many people use.  There are new FR chemicals that can be put into screenprint inks that  can make them flame resistant. Whether or not these chemicals are necessary will depend on the size of the screen print and the mass of ink that is being deposited. Of course, the purchasing company has the final say.

Heat Seal logos: Another popular option is to use heat seals. There are some new heat seal products that are FR, but they are still in the development stage. Therefore, it is important to minimize the size of these logos and the amount of solid filled area.