EN ISO 6941:2026

• Abstract:

  This document specifies a method for the measurement of flame spread times of vertically oriented textile fabrics and industrial products in the form of single or multi-component textile fabrics (coated, quilted, multilayered, sandwich combinations, and similar combinations) when subjected to a small, defined flame.

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 19-May-2026
• ICS: 13.220.40 - Ignitability and burning behaviour of materials and products
• ICS: 59.080.30 - Textile fabrics
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 248 - Textiles and textile products
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 248/WG 24 - Test methods for the flammability of textiles
• Current Stage: 6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
• Start Date: 20-May-2026
• Completion Date: 20-May-2026
• Ref Project: SIST EN ISO 6941:2026 - Textile fabrics - Burning behaviour - Measurement of flame spread properties of vertically oriented specimens (ISO 6941:2026)

• Replaces: EN ISO 6941:2003 - Textile fabrics - Burning behaviour - Measurement of flame spread properties of vertically oriented specimens (ISO 6941:2003)
• Effective Date: 25-Sep-2024
• Refers: ISO 4880:1997 - Burning behaviour of textiles and textile products — Vocabulary
• Effective Date: 09-Sep-2026
• Refers: ISO 6940:2026 - Textile fabrics — Burning behaviour — Determination of ease of ignition of vertically oriented specimens
• Effective Date: 09-Sep-2026
• Referred By: EN 13209-2:2005 - Child use and care articles - Baby carriers - Safety requirements and test methods - Part 2: Soft carrier
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: EN 14931:2006 - Pressure vessels for human occupancy (PVHO) - Multi-place pressure chamber systems for hyperbaric therapy - Performance, safety requirements and testing
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: EN 407:2004 - Protective gloves against thermal risks (heat and/or fire)
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: EN 1827:1999+A1:2009 - Respiratory protective devices - Half masks without inhalation valves and with separable filters to protect against gases or gases and particles or particles only - Requirements, testing, marking
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: EN 12942:1998 - Respiratory protective devices - Power assisted filtering devices incorporating full face masks, half masks or quarter masks - Requirements, testing, marking
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: EN 13772:2011 - Textiles and textile products - Burning behaviour - Curtains and drapes - Measurement of flame spread of vertically oriented specimens with large ignition source
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: EN 12941:1998 - Respiratory protective devices - Powered filtering devices incorporating a helmet or a hood - Requirements, testing, marking
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: EN 13274-4:2020 - Respiratory protective devices - Methods of test - Part 4: Flame test
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Consolidated By: ISO 6941:2026 - Textile fabrics — Burning behaviour — Measurement of flame spread properties of vertically oriented specimens
• Effective Date: 12-Feb-2026

Overview

EN ISO 6941:2026 defines an internationally recognized method for measuring the flame spread properties of vertically oriented textile fabrics and related industrial products. Published by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), this standard is identical to ISO 6941:2026 and is crucial for assessing the burning behaviour of textile materials, including single or multi-component structures such as coated, quilted, multilayered, and sandwich combinations. EN ISO 6941:2026 plays a key role in product safety by providing a standardized test method to quantify how flames advance over the surface or edge of a vertical fabric specimen when exposed to a small, defined ignition source.

Key Topics

• Scope and Purpose: EN ISO 6941:2026 outlines procedures to determine the time required for a flame to spread across vertically mounted textile fabric specimens under controlled conditions. The method supports consistent, reproducible evaluation of burning behaviour for both apparel and technical textiles.

• Test Setup:

  • Specimen Preparation: Use of specific specimen sizes and orientation (length and width).
  • Conditioning: Specimens are conditioned in a regulated environment to ensure reliability.
  • Apparatus: Includes a standardized gas burner, specimen holder, and timing devices. Precise positioning is vital for accurate flame application, both on the surface and the bottom edge of the test specimen.

• Execution:

  • Surface and Edge Ignition: The method differentiates between ignition at the fabric surface and at the bottom edge.
  • Measurement: The flame spread time is measured as the flame crosses marker threads placed at defined distances on the specimen.

• Precision and Repeatability: Provides guidance on managing factors that could affect test results, such as mounting techniques and specimen behaviour (sagging, shrinkage).

• Reporting: Specifies essential data for the test report, including material details, environmental conditions, type and surface of ignition, and observations of the fabric's burning behaviour.

Applications

EN ISO 6941:2026 is widely employed in quality assurance, product development, and regulatory compliance across the textile industry. Typical applications include:

• Protective Clothing: Evaluating flame spread resistance of workwear, uniforms, and personal protective equipment to enhance safety for users in high-risk environments.
• Home Textiles and Furnishings: Testing curtains, upholstery, and other furnishings to ensure compliance with fire safety regulations.
• Public Transportation and Hospitality: Assessing textiles used in buses, trains, planes, hotels, and public venues, where stringent flammability standards are mandated.
• Textile Certification: Supporting manufacturers and certifying bodies in demonstrating conformity to fire safety requirements, facilitating access to international markets.

Implementing EN ISO 6941:2026 helps organizations reduce fire hazards, increase consumer confidence, and meet legal requirements relating to the ignitability and burning behaviour of textile products.

Related Standards

Integrating EN ISO 6941:2026 into a broader fire safety strategy often involves reference to additional standards, such as:

• ISO 4880: Burning behaviour of textiles and textile products – Vocabulary, which provides essential definitions used in fire testing.
• ISO 6940: Textile fabrics – Determination of the ease of ignition of vertically oriented specimens, a complementary method focusing on ignition rather than flame spread.
• National and regional regulations concerning fire safety and flammability in textiles.
• ISO 2768-1: General tolerances for linear and angular dimensions, referenced for apparatus construction.

For manufacturers, testing laboratories, and safety professionals, EN ISO 6941:2026 offers a robust, internationally accepted framework for evaluating and demonstrating the flame spread properties of textile materials-an essential aspect of fire safety management in textiles and related industries.

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-julij-2026
Tekstilije - Gorljivost - Meritve razširjanja plamena navpično nameščenih
preskušancev (ISO 6941:2026)
Textile fabrics - Burning behaviour - Measurement of flame spread properties of vertically
oriented specimens (ISO 6941:2026)
Textile Flächengebilde - Brennverhalten - Messung der
Flammenausbreitungseigenschaften vertikal angeordneter Proben (ISO 6941:2026)
Textiles - Comportement au feu - Détermination des propriétés de propagation de
flamme d'éprouvettes orientées verticalement (ISO 6941:2026)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO 6941:2026
ICS:
13.220.40 Sposobnost vžiga in Ignitability and burning
obnašanje materialov in behaviour of materials and
proizvodov pri gorenju products
59.080.30 Tkanine Textile fabrics
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN ISO 6941
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
May 2026
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 13.220.40; 59.080.30 Supersedes EN ISO 6941:2003
English Version
Textile fabrics - Burning behaviour - Measurement of
flame spread properties of vertically oriented specimens
(ISO 6941:2026)
Étoffes - Comportement au feu - Détermination des Textile Flächengebilde - Brennverhalten - Messung der
propriétés de propagation de flamme d'éprouvettes Flammenausbreitungseigenschaften vertikal
orientées verticalement (ISO 6941:2026) angeordneter Proben (ISO 6941:2026)
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 28 April 2026.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2026 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN ISO 6941:2026 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3

European foreword
This document (EN ISO 6941:2026) has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 38 "Textiles" in
collaboration with Technical Committee CEN/TC 248 “Textiles and textile products” the secretariat of
which is held by BSI.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by November 2026, and conflicting national standards
shall be withdrawn at the latest by November 2026.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes EN ISO 6941:2003.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards
body/national committee. A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of
North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the
United Kingdom.
Endorsement notice
The text of ISO 6941:2026 has been approved by CEN as EN ISO 6941:2026 without any modification.

International
Standard
ISO 6941
Third edition
Textile fabrics — Burning behaviour
2026-05
— Measurement of flame spread
properties of vertically oriented
specimens
Étoffes — Comportement au feu — Détermination des propriétés
de propagation de flamme d'éprouvettes orientées verticalement
Reference number
ISO 6941:2026(en) © ISO 2026
ISO 6941:2026(en)
© ISO 2026
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii
ISO 6941:2026(en)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Principle . 1
5 Apparatus . 2
5.6 Timing device .2
6 Precautions . 4
6.1 Construction of testing equipment . .4
6.2 Location of test apparatus.5
6.3 Health and safety of operators .5
7 Sampling . 5
7.1 Number of test specimens .5
7.2 Test specimen holder pin location marks .5
7.3 Test specimen size .5
8 Conditioning and testing atmosphere. 5
8.1 Conditioning.5
8.2 Testing atmosphere .6
9 Setting up the apparatus . 6
9.1 Procedures A (Surface ignition) .6
9.1.1 Mounting of the test specimen .6
9.1.2 Operating position of the burner .6
9.1.3 Flame adjustment — Horizontal reach .6
9.1.4 Flame position .6
9.2 Procedure B (Bottom edge ignition) .6
9.2.1 Mounting of the test specimen .6
9.2.2 Operating position of the burner .6
9.2.3 Flame adjustment — Vertical flame height .7
9.2.4 Flame position .7
10 Test procedure . 8
10.1 Surface ignition .8
10.2 Bottom edge ignition.9
11 Precision . 9
12 Test report . 10
Annex A (normative) Description and construction of the burner .11
Annex B (informative) Experimental techniques .12
Bibliography .13

iii
ISO 6941:2026(en)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations,
governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely
with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent
rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a)
patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that
this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 38, Textiles, in collaboration with the European
Committee for Standardization (CEN) Technical Committee CEN/TC 248, Textiles and textile products, in
accordance with the Agreement on technical cooperation between ISO and CEN (Vienna Agreement).
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO 6941:2003), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— Figure 1 b) has been corrected with the proper angular dimension line and the shape of the tip of the gas
jet;
— Figure 3 a) and Figure 3 b) have been revised to show the test specimen clear;
— this revision aims to clarify without any structural changes.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.

iv
ISO 6941:2026(en)
Introduction
This method is one of two closely related methods of test for the inflammability of textile. This method
[1]
determines the “flame spread time” as defined in ISO 4880 . The other method observes and measures
[2]
“ease of ignition” (seeISO 6940 ).
The method given in this document assesses the properties of textile fabrics in response to flame contact
under controlled conditions. There is a possibility that results do not apply the situations where there is
restricted air supply or exposure to large sources of intense heat.
The influence of seams on the behaviour of textile fabrics can be determined by this method, the seam being
positioned within the test specimen so as to be subjected to the test flame. Whenever practicable, trimmings
are tested as part of the textile fabric assembly on which they are or will be used.

v
International Standard ISO 6941:2026(en)
Textile fabrics — Burning behaviour — Measurement of flame
spread properties of vertically oriented specimens
1 Scope
This document specifies a method for the measurement of flame spread times of vertically oriented textile
fabrics and industrial products in the form of single or multi-component textile fabrics (coated, quilted,
multilayered, sandwich combinations, and similar combinations) when subjected to a small, defined flame.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 4880, Burning behaviour of textiles and textile products — Vocabulary
ISO 6940, Textile fabrics — Burning behaviour — Determination of ease of ignition of vertically oriented
specimens
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 4880 and the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
flame application time
time for which the ignition flame is applied to the test specimen
3.2
flame spread time
time taken by a flame on a burning material to travel a spe
...