EN ISO 6941:2026

Textile fabrics - Burning behaviour - Measurement of flame spread properties of vertically oriented specimens (ISO 6941:2026)

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.

Textile Flächengebilde - Brennverhalten - Messung der Flammenausbreitungseigenschaften vertikal angeordneter Proben (ISO 6941:2026)

Dieses Dokument legt ein Verfahren zur Messung der Flammenausbreitungszeit von vertikal ausgerichteten textilen Flächengebilden und industriellen Erzeugnissen, in Form von einzelnen textilen Flächengebilden oder textilen Flächengebilden aus mehreren Komponenten (beschichtet, gesteppt, mehrlagig, Sandwichkombinationen und ähnliche Kombinationen) fest, wenn sie einer kleinen definierten Flamme ausgesetzt werden.

Étoffes - Comportement au feu - Détermination des propriétés de propagation de flamme d'éprouvettes orientées verticalement (ISO 6941:2026)

Le présent document spécifie une méthode permettant de mesurer les durées de propagation de flamme des étoffes et produits industriels orientés verticalement par rapport à une flamme définie de petite taille; il peut s'agir d'étoffes simples ou complexes (textiles enduits, ouatés, multicouches, en sandwich et autres structures).

Tekstilije - Gorljivost - Meritve razširjanja plamena navpično nameščenih preskušancev (ISO/FDIS 6941:2026)

General Information

• Status: Not 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: 6055 - CEN Ratification completed (DOR) - Publishing
• Start Date: 28-Apr-2026
• Completion Date: 28-Apr-2026
• Ref Project: kSIST FprEN ISO 6941:2026 - Textile fabrics - Burning behaviour - Measurement of flame spread properties of vertically oriented specimens (ISO/FDIS 6941:2026)

Relations

• Consolidated By: ISO 6941:2026 - Textile fabrics — Burning behaviour — Measurement of flame spread properties of vertically oriented specimens
• Effective Date: 12-Feb-2026
• Revises: 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

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.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN ISO 6941:2025
01-julij-2025
Tekstilije - Gorljivost - Meritve razširjanja plamena navpično nameščenih
preskušancev (ISO/DIS 6941:2025)
Textile fabrics - Burning behaviour - Measurement of flame spread properties of vertically
oriented specimens (ISO/DIS 6941:2025)
Textile Flächengebilde - Brennverhalten - Messung der
Flammenausbreitungseigenschaften vertikal angeordneter Proben (ISO/DIS 6941:2025)
Textiles - Comportement au feu - Détermination des propriétés de propagation de
flamme d'éprouvettes orientées verticalement (ISO/DIS 6941:2025)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN ISO 6941
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
oSIST prEN ISO 6941:2025 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

oSIST prEN ISO 6941:2025
oSIST prEN ISO 6941:2025
DRAFT
International
Standard
ISO/DIS 6941
ISO/TC 38
Textile fabrics — Burning behaviour
Secretariat: JISC
— Measurement of flame spread
Voting begins on:
properties of vertically oriented
2025-05-19
specimens
Voting terminates on:
2025-08-11
Textiles — Comportement au feu — Détermination des propriétés
de propagation de flamme d'éprouvettes orientées verticalement
ICS: 59.080.30; 13.220.40
THIS DOCUMENT IS A DRAFT CIRCULATED
FOR COMMENTS AND APPROVAL. IT
IS THEREFORE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
AND MAY NOT BE REFERRED TO AS AN
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD UNTIL
PUBLISHED AS SUCH.
This document is circulated as received from the committee secretariat.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL,
TECHNOLOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND
USER PURPOSES, DRAFT INTERNATIONAL
STANDARDS MAY ON OCCASION HAVE TO
ISO/CEN PARALLEL PROCESSING
BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR
POTENTIAL TO BECOME STANDARDS TO
WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE MADE IN
NATIONAL REGULATIONS.
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED
TO SUBMIT, WITH THEIR COMMENTS,
NOTIFICATION OF ANY RELEVANT PATENT
RIGHTS OF WHICH THEY ARE AWARE AND TO
PROVIDE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION.
Reference number
ISO/DIS 6941:2025(en)
oSIST prEN ISO 6941:2025
DRAFT
ISO/DIS 6941:2025(en)
International
Standard
ISO/DIS 6941
ISO/TC 38
Textile fabrics — Burning behaviour
Secretariat: JISC
— Measurement of flame spread
Voting begins on:
properties of vertically oriented
specimens
Voting terminates on:
Textiles — Comportement au feu — Détermination des propriétés
de propagation de flamme d'éprouvettes orientées verticalement
ICS: 59.080.30; 13.220.40
THIS DOCUMENT IS A DRAFT CIRCULATED
FOR COMMENTS AND APPROVAL. IT
IS THEREFORE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
AND MAY NOT BE REFERRED TO AS AN
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD UNTIL
PUBLISHED AS SUCH.
This document is circulated as received from the committee secretariat.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL,
© ISO 2025
TECHNOLOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND
USER PURPOSES, DRAFT INTERNATIONAL
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
STANDARDS MAY ON OCCASION HAVE TO
ISO/CEN PARALLEL PROCESSING
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
POTENTIAL TO BECOME STANDARDS TO
WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE MADE IN
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
NATIONAL REGULATIONS.
ISO copyright office
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
TO SUBMIT, WITH THEIR COMMENTS,
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
NOTIFICATION OF ANY RELEVANT PATENT
Phone: [phone]
RIGHTS OF WHICH THEY ARE AWARE AND TO
PROVIDE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION.
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland Reference number
ISO/DIS 6941:2025(en)
ii
oSIST prEN ISO 6941:2025
ISO/DIS 6941:2025(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
6 Precautions . 5
6.1 Construction of testing equipment. .5
6.2 Location of test apparatus.5
6.3 Health and safety of operators .5
7 Sampling . 5
7.1 Number of specimens .5
7.2 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 .7
9.2.3 Flame adjustment — vertical flame height .7
9.2.4 Flame position .7
10 Test procedure . 9
10.1 Surface ignition .9
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
oSIST prEN ISO 6941:2025
ISO/DIS 6941:2025(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 documents 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.
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO 6941:2003), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— the figure of the second edition was revised that the angular dimension line and the shape of the the
tip of the gas jet were incorrectly and it is necessary to match the Amendment of the first edition
(ISO 6941:1984/Amd.1:1992), without any structural changes;
— Figure 1 b) has been revised to correctly show the angular dimension lines and the angular dimensions,
which makes the figure clear;
— Figure 1 b) has also been revised to show the shape of the tip of the gas jet shown in the second edition
to that of the the Amendment of the first edition;
— Figure 3 a) and b) have been revised to show the test specimen clear.
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
oSIST prEN ISO 6941:2025
ISO/DIS 6941:2025(en)
Introduction
This method is one of two closely related methods of test for the inflammability of textile fabrics. This
method determines the “flame spread time” — vocabulary in relation to the term defined in ISO 4880 — the
other method observes and measures “ease of ignition” (see ISO 6940).
This method 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 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 fabric assembly on which they are or will be used.

v
oSIST prEN ISO 6941:2025
oSIST prEN ISO 6941:2025
DRAFT International Standard ISO/DIS 6941:2025(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 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 4880:1997, 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 specified distance under specified test conditions
4 Principle
A defined flame from a specified burner is applied for 10 s to the surface or the bottom edge of textile
specimens which are vertically oriented. The flame spread times in seconds for the flame front to travel
between marker threads positioned adjacent to the surface of the test specimen and located at three
distances from the igniting flame, are recorded.

oSIST prEN ISO 6941:2025
ISO/DIS 6941:2025(en)
5 Apparatus
5.1 Mounting frame, constructed to a design capable of holding the gas burner (5.2), see Figure 1, and the
test specimen holder (5.3), see Figure 2, in the specified relative orientation, see Figure 3.
The design shall also permit three marker threads (see 5.7) to be attached in the positions shown in Figure 2.
At each location the marker thread is mounted as a loop so that the t
...