Service Terms

The Contract

The customer agrees that the services conducted by Fabric Flare are governed by our Conditions of Sale - available on this website, or by request.
 It is understood that the customer’s purchase order is for invoicing purposes only and our Conditions of Sale will prevail.

Our Service  

We offer an efficient, reliable and professional service, specialising in the application of flame retardants and soil/water repellents to a wide spectrum of materials. We have developed our own range of treatment formulations including: the proven Duraflam® and Duraflam-Duracote® flame retardant systems and the Duraseal⁺ soil/water repellent treatment. Formulations are adjusted to suit the type of material being treated. We also conduct in-house assessments, offer technical advice and assistance, and arrange in situ applications when required.

Our combined Quality and Environmental Management System has been assessed and certified as meeting the requirements for both ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.
Our VOC rating for are formulations, in accordance with ISO 11890-2, is less than 1 g/l.
We are a Full Member of the Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA) and a Corporate Member of the Timber Development UK (Previously TRADA).

Order Acknowledgement

After receipt of the fabric, an order will be created and an order acknowledgement will be sent to the customer, it is the responsibility of the customer to check that all the details of the order acknowledgement are correct. The customer should contact us immediately if any of the details are incorrect. Failure to notify us of any incorrect details resulting in incorrect treatment or dispatch, could lead to additional costs to correct the error.

The order acknowledgement will also show the expected despatch date.

Certification  

Without exception, no fabric company can self-certify the fire retardancy of their fabrics; this can only be undertaken by a UKAS Accredited Test Laboratory.

Similarly, Fabric Flare is a treatment house – NOT an accredited testing laboratory. Assessments carried out by us do not have fully accredited test status and no certificate issued should be considered as such. Our certification records the details of the treatment and the results of our inhouse assessment, with an indication of compliance or otherwise.

It is recommended therefore, that customers keep the regulatory authorities informed and request acceptance of our certification, in isolation and without independent back-up, as being sufficient for the purposes intended. If required, we would be pleased to arrange for independent verification of the required compliance, as detailed below.

Sampling & Frequency of Testing  

It is recommended that upholstery composites be assessed every 2,500 units produced, or once a month with a programme of weekly repeat orders. Re-testing should be carried out when there is a significant alteration to a furniture specification (e.g. fibre content, construction, density or filling, or a change of manufacturer). Changes in colour or pattern are not deemed as sufficient reasons for composite re-testing.

Customer Orders  

1. The Price Guide provides an indication of our comprehensive service, with rates for the most widely requested treatments. However, Fabric Flare can treat products other than those listed and in accordance with other flammability standards. Please contact us for information and a quotation in respect of materials and standards not listed.


2. Customers should allow for possible shrinkage of up to 3% when calculating the end quantity of fabric required.


3. We offer discounts for repeat orders of the same material type and for orders exceeding 500 metres (750m²), at any one time. Please contact our Sales Office for details.


4. Fabrics exceeding 150cm in width will be charged extra per metre, pro-rata. All fabrics exceeding 150cm in width will be returned folded, unless the customer requests otherwise. Please contact our Sales Office prior to submitting fabrics wider than 320cm.


5. We ask that customers indicate the ‘face’ of all fabrics and inform us of the composition and end-use of each product submitted for treatment. For wallcoverings, customers should indicate the intended manner of installation – whether wrapped and stretched over a frame with an air gap, wrapped and stretched over a substrate, or fully adhered to a substrate. We also require information regarding the backing materials to be used – be it foam, wadding or boards affixed to the main structure. Additional charges may apply for sourcing components to replicate the laminate for indicative testing.


6. For fabric pieces to be considered as ‘one length’ the: composition, construction and width must be identical, with all pieces received at the same time. If however, the total quantity is made up of a number of small cuts - 5 metres or less, per length - additional handling charges may apply. Products of a similar type, but not identical, will be charged as individual items and at the appropriate treatment rate.


7. Due to the limited shelf life of flame-retardant formulations, as well as the additional handling costs for processing small quantities, minimum charges apply. Minimum treatment rates are in relation to end-use and specification.


8. If, for whatever reason, products differ from the types listed, and the treatment rate is calculated as being in excess of the norm, the customer will be contacted prior to any processing taking place.


9. When considered appropriate, all velvets and ‘delicate’ materials – irrespective of their original packaging – will be housed in suitable cardboard boxes and the customer will be charged accordingly. All consignments of leather will be re-packaged in the same manner as they were received.


10. No order will be processed without a written instruction and any alterations to an order must be confirmed in writing.

Payment Terms  

1. For all new customers, the first four orders are conducted on a pro-forma basis with payment required before an order is despatched or collected.
   
2. For established customers, and new customers submitting their fifth order, credit is offered with payment at 30 days net from date of invoice.
3. New customers requiring in situ treatments, because the relevant items cannot be transported to our works, must arrange for payment to be made prior to work being carried out. Certification can only be issued on the day after treatment and when payment has been made in accordance with this procedure.

Quality Assurance & Independent Assessments  

All materials received for processing are subject to Quality Control checks prior to production. To enable our QA and in-house assessments to function properly, we require samples of all items sent for treatment. Our works laboratory, equipped to provide – as far as possible – an indication of compliance with the relevant standards, is an essential function of the QA procedure.
Specimens will be cut from the material received and customers should allow for 20 cm x full width of fabric for ‘before’ and ‘after’ testing of each fabric type. Customers are charged for the full quantity of material submitted – NOT the net amount received. All material submitted for processing is subjected to ‘before’ and ‘after’ testing, unless the material is part of a made-up item. In such instances representative samples will be required for testing and adherence to our QA procedures.

A vital part of our QA is the supporting programme provided by independent and accredited laboratories. It is the continuing verification of compliance that underpins our certification. With third-party assessment being the preferred means of attesting ‘fitness for purpose’, it is company practice to instruct a fire prevention consultancy to carry out regular assessments on behalf of our customers, and to instruct the laboratories accordingly. This arms-length policy maintains the credibility of compliance with the relevant standards. We recommend independent verification of compliance when one or other of the following circumstances arise in relation to customer orders:  


1. The requirement is to treat a large consignment of one particular product (in excess of 1,000 metres).
   
2. Repeat orders for treating the same product.
3. A product is deemed as being ‘highly flammable’ in its received condition.
4. The material is being installed in a high-risk area and the relevant authorities request additional confirmation of conformity.
5. A new product is being launched.
6. Several consignments of similar products have been processed without any supporting verification of compliance.

Additional charges will be incurred with all such customer approved assessments.
However, no test programme will be instigated without prior customer acceptance.
We recommend adherence to the established assessment procedure, with independent testing in support of certification issued on the customer’s behalf. The results can also be referenced in future certification, in relation to similar materials within the customer’s product range.

After Care of Flameproofed Fabrics  

Dry cleaning is the preferred method of cleaning for all types of fabric – flameproof or otherwise – as this process minimises distortion and shrinkage. However, should washing be the only option available care should be taken to comply with the following:

The temperature of the wash cycle should not exceed 30ºC, and the drying cycle should not exceed 40ºC.
If a cleaning agent is considered to be absolutely necessary, use a non-ionic detergent. No chlorine-based bleaches should be used.

Spillages on upholstered items should be dealt with as quickly as possible using a clean sponge, or clean cloths and water when wetting is necessary, to remove any residue. A professional cleaning company should be employed to deal with ingrained stains and soiling, with clean water and extraction as the means of removing the contaminant.

Complaints Procedure  

Our aim is to provide an efficient and professional service. However, should a customer have a problem with any aspect of our service, we ask that it is raised as quickly as possible, with our management being fully informed of the complaint. Given the details concerned, company policy is to move quickly and positively to effect a comprehensive resolution.