The Exchange Test Method

A-22: Standard for Flammability of Children's Sleepwear, Sizes 7 through 14, 16 CFR 1616 - Vertical

Issue Date: 04 Aug 1999

Revision Date: 08/20/2004

  1. PURPOSE:

    This standard is designed to reduce the danger of injury and loss off life by providing on a national basis, standard methods of testing and rating the flammability of children's sleepwear, sizes 7 through 14 and fabric or related material intended or promoted for use in such children's sleepwear as defined in 16.16.2 (c), thereby discouraging the use of any dangerously flammable clothing textiles.
  2. PRINCIPLE:

    16 CFR 1616 regulation requires that samples be suspended one at a time vertically in holders in a prescribed cabinet and subjected to a standard flame on the bottom edge for a specified period of time (3 seconds) under controlled conditions. The char length is measured. Samples cannot have an average char length of more than 7 in. and no single specimen can have a char length of 10 in. or a full burn. This applies to finished garments as produced or after one wash/dry as well as after the same garments have been washed and dried 50 times.
  3. REFERENCE:

    16 CFR Part 1616, CPSC Standard for Flammability of Children's Sleepwear, Sizes 7 Through 14. 
  4. APPARATUS:

  5. PROCEDURE:

  6. REPORTING:

    Report the value of char length in inches for each specimen as well as the average char length for each set of five specimens. Five specimens represent one sample. Take the average of the three sample averages to get the total average.