Martin Haworth, Head of Technical and Innovation, details the stringent testing and development of firefighting fabrics at Hainsworth Protective Fabrics to enhance durability, safety and performance 

We also tune into the wider industry to ensure we have a deep understanding of the fire market as a whole. We’re members of BS, EN and ISO Standards Committees and attend specialist conferences, seminars and exhibitions where we engage with representatives of the wider fire industry. 

Developing to exceed safety standards 

With every fabric concept, we’re mindful of industry performance standards in our approach to new product development and use these as a framework for building new products. At the same time, we’re always looking to push the boundaries and improve the performance of current fabrics on the market.

At this stage, one key challenge is accurately predicting how the concept will perform, which we do by running production trials. This lengthy process involves evaluating results and running further trials to implement the learnings.

We have to be mindful of the standards the fabric must conform to and ensure that by improving one aspect of the fabric’s performance, there is no adverse effect on other elements. 

Martin Haworth

When choosing materials for protective fabrics, we must consider the performance standard requirements, the attributes of the component fibre/yarns to select from, the cost of components and availability. The performance standard requirements are based on finished fabrics, so the only accurate way of ensuring materials meet these is by developing a series of trials and testing the finished product to confirm compliance. 

Combining in-house and external testing 

Our testing process at Hainsworth Protective Fabrics is rigorous and we combine comprehensive in-house testing with external testing to help certify our products to the applicable performance standard. Our in-house UKAS-accredited testing facility ensures that our fabrics adhere to each performance standard. All incoming yarns are tested for strength, twist and Nm count to confirm compliance with our technical specifications.  

We have bespoke weaving and finishing specifications to ensure consistency when manufacturing our fabrics. Complete samples are taken from finished fabric and tested in our facility, where we can confirm compliance with the relevant applicable structural or wildland standard. 

For wear and tear, we routinely test batches of finished fabric for strength (tensile and tear) and abrasion. When developing new fabrics, we work with our garment manufacturing partners and individual fire and rescue services, running wearer trials where we can directly evaluate fabric performance via end-user feedback.

Collaborating with our customers is invaluable in assessing final fabric performance characteristics and gauging how our fabrics perform in real-world scenarios. 

Martin Haworth

Assessing comfort, breathability and flexibility relates to the final garment assembly, a 3-layer assembly manufactured by our garment partners for structural firefighting. There are specific ISO test methods for breathability and heat transfer, which are associated with the comfort of the fabric and we depend on the skills of the garment designers themselves to create flexible, innovative designs which also fit well. 

Testing fabrics for resilience in extreme conditions is another essential part of firefighting fabric development. We work with our garment partners who perform an instrumented manikin test EN ISO 13506-1 for short-term flame engulfment. This test is carried out at a heat flux of 84Kw/m2 and gives a value for the total transferred energy, producing a protection factor to quantify product performance. 

Durability over repeated use 

In addition to considering performance in the moment, firefighting fabrics must be durable enough to retain their protective qualities over time to ensure they’re safe to wear multiple times after exposure to harsh conditions. As part of our ongoing quality control process, fabric is washed and tumble-dried multiple times to simulate real-life usage and evaluated in our UKAS-accredited laboratory to confirm compliance with the necessary performance standard. 

Sustainability is another important factor and we always strive to push the boundaries of performance and not just develop new fabrics which conform to the minimum requirements of specific standards. We aim to produce longer-lasting fabrics which have more durable chemical protection. 

Addressing contamination risks 

Following the World Health Organisation’s classification of firefighting as an ‘at risk’ occupation in relation to carcinogen exposure, we must look closely at effective ways to protect firefighters from the risk of contaminants as we develop new fabric solutions.

We also need to be mindful of changes in legislation, especially around the use of PFAS, whilst striving to achieve more sustainable fabric solutions where possible. 

Martin Haworth

We are constantly researching and investing in new technology–from chemical finishes to yarns and processing equipment–to improve the quality and performance characteristics of our fabrics and ensure there is no compromise on safety for the firefighters who put their lives on the line to protect others.  

This article was originally published in the April 2025 Edition of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE copy, click here.