Many ways have been tried to break the burning event of textile products. One way is to use thermally degradable materials within the structure of the fibers. If sufficient heat can be retained in the fiber as a result of the reactions, the fibers do not reach the temperature required for combustion and no combustion occurs. Another way is to use an insulating element surrounding the fiber at temperatures below the combustion temperature of the fiber. Boric acid or hydrated salts, when heated, give off water vapor. In this way, the fiber surface becomes glassy and the fiber contact with the air is reduced. Thus, a flammable effect is imparted to the fiber.

Another way of trying to break the burning event of textile products, fiber combustion occurs in the event is to change the mechanism.

The most important flame retardants in the textile sector are grouped as follows:

• Basic flammable materials based on phosphorus and halogens
• Substances which have a low flammable effect when used alone, but whose effectiveness is increased when used with basic flammable substances (such as phosphorus and nitrogen)
• Flame retardant substances (borate, calcium carbonate)

Fabrics of this type are also frequently used in living room curtains.

The combustion properties of hall curtains are tested in various ways by authorized laboratories and the following standards are complied with in these tests:

• BS EN 1102 Textiles and textile products - Combustion behavior - Curtains and drapes - Detailed procedure for determining flame propagation of vertically oriented samples
• TS EN 1102 Textiles and textile products - Combustion property - Hall curtains and curtains - Detailed method for determining the flammability of vertical test samples

This standard specifies a test method for determining the flammable properties of hall curtains in accordance with the method described in EN ISO 6941 standard.