Fire Labels

Permanent Fire Labels for Upholstered Furniture

Shop furniture fire labels for use in upholstered furniture manufacturing, reupholstery and suitable furniture-supply applications. Livedale supplies permanent sew-in labels for furniture made with match-resistant covers and furniture using a Schedule 3 interliner, together with optional hanging swing tickets for customers who still wish to provide visible point-of-sale information.

Furniture fire labels form part of the identification and traceability system associated with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, as amended.

Attaching a label does not make an item compliant. The wording on the selected label must accurately reflect the materials, test evidence and construction of the finished furniture.

The manufacturer, importer, reupholsterer or other business supplying the furniture remains responsible for establishing which requirements apply and ensuring that supporting records are available.

Shop Furniture Fire Labels by Construction

The range contains two principal product groups:

• Permanent sew-in furniture labels
• Optional hanging swing tickets

There are no further subcategories beneath this page, so the sections below explain the differences between the four available labels.

Permanent Sew-In Furniture Fire Labels

Permanent labels are intended to remain securely attached to the furniture throughout its useful life.

The current Livedale range provides two versions:

• PL21 for furniture that does not include a Schedule 3 interliner
• PL22 for furniture that does include a Schedule 3 interliner

Both labels include a space for a batch or identification number.

The correct version must be selected according to the actual furniture construction. The presence or absence of an interliner should never be guessed from the appearance of the finished furniture.

PL21 Sew-In Label — No Schedule 3 Interliner

The PL21 permanent sew-in label is printed for furniture that does not include a Schedule 3 interliner.

Its wording states that:

• The item does not include a Schedule 3 interliner
• The foams, fillings and composite construction have been tested by the relevant suppliers
• The covers and fillings are cigarette resistant
• The covers are match resistant
• Further details are available from the retailer

The PL21 label should therefore only be used where the cover and complete furniture construction support those statements.

It is not suitable merely because an interliner has not been used. The visible and relevant invisible cover materials must still meet the requirements applying to that construction.

Before selecting PL21, establish:

• The exact covering fabric
• Whether the cover is permanent, loose or stretch
• Current cover-fabric test information
• The filling materials used
• Composite cigarette-test evidence
• Whether any interliner is present
• Batch and supplier records
• The intended market for the furniture

Do not attach a PL21 label to furniture made with a non-match-resistant cover simply because the fillings themselves meet the relevant requirements.

PL22 Sew-In Label — Includes Schedule 3 Interliner

The PL22 permanent sew-in label is printed for a furniture construction that includes a Schedule 3 interliner.

Its wording states that:

• The item includes a Schedule 3 interliner
• The foams, fillings and composite construction have been tested by the relevant suppliers
• The covers and fillings are cigarette resistant
• The covers are not match resistant
• Further details are available from the retailer

This label is intended for the particular route where a relevant cover that does not itself pass the applicable match test is used over a suitable Schedule 3 interliner.

The PL22 label should not be selected merely because some form of lining cloth has been placed beneath the cover.

An ordinary calico, polyester lining or unidentified barrier cloth is not automatically a Schedule 3 interliner.

Before selecting PL22, confirm:

• The covering material qualifies for the intended route
• The interliner is the exact tested product specified
• Current interliner documentation is available
• The interliner is fitted throughout the required areas
• The fillings and composites meet the applicable requirements
• The completed construction matches the supporting test evidence
• The batch or production records identify the materials used

Browse calico, interliner and cambric for available upholstery interliner products.

Using an interliner does not provide a blanket exemption from the other requirements applying to the furniture.

PL21 or PL22: Which Permanent Label Is Required?

Choose PL21 where:

• No Schedule 3 interliner is included
• The cover is match resistant as required
• The fillings and relevant composite construction meet the applicable requirements
• The label wording accurately describes the completed furniture

Choose PL22 where:

• A suitable Schedule 3 interliner is included
• The relevant cover is not itself match resistant
• The construction qualifies for the interliner route
• The fillings and relevant composite construction meet the applicable requirements
• The label wording accurately describes the completed furniture

The choice is determined by the construction—not by which label happens to be available in the workroom.

Where the correct route is uncertain, obtain competent compliance guidance before manufacturing, labelling or supplying the furniture.

Batch and Identification Numbers

Both permanent labels include a space for a batch or identification number.

This field should be completed with a code that connects the finished item to the business’s production and material records.

A useful identification system may record:

• Date or period of manufacture
• Furniture model or design
• Production batch
• Cover-fabric supplier and reference
• Fabric colour or batch
• Filling materials
• Foam grades
• Interliner reference where applicable
• Test reports or supplier declarations
• Manufacturing location
• Person or team responsible for production

The code printed or written on the label does not need to contain every detail itself. It must, however, connect reliably to records from which the relevant information can be retrieved.

Avoid vague batch references such as “chair”, “blue sofa” or the current date written from memory.

A traceability system only becomes useful when another person can understand it several years later without consulting the person who invented it.

Attaching a Permanent Furniture Label

A permanent label should remain securely attached and legible throughout the expected useful life of the furniture.

Sewing the label into an appropriate seam is generally the clearest way to demonstrate that it formed part of the original furniture construction.

Suitable positions may include:

• Beneath a removable seat cushion
• Within an accessible rear seam
• Underneath the furniture
• Behind a suitable loose cover
• Along an internal platform edge
• Within another concealed but accessible location

The exact position will depend on the furniture design.

The label should be:

• Securely attached
• Accessible for inspection
• Protected from normal wear
• Clear and legible
• Attached to the furniture rather than loose packaging
• Positioned where it will not spoil the visible upholstery
• Completed with the relevant batch or identification information

Do not place the permanent label where it is likely to be cut away during delivery, removed with temporary packaging or destroyed during ordinary cleaning.

Sewing the Label into Furniture

Use a suitable sewing thread and stitch securely around an appropriate label edge.

Avoid sewing through printed information or the batch-number area.

The thread and stitch method should withstand normal furniture use without tearing the label or the surrounding lining material.

Where the label is attached to base cloth, make sure the base cloth itself is securely fitted and is not likely to be removed as disposable packaging.

Browse upholstery sewing threads for suitable workroom sewing products.

Stapling a Permanent Label

A label may sometimes be attached by another durable method, but a loose or casually stapled label can be more easily removed or added after manufacture.

Where staples are used, they should:

• Hold the label securely
• Avoid obscuring its wording
• Avoid tearing through the label
• Be compatible with the furniture construction
• Remain accessible for inspection
• Not create sharp exposed points

The method must ensure the label remains permanently associated with the furniture.

Optional Hanging Swing Tickets

Livedale also supplies two hanging swing tickets:

• DL7 for match-resistant cover fabric
• DL6 for cover fabric that is not match resistant and uses an interliner route

Since 30 October 2025, these display labels have not been legally required under the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations.

They may still be used voluntarily where:

• Their wording accurately represents the furniture
• A retailer wants to display additional fire-safety information
• Existing furniture stock already carries them
• A customer or purchasing organisation asks for visible information
• They are not presented as a substitute for the permanent label

They should not be described as compulsory compliance labels for newly manufactured furniture.

DL7 Swing Ticket — Cover Match Resistant

The DL7 hanging label uses the established green design for furniture where the cover is described as match resistant.

The ticket may still provide voluntary point-of-sale information, but it does not replace the permanent sew-in label or the supporting test and traceability records.

Only use it where the statement remains accurate for the finished furniture.

DL6 Swing Ticket — Cover Not Match Resistant

The DL6 hanging label states that the cover fabric is not match resistant and that the furniture meets the relevant route through the inclusion of a fire-resistant interliner.

It should only be used where:

• The cover and interliner construction supports that statement
• The interliner is an appropriate tested product
• The furniture meets the other applicable requirements
• Supporting evidence is available

The swing ticket itself does not prove that an interliner is present or that the complete construction has been assessed correctly.

Permanent Labels and Swing Tickets Are Not the Same

A permanent label is attached to the furniture and remains with it after purchase.

A swing ticket is a temporary display label attached visibly at the point of sale and is normally removed by the customer.

The permanent label supports long-term identification and traceability.

The swing ticket historically provided simplified information to a customer before purchase. It is now optional rather than mandatory.

Furniture within scope should not be supplied without the required permanent label merely because an old-style swing ticket has been attached prominently to the item.

A Furniture Label Is Not a Test Certificate

These labels are pre-printed statements intended for use with furniture that already meets the requirements represented by their wording.

They do not:

• Test the furniture
• Certify an unknown cover
• Approve untested foam
• Turn ordinary lining into a Schedule 3 interliner
• Replace supplier documentation
• Replace composite testing
• Replace manufacturing records
• Prove compliance merely by being attached
• Make furniture fireproof

The person attaching the label must have a reasonable basis for every statement it contains.

Before labelling a production batch, retain and check the relevant:

• Foam test information
• Filling-material documentation
• Cover-fabric test reports
• Interliner evidence
• Composite test evidence
• Supplier invoices
• Batch references
• Product specifications
• Manufacturing records

A label applied without supporting evidence is just a small piece of printed fabric making a very confident claim.

Match Resistance and Cigarette Resistance

The terms cigarette resistant and match resistant describe different ignition-test requirements.

A material or construction that meets one requirement does not automatically meet the other.

Furniture construction may involve separate consideration of:

• Filling materials
• Cover fabrics
• Composite cigarette resistance
• Match resistance
• Interliners
• Loose or stretch covers
• The type of furniture being supplied

Do not shorten this to the vague claim that the furniture is “fireproof”.

Domestic upholstered furniture is not made incapable of burning. The requirements are intended to reduce the risk of ignition and fire development under specified test conditions.

Schedule 3 Interliners

A Schedule 3 interliner is a tested barrier material used within a particular furniture construction route.

Its use can allow a relevant cover material that does not itself pass the applicable match test to be used where the complete conditions for that route are met.

The interliner should:

• Be the exact product supported by the test evidence
• Be identifiable within production records
• Be installed correctly
• Cover all required areas
• Remain undamaged during upholstery
• Be compatible with the complete furniture construction
• Be represented accurately on the permanent label

Do not assume that a material is suitable because it is described generally as flame retardant, Crib 5, fire resistant or barrier cloth.

The terminology used in sales descriptions does not replace the specific evidence required for the intended construction.

Cover Fabrics and Fire Labels

The selected permanent label must reflect the actual covering material used on the furniture.

Before production, record:

• Supplier
• Range
• Colour
• Batch
• Fibre composition
• Intended upholstery use
• Test report reference
• Match-test status
• Any conditions attached to the test
• Whether an interliner route is required

Where several cover choices are offered on the same furniture model, each fabric should be assessed individually.

A label chosen correctly for one colour or fabric range may not automatically be correct for every alternative cover offered by the manufacturer.

Browse upholstery vinyl and fabric for current furniture-covering materials, checking the technical documents for the exact product before specifying it.

Foam and Filling Documentation

The label wording also refers to foams, fillings and composite construction.

Manufacturers and upholsterers should be able to identify the materials used within each furniture batch.

Records may include:

• Foam grade
• Foam supplier
• Batch or production reference
• Polyester-fibre products
• Feather or loose fillings
• Felt and wadding
• Traditional fillings
• Cushion interiors
• Test reports
• Supplier declarations
• Purchase invoices

Do not mix unidentified offcuts or fillings into furniture that will carry a compliance statement unless their origin and suitability can be established.

Browse foams and fillings for upholstery foam, wadding, felt and cushion-filling materials.

New Furniture, Reupholstery and Repairs

The requirements can apply differently depending on whether the work involves:

• Manufacturing new furniture
• Supplying reupholstered furniture
• Replacing a permanent cover
• Repairing one limited area
• Supplying loose or stretch covers
• Selling second-hand furniture
• Producing furniture for export
• Working on furniture made before 1950

Do not attach a new permanent label to an old or second-hand item merely because the original label is missing.

A replacement label cannot retrospectively establish:

• The origin of the fillings
• Cover-fabric performance
• Whether an interliner is present
• Composite-test performance
• The item’s manufacturing records
• The condition of internal materials

Where the compliance history cannot be established, obtain specialist or Trading Standards guidance before supplying the furniture.

Preserving Existing Labels During Reupholstery

Before stripping furniture, photograph and record any existing permanent label.

Do not automatically discard it with the old base cloth.

The original label may contain:

• Manufacturer information
• Batch number
• Date
• Material details
• Regulatory statements
• Traceability information

However, an old label does not automatically remain accurate after the covering, fillings or construction have been changed.

The completed reupholstered item must be considered according to the work performed and the requirements applying at the time of supply.

Domestic and Contract Furniture

The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations principally concern domestic upholstered furniture supplied in the United Kingdom.

Furniture supplied for hotels, offices, care environments, healthcare, education, restaurants and other contract settings may be subject to additional specifications, fire-risk assessments or standards.

A domestic furniture label does not automatically demonstrate suitability for every commercial location.

Before manufacturing contract furniture, establish:

• The customer’s written specification
• Required test standards
• The end-use environment
• Any Crib 5 or higher-performance requirement
• Documentation required at handover
• Whether component or full-item testing is specified
• Labelling and traceability requirements
• Responsibilities of the manufacturer and specifier

Do not use the PL21 or PL22 label as a substitute for the technical documentation required by a commercial contract.

Common Furniture-Labelling Mistakes

Avoid:

• Attaching a label before the construction has been confirmed
• Selecting PL21 solely because no interliner was ordered
• Selecting PL22 for ordinary lining cloth
• Using a label without completing the batch field
• Reusing one batch number for unrelated furniture
• Treating a swing ticket as the permanent label
• Advertising swing tickets as legally mandatory after October 2025
• Attaching a label to second-hand furniture with unknown construction
• Calling the label a certificate
• Describing furniture as fireproof
• Discarding test and supplier records
• Assuming all colours in a fabric range have identical evidence
• Using a label whose wording does not match the final furniture

Build the compliance file alongside the furniture rather than attempting to reconstruct it after the item has been sold.

Related Upholstery Supplies

Furniture fire labels are used alongside documented upholstery materials and workroom supplies.

Browse calico, interliner and cambric for suitable upholstery lining and barrier materials.

Explore upholstery vinyl and fabric for furniture-covering materials.

Browse foams and fillings for upholstery foam, polyester wadding, felt and cushion interiors.

Our sewing threads and twines include machine-sewing and hand-stitching products for furniture manufacture.

Browse hessian and lining cloths for platform cloth, base cloth, calico and concealed furniture linings.

Explore the complete Workroom Supplies range for fixings, adhesives, piping cords, zips, protective packaging and other furniture-making essentials.

Trade Furniture Fire Labels

Livedale supplies permanent furniture fire labels and optional swing tickets to professional upholsterers, furniture manufacturers, headboard makers, repair workshops and other trade customers throughout the UK.

The current products are available in packs of 100 or 1,000, making them suitable for independent workrooms and larger production businesses.

Approved trade customers can access preferential trade pricing across eligible products after registering for a trade account.

Select the label only after confirming that its wording accurately reflects the materials, construction and supporting documentation for the finished furniture.