global furniture and bedding operations · furniture manufacturers and retailers rely on the...
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GLOBAL FURNITURE AND BEDDING OPERATIONS
• European Standards EN 717 and EN 120
• German AgBB evaluation procedure
• Blue Angel
• Golden M
• US California 01350
• BIFMA M7.1/X7.1
• Japanese JIS A 1460
• and others
PERFORMANCE AND DURABILITY TESTINGManufacturers, suppliers and retailers need accurate and reliable product information to ensure their products will be safe and durable, which mitigates risk and liability from product failures.
Testing your products with UL demonstrates a manufacturer’s commitment to making products that are durable, safe, and meet industry requirements. UL labs are accredited to test to BIFMA, EN and other international standards, and provide insight into how products will perform during design, prototyping and commercialization phases.
FLAMMABILITY TESTINGFlammability testing is required for many furniture products, and the requirements vary from city to country. UL provides comprehensive flammability testing for fabrics and upholstered furnishings, and conducts tests in accordance with nationally-recognized standards that investigate ignition, flame-spread and heat-release characteristics of furnishings, such as CAL TB 117, CAL TB 133, NFPA 701, UL 723 and EN 1021.Test methods include reaction to heat, small flame and radiance plates, and the cigarette and match test.
CHEMICAL AND EMISSIONS TESTINGCountries around the globe require chemical testing to ensure that products do not contain chemicals such as lead and phthalates. UL can help manufacturers and retailers maintain compliance to these regulations through testing and monitoring of furniture, paints and varnishes, textiles for furniture, and mattresses.
UL can perform tests according to international regulations including the Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemical Substances (REACH) regulations and the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).
For manufacturers who want to determine the chemical emissions from their products, UL is a global leader in chemical emissions testing for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde content. Chemical emissions testing can help manufacturers demonstrate compliance with the following global and regional emissions and materials requirements:
CUSTOM TESTING EQUIPMENTAre you interested in purchasing your own testing equipment? UL builds custom testing equipment to your exact specifications so you can conduct BIFMA and other specialized tests. Common equipment includes chair back durability machines, drop impact and load ease machines, cyclic and arm durability machines, and chair measurement devices. Contact us today to discuss your needs.
Understand products better through testing. Set products apart through certification. Furniture manufacturers and retailers rely on the quality and performance of their products to maintain their brand reputation. That’s why it’s important to have a testing partner that understands your market and has the testing expertise to act as an advisor on industry standards and regulations.
Trust UL’s global network for testing, certification and inspection for furniture and bedding—from raw materials and components, to finished product, to accessories and packaging.
UNDERSTANDING THE SUPPLY CHAIN UL’s proprietary databases connect plastics, paint and coatings innovators with suppliers and manufacturers. Manufacturers can gain access to a product’s technical data sheets, MSDS, applications and specs, and request samples to enable better sourcing and supply chain operations. Visit ul.com/ii to access the databases.
SAFETY CERTIFICATIONFor more than 100 years, the UL Safety Certification mark has been synonymous with safety. That’s why authorities across the United States require office furniture, household furniture, retail fixtures and other products to be certified to UL standards.
Having the UL mark on your products demonstrates to consumers, local authorities and customs officials that a product has met safety requirements, which can speed up acceptance of the product.
ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATIONS Manufacturers can demonstrate their commitment to health and the environment through the achievement of certifications which also help in the achievement of LEED points. UL provides:
• BIFMA level Certification, which is a lifecycle based, multi-attribute environmental certification for office furniture, and FACTS Certification for contract textiles..
• Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), which demonstrate marketplace leadership by showcasing a manufacturer’s commitment to transparency and objective, third-party verification.
QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR RETAILERSRetailers face unique challenges in the furniture space. They have to be experts on global regulations, market expectations, customer requirements, and deal with multiple suppliers that are producing their products. In 2014, there were 1.4 million consumer furniture products recalled in the United States, due to product failure, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The financial impact of a recall could have major consequences on your business.
UL can help retailers mitigate risk by developing quality and safety protocols by product, and accounting for each country in which they are be sold. This can help retailers maintain quality of products from multiple suppliers.
PACKAGING TESTS TO ASSESS SECURITY OF GOODSYou know your products look good when they leave the manufacturing facility. But do you know how they will arrive to your customer? A lot can happen in transit, and that’s why UL performs testing to International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) standards so you can feel confident that your packaging is up to the job. Our lab in Cabiate, Italy is an ISTA Certified Testing Laboratory.
UL can provide the necessary documentation and test reports for the Transit Tested Certification to appear on your packaging.
GREENGUARD CERTIFICATION UL GREENGUARD Certification is a rigorous, third-party certification that verifies a product has low chemical emissions and serves as a health-based differentiator for products. GREENGUARD Certified products help satisfy requirements in hundreds of green building programs, including CA 01350, Green Globes, GSA, and LEED®.
WHY CHOOSE UL?UL is a leading, independent provider of certification, testing, audit, inspection and responsible sourcing services for the furniture industry with a century-long legacy of trust. UL has employees in 39 countries across five continents and more than 130 certification and testing laboratories around the world. Our customized solutions help clients produce products that comply with industry standards, meet customer expectations, and gain a competitive edge in the marketplace.
HOW TO GET STARTEDFor more information on UL’s services and how they can benefit your company, visit www.ul.com. Or, call or write us today:
North America: 1.616.928.0791
TESTING CERTIFICATION ASSESSMENTSINSPECTION
Asia: +86 20.321.31044
EU: +39.031.76927
INTERNATIONAL TESTING LOCATIONS
UL, the UL logo and the UL certification marks are trademarks of UL LLC © 2015
Chicago
Holland, MI
Atlanta
Milan
Shanghai
Shenzhen Nansha
Jasper, IN