Frequently Asked Questions

• What are "Contract" Fabrics?

  Contract is an Industry used term to indicate fabrics that can be used in commercial environments.  These are typically hospitals and care homes, educational facilities, office spaces and hospitality areas such as hotels, restaurants and cruise ships. At Just Fabrics, we have over 30 years experience in providing the ideal contract fabrics for all of the above. We know that the perfect contract fabric has to perform brilliantly as well as look fantastic - our collections for contract are specifically designed with durability and high performance in mind as well as providing you with an incredible variety of qualities, colours, price-points and textures all meeting relevant flammability standards.

  Whether you are looking for a plain upholstery in that perfect shade or a statement print to make an entranceway spectacular; a wide-width voile or a flame retardant blackout fabric – we have it all.

  Contract grade fabrics can also be incorporated into any residential design. See our separate Fire Retardancy and Fire Retardant Fabrics section for further information about fire retardancy requirements and specifications.

• Are your fabrics Fire and water resistent?

  The fabrics within our JF Contract section are fire resistant as standard and are also often stain or water repellent. This information will be detailed in the product specifications and descriptions. Please contact us on 01242 388390 or email orders@justfabrics.co.uk for further advice. 

• Is my fabric suitable for upholstery?

  For each fabric we include a specification. If a fabric is suitable for upholstery, it will be stated under the Upholstery Grade. Some of our fabrics are harder wearing than others and all are tested to a Martindale grade. The Martindale grade is an abrasion test used to measure the durability of a fabric. The warp and weft threads are abraded to simulate wear and tear. 

  The rub test score is internationally recognised and measures the durability of upholstery fabric for general domestic or contract use. Fabric is categorised by a numerical score to show how durable it is. The higher the score, the more durable the fabric is.

  A score of 10,000 or less: Decorative use

  A fabric with this score is suitable as a decorative fabric. Use for cushions or accents. Not suitable for general domestic or furniture upholstery.

  10,000 to 15,000: Light domestic use

  A fabric with this score is suitable for light domestic use such as for occasional furniture. It will be dry clean only and is often for fabrics made from delicate yarns.

  15,000 - 25,000: General domestic use

  A fabric with this score is suitable for general domestic use. It is suitable for everyday use on main house furniture. It is not suitable for items of furniture that put a high level of stress on the fabric such as a recliner.

  25,000 - 30,000: Heavy domestic use

  A fabric with this score is suitable for high levels of everyday use. It is a heavy-duty fabric that would be suitable for light commercial use and items such as recliners and other motion furniture.

  30,000 or more: Commercial use

  A score of 30,000 or more means that a fabric is commercial grade, it can be used on heavy duty furniture and would be suitable for any commercial environment.

• What the Martindale Test doesn't tell you

  The Martindale test measures wear on a fabric but it doesn’t test for UV light, chemicals, dirt, pet claws or stains. All of these, along with the fabric composition, furniture design and maintenance will also affect the longevity of your furniture.

  To view the certifications specific to our flame retardant fabrics, click on the Documents tab underneath the product information.

• Fire Retardancy and Upholstery Fabrics

  All fabrics for upholstery need to meet the appropriate fire regulations and will need either a flame-retardant treatment, be inherently fire retardant or be used with a fire-retardant barrier cloth. Our range of inherently fire-retardant fabrics are included under our “contract fabric” listings.  It is the customer’s responsibility to abide by the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) regulations. Please contact us on 01242 388390 or by emailing orders@justfabrics.co.uk for further advice. Treatment of your fabric with a flame retardant can be arranged.  This service is available for an extra charge and may take approximately 14 days.

• Can I order a sample?

  We strongly advise that you order fabric samples of your chosen fabric before ordering for colour matching purposes as all monitors vary. You can order up to five free fabric samples or 6-10 for £3.50. Maximum order of 10 samples per customer.

   

  It is important to accurately match colours and expectations, which is why we offer a comprehensive sample service.

• How long will my sample take to arrive?

  Samples sent to UK Mainland addresses will arrive within 3 working days. For non-UK Mainland or international addresses, samples can take up to 2 weeks to arrive. 

   

  Samples are sent by Royal Mail post and you will not need to sign for delivery.

• Can I obtain a FR certificate

  The FR Certificates are accessible via our website for each contract fabric. For any additional information please contact our Customer Service team on 01242 388390 or email orders@justfabrics.co.uk.

• What does Crib 5 refer to?

  Essentially, having furniture that’s Crib 5 (AKA Ignition Source 5) compliant means your furniture and furnishings have passed UK Fire Regulations for most commercial environments. This doesn’t mean items are completely fireproof, but it greatly reduces the risk of ignition, which can save many lives in the long-run.

   

  This test is used in relation to upholstery and furniture coverings and is conducted by building a small crib-like structure from wooden planks that have been glued together. These structures have to be five tiers high to be used in the test — hence the name Crib 5. Another standard (referred to as Crib 7), is used to test materials that will go into prison cells and high-risk environments.

  Lint is attached to the bottom of the structure and propane-diol (a non-flammable liquid) is added. The structure is then ignited with a match.

  For a material to pass the Crib 5 test, the flames must extinguish themselves within 10 minutes, and they mustn’t burn to the end of the material or through the padding behind it.

• If a fabric passes for one sector, does it pass for the other sector?

  Not necessarily – the certificates you need are different and the tests are different.  You must have the correct certificate for the correct setting (domestic or non-domestic).  Just because something passes the (normally) more stringent non-domestic doesn’t guarantee it will pass for domestic.

• What counts as a domestic and what counts as a non domestic?

  Domestic:

   

  • A private apartment or home
  • Student flat (a self-contained property)
  • Non-permanent holiday home or caravan
  • A private dwelling treated as a holiday let
  • An Air BnB property

   

  Non-domestic (medium Hazard)

   

  • Care Home
  • Hotel
  • School, University or Nursery
  • Restaurant
  • Bar
  • Night Club
  • Student Hall of residence
  • Holiday Parks
  • Office Spaces