2026 has been a year of huge change in the upholstery industry, and the wider public may be aware of some of the issues that have reached the news. The UK has stricter fire regulations surrounding furniture than any other nation in the world, and this comes from laws that were set up after a fire that started on a sofa in Woolworths in 1979, relating to a cigarette, in which 10 people sadly lost their lives. To mitigate this risk, laws were introduced to require fire retardant chemicals to be used in many upholstery materials, which were subject to strict testing rules to ensure meeting of certain standards.
Unfortunately, we now know that there is a clear link between the use of these chemicals and the development of some cancers, respiratory diseases, fertility problems and developmental delay in children. The evidence is clear, and overwhelming. The potential harm to our families, from furniture that we sit on every day, now hugely outweighs the risk of fire in our houses. The percentage of smokers in our population has dropped hugely since the 1970s, and the percentage of those who smoke indoors even further. We have smoke alarms in most houses now. And, despite our stricter rules in the UK regarding use of fire retardant chemicals, we do not have a lower incidence of house fires than other nations with more relaxed fire safety regulations.
The technology of upholstery materials has come on hugely, and we now have good quality, comfortable natural materials that can meet fire regulations without the use of fire retardant chemicals. We don’t need to be using these chemical-filled materials, and change is afoot. Delyth Featherstone-Dilke, a lawyer-turned-upholsterer- has spearheaded the campaign to raise public awareness of this issue and push for changes to the law. There is a link to a free article from MSN news regarding this at the bottom of the page
What does this mean for the customer? With pre 1950s furniture we can use natural materials without fire retardant chemicals and still meet fire safety standards. One of the most ubiquitous and harmful products in modern furniture is the foam. A typical double sofa contains 2kg of toxic chemicals, and these chemicals are not stable within the furniture, but are ingested and breathed in. So, if you are looking for a structurally sound modern piece of furniture to be recovered, please consider investing a little more for your foam to be removed and replaced with natural fibres that are more safe. Reupholstery is the best opportunity to do this work. It carries a higher financial cost, but crucially, it makes your home a healthier place for your family.
As an upholsterer working with these materials every day, I am at a higher risk of exposure, so I have a strong preference for avoiding foam wherever possible, although currently I will still work with it on request.
Read the article from MSN news