The sofa is an important peice of furniture of homes and offices worldwide. The biggest manufacturers of sofas today reside in China. As the demand for sofas surge, the international standards for sofa inspection and quality control increase.

In creating inspection and testing procedures for sofas and other upholstered furniture, InTouch draws on the following kinds of testing.  Our inspection processes include not only these key elements, but are also custom built to fit our clients’ needs.
 
AATCC Microorganisms Test
The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) offers AATCC Test Method 147 (Antibacterial Activity of Fabrics, Assessment of Textile Materials: Parallel Streak Method) and AATCC Test Method 194 (Assessment of Anti-House Dust Mite Properties of Textiles under Long-Term Test Conditions). These tests are very essential in the determination if sofas harbor harmful microorganisms after long term use.

ANSI Fire Safety Testing
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) offers ANSI/NFPA 260 (Cigarette Ignition Resistance of Components of Upholstered Furniture) as an international standard test method to determine whether the sofas to be outsourced in China are likely to cause fire from cigarette ignition. This is very important especially if the target users of the sofas may include smokers or if the sofas may be used in smoking zones such as the clubs.

UFAC Flammability Test
The Upholstery Furniture Action Council (UFAC) Flammability Test Methods for Upholstered Furniture Components – 1983 is an international standard which comprises of the various methods that could be used in the different types and designs of sofas.

ASTM Heat Release Rate Test
The American Standard for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International has ASTM E1474 – 10 which is the Standard Test Method for Determining the Heat Release Rate of Upholstered Furniture.

AATCC Chemical Safety Test
Manufacturers of sofas may also perform the AATCC Test Method 112 The Determination of Formaldehyde Release from Fabric, Sealed Jar Method) which was formulated by the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists; and ISO 17070:2006(Standard Test for the Determination of Pentachlorophenol PCP Content of Leather), and ISO 17072 – 1 and 2 (Standard Test for the Chemical Determination of Metal Contents in Leather) which were developed by the International Standards Organization. These tests are just some of the many other test methods that help ensure that sofas are safe from harmful chemical compounds.

ANSI Durability Test
The ANSI/BIFMA X5.4-2005 (American National Standard for Office Furnishings – Lounge Seating Test Methods) from the American National Standards Institute and the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer’s Association is designed for the determination of sofa back strength/durability, sofa arm strength/durability, seating impact, structural durability, unit stability and more.

FNAE Upholstered Furniture Test
The FNAE-80-214A (Upholstered Furniture Test Method) from the United States General Services Administration contains advanced test methods for the determination of the durability of sofas. These are the Backrest Foundation Test, Backrest Frame Test, Horizontal Side Thrust Arm Load Test, and Front to Back Load Test for Legs.