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Frequently Asked Questions

These are a few of the questions that we hear most often. If you have a question that is not listed here please contact us to submit your question.


QUESTIONS:
1. Why not use ammonia?
2. What is the most important step in an FR treated Cotton product?
3. What are OSHA's recommendations?
4. Who is Milliken & Company?
 
ANSWERS:
1. It is critical to maintain a controlled fabric moisture level as fabric enters the ammonia chamber. This critical step is difficult to measure and control because there is no feedback on the degree of reaction inside the ammonia chamber. The reaction releases heat causing fabric temperature to rise, potentially affecting the fixation of the chemistry. Uniformity of ammonia gas penetration into the fabric is also difficult to achieve in a reliable and consistent manner. For these and others reasons, Milliken developed a new technology minimizing these deficiencies through the design and engineering of Amplitude fabrics.
2. The most important step in the production of an FR treated cotton rich product is the flame-retardant chemistry application. After all, this is the step that allows the cotton/nylon fabric to transform into something that can help protect and potentially save lives. It is also the step that can most affect the final product’s softness, strength and durability. Because a controlled, repeatable process is vital, Milliken research scientists developed the proprietary Amplitude treatment using Six Sigma methodology to refine all aspects of this process.
3. OSHA recommends that consensus standards such as NFPA 70E-2004 be used as guides in hazard analysis and selecting control measures. The NFPA 70E-2004 standard addresses electrical safety in the workplace and states that “employees shall wear FR clothing wherever there is possible exposure to an electric arc flash above the threshold incident level for a second degree burn.” The standard also refers to ASTM 1506-02a regarding apparel which specifies vertical burn and electric arc testing. Another consensus standard, NFPA 2112-2007, outlines the testing required for FR garments used in flash fire protection including vertical burn, thermal protective performance (TPP), thermal shrinkage resistance, heat resistance and flash fire manikin testing.
4. Milliken’s roots date back to 1865 when Seth Milliken and William Deering founded Deering Milliken Company, a small woolen fabrics company in Portland, Maine. Deering soon left to start his own company. In 1868, Seth Milliken moved the company headquarters to New York City, at that time the heart of the American Textile Industry. In 1884, the company invested in a new facility in Pacolet, South Carolina, and from that basic beginning the manufacturing operations grew.

Milliken’s rich history of technological innovation has resulted in more than 2,000 patents and the development of the largest textile research center in the world. We have just under 9,000 associates located at more than 45 manufacturing locations worldwide working with more than 19,000 different textile and chemical products. Milliken makes a variety of fabric, yarn and chemical products that keep astronauts safe, make major league baseball players comfortable and adorn homes and businesses around the globe.