What are the differences between flame-retardant knitted fabric and ordinary fabric?

With increasingly stringent safety standards across industries, the demand for flame-retardant fabrics is growing rapidly. Especially in high-risk industries such as power, petrochemicals, fire protection, metallurgy, and transportation, the flame-retardant properties of clothing and soft materials directly impact personal safety. However, for many purchasing personnel or ordinary consumers, "FR Knitted Fabric" looks and feels similar to ordinary fabrics. So what are the differences between them?

1. The Biggest Difference: Flame Retardant Performance
The core advantage of flame-retardant knitted fabrics is their ability to "self-extinguish upon contact with fire and not continue to burn."
Characteristics of Ordinary Fabrics:
Once ignited, it spreads rapidly.
Continues to burn after leaving the fire source.
Melting and dripping may cause secondary injuries.
Rapid fire spread makes it unsuitable for hazardous environments.

Flame-retardant knitted fabrics are completely different:
They will not ignite upon short-term contact with a flame.
They self-extinguish after leaving the fire source.
No molten dripping or further combustion.
They prevent the spread of fire and reduce accidental injuries.
This is a key reason why flame-retardant fabrics are widely used in protective clothing, industrial clothing, fire curtains, and transportation facilities.

2. Different Flame Retardant Mechanisms
Flame retardant knitted fabrics mainly fall into two categories:

(1) Naturally Flame Retardant (Intrinsically Flame Retardant) Fabrics
Such as aramid, modified acrylic, flame retardant viscose, etc., whose fibers possess flame retardancy in their molecular structure.
Features:
Stable flame retardant performance, does not decrease with washing
Long service life
High safety
Widely used in fire protection, military and police, petrochemical and other industries

(2) Finished Flame Retardant Fabrics (Chemical Flame Retardant Treatment)
Through flame retardant penetration or chemical fixation, ordinary cotton, polyester and other fibers acquire flame retardant capabilities.

Features:
Low cost, more suitable for mass production
Flame retardant rating can meet national standards
Long-lasting effect, but depends on the quality of processing
Ordinary fabrics have no flame retardant genes or treatment.
They ignite immediately upon contact with a fire source, making them completely unsuitable for industries with high safety requirements.

3. Significant Safety Differences
In high-temperature, fire-prone, spark-splashed, and static-static environments, the safety of the fabric itself is crucial. Flame-retardant knitted fabrics offer the following safety advantages:

(1) Less prone to ignition upon contact with sparks
Suitable for high-risk occupations such as welders, electricians, and smelters.

(2) No molten drips or toxic fumes
Unlike ordinary synthetic fabrics, they won't drip and burn the skin at high temperatures.

(3) Stronger high-temperature resistance
Some fabrics can withstand short-term temperatures above 300°C.

(4) Reduces fire spread
In a fire, flame-retardant clothing can buy the wearer more time to escape.
Ordinary fabrics react extremely quickly in a fire, posing a high risk.

4. Durability Difference
Flame-retardant knitted fabrics (especially inherently flame-retardant ones) have one advantage: their flame-retardant ability does not diminish with repeated washing.
Ordinary finished flame-retardant fabrics can also meet the standard of 50-100 washes, satisfying the lifespan of most work clothes.
Ordinary fabrics completely lack this property.
This means that flame-retardant fabrics are more reliable and stable in long-term use.

If your usage environment involves high temperature, sparks, electric arcs, or flammable environments, then flame-retardant knitted fabrics are not only a "better choice," but a "must-have choice."