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Recycling MDF
The amount of MDF waste produced at the furniture production stage is in the region of 180,000 tonnes per annum. The vast majority of this waste, almost 99%, is directed towards landfill. Unlike particleboard, which may be recycled to some extent to produce fresh particleboard, there are production problems concerning the recycling of MDF to produce fresh MDF board. Consequently, MDF is not currently recycled in order to produce fresh MDF.
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The procurement of timber and wood based items from well managed sources is now paramount, Chain of Custody (FSC or PEFC) should be high on the agenda of all companies.
The procurement of timber and wood based items from well managed sources is now paramount, Chain of Custody (FSC or PEFC) should be high on the agenda of all companies.
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Sustainable development
Sustainability is the guiding concept for European environmental management. The furniture sector sustainability strategy is designed to help companies progress towards more sustainable manufacture
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Useful links
A list of links to other companies' web sites with useful information for the furniture industry.
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Panel Board Supply Chain Report
A preliminary study of the supply and use of panel board products. The aim of this study was to assist panel board manufacturers to understand and react to the needs of the rapidly changing furniture industry.
Registered Articles
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What do I need to know to sell domestic seating in the UK?
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What do I need to know to sell domestic tables in the UK?
All domestic table products must be fit for purpose, of satisfactory quality and safe. The General Product Safety Regulations acts as a catch all relating to other safety issues or concerns and as such the producer must be able to demonstrate he has taken steps to ensure the product is safe.
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What do I need to know to sell domestic storage units in the UK?
All domestic products must be fit for purpose, of satisfactory quality and safe. The General Product Safety Regulations acts as a catch all relating to other safety issues or concerns and as such the producer must be able to demonstrate he has taken steps to ensure the product is safe.
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What do I need to know to sell mattresses, divans and bed bases in the UK?
Domestic mattresses, divans and bed bases are required to be of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose. The fire safety of these items is controlled by legislation - not discussed here but for further information click on Fire safety controls - domestic beds
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What do I need to know to sell office seating in the UK?
Office seating must be safe and suitable for use. Defining characteristics for performance and safety include: stability, strength, durability, fire safety.
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What are the General Product Safety Regulations and how do they affect me?
The General Product Safety Regulations originally published in the UK in 1994 have been revised to reflect the changes introduced by the revised Directive published across the EU in 2004.
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Upholstered Furniture Fire Safety Regulations. Introduction
The UK Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations is a legal document designed to ensure that fabrics and foams used in the UK are safe.
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Domestic Flammability Guide
Any filling material, whether foam or non-foam, intended for use in furniture, must meet specified ignition tests. This means any material included for the purpose of filling or stuffing the upholstered parts of the furniture.
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How is ignition resistance measured?
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations contain a series of Schedules which detail the method by which upholstery materials are to be tested to demonstrate compliance.
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Health, safety and environmental legislation increases
Manufacturers are struggling to keep abreast of health, safety and environmental legislation. FIRA can provide the solution
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Leather types, characteristics and maintenance
Leather can be made from the skin of any animal. Most leather is grain leather finished by various methods to produce different effects. Leather furniture in a normal domestic environment should need little attention, cleaning should only be carried out when necessary.
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Adhesives for furniture
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The fabric to furniture supply chain
The fabric to furniture supply chain project will review the supply of fabric within four furniture supply chains. It aims to examine and identify the measues, relations and practices employed within and across these supply chains.
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COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations) Data sheet
This data sheet outlines the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations with reagrd to timber and wood based products.
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Recycling wood
An introduction to wood recycling
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Joinery performance: work with wood, not against it
There are two ways of looking at wood as a manufacturing material. One can select appropriate species and exploit its properties through good component design or, as happens all too often, one can consider wood's unique properties as a nuisance and a hindrance to the manufacturing process. This route leads to failures which could easily be avoided through greater understanding and care.
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Introduction to wood-based panel products
Outlines the types available, their manufacture and general performance.
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Edge sealants for wood-based boards
Protecting board edges is a vital part of board performance in humid conditions. This wood information sheet gives guidance on suitable materials.
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Timber treatments and finishes: An introduction
Timber can be physically altered and chemically engineered through the application of various treatments and finishes to meet demanding performance requirements. Covers preservation, treatments to improve performance in fire and various finishing treatments.
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Moisture content
Wood will always contain some water. 'Green' wood, as felled, may be saturated, with the cell cavities full of water or sap, and water chemically bound in the cell walls.
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Introducing wood
Provides information on the properties of timbers and the terminology used.
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Fire Safety Controls - non-domestic/contract upholstered
There are no mandatory regulations in the non-domestic/contract furniture sector that detail precisely the ignition resistance requirements for furniture. However, the fire safety of the premises in which the furniture is used is controlled by the Fire Precautions Act.
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Furnishing the benefits of workplace noise reduction
By researching the use of acoustically advanced composite technology in the design and manufacture of office furniture, a consortium led by FIRA International Ltd (Furniture Industry Research Association) hopes to help reduce noise in the working environment. The work is designed to identify materials suitable for use in office partitions, desks, cupboards, drawers and filing cabinets, to build prototypes and test their structural and acoustic performance.
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What do I need to know about selecting foam interiors?
Foam interiors for furniture are required to be of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose. This means they are expected to adequately support a user throughout the life of the furniture. Selection of the wrong foam can result in excessive cushion softening which manifests itself as cushion hollowing, loss of comfort, bottoming out, cushion collapse and cover bagging.
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Standardisation of electronic communications within the furniture manufacturing industry
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Specifying leather for furniture
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Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the home - A Guide to the UK Regulations
The guide covers the flammability requirements for all upholstered domestic product including, sofas, armchairs, beds, mattresses, mattress toppers and some outdoor furniture. The guide provides advice on the requirements for manufacturers of fabrics and foams as well as the manufacturer/retailer of the final product.
