WENAAS ANTI-FLAME Made with Dale Fabric

The North Carolina State University Center for Research on Textile Protection and Comfort (TPACC) is the source of all test data related to comfort. The full test report is available from Dale. Dale is solely responsible for the descriptions of testing procedures and interpretation of test data provided by NSCU, and for all conclusions and inferences made concerning the relationship between laboratory tests and real life garment comfort that appear in this brochure.

Comfortable Cotton

Compared to safety and value, comfort may not seem an important consideration in the manufacture of an FR fabric. At Dale, however, we recognize that many workers spend most of their waking hours in work garments. Their comfort is important to us. Most of our FR fabrics, consequently, are 100% cotton. In cold weather cotton is warmer and in hot weather cooler than most synthetic fabrics. Unlike many synthetic fabrics, moreover, cotton breathes. It allows humidity to escape and keeps you dry. Humans have been wearing cotton for thousands of years, and cotton remains the most widely used fiber in existence.

Dale AS isn't the only maker of cotton FR fabrics, yet its cotton FR fabrics stand out. Flame resistant finishes often turn cotton stiff and "boardy". The Dale Anti-flame process, by contrast, leaves cotton soft and breathable. Dale Anti-flame cotton resists fire but remains in all other respects cotton.

Fabric Thickness

As a cotton fabric, Dale Anti-flame is often heavier than its synthetic rivals. Fabric thickness, however, is a more important determinant of comfort than  fabric weight is. Even when Dale Anti-flame is heavier than synthetic FR fabrics, it is often thinner. Dale Anti-flame 1023 is an ounce and a half heavier than Nomex IIIA yet 0.8 mm thinner; Dale Anti-flame 1033 is 0.7 mm thinner than Indura even at the same weight.

FREE FORMALDEHYDE

In chemically treated fabrics, a high content of free formaldehyde may cause health problems. Specifically, a high content of free formaldehyde may cause skin irritations, especially for persons with skin allergies. Formaldehyde is also on the list of known carcinogens.

Method: Japan Law 112. Content of free formaldehyde in fabrics is measured in PPM.

Results

Conclusion: Dale Anti-flame products have very low content of free formaldehyde.

HEAT TRANSFER AND COMFORT LIMITS

Another determinant of comfort is the rate at which an FR fabric allows heat to escape from the body. We tested Dale Anti-flame fabrics against Nomex and Indura by warming samples on a 11 sweating plate" to skin temperature and placing them in a room at 21'C. We then measured the rate at which heat escaped from the plate into the environment. These measurements reveal an FR fabric's "comfort limits": that is, the predicted metabolic activity levels that wearers may sustain and still maintain body thermal comfort

Results: The higher the comfort limit, the better the performance.

Notes: The results refer to fabric performance under three different conditions: when skin is completely dry ("Min."); when sweat humidity measuring 20% rests on skin ("Comf."); and when skin is 100% wet ("Max."). Exertion during normal work results in sweat humidity as at the "Comf." level and exertion during heavy work results in sweat humidity at the "Max." level. For example, digging trenches will give a metabolic rate of 345 w/m ² .

Conclusions: Nomex IIIA, Indura and Dale Anti-flame 1033 all have similar comfort performance. As indicated by its excellent comfort ratings Dale Anti-flame 1023 outperforms the other products under all conditions.

NO MATTER THE SEASON OR THE WEATHER, DALE ANTI-FLAME ENSURES YOUR COMFORT

ALL WEATHER COMFORT

Dale has FR fabrics suiting many needs. Our Dale Anti-flame triple fabrics are perfect for wearing during winter or in foul weather. For users working offshore or in cold or wet climates, we engineered a range of fabrics that repel water and oil without sacrificing comfort. We use Teflon to provide a durable barrier against water, oil and dirt. Then, we add our own Dale Membrane to the fabric in order to increase resistance to water and oil under pressure. The result is one of the best water and oil repellent FR fabrics available in the market. Dale Anti-flame triple fabrics will also provide some protection from winds. Engineers at Dale Laboratories developed a unique process that enhances the fabric's wind resistance.

Uniquely, Dale Anti-flame triple fabrics show no signs of having undergone the Dale Anti-flame triple process. The fabrics retain a natural appearance and feel, and they retain their breathability. This ensures great looking and comfortable clothing, all while the flame resistant characteristics are maintained just because you go FR, doesn't mean you have to sacrifice comfort.

* Teflon' is a registered tradernark of DuPont. Only DuPont makes Teflon*.

Results: The two most popular versions of Dale Anti-flame Triple fabric are 1058 and 1068. These fabrics are essentially equivalent to Dale Anti-flame 1023 and 1033 respectively, but with the Teflon" and Dale Membrane applied.

AVOIDING AN ITCH

The comfort of an FR fabric involves questions beyond whether it will keep you cool or warm and wet or dry. Is the fabric an allergen? Will it irritate your skin? The chemicals used in Dale Anti-flame fabrics have been tested and shown to cause neither allergies nor other related illnesses. A number of large-scale dermatological studies conducted by several independent research institutions have arrived at the following conclusions.

Conclusions: No cytotoxocity; no corneal damage; no skin penetration no mutagenity; no immunotoxicity. In short, Dale Anti-flame fabrics may be worn next to the skin without causing irritation.

Institutes: Canton Hospital, Zurich, San Francisco Health Center; H. Tronnier, MD; Food & Drug Research Lab, Pennsylvania.