Flammable Clothing

saltt · Post by **saltt** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 3:16 pm

Hi kids!

So found some great faux fur 2" shag, but its acrylic.
I want to wear this, of course, but I'm concerned about.. you know... bursting into flame.

Does anyone have experience in this regard (bursting into flame [i]or[/i] wearing flammable clothing to a city with fire around every corner)?

Does anyone know of a less flammable faux fur?

thanx in advance!

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 4:02 pm

Real fur is less flammable.

Post by **Elderberry** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 4:08 pm

Since this is your first post, let me say HI and welcome to eplaya!

I don't think you have to worry. There's lots of fire, but mostly well controlled. (Except maybe for small private fire-pits, and I haven't seen that many of those; but if you're planning on getting so stoned you wouldn't notice you have just dragged your coat through a fire, it wouldn't much matter what you wore.)

Just remember...

STOP! DROP! and ROLL!

JK

SonOfUgly · Post by **SonOfUgly** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 9:21 pm

safty 3rd

saltt · Post by **saltt** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 8:03 am

Comforting to hear the well humored flippancy of "safety third"!

I tested an old acrylic shirt.
Passed it over a grill fire in the cold cold backyard.

It shrank a little, and even melted a bit, but didn't burst into flame.
I figure the fur might actually provide a bit of protection should I pass over a grill fire out on the playa as the ends of the fur will melt well away from my skin.

Placing the shirt directly onto the fire caused an awful smell and acrid smoke, but otherwise the same thing happened that would happen to anything you put directly on the fire.

Yay science!

My post count is low, but thats just because I forgot my login from last year.
Or let it idle too long.
: )

Anyway, thanx for reading my post!
See you on the playa!

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 8:16 am

jkisha wrote: Just remember...

STOP! DROP! and ROLL!

JK

It might be worth REMOVING a flaming faux-fur coat. The thing about burning synthetics is that they become black molten goo that sticks to you and burns like napalm. (Same thing that happens when you "cauterize" the end of a length of nylon cord.)

Tailor your degree of vigilance to your surroundings- Watch for sparks and embers when near people welding, by community burn platforms and barrels, and when downwind of big burn projects. Hot bits can travel a long way before landing, and the more "insulation" you're wearing the less likely you are to quickly realize that you're in peril. My favorite is the top-of-the-head pinhole burn from welder sparks. Yoww!

Wool is the least flammable common natural-fiber material you can wear. (You don't see many flaming mailmen.) Suede is also very resistant, which is why those half-coats that welders wear are made of it.(And because "bottom skiving" suede is relatively cheap.) Topgrain leather is good, too. Denim is safer than cotton/poly, but still burns readily. As an experiment I recently burned a trashed pair of Levis- Once they come into contact with flame they go up FAST.

In closing, the best way to stay safe is to go naked and carry a bucket of water at all times.

phil · Post by **phil** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 11:26 am

Saltt, I think clothing in the US is required to have some nonflamability treatment. Do you trust your government? Look at the label and see. Also check where the coat was made. Was it Made in China? Does it say it's treated and nonflammable? Do you trust their government?

If you have the coat, try a test. Seriously. Do it somewhere you won't catch the house on fire, put the coat on a hangar, and see if you can light the sleeve with a match. If you can't, you're good to go. If you use a strip of identical fabric instead of the coat, be sure it's vertical like the sleeve or torso of the coat when you're wearing it.

As robotland points out, acrylic melts. The issue isn't that it melts, it's that the melted run-off is on fire. It welds itself to whatever it falls on and continues to burn. So don't do the test over anything that you value. It also puts off a horrible black smoke that will ruin whatever it hits, so don't do the test in a room where you want to use the ceiling for anything.

I saw a TV show about a college kid who set himself on fire lighting a heater, he stopped, dropped, and rolled on the carpet, which was nylon or acrylic or whatever cheap crap they use in apartments. The firemen had to cut the carpet off the floor to get the kid to the hospital with the carpet still melted into his skin. Only second degree burns, though.

If you wear the coat at the Burn and it catches fire, you've gotten the best advice: take it off. The issue is where are you when you take the coat off and drop it?

Have fun.

Post by **Sham** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 12:45 pm

I have been pretty close to many burns over the years and I have not gotten even a burn mark on my polyester duds. It's good that you are taking precautions, but I don't think that bursting into flames should be a major concern.
Be concerned about: dehydration, sunburns, staying warm at night, staying cool durning the day, keeping your bike from being borrowed, dealing with dust storms and not getting too fucked up on drugs and alcohol!

Toolmaker · Post by **Toolmaker** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 7:57 pm

Lots of dogs at the SPCA, a lil work and you'll have some fur on the cheap. The meat is pretty tasty too.

saltt · Post by **saltt** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:57 pm

[quote="Toolmaker"]Lots of dogs at the SPCA, a lil work and you'll have some fur on the cheap. The meat is pretty tasty too.[/quote]

Meats a little gamey for my tastes.

brcprincess · Post by **brcprincess** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 10:31 pm

fciron · Post by **fciron** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 9:15 am

Just look at some of the pictures of previous burns. You will find that there is no faux-fur in sight. Most of the people either go naked or wear fire-proof welding duds.

The absolute last thing you want to do is wander around all day in your neon faux-fur booties and skivvies all day and then cover them with a faux-fur coat at night. That would be a playa faux-pas

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:56 am

...Explains why sentries always ask, "Friend or Faux?".

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:57 am

...and why those who keep adding layers of it are referred to as "Mo' Fauxs".