Do Hotels Need Flame Retardant Pillows? UK Rules Explained

Do Hotels Need Flame Retardant Pillows in the UK?

Your fire risk assessor is coming next month, and you've replaced the mattresses, checked the curtains, sorted the fire doors. Nobody mentioned pillows. Then you read one line in last year's assessment report — "bedding to meet BS 7175" — and realise you have no idea whether the pillows in twelve guest rooms would pass or fail.

Quick answer: Yes, in almost every case. If you run a hotel, guest house, B&B, or short-term letting business, your pillows need to meet BS 7175 — usually Source 5 as a minimum, Source 7 for higher-risk settings. Which one applies is written in your fire risk assessment, not something a product page can tell you.

What does BS 7175 actually test, and which rating do I need?

BS 7175 has two ratings that matter for pillows, and the difference is the ignition source used in testing, not the price.

Standard	Tests against	Applies to	Typical requirement
BS 7175 Source 5	Smouldering cigarette	Pillow and duvet fillings	Minimum standard, most hotels and guest houses
BS 7175 Source 7	Small open flame	Pillow and duvet fillings	Higher-risk settings — some HMOs, certain care/nursing homes
Crib 7	Small open flame, different test rig	Bed linen only (sheets, duvet covers, pillowcases)	Separate requirement — does not cover fillings

Which Source rating applies to you isn't something a supplier can tell you from a product page — it's written in your own fire risk assessment, and if it isn't, your assessor is the person to ask.

Why doesn't Crib 7 cover my pillows too?

This is where it trips people up. Crib 7 applies specifically to contract bed linen — fitted sheets, duvet covers, pillowcases — not to the pillow filling itself. A hotel can have Crib 7 certified sheets and still be running standard, untreated pillows underneath them. Compliance isn't one certificate covering the whole bed. Every component needs its own rating, checked separately.

Why do standard retail pillows fail this test?

Ordinary polyester or feather filling ignites and burns in a way that's fine for domestic use but not tested or treated for commercial risk. Certified FR pillows get around this either through a chemical process — Proban treatment, which allows the fabric to form an insulating char when exposed to flame rather than feeding it — or through inherently flame-retardant fibres woven into the fabric itself. Both routes are tested, but it's worth asking your supplier which one you're getting, because the two behave differently under repeated commercial laundering.

Do I need waterproof and fire retardant in one pillow?

Care settings and any hotel handling higher fluid-risk guests often need both at once — not two separate products layered on top of each other, but one item built to do both jobs. If your fire risk assessment and your infection control policy are pulling in different directions on the same pillow, that's usually solvable with the right product, not two.

How do I check compliance before I order?

Look for a permanent label stitched into the seam confirming the BS 7175 rating — no label, treat it as non-compliant until proven otherwise. If you're not certain which Source rating your property needs, don't guess and don't take a supplier's word over your assessor's. Call 01204 896528 with your assessment to hand and we'll point you at the right certification — we manufacture both Source 5 and Source 7 pillows in Bolton, plus a waterproof FR combination for settings where both requirements apply at once. Once compliance is sorted, best pillows for hotels in the UK covers fill type and sizing for the rooms themselves.

Common questions

What's the difference between BS 7175 Source 5 and Source 7? 

Source 5 tests against a smouldering cigarette; Source 7 tests against a small open flame and is the higher standard. Most hotels need Source 5 as a minimum.

Is Crib 7 the same as Source 7? 

No. Crib 7 applies to bed linen; Source 5 and Source 7 apply to pillow and duvet fillings. Check both separately.

Do Airbnbs need flame retardant pillows too?

Yes. The moment you accept paying guests, you're operating a commercial let, and standard consumer bedding doesn't meet the same fire testing.

How do I know if my current pillows are compliant? 

Look for a permanent label stitched into the seam confirming the BS 7175 rating.

Can I get documentation for an inspection? 

Yes — call ahead of ordering and we can supply supporting paperwork alongside your pillows.

Does washing affect FR compliance over time? 

It depends whether the treatment is inherent to the fibre or a surface finish that can fade. Ask your supplier which type you're buying, and how it holds up under repeated commercial washing.

Explore the full Flame Retardant Bedding range for FR duvets, bed linen and blankets alongside pillows, or go straight to Flame Retardant Pillows BS 7175 (Source 7) if your assessment has already specified the higher standard. For properties needing fire compliance and fluid protection in one item, see the waterproof and flame retardant pillow range.