​Sustainable Forestry & PEFC scheme updates​

Carbon Footprint Calculator Template - 2023 Factors

Calculate your business emissions with this furniture industry carbon footprint calculator which enables you to produce ...

Sustainability Challenges and Opportunities in the Furniture Industry

FIRA publish Sustainability Challenges Guide for members

Modern sustainability thinking and possible options organisations can take to improve the sustainability of their produc...

New restriction for formaldehyde from wood published

Restriction added to Annex XVII of EU REACH on the release of formaldehyde (CAS 50-00-0) from a range of products includ...

Carbon Technical Forum outcome and statement

Key points raised by Members and plans of support for the furniture supply chain

'Sustainability KPI Dashboard Template' devised to support members

Template incorporates waste, supply chains, timber, packaging, energy, community relations and more

Sustainability KPI Dashboard Template

Business template developed by furniture Industry expert to help measure and improve sustainability performance

DEFRA releases results of study into POPs in domestic upholstery waste

The BFC, represented by technical personnel from FIRA, NBF and the BFM, sat on the working group to represent the furnit...

Downstream user import notification deadline approaching

Notifications should be submitted through the appropriate HSE portal

Another Matrix for REACH - children's furniture

Matrix addresses the substance, restriction, test method (where available) and materials for different components

REACH: Restricted Substances in Furniture - M3 Children's Furniture

REACH - children's furniture matrix - substance, restriction and tests methods (where available)

UK REACH accredited stakeholders

FIRA granted Occasional Stakeholder status and will be represented by John Hubbard

Environmental Policy Guidance and Template

Help for the furniture industry with creating an environmental policy, why companies should have one and what it should ...

GB Biocidal Products Regulation - Labelling Treated Articles Template

Two matrixes for REACH - upholstered furniture and mattresses

Each matrix addresses the substance, restriction, test method(s) and materials for different components of each product

REACH: Restricted Substances in Furniture - M2 Mattresses

REACH - substance, restriction, test method(s) and materials for different components of mattresses

REACH: Restricted Substances in Furniture - M1 Upholstery

chemicals, restrictions, test method(s) and materials for different components of upholstery

Government consults on extended producer responsibility for packaging

Proposals will remove the current chain of custody responsibilities and impose a single charge on the packaging producer...

Packaging and Sustainability: Guide to Alternatives

'Guide to Alternative Packaging and Sustainability' for the furniture industry

Horizon Scanning: Guide to New Hardline and Softline Materials

REACH update: Brexit changes, additional chemical restrictions

Key things to note are an additional restriction on residual nonyl phenol ethoxylate (NPE)

REACH Update January 2021 - SVHC

New substance added to the Substances of Very High Concern list

EUTR Update

Businesses will need to show imports from the EU and European Economic Area (EEA) have been legally harvested

Focus on EUTR compliance for third recorded training session

This session joins the recently released training on REACH and biocides

Introduction to EUTR Training

To help members who first place timber or timber products onto the European Market to understand their obligations

Introduction to Biocidal Products Regulation Training

Recorded training session to give high-level guidance on the EU Biocides Regulation (528/2012)

Introduction to REACH Regulations Training

Recorded training session to give members a high level overview of REACH and where their responsibilities lay

REACH update report - July 2020

Total of 209 chemicals now on the SVHCs

REACH Update July 2020 - SVHC

New substances added to the Substances of Very High Concern list

ECHA releases SCIP database

Information on substances of concern

Revision to REACH - Update on SVHC - January 2020

Latest update report concerning (REACH) Regulations

REACH: Guide to the Regulations

Understanding REACH and the restricted and banned substances in the furniture industry

First office furniture Remanufacturing Standard

Covers office and contract chairs / seating, office and contract tables / desking, office and contract storage units

Remanufacturing - FIRA Standard FIRA/REMAN001: 2019

FIRA Standard which specifies the requirements for the remanufacture of office and contract furniture including seating,...

Toxic Chemicals in Everyday Life

Statement on the publication of the EAC's 'Toxic Chemicals in Everyday Life'

DecaBDE as a barrier to the Circular Economy

Whether an analysis of the impact of DecaBDE being added to the UNEP POP list for the UK furniture industry is viable an...

New ‘Guide to European Biocidal Products Regulations’

Three groups of biocides widely used across the furniture industry

Biocidal Products Regulation Guide

Guide to help companies and their suppliers to comply with the Biocidal Products Regulations (BPR) Regulation (EU) 528/2...

Vietnam-EU legal timber agreement signed

The EU has signed an agreement to support the Vietnamese government.

Benchmarking Carbon Footprints of Furniture Products - Feasability Study 2011

Study looking at carbon footprinting of furniture products and the difficulties that need to be overcome before the benc...

PEFC Annual Stakeholder Event Report October 2018

Stakeholder meeting to discuss sustainable forestry and receive an update on PEFC scheme

REACH Update Report - New Additions to Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) - May - 2018

The Furniture Industry Research Association has produced a REACH Update Report regarding two new substances

Improved Performance for Businesses Implementing ISO 14001

This article is a beginner's guide to performance measurement

REACH - Potential Further Restriction of Formaldehyde

​Following a European Commission, ECHA has started preparing a restriction dossier on the use of formaldehyde and its re...

FIRA Members: A Guide to the Environmental Legislation for Weeds and Non Native Species

The new document is a simplified guide to the Regulations that govern the identification and management of weeds and non...

New FIRA guide to the European Timber Regulations

The new guide is aimed to help Furniture Industry Research Association members understand more about the EUTR, and how t...

REACH Update - Updated guidance for SME's on 2018 Registration deadline

A new update report concerning Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulations ...

REACH Update Report - July 2017

A new update report concerning Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulations ...

REACH Update Report - June 2017

The purpose of this paper is to update members of the Furniture Industry Research Association with regard to the UK’s pr...

Sustainability Hotspot Analysis for the Furniture Industry

The Furniture Industry Research Association presents the wide ranging aspects of a sustainability hotspot analysis by re...

The use of fire retardants

On 11 April The British Furniture Confederation (BFC) released a statement about the use of fire retardant chemicals in ...

​REACH Update Report - New Additions to Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) - Feb -2017

The Furniture Industry Research Association has produced an update report to educate companies of their obligations surr...

REACH Guide 2017 (Archived)

This guide is designed to give a general introduction to REACH awareness and user obligations

Research Report - Remanufacturing for the Circular Economy

Remanufacturing for the Circular Economy

Report summarising the finding of a project which compares the potential of remanufactured furniture versus brand new pr...

Biomass Subsidies and their impact on the British Furniture Industry

This report focuses on the Renewables Obligation woody biomass subsidy and the detrimental effect it is having on Britis...