What is inside an accent chair
An armchair is built in layers. The frame is hardwood, plywood or a mix, joined with dowels, screws, staples and corner blocks. Over the seat goes either elastic webbing stretched across the frame or steel sinuous springs clipped to the rails. Foam is cut and glued on top, often wrapped in polyester fibre, and the cover is sewn, pulled over and stapled underneath. Many accent chairs add exposed wooden arms or legs, a swivel plate or rockers.
Each layer can be changed without the outside looking different: a thinner frame rail, fewer webbing straps, a lower-density foam, a different fabric. That is why an upholstered chair has to be checked against a construction sheet, not only a photo.
What we check on an accent chair
| Check | How it is checked | What fails |
|---|---|---|
| Frame | During production: joints, rail sizes and corner blocks against the construction sheet. Finished: frame racked, arms pushed outwards and down | Loose joints, thinner rails, missing blocks, arms that flex or creak |
| Webbing or springs | Dust cover opened on sampled chairs; straps or springs counted, spacing and clips checked | Fewer straps or springs than specified, slack webbing, loose clips |
| Foam | Zip opened or seat cushion checked; foam type and thickness against the spec; supplier documents | Thinner or lower-grade foam, foam short of the edge, no wrap |
| Fabric and seams | Colour and texture against the approved swatch in daylight; seams, piping and pattern placement | Shade difference, pattern off centre, skipped stitches, puckered piping |
| Tufting and buttons | Buttons pulled by hand; tufts checked for even depth | Loose buttons, uneven tufts |
| Swivel or rocker | Chair turned and rocked through its full movement; inspector sits and leans back | Noise, play in the plate, rockers that tip too far, pinch points |
| Labels | Fire, law and content labels checked on each sampled chair | Missing, wrong market, or not permanently fixed |
Common accent chair defects
| Defect | Usual class | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Frame breaks or arm comes loose under hand load; chair tips back in normal use | Critical | Injury risk |
| Staple, nail or spring end protruding through fabric or underneath in reach | Critical or major, by position | Cuts and snags |
| Required fire label missing | Major or critical, as agreed | Cannot be sold in that market |
| Foam or suspension different from the approved sample | Major | Comfort and durability change |
| Fabric shade or pattern mismatch | Major | Visible at once |
| Loose threads, small stains, staples visible under the chair | Minor | Cosmetic |
Fire and chemical rules for armchairs
Armchairs are where upholstered-furniture law bites hardest, because the whole product is cover and filling.
- United States. 16 CFR 1640, which adopts TB 117-2013, applies to upholstered seating made or imported from 25 June 2021. Cover fabric, barrier and filling are smolder-tested, and each chair needs the permanent federal label. California adds its own notice and flame-retardant statement.
- United Kingdom. The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, amended in 2025, set ignitability requirements for fillings and covers and require a permanent label.
- European Union. No EU-wide furniture fire law, but textile labelling applies to upholstery covers that are at least 80% textile by weight, and REACH restricts chemicals in fabric, foam and finishes. Leather covers must meet the chromium VI limit.
- Strength. EU buyers often specify EN 12520 and EN 1022 for domestic seating; these are lab tests.
Fire tests are done by a lab on the materials. The inspector checks that the fabric, foam and barrier in production are the ones tested, using supplier documents and labels.
Packing and transit risks
- Fabric is marked by carton pressure and by tape. Ask for a poly bag, a soft wrap and corner boards that do not touch the cover directly.
- Exposed wooden arms and legs chip; wrap them separately.
- Pale fabrics pick up dirt during packing; the inspector checks cleanliness at the packing line.
- Swivel and rocking chairs need the base fixed so it cannot turn in the carton.
- Humidity in a sealed poly bag can cause mould on long sea voyages. Check moisture in the frame and use desiccant if your buyer specifies it.
What to put in your purchase order
- A construction sheet: frame material and rail sizes, joint type, suspension type and count, foam grade, thickness and wrap.
- Approved fabric swatch, shade tolerance and how patterns are centred.
- Seat height, seat depth, arm height and overall size with tolerances.
- Fire labels and law labels for each market, with the exact text.
- Test reports for fabric, foam and barrier that match production, and when retests are needed.
We recommend a during-production inspection on new styles, when frames can still be checked bare, followed by a pre-shipment inspection.