DEAS 1115 -3:2023  
ICS: 97.140  
 
© EAC 202 3                                                                                                                        First Edition 202 3  
 
DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
 
Mattresses  — Specification  – Part 3: Reconstituted flexible polyurethane 
foam  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  DEAS 1115 -3:202 3 
ii © EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  
 Copyright notice  
This EAC document is copyright -protected by EAC. While the reproduction of this document by 
participants in the EAC standards development process is permitted without prior permission from EAC, 
neither this document nor any extract from it may be reproduce d, stored or transmitted in any form for 
any other purpose without prior written permission from EAC.  
Requests for permission to reproduce this document for the purpose of selling it should be addressed as 
shown below or to EAC’s member body in the country  of the requester:  
© East African Community  2023 — All rights reserved  
East African Community   
P.O. Box 1096 , 
Arusha  
Tanzania  
Tel: + 255 27 2 162100  
Fax: + 255 27 2162190  
E-mail: eac@eachq.org  
       Web: www.eac -quality.net  
Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement.  Violators 
may be prosecuted . DEAS 1115 -3:2023  
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  iii 
 Foreword  
Development of the East African Standards has been necessitated by the need for harmonizing requirements 
governing quality of products and services in the East African Community. It is envisaged that through 
harmonized standardization, trade barriers that are encountered when goods and services are exchanged within 
the Community will be removed.  
The Community has established an East African Standards Committee  (EASC)  mandated to develop and issue 
East African Standards  (EAS) . The Committee is composed of r epresentatives of the National Standards Bodies 
in Partner States, together with the representatives from the public and private sector organizations  in the 
community .  
East African Standards are developed through  Technical Committees that are representati ve of key 
stakeholders including government, academia, consumer groups, private sector and other interested parties. 
Draft East African Standards are circulated to stakeholders through the National Standards Bodies in the Partner 
States. The comments recei ved are discussed and incorporated before finalization of standards, in accordance 
with the Principles and procedures for development of East African Standards.  
East African Standards are subject to review, to keep pace with technological advances. Users of the East 
African Standards are therefore expected to ensure that they always have the latest versions of the standards 
they are implementing .  
The committee responsible  for this document is Technical Committee EASC/TC 069 , Organic and Inorganic 
chemicals.  
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be subject of patent rights. 
EAC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
DEAS 1115  consists of the following parts, under t he general title mattresses — Specification  —:  
⎯ Part 1: Flexible polyurethane foams  
⎯ Part 2: Spring mattresses  
⎯ Part 3: Reconstituted flexible polyurethane foam  mattresses  
⎯ Part 4: Polyethylene foam  
 
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  DEAS 115 -3:2023  
 
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  1 
 Mattresses  — Specification  – Part 3: Reconstituted flexible polyurethane 
foam  
1 Scope   
This Draft East African Standard specifies requirements, sampling and test methods for reconstituted flexible 
polyurethane foam  mattresses . This standard does  not cover orthopaedic  mattress es.  
2 Normative references  
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes 
requirements of this document.  For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the 
latest edition of the referenced document (including any am endments) applies.  
DEAS 1115 -1, Mattresses — Specification – Part 1: Flexible polyurethane foams  
ISO 845, Cellular plastics and rubbers — Determination of apparent density  
ISO 1856, Flexible cellular polymeric materials — Determination of compression set  
ISO 1798, Flexible cellular polymeric materials — Determination of tensile strength and elongation at break  
ISO 8067, Flexible cellular polymeric materials — Determination of tear strength  
ISO 3385, Flexible cellular polymeric materials — Determination of fatigue by constant -load pounding  
ISO 2439, Flexible cellular polymeric materials — Determination of hardness (indentation technique)  
 
3 Terms and definitions   
For the purposes of this standard,  the terms and definitions given in DEAS 1115 -1 and the follow ing shall apply.  
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:  
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp  
— IEC Online browsing platform : available at https://iec.ch    
3.1  
reconstituted foam  
composite foam material that consists of chips of flexible polyurethane foam (of the polyurethane or the polyester 
type or of the mixture of these types) that has been created by recycling or repurposing used foam products or 
by-product off -cut materials held together by means of a suitable binder  
 
 DEAS 1115 -3:2023  
2 © EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  
 3.2  
polyurethane foam  
foam in which the polyol component is either polyether or polyester and produced by the reaction of polyol with 
an organic polyisocyanate in the presence of water, and that may include catalysts, surface -active agents, 
auxiliary blowing agents, fillers pla sticizers, colourants, and any other additives that do not adversely affect the 
properties of the foam.  
 
4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
4.1.1  Reconstituted flexible polyurethane foam shall be clean in appearance and free from any objectionable 
odour and shall not contain impurities or harmful residues such as amines which are volatile and driven off 
by heat generated in the formation of foam . 
 
4.1.2 Reconstituted flexible polyurethane foam  shall consist of cells of uniform characteristics which are 
essentially open and inter - connecting.  
 
4.1.3 If the mattress contains flame retardants,  they shall  be proven to be safe .  
 
4.1.4 Reconstituted flexible polyurethane foam shall be supplied in the form of blocks, trimmed blocks, slabs, 
cushions , or sheets cut from trimmed blocks, or other shapes cut from any of these forms  
 
4.2 Specific requirements  
4.2.1  Reconstituted flexible polyurethane foam  mattress shall comply with requirement specified in Table 1  
when tested in accordance with the test methods given therein .  
Table 1: Specific requirements for reconstituted flexible polyurethane foam  mattress  
 
 
 SL. No  Characteristic  Requirement  Test method  
i)  Density, kg/m3, min 56  Annex A  
ii)  Compression set, %, max  25 Annex B  
iii)  Tensile strength,  kPa, min,  18  
Annex C  
iv)  Elongation at break, %, min. 25  
v)  Hardness factor,  
 [7 – 77] Annex E  
vi)  Flammability  
 
 Density ≤100  
 
 Density 101 -150  
 
 Density >150D  a) no specimen shall burn :  
 
< 3 min.  
  
< 5 min.  
  
< 6 min.  
 
b) specimen shall burn 
beyond the gauge line  Annex D DEAS 1115 -3:2023  
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  3 
 4.2.2 In the cases of trimmed blocks, sheets, and other shapes, the nominal dimensions shall be as specified by the 
purchaser, and the actual dimensions, measured shall not differ from the nominal values by the following tolerance 
limits when tested in  accordance with Annex F; 
 
± 10 mm for dimensions <750 mm  
± 25 mm for dimensions (750 -1350) mm  
± 40 mm for dimensions >1350 mm  
 
4.2.3 The cover of reconstituted flexible polyurethane foam  mattress shall be of a woven ticking, or a knitted 
ticking and shall conform to the specific requirements given in Table 2 when tested in accordance with the 
methods prescribed therein.  
Table 2 - Specific requirements for ticking of  reconstituted flexible polyuret hane foam  mattress  
SL. No  Characteristic  Requirement  Test method  
i)  Breaking strength  
(woven ticking) N, 
min. Warp  600 
ISO 13934 -1 
Weft 200 
ii)  Bursting strength (knitted ticking), 
kPa, min.  250 ISO 13934 -2 
iii)  Mass in g/m2 (min.)  150 Annex G 
iv)  Colour fastness to 
washing  Change in 
colour, rating, 
min.  
 
4 ISO105 -C10 Staining of 
transfer 
cloths, rating, 
min 
v)  Colour fastness to 
dry-cleaning  
 Change in 
colour, rating, 
min.  
 
4 ISO 105 -D01 Staining of 
transfer 
cloths, rating, 
min 
5 Packaging  
 
Reconstituted flexible polyurethane foam  mattress shall be individually wrapped in suitable materials  that 
prevent any damage, gross and distortion to contents during storage and transportation.  
6 Labelling  
Each Reconstituted flexible polyurethane foam shall be legibly and indelibly labelled , in English and/or any other 
official language (French, Kiswahili, etc) used in the importing East African Partner State  with the following 
information  on the outer u pper waist of the mattress or a label attached on it : 
 
a) grade of foam mattress ; 
b) nominal length, width and thickness ; DEAS 1115 -3:2023  
4 © EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  
 c) registered trade name of the product if any ; 
d) name of the manufacturer ; 
e) batch number/lot number ; 
f) date of manufacture ; 
g) country of origin ; and  
h) disposal instructions and precautionary statements . 
 
7 Sampling  
Representative samples shall be taken according to the sampling plan given in Table 2.  
Each sample shall consist of the following:  
a) for inspection, a complete piece; and  
b) for testing, pieces of total volume of at least 0.01 m3.  
 
Table 2 — Sampling plan  
Number of mattresses in the lot  Number of samples to be selected  
2 - 8 2 
9 - 15 3 
16 - 25 5 
26 - 50 8 
51 – 90 13 
91 - 150 20 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DEAS 1115 -3:2023  
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  5 
 Annex A 
(normative)  
Determination of density  
A.1 Apparatus  
A.1.1 Soft material thickness gauge  for measurement of linear dimensions up to 100  mm with an accuracy of 
one percent.  
A.1.2 Balance  
Capable of weighing the test specimen to an accuracy of one per cent of the total mass.  
 
A.2 Test specimen   
Obtain test specimens, of regular shape not less  than 100  mm x 100  mm x  100 mm, one each from top, mid dle 
and bottom portions of the foam slab with respect to direction of rise of foam, cured for 48 hours at room 
temperature. Condition the specimens for 6 hours at 27  °C ± 2°C and at 65  % ± 5 % relative  humidity before 
testing.  
A.3 Number of specimens   
Unless otherwise specified three specimens shall be tested.  
A.4 Linear dimension  
A.4.1 Measurement below 100  mm linear dimension  
Set the dial at zero. Place the specimen centrally below the foot. Lower the foot with the application of the 
specified load. Note the reading taking into account the metallic spacers used, if any. Repeat this thrice in each 
direction for every specimen.  
A.4.2 Measurement above 100  mm linear dimension  
Place the specimen on a plane table and measure the dimension with vernier caliper or steel tape accurately. 
Repeat this thrice for every specimen.  
 
A.4 Procedure  
Determine the linear dimensions as described in A.4.1 and A.4.2 Weigh the specimens on a balance with an 
accuracy of one per cent of the total mass.  
A.5 Calculation  
Density (P) kg/m = 𝑚
𝑣 ×1 000 
where  
m is a mass of specimen in g, and  
V is a volume of the specimen in cm  
A.6 Report   
Report the mean density of the three specimens tested.  DEAS 1115 -3:2023  
6 © EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  
 Annex B  
(normative)  
Compression Set Test  
The test consists of maintaining the foam specimen under specified conditions of temperature and observing 
the degree of recovery within a specified time after release.  
B.1 Apparatus  
The apparatus consists of two flat plates of 200 mm x 200 mm, with appr opriate spacers and clamps to keep 
the plates parallel to each other when clamped with specimen between the plates.  
B.2 Test specimen  
Cut the test specimen from a foam slab which has been cured for 48 hours at room temperature in such a way 
that the load is applied in the direction of the rise of the foam to get specimen of 100 mm x 100 mm x 50 mm. 
Test specimens shall be free from any contamination and skin on the vertical sides. When thin materials are to 
be tested, sufficient specimens of 100 mm x 100 m m shall be taken so that the sum of their thickness before 
compression is at least 25 mm. The specimens shall be plied together and interleaved with photographic glass 
mounting slides where the number of plies is  greater than two, and the complete assembly shall be treated 
during the test as single thick specimen.   
Condition the test specimens at 27°C ± 2°C and 65 ± 5 per cent relative humidity for 6 hours before testing. A 
minimum of 3 specimens shall be tested for 50 %. 
B.3 Procedure  
A soft material dial thickness gauge is  used for measuring the thickness of the specimen. In case of thin  material 
calculate the thickness of the foam by deducting the aggregate thickness of the glass slides from the measured 
total thickness of the assembly. The specimen shall then be put between the plates and with the help of spacers 
subjected to 50 per cent deflection. The whole assembly is then stored under standard atmospheric conditions 
for 70 hours or at 70°C ± 2C for 22 hours . After this duration, the plates are removed and the specimen is 
allowed to recover for at least 30 minutes under standard testing conditions.  
The thickness is measured again with the soft material dial thickness gauge.  
B.4 Calculation and reporting  
Com pression set at the rate of 50 percent deflection  
(ℎ0− ℎ50)/ ℎ0 ×100  
where  
h0 is an  original height of the specimen in mm,  
h50 is a final height of the specimen in mm after 50 percent deflection test  
Average of the values obtained from the three samples tested shall be reported.  
 
 
 DEAS 1115 -3:2023  
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  7 
 Annex C 
(normative)  
Tensile strength Test 
C.1 Apparatus  
The apparatus consists of a power -driven machine (medium load tensile tester) with the following provisions:  
a) sensitive dial indicator which remains at the poi nt of maximum load after rupture of the specimen and 
measures the tension at the point,  
b) suitable grips for holding the specimen,  
c) rate of travel of power actuated grip shall be 500mm ± 50 mm per minute and uniform at all times and  
d) the total capa city of the tester be such that the ultimate load is at least one -fifth of the total capacity of the 
machine.  
C.2 Test specimen  
Punch the specimen in the shape of a dumb -bell shown in the figure D.1 below by means of a sharp die out of 
a foam sheet of 10 mm or 20 mm thickness. The foam sheet shall be cut vertically in the direction of the rise of 
the foam with the help of a splitting machine, from the foam slab cured at room temperature for 48 hours. 
Condition the test specimen at 27°C ± 2C and 65 ± 5 perc ent relative humidity for 6 hours before testing. Three 
specimens shall be tested.  
 
 
Figure C.1 dumb -bell test piece  
 
C.3 Procedure  
C.3.1 Determine the thickness and width of the specimen accurately by means of a vernier caliper or soft 
material thickness gauge as described in clause 3. Make two -gauge marks 50 mm apart as shown in the figure.  
C.3.2 Clamp the specimen in the grips. The minim um separation between the grips shall be 65 mm. Adjust the 
specimen symmetrically between the grips for uniform distribution of the tension applied over the cross -section.  
DEAS 1115 -3:2023  
8 © EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  
 C.3.3 Start the machine and note continuously the distance between the two -gauge ma rks and record the 
distance at rupture. Note the lead indicated on the dial.  
C.5 Calculation and reporting  
C.5.1  Tensile strength (β), N/mm2 = 𝐹𝑚𝑎𝑥
𝐴 
where  
F max is a force at failure of the specimen in N,  and  
A is an  original cross -sectional area in mm2  
 
C.5.2 Tensile stress ( δt), N/mm2 = 𝐹𝑡
𝐴 
where  
F is a force at specified elongation in N,  and  
A is an o riginal cross -sectional area in mm2 
 
C.5.3 Ultimate elongation (Elongation at Break)  
Ultimate elongation (ɛb) per cent =  𝐿𝑏−𝐿𝑜
𝐿𝑂 ×100 
where  
𝐿𝑏 is a length between the gauge marks in mm at the time of failure, and  
𝐿𝑂 is an original length between the gauge marks in mm.  
 
C.5.4 Report  
Report the averages of the three -specimen tested  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DEAS 1115 -3:2023  
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  9 
 Annex D 
(normative)  
Test for f lammability  of foam  mattresses  
D.1 Apparatus  
  
An apparatus as shown  schematically in Figure D.1 and consisting of a heat -resistant glass tube (chimney) in 
which a test specimen can be mounted, the base of the tube being connected to  metered supplies of oxygen 
and nitrogen.  The glass tube shall have a diameter of at least 75 mm and a height of at least 450 mm, and shall 
have at its base a bed of glass beads (or other inert particles) that will mix and distribute the incoming gases.  
The tube shall also contain a clamp that is capable of holding a test specimen (vertically) that the top of the 
specimen is at least 100 mm below the top of the tube.  
  
The oxygen and nitrogen used shall be of commercial grade (or better) and shall be supp lied to the base of the 
glass tube through individual metering devices that enable the volumetric flow of each gas to be measured with 
an accuracy of 1 % or better.  
 
D.2 Test specimens   
 
From the appropriate slab cut five specimens each of size 12.5 + 0.5 mm x 12.5 + 0.5 mm x 130 mm and draw 
a gauge line across each specimen 75 mm from the end that is to be positioned uppermost in the apparatus.  
 
D.3 Procedure   
  
Clamp a test specimen in the holder of the apparatus so that it is held vertically in the cent re of the glass 
chimney.  Open the valves of the gas cylinders and adjust the flow so that the oxygen content of the gas mixture 
is 20 % + 0.2 % and that the flow rate up the glass chimney (as calculated from the volumetric flow rate divided 
by the cross -sectional area of the chimney) is 40  % + 10 % mm/s.  Allow the gas to flow for at least 30 s and 
then, using a small gas flame at the end of a tube, ignite the test specimen so that the whole of the upper surface 
is burning.  Note whether the specimen  burns for 3 min or longer and if not, whether or not the specimen has 
burned to below the 75 mm gauge line.  Repeat the test with the remaining four specimens.  
 
 
 
 
 
Figure D.1 — General arrangement of flammability test apparatus  
 
 
 
DEAS 1115 -3:2023  
10 © EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  
 Annex E  
(normative)  
Hardness factor Test  
 
E.1 Apparatus  
The miniflex CLD hardness tester  
 
E.2 Test specimen  
A foam sample of dimensions 100 mm x100 mm x 50 mm will be used.  
 
E.3 Procedure  
The test procedure first measures the thickness of the foam sample (pre load). It is then compressed three  
times to 30 % of its original thickness (pre flex) at a defined speed.  
 
Finally, the sample is compressed to 60 % of its original thickness and the force necessary to do this is  
measured and recorded. This force normally expressed as pressure in kilopascals (kPa) is the hardness  
value.  
 
Hardness factor is obtained by referring to Table 2.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DEAS 1115 -3:2023  
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  11 
 Annex F  
(normative)  
Dimensions  
F.1 Apparatus  
F.1.1 Metre rule , a steel rule graduated in millimeters and accurate to 1 mm (or better).  
 
F.1.2 Micrometer , a micrometer accurate to 0.01 mm (or better) with a presser foot of area at least 6.5 cm and 
capable of exerting a pressure of 100 + 10 Pa.  
 
F.2 Procedure   
 
Measure the dimensions of each sample (using the steel rule for dim ensions greater than 30 mm and the 
micrometer for dimensions not exceeding 30 mm).  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DEAS 1115 -3:2023  
12 © EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  
 Annex G 
(Normative)  
Test method for mass per unit area  
  
G.1 Principle  
 
This method specifies the procedures for determining the mass per unit area of woven fabrics (including those 
of the stretch type), knitted fabrics, nonwoven fabrics, composite fabrics and narrow fabrics.  
 
G.2 Apparatus  
 
G.2.1 Table  that has a smooth fla t surface and is of a size that exceeds that of the fabric to be measured  
 
G.2.2 Cutter , that is capable of cutting a square or circular specimen of area,0.01m2 to accuracy of 1 % or 
better.  
 
G.2.3 Metal plate , that is 5 mm smaller than the cutter and that has a thickness of 10 mm  
 
G.2.4 Balance , that is capable of determining the mass of the specimen to accuracy of 0.2 % or, in the case of 
0.01 m2 specimens, to an accuracy of 0.001 g.  
 
G.3 General  
 
Conditio n the sample  
Before testing, maintain all specimens for at least 16 h in an atmosphere having a relative humidity of wise 65 
% ± 2 % and a temperature of 23 °C ± 2 °C.  
 
G.4 Procedure 1 - Full width specimen  
 
G.4.1 Ensure that the fabric, which should pre ferably be selected from the middle of a piece, is not less than 
0.5 m and not more than 4 m long, and lay it flat, and without tension, on the table.  
  
G.4.2 Cut at both ends across the full width of the sample along parallel lines at right angles to the selvedge.  
 
G.4.3 If the mass per unit area of a selvedge on a full – width piece appears to deviate appreciably from the 
mass per area of the body of the fabric, or if so agreed upon between the parties concerned, trim off the selvedge 
along the outermost  threads of the body of the fabric and use only the body of the fabric for the determination 
of the mass per unit area.  
 
G.4.4 Measure the width and length of the specimen.  
 
G.5 Procedure 2 - For representative for large cuttings  
 
G.5.1 Ensure that available cutting is representative of the sample.  
 
G.5.2 Trim the cutting into a square or rectangular specimen by cutting along parallel lines at right angles to the 
warp (length) direction and at right angles to the weft (width) direction.  
 
G.5.3 Measure the width and length of the specimen.  
  
G.5.4 Use the balance to determine the mass of the specimen  
 
G.6 Procedure 3 - For several small (0.01 m2) specimens  
 
NOTE:  On fabrics with large in -woven designs, which involve local areas of appre ciably different mass per unit area, the 
use of procedure 1 or procedure 2 is preferable.  DEAS 1115 -3:2023  
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  13 
  
G.6.1 Cut at least three -square pieces, of side length of approximately 150 mm, from areas of the fabric selected 
to represent the samples as fully as possible but not within 50 mm of the selvedge.  
  
G.6.2 Lay each piece flat, and without tension, on a suitable cutting surface. Place the metal plate and cutter 
on each piece in turn and cut out a 0.01  m2 specimen from each piece, ensuring that no loss of threads occurs.  
 
G.6.3 Use the balance to determine the mass of the 0.01  m2 specimens, and calculate the mean mass.  
 
G.7 Calculation  
 
G.7.1 In the case of procedure 1 and procedure 2, calculate the mas s per unit area M in grams per square 
metre, using the following formula:  
 
𝑀= 𝑚 ×1,000 ,000
𝐿 ×𝑤 
 
where  
 
m is the mass of the specimen, in grams  
L is the length of the specimen, in millimeters; and  
w is the width of the specimen, in millimeters  
 
G.7.2 In the case of procedure 3, calculate the mass per unit area ( M in grams per square metre) by multiplying 
the mean mass (in grams) by 100.  
 
 DEAS 1115 -3:2023  
14 © EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  
 Bibliography  
[1] RS 378 -3:2018 , Flexible polyurethane foam for mattresses — Specification — Part 3: Reconstituted 
flexible polyurethane foam  
[2]  US 202 :2021, Textiles — Foam mattress — SpecificationFDEAS  345: 2022    
 
© EAC 2022  – All rights reserved