T2 class under EN 15619: what it certifies and how to read a test report

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When a local council, an exhibition venue or an event organiser asks for “the fire certificate for the tent fabric”, they almost always mean a laboratory report that classifies the fabric. For coated fabrics used in tents, the reference is the European standard EN 15619 (published in Spain as UNE-EN 15619) and its scale of T classes.

This guide explains what the T2 class certifies, how it is obtained, what a test report should contain and why it must not be confused with the Euroclasses of EN 13501-1. Checking the document before you order the fabric avoids surprises on installation day.

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What EN 15619 covers

EN 15619 is the European standard for rubber- or plastic-coated fabrics intended for tents and similar temporary structures, such as the PVC-coated polyester used to make roofs, side walls and gable ends. In Spain it is published as UNE-EN 15619.

It is a standard about the material, not the structure. Among other things, it sets out how the fire behaviour of these fabrics is classified, and for that it refers to a specific test method: EN 14115.

Nor should it be confused with EN 13782, which deals with the safety of the tent as a whole (design, stability, anchoring). If any term is unclear, our tent and fabric glossary explains it.

The test: EN 14115

EN 14115 is the European test standard for the burning behaviour of materials for marquees, large tents and related products, specifically their ease of ignition. In the laboratory, specimens of the fabric are exposed to a flame under standardised conditions and their reaction is recorded.

The test is carried out on samples of one specific fabric. That is why the result applies to that fabric, with its composition, weight and colour, and not to “tent fabric” in general.

The classes from T1 to T4

Based on the test result, EN 15619 assigns the fabric a class on a four-level scale:

T1: the most demanding level of the scale.
T2: the second level. This is the class of our OPTEX and COTEX fabrics.
T3 and T4: the less demanding levels.

A T class describes how the fabric behaved in a standardised test. It does not mean the fabric is non-combustible: it means that, under the test conditions, it achieved a result that places it in that class.

What a classification report should include

A good report identifies clearly what was tested, who tested it and with what result. Check that it shows:

Laboratory: the name of the laboratory that carried out the test and signs the report.
Report number: the document's unique reference.
Fabric reference: the trade name or code of the material tested.
Composition: for example, PVC-coated polyester fabric.
Weight: the fabric weight in g/m².
Colour: the colour of the sample tested.
Date: the date the report was issued.
Standard and class: the classification standard (EN 15619), the test method (EN 14115) and the class obtained.

How to read the report in four steps

Start with the sample identification: reference, weight and colour must match the fabric of your tent.
Find the standards: EN 15619 for the classification and EN 14115 for the test.
Look for the class obtained: T1, T2, T3 or T4.
Check the laboratory, the report number and the date, and keep the complete document with all its pages.

A practical tip: file the report together with the invoice or delivery note for the fabric. That way you can show that the fabric you received is the one that was tested.

The reports for our fabrics

At Plastold we have been making tent covers and complete tents in Málaga since 1998, using PVC-coated polyester. Our two reference fabrics were tested by the textile technology institute AITEX, with these results:

OPTEX white, 850 g/m²: report 2024AN2176, class T2 under UNE-EN 15619.
COTEX white, 680 g/m²: report 2024AN2177, class T2 under UNE-EN 15619.

Both reports were issued on 2 October 2024. We supply the certificate together with the material. You can see this fabric on our pages for T2 fire-rated PVC fabric and PVC tent fabric and, if you make your own covers, PVC fabric rolls.

What organisers and local authorities usually ask for

Each authority sets its own requirements, but for tents open to the public they commonly ask for:

A copy of the fire reaction report for the roof and side wall fabric.
Proof that the fabric in the report matches the one installed: reference, weight and colour.
Sometimes a specific standard or class, stated in the tender documents or the event rules.
Documents for the tent as a whole, for example a certificate of correct installation signed by a competent person. These depend on the installation, not on the fabric.

The most practical approach is to ask in writing which standard and class they accept before you order the fabric. If you are asked for another country's system, our guide to fire reaction certificates in Europe summarises the most common ones.

T2 is not a Euroclass: EN 15619 versus EN 13501-1

The most common mix-up is to treat the T2 class as a Euroclass. EN 13501-1 classifies the reaction to fire of construction products into classes A1, A2, B, C, D, E and F, with additional ratings for smoke (s1 to s3) and flaming droplets or particles (d0 to d2).

They are different systems with different tests: EN 13501-1 relies on methods such as the small-flame test (EN ISO 11925-2) or the SBI test (EN 13823), whereas the T class comes from the EN 14115 test applied to tent fabrics. A T2 class does not translate into any Euroclass, or the other way round.

If a specification requires a Euroclass, a T2 report does not meet that requirement. Raise it with whoever set the requirement before you buy the fabric.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly does T2 mean?

That the fabric, tested to EN 14115, achieved the second class on the EN 15619 scale, which runs from T1, the most demanding, to T4.

Does a T2 fabric not burn?

It should not be read that way. The class describes how the fabric behaved in a standardised test; it does not make the fabric non-combustible.

Is the report valid for any colour or weight?

The report refers to the fabric tested, with its reference, weight and colour. If you need another colour or weight, ask us which documentation applies to that fabric before you order.

Is T2 equivalent to a Euroclass?

No. They are different standards with different tests, and there is no direct equivalence between their classes.

Who issues the report?

A testing laboratory. The reports for our OPTEX and COTEX fabrics were issued by AITEX.

Do you need T2 fabric for a tent that will be open to the public? Tell us the use, the measurements, the fabric and the colour, and we will send you a written quote.

Real project: PVC grandstand roofs and 288 tent side walls, made in Málaga for a major motorsport event in Madrid. See the project