EN 13501-1 and B1: Fire-Rated Materials for Exhibition Stands

Most European trade fairs require stand materials to be at least flame retardant, and they prove it with a classification under EN 13501-1 or the German DIN 4102-1 class B1. In practice, a fabric print or panel classed B-s1,d0 under EN 13501-1 meets the minimum that large German venues ask for, while a material without a certificate can be removed from your stand on build-up day. This guide explains the classes, what venues ask for and how to order fire-rated exhibition materials without surprises.

This article is general information, not legal or fire safety advice, and the venue's own technical guidelines always decide.

What is EN 13501-1?

EN 13501-1, "Fire classification of construction products and building elements, Part 1: Classification using data from reaction to fire tests", is the European standard for reaction to fire. The edition listed by DIN Media is dated December 2018. Although it was written for construction products, exhibition venues use it to set limits for walls, prints, ceilings, floor coverings and decoration.

How to read a class such as B-s1,d0

Building panel maker Rockpanel gives a clear explanation of how reaction to fire classes are built up. According to that explanation, a class has up to three parts:

• Main class: A1 and A2 are non-combustible, B to F are combustible, with B the best of the combustible classes.
• Smoke (s1, s2, s3): s1 is the lowest smoke growth and s3 the highest.
• Flaming droplets (d0, d1, d2): d0 means no flaming droplets in the test, d1 limited droplets and d2 the worst rating.

So B-s1,d0 is a combustible material with limited contribution to fire, low smoke and no burning droplets. Floor coverings use their own sub-classes with the suffix "fl", for example Cfl-s1.

And what is B1?

B1 is the "flame retardant" class of the German standard DIN 4102-1. Some suppliers of textiles and boards certify to B1, others to EN 13501-1, and some to both. Venues list B1 and EN 13501-1 classes side by side rather than treating one as a direct translation of the other, so check which one your venue names.

What do trade fair venues require under EN 13501-1?

Requirements differ by venue, but the large German fairgrounds are a useful reference because many stands are built for them.

The Messe Frankfurt factsheet on stand construction material adds that materials must not drip while burning or give off toxic gases, names wood materials and acrylic glass as frequent problem areas, and states that non-compliant materials must be dismantled and replaced immediately. The ACHEMA stand construction factsheet from March 2026 sets the same classes and says certificates may only be issued by EU-approved testing institutes, and that fire protection treatment must be done by a certified specialist company.

What a valid certificate must show

Messe München's technical exhibitor service lists what it expects on a fire certificate:

• the product and the testing body, with its EU notified body number or DIBt registration;
• the test standard, DIN 4102-1 or EN 13501-1, and the class achieved;
• the date of issue and the conditions of use and assembly;
• German or English language.

The same page says preliminary test reports are not accepted and that polystyrene is generally prohibited even when flame retardant, because it drips while burning and produces heavy smoke.

Rules outside Germany

Other countries use their own systems, and French venues often refer to the national M classes. The fire rules of Toulouse Congrès, for example, require M0 or M1 for ceilings, velums and floating decorations larger than 0.50 m², and a reaction to fire report from an approved French laboratory that is no more than five years old. Fire retardant treatment on site is only allowed for wood and natural fabrics there, not for plastics.

Which exhibition materials need an EN 13501-1 or B1 certificate?

In short, almost everything that forms or decorates the stand. Typical items in a stand order are the following:

• SEG fabric prints and tension frames;
• roll-up and banner materials;
• printed boards such as foam board, PVC and composite panels;
• ceiling fabrics and hanging banners, which usually need a better class than walls;
• carpets and floor graphics;
• artificial plants and other decoration.

Remember that the certificate covers a specific material and build-up. A fire-rated fabric printed with an untested process, or a board laminated with an untested film, may no longer match the certificate.

Common mistakes we see in stand orders

• The certificate is for a different fabric weight or coating than the one printed.
• The certificate is only available in a language the venue does not accept.
• A cheaper substitute board is used late in production without anyone checking its class.
• Ceiling banners are ordered in the same material as the walls, although the venue asks for a better class overhead.

Most of these are avoided if the class is written into the request and the supplier confirms it in the quote.

How to order fire-rated materials without problems on site

1. Read the venue rules first. Note the minimum class for walls, ceilings and floors, and the language required for certificates.
2. Put the class in your request. Write, for example, "fabric certified to EN 13501-1 B-s1,d0 or DIN 4102 B1, certificate in English".
3. Ask for the certificate with the quote, not after delivery, and check that the product name matches the material quoted.
4. Keep copies on the stand. Messe Frankfurt requires proof to be available on site.
5. Re-check for reused graphics. A print from an earlier show still needs a valid certificate for the next venue.

Getting quotes for fire-rated stand materials

On Flobid you can send one request to suppliers that produce exhibition graphics and stands, and ask each one to confirm the fire class and attach the certificate. Start a request for SEG fabric graphics or a request for a custom-built exhibition stand. For budgeting, see what drives exhibition stand cost.

Sources

1. EN 13501-1:2018-12 Fire classification of construction products and building elements, Part 1, DIN Media
2. Understanding reaction to fire, Rockpanel
3. Factsheet: Stand construction material, Messe Frankfurt Venue GmbH (2023)
4. Instructions for Exhibitors, Service Providers and Stand Constructors: Stand construction material, DECHEMA Ausstellungs-GmbH (2026)
5. Technical Exhibitor Service, Messe München
6. Annexes: Règlement incendie, règlement de sécurité et règlement intérieur, Toulouse Congrès