Help, I have spent so much time looking at different products to fire proof albs. Obviously it is furnishings that require fire proofing, (and my granddaughters princess dresses)! But all sprays seem water based and albs are being washed all the time. Do any of you have any suggestions please?
There has been a serious incident with an alter server and candles, badly burnt and this is part of my additional fire safety precautions. Thank you, my first ever question!

Blimey this stretched my memory before recalling from childhood what an Alb was. Your problem is I think that albs are either cotton or linen and therefore flammable and worn in a context where lighted candles are used.

Flameproofing the fabric is one option - but as you point out you're going to have to re-proof the fabric every time you launder it. Unless someone here knows of a treatment that doesn't wash out easily. Its going to be expensive in the long term.

No doubt your hierarchy won't consider using electric "candles" - God would notice the difference.

So I wonder whether you could consider using candles with glass "windshields" this sort of thing: http://charlesfarris.co....-dia-wax-candles-pack-1. These are too big for processional candles but I'm sure that your church supplier must be able to find something less expensive. They wou;ldnt provide 100% protection but it would be something.

But I suspect that you are going to have to rely to a great extent on "training" and "supervision" plus some rules about long hair styles.

You could have some other rules - for example that in "processions" only the people at the front of a group carry a candle (reducing the risk of people setting fire to the person in front).

In a less litigious world one might suggest laundering with a borax based water softener but I'd probably get drummed out of the brownies for suggesting it!

A very interesting question. It might be helpful to know how the accident referred to happened. There are obvious precautions that should be adhered to, such as ensuring adequate training, ensuring as far as possible that the candle poles are carried by people physically capable of carrying them (some can be quite heavy), ensuring that the aisles are kept well clear of any obstructions or tripping hazards (some old church floors are far from perfect and might need addressing), that those carrying the candles avoid using hair lacquer, that suitable footwear is worn, that the time spent standing still is kept as short as possible, and that suitable clothing is worn under the alb (they tend to be quite thick material, and too much worn under them could make bearers too warm, not that this is a problem in most churches).

Can't help much on the fire-proofing issue, is it worth looking at flameproof overalls to see how this issue is tackled in other garments?

I think you need to find out the details of the incident in order to know what direction to take in terms of precautions. Was it definitely the person carrying the candle who got burned, or someone else? How did this happen, what were the factors involved?

Whilst items such as children's' nightwear have had to be fire resistant for some time now, this is down to the material used, which you have no control over in the case of albs, and would be a laboriously long job to get changed.

Have you thought about using lanterns to contain the candles, which could then be carried on a shepherd's crook style pole?