Do you know that your couch may be toxic to you and your kids? A weak federal chemical safety law and poorly designed state fire safety standards fail to protect Americans from thousands of dangerous chemicals like fire retardants. Ten years ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and health advocates forced fire retardant chemicals called polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, from the market. These chemicals were showing up in people’s bodies, and research suggested that they disrupted hormone signaling and children’s developing brains and nervous systems. In 2008, EWG testing found that toddlers’blood contained nearly three times the levels of PBDEs of their parents’ bodies. While most PBDEs are no longer used in couches, the broken federal chemical law allows other potentially problematic chemicals to be substituted. Last year, EWG teamed up with Duke University scientists to look at concentrations of these alternative fire retardants in more than 20 mothers and children.
The urine of every mother and child tested yielded evidence of exposure to TDCIPP, a cancer-causing fire retardant. In fact, when the participants’ bodies were tested for a chemical biomarker left when TDCIPP breaks down, the study found that the children’s bodies contained five times the amount of the chemical in their mothers. In the most extreme case, a child had 23 times the level measured in the mother. Here’s the bad news: The Toxic Substances Control Act is a badly broken federal law that allowed this to happen. Now for the good news: Thanks to a key policy change in California fire safety standards, mainstream furniture manufacturers like Pottery Barn and Ikea now produce sofas and sectionals without flame retardant chemicals. Suddenly consumers can choose from a multitude of fire retardant-free furniture options. Even more good news: As of January 1 of this year, furniture manufacturers must label products they want to sell in the state of California, clearly indicating whether each piece contains flame retardants.
These revolutionary changes will take the guesswork – and the chemicals – out of sofa shopping. Make sure your new couch doesn’t contain fire retardants While the manufacturers listed below have eliminated chemical flame retardants from products manufactured after January 1, 2015, they may still sell their 2014 stock (with the exception of Room & Board). It’s important to visit the store or call customer service to confirm that the couch you purchase has the new label and was manufactured in 2015. The new label should read: “The upholstery materials in this product contain NO added flame retardant chemicals.” Where to find couches without fire retardants 1) Room & Board Room & Board led the pack on this issue by stopping the use chemical fire retardants in all their furniture in July of last year. According to its customer service representative, all its sofas are free of chemical flame retardants. The chain has hundreds of leather and fabric sofa options, many in the $1,000 to $3,000 range.
Hutton Sofa in Vick Velvet Finding a non-toxic sofa doesn’t have to be expensive. All Ikea couches manufactured after January 1, 2015, are made without chemical flame retardants. But until Ikea sells out its 2014 stock, check product labels to ensure that you are buying a 2015 flame retardant chemical-free model. As of January 1, 2015, all newly manufactured Crate and Barrel couches contain no chemical flame retardants. Since many Crate and Barrel couches are made to order, you will likely get a newly manufactured (and free of chemical flame retardants) couch, but you should still double-check with customer service that yours is not a 2014 leftover. 4) West Elm and Pottery Barn Same goes for West Elm and Pottery Barn: according to their customer service representatives, all couches made after January 1, 2015, do not contain added chemical flame retardants. Again, check with customer service – or the TB 117-2013 label – to confirm that your sofa was made in 2015.
Hamilton Leather Sofa in Tan Design Within Reach sells select sofa collections made without flame retardants. According to its customer service, these include the Bantam, Camber, Flight, Goodland, Parallel, Portola, Raleigh, Reid and Soto Collections. The company uses the new TB 117-2013 label. Check for it when purchasing your couch. Bantam Sofa in Black Design Within Reach TB 117-2013 Label “The upholstery materials in this product contain NO added flame retardant chemicals.” Other manufacturers to consider include: La-Z-Boy, The Futon Shop, Dania and Scandinavian Designs. If you have your heart set on a couch made with fire retardants, it is worth checking with the manufacturer to see if you could get a custom-made couch. Even if the answer is no, it is important for companies to hear that this is an issue that consumers care about. For more information on where you can find fire retardant-free furniture, check out these great resources: UPDATE: Many thanks to our commenters.
Instances of "chemical-free" in this article were updated to "flame retardant chemical-free" on April 24, 2015. (what is DLF rating?) To compare up to four products, tick the boxes and click the compare button. DLF's information quality rating Ladywell Adjustable Metal Sleeves Raisers Etac Step Furniture Raisers Square Economy Bed Risers Liko Vivan Chair Raising Sleeves Clip And Stack Chair And Furniture Raisers Please read our FAQs if you have any questions about how to change information, what the DLF ratings means, etc.FREE SHIPPING on orders over $19.99 Talk to a real human (M-F, 8 AM - 5 PM MST) Whether replacing old, outdated furniture feet or adding a foot to a brand new design, Osborne offers a wide variety of cabinet and furniture feet. Whether you are looking for the modern simplicity of a metal foot, the simple turned foot, a sleek square profile leg, or a carved Queen Anne style foot, Osborne has just what you are looking for.
Not quite sure of the perfect fit? Browse all feet to take a look at the wide selection and find the best fit for your project today! Download Our Application Guide In the past, square bun feet have been limited to square taper furniture feet. Today with the use of rotary knife lathes we can incorporate the many shapes of the round bun feet into a broad collection of square furniture feet. The shapes appear to be totally unique even though the patterns are the same. One might compare the tulip round bun, part 4100, to the tulip square bun, part 4102 to see the similarities and differences of these furniture feet. As typical with Osborne Wood Products quality, these parts are carefully sanded to 150 grit. These elements carry the simple elegance that has set the standard for furniture feet today. Furniture feet at Osborne Wood Products, Inc. are formed in many creative shapes. Many are round in nature, and are also referred to as bun feet. While the Tulip Design is one of the most popular shapes in the square ogee arena it also has found its way on many trunks, chests, and kitchen applications in its round form.
At 4 3/4 it can be used at its full height for trunks and furniture feet as well as being trimmed for kitchen applications. Like many of our other bun feet styles, the Tulip feet are sanded to 150 grit, giving these feet the Osborne mark of excellence. Cabinet and furniture feet at Osborne Wood Products, Inc. are designed by numerous inspired concepts keeping in mind functionality and presentation. Osborne Wood Products, Inc. is proud to now offer metal cabinet and furniture feet in the tradition of offering diverse, yet beautifully crafted products. The new modern and contemporary styles made available offer endless style possibilities. Not to mention the numerous functional advantages metal cabinet and furniture feet possess. Metal cabinet and furniture feet are particularly exceptional on pieces that encounter moisture on a daily basis such as a vanity. Sofa legs at Osborne Wood Products, Inc are designs that sofa manufacturers have requested to be made to their exacting specifications.
The designs of these furniture feet vary as the functions and character of each furniture item is developed. From the Albany, part 41033, with its square block top construction made to lock into the sturdy frame elements of the commercial sofa unit to the Dalton, part 41231, made to accentuate the delicacies of a finally crafted ottoman, these furniture feet display the simple elegance that Osborne products has been known for since 1979. With 150 grit sanding, these furniture feet are ready to assemble into the well designed creations of the most discriminating craftsman. Osborne Wood Products, Inc. carries a variety of furniture feet with the ogee profile along with other types of pedestal feet. These feet are either square as with the Square Tulip design, part 4102, or the most popular furniture feet that are made from ogee moldings such as our 4300 design. Cabinet makers who appreciate the square look of the Square Tulip will sometimes trim some off of the bottom if their toe plate is under 4 3/4".
As for the molding, at 4" tall it meets the needs of most modern cabinet designs. These parts are all carefully sanded to 150 grit guaranteeing satisfaction in both quality and design. As with all Osborne creations, the simple elegance of these furniture feet already graces many kitchens. Our cabriole leg styles are specifically designed for use as feet on cabinets, chests, seating and other furniture pieces. The furniture feet found in the Queen Anne category share the timeless sophistication of cabriole leg styling but range from the utter simplicity of the pure Queen Anne legs to the exuberant carvings found on the Carved Queen Anne or the Ball & Claw furniture feet. Our Queen Anne cabinet and furniture feet include sizes just over and under three inches in height; several pieces at 6" tall; a piece - the Winged Corner Queen Anne furniture leg - that is 10" tall; and a 32" tall cabinet foot or leg named the High Boy Queen Anne. Most styles are available in a variety of wood types.
About Cabinet and Furniture Feet Furniture feet can include everything from turned legs to bun feet and chair legs. During the Victorian period, furniture legs and furniture feet were discretely hidden by tapestry. It was the finest fabric used to hide parts that people of that time actually associated with human anatomy. While to today's mind such thoughts are preposterous, during this period of history virtue was so extolled that no extent of protective care of the minds of men would be considered extreme. As time moved forward the tapestry was lifted. Furniture designs moved towards the development of Queen Anne legs, fine carvings, and furniture feet. While styles varied by region and period, these basic parts of furniture design have developed as useful parts of daily living which transcend time and culture. Today we find furniture feet on various trunks, chests of drawers, armories, as well as kitchen cabinetry. The feet on cabinetry varies in style; from sofa legs, wood bun feet and ogee bracket furniture feet, to the highly styled carved claw feet and Queen Anne style vanity legs.