Choosing Non-Toxic Nursery Furniture

Are you trying to find the perfect nursery furniture? Would you like to know more about what features to look for in non-toxic and organic furniture pieces? Here are some tips to help you in your quest.

Upholstered Nursery Furniture

Pampering yourself with a plush rocking chair and ottoman is a perk you deserve. You will cherish the time spent rocking your baby, napping and reading stories.

Unfortunately, the foam padding used to make the chairs luxuriously soft is often treated with noxious flame retardants that impact the air quality of home.

Look for chairs covered with organic and natural fabrics, low impact dyes and a non-toxic support system and padding. Any claims to organic should be able to be backed up with proof of certification.

Natural fibers such as hemp, silk and linen are also an option. If the manufacturer does not have the perfect fabric to match your nursery, ask them to customize it.

If you're looking for some greener seating options, consider gently used seating. You can either have it reupholstered or simply give it a good cleaning and some time in the sun to freshen it. It has likely already off-gassed quite a bit.

Finally, you could decide to forgo upholstery and go for a sustainable, wooden rocker.

Natural Cribs and Wooden Furniture

Avoid pressed wood made of Medium Density Fiberboard(MDF). MDF makes for inexpensive furniture, but it off-gasses carcinogenic chemicals such as urea-formaldehyde (UF) in your baby's room.

Even minimal exposure to UF can cause nausea, throat, eye and skin irritations.

You can find formaldehyde-free MDF, but natural wood furniture is safer and will last longer. The most eco-friendly wood furniture will be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

The FSC is a non profit group that monitors the operations of forests in order to promote the protection of local wildlife and minimize the use of toxic pesticides on the trees and soil.

If this factor is important to you, be leery if the FSC seal is not on the label. The FSC is the only group that tracks and guarantees that wood has been sustainably harvested.

For the sake of the air quality, you'll also want to pay attention to the furniture's paint, stain, seal and finish. Healthy choices include low VOC paint, beeswax, natural oils such as tung oil and water-based polyurethane stains.

Another eco-friendly choice is to use recycled furniture. However, be cautious that it meets current safety standards and does not contain chemicals that are not safe for the baby.

Resources for Non-toxic Furniture

• Design Public offers many brands of FSC and MDF-free nursery furniture. Look for brands such as Netto Collection, Oeuf, and
  Q Collection Junior. To discover why we like these brands, read their profile pages below.

• Pacific Rim makes a simple and more traditional cribs with made from FSC certified maple that can be ordered with or without the natural finish.

Profiles of Non-Toxic Nursery Furniture:

Argington
Cariboo
Ecotots
Lilipad Studio
Netto Collection
Oeuf
Pacific Rim Maple Cribs
Q Collection Junior

Related Articles:

The Benefits of Organic Baby Bedding
How to Choose an Organic Crib Mattress
Cost Saving Tips for Organic Nursery Bedding

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