Social Conscience
Where it's made and who makes it is important

2007 was the year the world realized that cheap goods from China sometimes come with a terrible price. We ate their poisoned fish, brushed our teeth with their toxic toothpaste, let our children play with their lead-laced toys, fed our pets their spoiled dog food and put their formaldahyde-sprayed furniture in our bedrooms.

To their credit, China has been instituting new environmental policies, addressing the lack of oversight and executing a few government officials to show that they are taking it all seriously. What remains to be seen however is whether they are taking the environment seriously, or getting caught seriously.

If it is the latter, then furniture buyers should be very wary of any furniture that has the "Made In China" label on the back. And that includes not just low-end "Ready To Assemble" furniture from a store in the mall, but high end name brand products from the best designers and furniture stores. Toxic finishes are toxic finishes whether they go on a $29 end table in a box, or a $2900 end table from an exclusive store on 5th Avenue. And yes Virginia, the high end stores are getting furniture from China too.

So What To Do?

Toxins pass through your skin when you move a chair, they hang in the air when you dust and they transfer to your clothes in the dresser. So you should take the issue seriously.

Ask your salesperson questions that let them know you are concerned about your health, such as: "Would you put this in your own child's bedroom and let them touch it or breath the dust that comes off it?" (Questions like these do get back to the manager, and when they get enough of them they get back to the manufacturer.)

If you aren't comfortable with the responses you get, buy your furniture from a company or country of origin that adheres to international standards of chemical use. Of course, we recommend anything made in the U.S. After all, it is the heavy cost of complying with EPA standards that drives many manufacturers overseas. Most European countries are adhering to international standards as well, such as Italy and Great Britain.

Your Response

Sure would love to hear from any manufacturers who take exception to this, or have suggestions on how to look for furniture with safe finishes.