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| changing tables chests cribs stools storage | crib sets Boudoir Pillows Crib Sheets | changing pads mattresses play things |
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| FURNITURE | BEDDING | ACCESSORIES |
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| changing tables chests cribs stools storage | crib sets Boudoir Pillows Crib Sheets | changing pads mattresses play things |
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There are a lot of health and environmental claims and phrases thrown around out there right now and it makes sense that people are confused. We like to believe that everyone making health and environmental claims with their products have good intentions but are also a bit unclear themselves.
Most claims overstate the reality and/or are vague. Our hope is that the information below will help educate so you know what to look for and what to watch out for when you shop for sustainable furniture and organic bedding. It is worth noting that we don't pretend to be perfect at Q Collection Junior™. Perfect is impossible today. That said, our goal is to continuously improve and be leading the charge the day perfection is achieved. GENERAL
Fun factoid #1 More than 82,000 synthetic chemicals are registered for use in manufacturing and industry in the US. Only 10% of those chemicals have been tested for their effects on human health. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
What it is It is one of the most important health considerations when buying furniture for your child's nursery. The products you bring into your home have an impact on the quality of air you and your child breathe. The important sources of air pollution in the home include furniture, vinyl flooring, new carpets and carpet glue, wall coverings and bedding. Why you should care
Q Collection Junior's solution It is daunting to be sure but parents can dramatically lower risks in the home. One way is through the furniture and bedding choices you make. Every material we use has been considered in terms of its impact on indoor air quality. Any that are questionable are reviewed and approved by one of our toxicologist advisors. We are also the first children's furniture design company to independently test our materials for optimized indoor air quality. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
What they are VOCs are chemicals that become vapors at room temperature. They are typically used in furniture in wood glues, wood stains and paints. Why you should care VOCs are considered air pollutants and cause harm when inhaled. Not all VOCs are created equal: Many manufacturers claim to be using low-VOC materials. Sadly, the EPA exempts many harmful VOC's from consideration when labeling a product low-VOC. The exemption is not based on any scientific criteria and has been described by a prominent health official as poorly based science that makes a mockery of freshman chemistry at college. In other words,low VOC is a great idea but it doesn't mean you are getting materials that are free of concern. Q Collection Junior's solution Every material we use is independently reviewed by an expert on toxic chemicals. In addition, we are the first children's furniture independently testing all of our furniture in air chamber testing facilities. We know down to the parts per billion what materials are in our glues and stains and we consider all of the federally exempt materials. Zero or no VOC
What it is As with the discussion above, many claims are made about using materials that are zero or no VOCs. Such materials do exist but most making the claim aren't telling the full story. Technically, to be labeled zero VOC, the materials have to have VOCs below 5 grams / liter according to the EPA. Why you should care It is still possible, due to the federal exemption guidelines mentioned above, to find zero VOC materials that contain hazardous VOCs such as solvents and formaldehyde. Make sense? Agreed. It makes no sense to us either, but it is the reality today. Non-toxic
What it is This is just about the most catch-all phrase used and there are no clear guidelines. Any public health official would make sure to start with the adage: it is the dose that makes the poison. In other words, a material can be very toxic at high doses but non-toxic at low doses. An illustrative example is made from the symptoms listed below. What substance would you expect? Irregular heartbeat, fluid entering lungs, swelling will put pressure on the brain and nerves, which can cause behaviors resembling alcohol intoxication. Swelling of brain tissues can cause seizures, coma and ultimately death unless intake is restricted and a hypertonic saline (salt) solution is administered. The material in question is...water. It is possible to drink too much water and it becomes toxic to humans. Other materials, like formaldehyde, are toxic at even the smallest doses. Why you should care The key is to know who is making the determination that something is non-toxic to children and adults. Q Collection Junior's solution Every material we use has been thoroughly examined for toxicity to children. In many cases, where the determination is not black and white, we asked one of our toxicologist advisors to assist in making the call. Finally, we are the first children's furniture company to do air quality chamber tests so we know down to the parts per billion what materials are being emitted when in your home. Green
What it is The term 'green' has no single agreed upon definition but it is generally agreed upon that it means something about the environmental footprint of a product. The reality is that the word is used as a positive attribute for products that are only the slightest bit environmentally-friendly. The same can be said for the terms 'environmentally-friendly' or 'eco-friendly'. Why you should care Are you ok with a product that proudly claims to be 'green' but is only 1/10th of the way there? Are you ok with a product that claims to be 'green' but contains chemicals that are known to cause cancer? Certainly it is hard to know when the claim has a solid foundation versus when it is a marketing ploy but hopefully resources like this can help. Q Collection Junior's solution We are very proud that our designs have been referred to as "the real green". The only way we have ever or will ever design a product is to make sure it is the most sustainable product possible. And just focusing on the environmental impacts dousn't cut it. The human health aspects must also be considered. We don't just rely on our judgment either. We have third party certifications (e.g. Forest Stewardship Council) and endorsements (e.g. Healthy Child Healthy World) and rely upon a talented group of outside advisors. FURNITURE
Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs)
What they are HAPs are toxic chemicals that cause or may cause serious heath effects such as cancer and reproductive or birth defects. The EPA is required to control 188 HAPs. Examples include benzene (gasoline) and perchlorethlyene (dry cleaning). Why you should care Many furniture stains and glues contain HAPs that are known to be toxic to humans. Q Collection Junior's solution We review every material we use for the presence of HAPs. In several cases we worked with suppliers to reformulate their materials to eliminate certain HAPs. In the end, we are confident that the sum of our efforts has created sustainable children's furniture that uniquely optimizes indoor air quality. Formaldehyde
What it is Formaldehyde is probably the most problematic toxic chemical that is still often found in children's furniture and is a HAP (see above). It is most often found in wood glue and is used as a preservative. Why you should care It is known, according the World Health Organization (WHO), to cause cancer in humans and is one of the leading components of indoor air pollution. Why was it ever thought to be a good idea to put formaldehyde in children's furniture? Damn good question. Q Collection Junior's solution We have never and will never use materials that contain formaldehyde. Period. Polyurethane
What it is Polyurethane is a chemical used in most wood stains, topcoats and paints. It is also used as base material in foam. Why you should care Polyurethane contains a chemical called toluene. Toluene is consistently listed as one of the most toxic chemicals to humans and is known to cause cancer. Q Collection Junior's solution We have completely eliminated the use of polyurethane in all of our products. Water-based or solvent-based glues and finishes
What it is Glues and finishes typically either use a base of oil (petrochemicals) or water. Why you should care By-and-large water-based finishes and glues are much better from a human health and environment perspective. Q Collection Junior's solution We are using all water-based glues, stains, topcoats, and paints. Certified wood
What it is The source of most of the wood on the market today is unknown and, unfortunately, can originate from some of the world's most threatened ecosystems such as old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest or Amazon rain forests. The United States is by far the largest importer of virgin timber from the Amazon River region. Buying products made from 'certified wood' ensures that you are supporting responsible, transparent and sustainable forestry practices. Why you should care Endangering our world's rainforests has horrible local (e.g. species and habitat loss, flooding, soil erosion, etc) and global consequences (e.g. weather, health, etc). Biodiversity loss alone has negative implications for our health and the health of future generations to come. We all depend on a healthy global ecosystem. Q Collection Junior's solution We have gone through the certification process ourselves and use Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), see below, certified wood in several of our sustainable furniture designs. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
What it is FSC is the most recognized and trusted organization promoting 'environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests'. They are "The Global Benchmark for Responsible Forest Management." Why you should care Many claim to be using certified or sustainable wood. This is meaningless unless there is a credible organization monitoring and certifying this claim. Common question Besides FSC, there is the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) that certifies forestry practices. SFI is an industry-led certification program while FSC is an open, consensus standard. Q Collection Junior's solution We are only comfortable buying FSC certified wood at this time. By buying products with the FSC label, you are supporting the growth of responsible forest management worldwide. SFI is certainly better than nothing but it still leaves a number of areas unaddressed and is controlled by the major timber companies.  Locally-sourced wood
What it is Wood used in children's furniture can originate from considerable distances. Why you should care The further you source wood away from your production the greater the impacts from transportation (e.g. energy consumption, air pollution, congestion, green house gas emissions). Q Collection Junior's solution We source approximately 85% of our wood from a 100 mile radius and 100% from a 500 mile radius from our production facilities. All of our wood is sourced from the United States. Responsibly managed forests
What this is This is a catch-all phrase that relates to forestry practices used in cutting timber. Although there is no clear standard, it generally means that the following are adhered to: 1) avoiding clear cutting, 2) protecting biodiversity, 3) all local laws are followed, 4) local community is given proper rights, 5) that there is a well documented, long-term management plan in place, etc. Why you should care Endangering our world's rainforests has horrible local (e.g. species and habitat loss, flooding, soil erosion, etc) and global consequences (e.g. weather, health, etc). Biodiversity loss alone has negative implications for our health and the health of future generations to come. We all depend on a healthy global ecosystem. The only true way to know that you are sourcing wood from a responsibly managed forest is to: 1) buy FSC-certified wood (see above) or 2) visit the forest and logging operations yourself. Q Collection Junior's solution All of our wood is from responsibly managed forests that are domestic and within close proximity to our production facilities. What to look out for Many companies claim that they are using only "sustainable wood". That is a very vague claim and is only valid if they using FSC-certified wood (and have their chain of custody certification) or can provide specific documentation on their forestry practices. Don't be fooled by vague claims. No formaldehyde-added Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF)
What it is Medium density fiberboard is a made-made wood product that is particularly well suited for furniture construction. Why should I care Most MDF uses formaldehyde based glues and is problematic for indoor air quality. Interesting factoid All wood contains a natural amount of formaldehyde. When someone calls a wood-based product no formaldehyde , which does happen a lot, feel free to tell them that that is impossible. Q Collection Junior's solution The glue in our MDF does not contain formaldehyde (and it is also made from 100% recycled wood). BEDDING
Organic cotton bedding
What it is Cotton can be grown 'conventionally' or 'organically'. Grown conventionally, cotton is considered the world's most polluting crop as it relies on dozens of toxic pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. Growing organically requires using no chemical pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. Why you should care 5 of the top 9 chemicals used on cotton in the U.S. (cyanide, dicofol, naled, propargite, and trifluralin) are known to cause cancer to humans. All nine are labeled by EPA as the most dangerous category of chemicals. When you grow cotton organically none of these toxic materials are used. Fun factoid #1 In the U.S. alone, 1,200,000 pounds of pesticides and chemical fertilizers were used in 1992 to grow cotton in the U.S. That is the equivalent of 386,100 Toyota Camry cars! Yum. Fun factoid #2 In California it is illegal to feed the leaves, stems, and short fibers of cotton (commonly known as gin trash) to livestock because of the concentrated levels of pesticide residues. Meanwhile, gin trash is commonly used to make furniture, mattresses, cotton swabs, cotton balls and tampons. Q Collection Junior's solution We use only organic cotton in our baby bedding collection. We would close our doors before we used conventional cotton. Sustainable Textile Certification & Control Union
What it is This is an internationally recognized certification program. To receive approval, you must 1) ensure that you are using only natural materials that are grown organically (free of pesticides or herbicides) and 2) the entire production process must be taken into account (e.g. spinning, weaving, washing, etc). Why you should care The benefits of using certified versus conventionally grown cotton are described above. Many may claim to be using organic cotton but you can only know for sure when the proper certifications and monitoring systems are in place. Q Collection Junior's solution We have Control Union certification, according to GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), ensuring that
These steps ensure that you are getting the purest, healthiest bedding for your child. AZO-free cotton dyes
What it is AZO dyes refer to the chemical structure of the dye. AZO dyes are very well suited for making bright, vivid colors. Why you should care AZO dyes, and their byproducts, are also toxic to humans. The EU bans the use of certain AZO dyes in textiles that come in direct contact with the skin or mouth. The U.S. has no similar regulation. AZO dyes are also not readily biodegradable so they remain with us for longer than we would wish. Q Collection Junior's solution We use only AZO-free dyes that are not harmful to the environment or human health. Heavy metals
What they are These are metals such as arsenic, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, lead and mercury. Some heavy metals are necessary, in very small amounts, to sustain life. Why you should care There are cotton dyes and wood stains on the market today that rely upon heavy metals. At higher exposures, heavy metals become very toxic. You may remember the movie Erin Brokovich in which she helped people suffering from chromium poisoning. Q Collection Junior's solution In all of our products, we have completely eliminated the use of heavy metals. Flame retardants
What they are A widely used type of flame retardant used in bedding, mattresses and other children products are made from 'brominated' (based on the element bromine) chemicals (BFRs). One of the most toxic is PBDEs. Why you should care BFRs such as PDBE's have been completely banned in Europe due to associations with impairing brain development. The U.S. has yet to take any action (although states such as Washington have). Meanwhile, exposure to adults in the U.S. is thought to be 10 to 100x higher than in adults in Europe. It is not essential to coat every product with flame retardants. The chemicals are overused and many argue that the risk of using them far outweighs the benefit they bring. A product can be completely safe even if it isn't treated with flame retardants. We seem to have been lulled into a state of thinking that everything needs to be treated. Interesting factoid Our co-founder, Jesse Johnson, has been tested for exposures to PBDEs. He has worked hard to limit exposures in his home (e.g. mattress, furniture, etc) but he still has noticeable levels in his blood....we all do. Q Collection Junior's solution We have completely eliminated the use of toxic flame retardants such as PBDEs. Our organic cotton bedding line is not treated with any chemicals. The crib mattresses we sell are completely free of toxic flame retardants. Plastics
What they are Every movie-going American knows the lines: Mr. McGuire: I just want to say one word to you - just one word.Plastics pervade our lives and bring many benefits. Many different types of plastic are used in furniture and furniture shipping. Why you should care Along with the many benefits of plastics come some relatively new-found risks. Many plastics contain added chemicals that are known to harm humans. See our discussion of plastics in our resources section. Q Collection Junior's solution We have completely eliminated the use of plastics from all of our furniture and have also made huge strides to eliminate the use of plastics in our shipping materials. Carbon neutral bedding
What it is This is the process of off-setting carbon emissions from transportation with activities such as planting trees (they absorb CO2), promoting renewable energy or energy conservation and purchasing carbon credits. Why you should care If you have seen Al Gore's movie, An Inconvenient Truth you understand the problem. CO2 is a leading green house gas and the accumulation of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere are contributing to a rise in global temperatures (i.e. global warming). Q Collection Junior's solution We aim to offset all of our carbon emissions from our organic bedding line. Back to top |
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