In the fourth quarter of 2013, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine released the results of a random quality inspection of eight products, including children’s furniture. Among the 61 batches sampled from 61 different children’s furniture companies, 33 failed the test. Notably, several well-known brands such as Quanyou and Duai were among those that did not meet the required standards. The failure rate for children’s furniture exceeded 50%, prompting widespread concern and calls for stricter safety reviews.
Among the unqualified items, 23 batches failed due to issues with “edges and tips,†which accounted for nearly 70% of all failures. Another 17 batches failed because of missing or inadequate warning signs. One notable case was a swivel chair from the brand “Hua Xiang Duo Duo,†which had excessive formaldehyde emissions, making it the only product in the batch to fail on this specific criterion.
The national standard GB 28007-2011 for children’s furniture clearly outlines requirements for edges and corners, stating that they must be rounded or chamfered to prevent injury. For example, any sharp corner below 1600mm from the ground should have a radius of at least 10mm or an arc length of no less than 15mm. Despite these clear guidelines, many brands, including Quanyou, Songbao Kingdom, and Douai, were found non-compliant.
According to Sun Shudong, director of the Furniture Inspection Laboratory at the National Furniture and Indoor Environmental Quality Supervision and Inspection Center, the primary issue is not technical difficulty but a lack of attention from manufacturers. Addressing these issues would not significantly increase costs, yet many companies neglect them.
In addition to production, structural safety is often overlooked during sales. Many retailers emphasize eco-friendly materials while downplaying other critical aspects like edge design and warning labels. For instance, in a well-known children’s furniture store in Beijing, samples displayed sharp corners that didn’t meet national standards, posing potential risks to children.
Another store featured brightly colored, multi-functional furniture without appropriate warning labels. Sales staff claimed the products met environmental standards, but they could not provide relevant test reports.
While excessive formaldehyde was not the main cause of failure this time, it remains a serious concern. Poor-quality materials are often the root cause, and cost-cutting measures lead some companies to use substandard components. Parents, especially young ones, tend to focus more on formaldehyde levels rather than structural safety.
Ms. Cheng, a parent shopping for her 5-year-old son, emphasized her concern about formaldehyde but admitted she wasn’t fully aware of other safety features. Similarly, Mr. Wang, planning to renovate his home, expressed confusion about the new standards, highlighting a general lack of awareness among consumers.
The China Furniture Association noted that children’s furniture requires higher safety and environmental standards due to children’s weaker immune systems. The updated standard aims to improve market regulation and help consumers make informed choices. As the industry evolves, greater awareness and stricter enforcement will be essential to ensure the safety of children’s furniture.
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