Furniture, hidden hazard behind 17% of brain injury in children

Most parents credit home as the safest place for their little ones. However, statistics show this might be a misconception. According to a study in peer-reviewed medical journal Brain Injury, home furnishings like cots, bunk beds, closet cabinets and sofas have caused 17.2% of brain injuries for children, second only to sports such as football. Falling from beds and tripping on floors is a common cause of brain injury, especially for babies at younger ages.

On contrast, less equal attention is given on the safety of furniture. From a survey conducted by the University of Illinois on 2,500 random consumers, when purchasing furniture, the most frequently considered factors are: style/look, cost, features and function. No trace of safety measurement at all. Consumers tend to believe that bulky furniture is unmovable and thus safe, as long as the raw material being used is free from harmful chemicals. But is this really the case?

Most of us may still remember IKEA’s global recall of Malm chest of drawers in 2016, behind which was the largest settlement of death in history caused by furniture. At least 8 toddlers had died due to this bulky piece of furniture before IKEA recalled the entire product family, one of the largest top sellers at a massive financial loss.

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That being said, furniture stability standard is still to be mandated today in the US. Authorities are often more cautious of safety of food or products that come into contact with food or skin. In the abensence of clear regulations, liabilities on product safety fall upon the importers and brands' shoulders. Experienced sourcing partners empower retailers with the confidence that vague yet necessary tests and certifications are understood and followed during the product engineering and production phases.

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Safety plays an important role in home furniture, especially those made for kids. What to an adult may appear as linen cabinet, may for a child be a cave where the dragon lives, the cord to the iron above may be the dragon's tail.

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When developing furniture we must envisage any possible way these goods may be perceived or used by children. With Nimble's hands-on experience in developing and sourcing baby furniture, we have more insights to share on the strict requirements and processes in place to ensure comprehensive safety for baby furnishings.

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Design. Safety starts from the very beginning, and design is not just about fashion. Instead, there are a lot of details that are critical to the safety of baby products. Below are some on-spot photos of quality assurance conducted by Nimble engineers.

A little monkey play, hang and sway, surely amuses the kids. Being creative, the motion also creates unpredictable pressure to the normal function of the canopy frame. Imagine what would happen if the rail is not strong enough. This is why we ensure load-bearing tolerance up to 60kg.

A cot can sometimes be used by an older sibling as the pretend jail. Older kids may access the cot by jumping over the edge.

Minimum 2mms’ radius along the edges, prevents accidental bruises or knocks when hitting the edge.

Toddlers commonly try to get their head through the bars of the cot, in order to get out.

Accurate distance between adjacent rails prevents the risk of getting their head stuck between the bars.

A large drawer may seem to be the perfect hiding spot when playing hide and seek.

Allow spaces between drawers to prevent the risk of suffocation should a child choose to hide themselves inside.

Raw material. This is probably the most commonly recognized safety requirement in terms of baby furniture. Yet extra standards are applied as compared with ordinary furnishing, given the sensitivity of infants, and the possible scratching and even biting on the furniture.

Solid wood is often preferred in order to minimize chances of formaldehyde exposure in various other board materials. Paint and glue that come from natural elements also provide additional protection for the vulnerable set of baby's health condition.

Notice and Instruction. Safety notice and user handbooks, often ignored with other kinds of commodities, are key elements for baby furnishing. This is especially true when it comes to self essembly furniture. Instructions need to be simple and straightforward to follow, translating in multiple languages. Placement of notices also need to be at eye-catching places that can't be missed.

Durability of the notice is another essential factor. Printing and stitching of embedded warnings should remain clear and tight after repeated wash, wipe or tear.

At Nimble, we consider the entire supply chain by thinking through all aspects from raw material control to manufacturer and end consumer. We translate needs of consumer into features of products during product development on behalf of the brand. Our Quality Engineers are well versed in aligning quality standards with inspection organizations such as Bureau Veritas or Intertek to ensure smooth launch of new products.

Learn more about Nimble's quality assurance approach by connecting on LinkedIn. Stay tuned.