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A truly non toxic sofa uses non toxic or organic materials for all parts of a sofa.
Most sofas contain petroleum-based polyurethane foam with toxic flame retardant chemicals, formaldehyde releasing frames, leather or fabric with toxic chemical residues or fumes, toxic glues or finish. However, there are companies that make non toxic sofas. Usually, a non-toxic sofa with more non toxic materials will cost more. A non toxic sofa can cost easily over $5000. There are companies that make a non toxic sofa with all non toxic materials and there are also companies that make a sofa with no flame retardant chemicals but also with other materials that are questionable. Obviously, the more non toxic materials a sofa has, the more non toxic it is. However, $5000+ is not in everyone’s budget. I wanted to show you what options you have in terms of selecting a non toxic sofa. In this post, I have listed companies that have full non toxic material options and also companies that don’t use all non toxic materials but at least make sofas with no flame retardant chemicals.
Non Toxic Sofa Materials
Here is a list of non toxic materials for a non toxic sofa. Ideally, a non toxic sofa will contain only non toxic materials listed below in each part of a sofa.
Frame: Kiln -dried hardwood that is FSC certified
Foam/ fillings: 100% Natural latex foam, cotton or wool batting or down fillings
Glue: Water-based, low VOCs glue
Upholstery: Certified organic cotton, hemp, linen, wool
Wood Finish Such As Legs: Natural oil such as lindseed oil
Non Toxic Sofa Companies With Full Non Toxic Material Options
Savvy Rest – Non Toxic Sofa
Savvy Rest sofas contain no flame retardants, formaldehyde glue, cardboard, metal coils, particle board, plywood , veneer, polyester, polypropylene, polyurethane, toxic stains, dacron batting, feathers or down. All of their sofas contain following materials.
- Wood: Certified sustainable solid hardwood (maple)
- Foam/ Fillings: Cradle-to-Cradle Gold certified Natural Talalay latex foam
Natural coir (coconut fiber with natural latex) - Fabric: GOTS-certified organic upholstery (hemp, cotton duck, hemp-cotton blend)
- Wood Finish: Zero-VOC natural linseed oil, Zero-VOC water-based finish with linseed coating
- Glue: GreenGuard-certified adhesive
- Made In: Virginia, USA
You can also choose following options when you buy their sofa.
- Seat Cushion Firmness: Firm (Solid Talalay), Soft (Solid Talalay), Soft (Shredded Dunlop & Talalay latex)
- Color/ Fabric: Organic Cotton, Hemp, Hemp and Organic cotton blend
- Feet Stain: Unfinished, Lindseed Oil, Cedar, Mahogany, Walnut
- Arm Height: Original (30″) or low (23″)
Savvy Rest Verona Sofa
$5299 ~$5599
Medley – Non Toxic Sofa
5% Discount Coupon Code : gonewmommy5
Medley makes non toxic sofas and you can choose non toxic, organic materials when buying their sofa. Their sofas are made in California and usually takes about 4 weeks. They use no harsh chemicals or flame retardants.
All Medley Sofas are made with
- Frame: kiln dried hardwood sourced from FSC certified domestic forests.
- Glue: water based glues with zero VOCs
- Made In: California, USA
You can choose following options when you buy their sofas.
- Filling Options: Poly foam cushions, Poly foam with down cushions, Organic natural latex frame & cushion (No flame retardant chemicals, OEKO-tex certified wool wraps the latex and fills the back pillows.)
- Fabrics: Polyester, polyester blend, 100% natural fibres, organic fibres
- Leg Style and Materials: Wood, steel and brass
Medley Mota Apartment Bumper Sectional
This is one of their sectional sofas.
5% Discount Coupon Code : gonewmommy5
$5565 (This price is with organic natural latex frame and cushions, organic linen and organic cotton blend fabric. If you use poly foam instead of organic natural latex, price can be $2995 ~ $3776)
Cisco – Non Toxic Sofa
You can find Cisco sofas at ABC Carpet & Home. ABC Carpet & Home carries sofas from many different manufacturers. Their ABC Home & Planet Pure Collection is non toxic sofas made by Cisco.
- Frame: FSC (Forest Stewardship Certified) wood frames
- Fabric: Natural cotton and linen fabrics used to upholster each pieces are hued with low-impact dyes
- Padding: Made from organic wool or goose feathers & is surrounded by a certified natural latex foam core
- Glue: Non-Toxic adhesive
- Made In: California, USA
Cisco Dream Sofa
$5495
Non Toxic Sofa Companies That Don’t Use Flame Retardant Chemicals
These companies below do not use flame retardant chemicals in their sofas since 2015. Their sofas made before 2015 will still contain flame retardants. Although these companies do not use flame retardant chemicals, they may use materials that could be harmful in other parts of a sofa such as foam, frame, upholstery fabric, glue or wood finish. I have listed one of each of these companies’ sofas to show you as an example. I don’t have detailed material information of each sofa yet but I wrote what I have found. I have also emailed these manufacturers regarding detailed materials of these models so I will update this part of the blog soon.
Crate And Barrel – Sofa Without Flame Retardant Chemicals
Crate and Barrel’s sofas do not contain flame retardant chemicals. They use poly foam instead of organic natural latex foam so they are a lot cheaper than the organic sofas listed above. However, the frame of the sofa is kiln dried hardwood and also uses recycled natural cotton.
$2499
- Frame : Certified sustainable, kiln-dried Harwood
- Seat Cushions: Soy-based polyfoam seat cushions wrapped in regenerated synthetic fiber and encased in downproof ticking
- Back cushions: Regenerated synthetic fiber-filled wrapped in downproof ticking
- Fabric: 100 percent recycled cotton
- Glue: water based PVA Glue (Crater and Barrel said this glue is completely cured and inert by the time the product is upholstered. PVA is only toxic to ingest, it does not release any harmful fumes)
- Made in North Carolina, USA of domestic and imported materials
Pottery Barn – Sofa Without Flame Retardant Chemicals
Pottery Barn sofas use kiln dried hardwood for their frames and you can also choose organic fabrics for their sofa. Their cushions are polyester wrapped foam cushions but do not contain flame retardant chemicals.
Beverly Upholstered Grand Sofa
$1,199 – $2,299
- Frame: Kiln-dried solidwood
- Cushions: Polyester-wrapped flame-retardant-free cushions
- Fabric: Can choose from organic cotton, linen, linen blend, cotton, denim, bushed canvas
- Legs: Dark wood espresso that is tapered
- Made in: America with American and imported materials
West Elm – Sofa Without Flame Retardant Chemicals
West Elm sofas don’t have flame retardant chemicals.
Andes 3 Piece Chaise Sectional
$3117 – $3197
- Legs: Brass or Pewter legs (Cast metal legs)
- Fabric: 100% polyester, 70% polyester and 30% acrylic or 78% poly and 22% rayon or fabric made from recycled plastic bottles which is 70% recycled polyester, 30% virgin polyester.
- Made In: USA
IKEA – Sofa Without Flame Retardant Chemicals
IKEA sofa is a lot cheaper and has no flame retardant chemicals. However, their frame contains engineered wood, cushions cotton polyurethane foam and fabric is blend of natural and synthetic fibers.
$1449
Frame: Fiberboard, Plywood, Particleboard, Solid wood
Seat cushion: Polyurethane foam (cold foam) 2.2 lb/cu.ft., Polyurethane memory foam 3.1 lb/cu.ft, Polyester wadding
Back cushion: Polyester fiber balls
Leg: Polypropylene
Fabric Cover: 55 % cotton, 25 % polyester, 12 % viscose/rayon, 8 % linen
La-Z-Boy – Sofa Without Flame Retardant Chemicals
La-Z-Boy sofas don’t have flame retardant chemicals.
$2129
Made In: USA
Ashely Furniture – Sofa Without Flame Retardant Chemicals
Ashley Furniture sofas don’t have flame retardant chemicals. However, they use poly foam, synthetic fabrics for upholstery and faux wood finish on the legs of the sofa.
$398
- Fabric: 100% Polyester upholstery and pillows with soft polyfill (4 decorative pillows included)
- Feet Finish: Faux wood finish
- Foam/ Filling: Foam cushions wrapped in thick poly fiber
Final Thoughts
Different parts of a sofa can release toxic chemicals or have toxic chemical residues. Therefore, if you want to buy a truly non toxic sofa, materials of all parts of a sofa should be looked into. The more non toxic materials are used for a sofa, the more non toxic the sofa will be. However, sofas with full non toxic materials will be a lot more expensive. If you want a more affordable sofas, you can use natural fabrics instead of organic fabrics or you can even look into sofas that have at least no flame retardant chemicals. Although sofas with at least no flame retardant chemicals have other materials of concern, at least they won’t contain toxic flame retardant chemicals in the sofa. However, if you want a truly non toxic sofa, then consider a sofa from Savvy Rest, Medley and Cisco.
If you want to find out how sofa can be toxic, please read my previous post, ‘Non Toxic Sofa Guide ā How Sofa Can Be Toxic Or Non Toxic.’
If you are interested in non toxic, solid wood platform bed frames, please read my post āSolid Wood Bed Frame ā What To Look For When Buying A Solid Wood Platform Bedā.
If you are interested in organic latex mattress, please read my post , āNon Toxic, Organic Mattress ā The Best Organic Latex Mattress Brands.ā
If you are interested, how mattresses can be toxic, please read my post, āNon Toxic Mattress Guide ā Chemical-Free, Organic Mattressā.
PLEASE SHARE THIS POST WITH YOUR FRIENDS OR LEAVE ME A COMMENT! š
Dearest Isabelle,
I am so very grateful for all your feelings about toxicity and the efforts that you have made to eliminate them from your life, your babies life and all that real your story lives.
Many thanks, always, Nina Lerner
Thank you! š
Hi how do I email you with more questions.
I’m looking to buy more furniture for my home that’s non toxic and I need leads where to shop,
Hi Vera,
You can email me at info@gonewmommy.com. Thank you!
very interesting subject , outstanding post.
Thank you.
These sofas feature cushions made of natural latex and untreated wool, organic cotton covers, and legs and frames made ofĀ Ā FSC-certified, kiln-dried solid maple wood. Even the leg stains are zero VOC.
Hello, thank you so much for this information! Can you recommend a glider for a nursery?
Hi Elena,
Some non toxic gliders are as follows.
Million Dollar Baby Classic Alden Swivel Glider This is GreenGuard gold certified. No harmful chemicals or flame retardants.
Dutailier Sleigh Glider This is made of FSC-certified hardwood in Canada. It has no flame retardants.
Lennox Furniture Emily Glider Chair & Ottoman Combo This is entirely made of solid wood and non toxic stain and finish.
Hope this helps!
I am wondering if you know about ARHAUS sofas and toxicity? I am looking at getting one and having a hard time digging through. Thanks!
Hi Kallie,
Sorry for a late reply. I need more information about sofa’s material to answer your question. I contacted Arhaus and am waiting for their reply.
Once I hear from them, I will get back to you. Thank you!
Thank you for your wonderful posts! Do you know anything about sofas from Inside Weather and Article? I haven’t been able to find anything out about Article furniture, but Inside Weather sent me the following…
“We do not use formaldehyde or similar toxic chemicals on our furniture. Our furniture is little to no VOC and our foam is not chemically treated with flame retardant chemicals.
Most of our piece’s frames are constructed with our signature Baltic Birch Plywood which is FSC & SFC certified and features an American maple veneer topped with a triple coat of a UV-cured clear, matte, eco-solvent finish.
Each seat and back cushion is composed of high-density polyurethane foam. Our Micro Weave upholstery is 100% Polyester. We use dye-sublimation to ensure binding at the molecular level which guarantees optimal color, prevents fading, and lends a vibrant, durable fabric that is no less gentle to the touch.”
Hi Lisa,
They may not add any formaldehyde themselves but typically plywood or veneer already have some levels of formaldehyde. Unless the wood is solid wood, engineered wood have some level of formaldehyde. On the other hand, engineered wood can have very low emission if they are carb phase 2 certified, NAF (no-added formaldehyde) or ULEF (ultra-low emitting formaldehyde) certified. However, it doesn’t say they their wood is certified under any of them. I am not sure what their eco-solvent finish may contain. Typically, non toxic sofas have higher price point due to the higher cost of their non toxic materials used. I am assuming this brand may not be one of the most non toxic sofas. Hope this helps!
Hello Isabelle! Thank you for your thorough research to help us moms, especially being a first time mom trying to have a non toxic home is so important but can be expensive. I wanted to ask you about the IKEA KIVIK sofa, your article does that pertain only to that specific link? I was looking at the KIVIK but the smallest size bc that link you share is too big for my tiny apartment. Please let me know, Thank you =)
Hi Jessica,
The materials listed applies to a product in the specific link or the
product name.
However, the materials used for other IKEA sofas should be similar to
what is listed in the blog.
IKEA as a brand do not use flame retardants on their sofas.
IKEA KIVIK has a smaller size at below link.
https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/kivik-sofa-hillared-anthracite-s99193679/
Hope this helps!
Hi Isabelle,
Thank you for your reviews. What is your opinion of polyurethane foam that is CertiPUR-US certified?
Hi Anthony,
CertiPUR-US certification tests the foam in the bedding or upholstered furniture. However, it only tests the foam part of the furniture. It doesn’t test the whole product. Depending on a product, a product can contain other materials that can be harmful. Therefore, I feel the certification gives a limited restriction on harmful chemicals of a product. Personally, I would try to avoid polyurethane foam first if I can when choosing a product, or look for a product with certifications such as a Greenguard Gold or Oeko-Tex Standard 100.
CertiPUR-US’s technical Guidelines and the certification process were developed with guidance from the global ‘foam industry’ and in conjunction with the mattress and upholstered furniture industries. CertiPUR-US may give some restrictions on harmful chemicals of the foam. However, you may want to also check out the article here. Hope this helps!
I appreciate your thorough response, Isabelle. That article was informative. I recently found a company, Sabia, that uses CertiPUR-US foam for sofas. The company does seem to make good efforts to use non-toxic, sustainable materials and keep the prices much lower than many eco-friendly furniture companies. Thank you for all the research you’ve done to help parents maintain a healthy home.
Thank you!
Sorry; I misspelled the furniture company. It should be Sabai, Sabai Design.
can you tell me where I can get a non-toxic recliner chair similar to a lazy boy ?
Hi Sharon,
Crate and Barrel, IKEA, LA-Z Boy, Ashley all carry recliners. These companies do not use flame retardant chemicals. Material used for each parts of the recliner chair will vary depending on the company and their recliners. The materials used will probably similar to materials listed for their sofas on this post. I would suggest to browse through their recliners first to pick a style. Once you decide on a specific recliner, the next step can be to inquire about the materials used for the recliner at the company. Hope this helps!
Hi Isabelle! What are some non toxic computer desk chairs? I recently bought two gaming chairs for my children but Iām rethinking of buying different ones. I also need to buy a computer desk chair for myself too. My children are 13 years older and 10 years old and like to make sure we have a better living environment. I never realized how much the things we can be so harmful just so sad. One step at a time I like to transform my family living into a safer zone free from non toxic materials. Look forward to hearing from you and much thanks in advance:)
Thank you,
Valerie
Hi Valerie,
I came across these two brands.
https://www.team7-home.com/ch/en/kids/desk-and-swivel-chair/
For Team7 brand, you can have to type in your zip code to find a dealer on their website.
https://www.palumba.com/natural-house-home/furniture/childrens-tables-chairs.html?p=1
Palumba carries chairs for children from 4 to 12 years old.
Hope this helps!
Thank you so very much for the information it really helps š
Thank you! š
I agree Cisco is a great non-toxic brand. I have one of their sofas in my living room and love it. Another question – I have an old Restoration Hardwood sofa from around 2004. I did contact the manufacturer (Mitchell Gold) to find out about fire retardants and other possible toxic chemicals, they were not that helpful. I know they probably used retardants back then, so knowing that, I replaced all the cushions with natural latex and had new hemp slip covers made for the couch. The only part of the couch that was not replaced was of course the wood frame, the white material underneath the slip cover and the some padding on the the rt and lft arms of the couch. I did this years ago but always wondered if that was enough or if there were still some toxic chemicals left behind. Thoughts?
Hi Aileen,
I think it’s great that you replaced the cushions. I would also guess that they probably used the flame retardant back then. The rest of the sofa, I am not sure what materials they are made of and also if they are replaceable. If the sofa doesn’t cause you any trouble, I think changing cushions may be enough since cushions take up big part of a sofa.
As for any volatile organic compounds (VOCs) if there is any, most of them probably gotten released since 2004 was very long time ago.
Hope this helps!
How do you feel about a cotton/poly blend fabric sofa? 60/40
It is Cisco, but not their green line.
Thank you!
Hi Tammy,
Sorry for a late reply.
I would say cotton/ poly blend fabric sofa would be fine.
The sofa’s other component materials will matter as well to see if it is non toxic overall and if it meets your needs and budget.
Hope this helps!
I am building a “Passive House” which is essentially air-tight so I must have non-toxic furniture. Thank you for this article. I am challenged by companies that seem to pay attention to toxic material but are not Green Guard certified. Thank you for the article.
Thank you!