Fabricadabra's Blog

Between the Chicago Tribune’s three part expose on flame retardants in upholstered furniture and the documentary from which the expose was inspired name Toxic Hot Seat, there are few moms out there who have not heard or read about toxic flame retardants in upholstered furniture, mattresses , car seat, pajamas and many everyday objects to which they and their children are exposed.  The research and results of researching truly non-toxic sofas can prove frustrating and disappointing when the results are exposed that truly non-toxic sofas come with a high price tag. Ones that switch out FR foam for non-FR foam are much better than ones with flame retardants. But, in the research process you learn just how nasty other components of conventional sofas are: the particleboard, glues, stains, still getting a foam that is a petrochemical. If you check out textiles, you will learn that conventional upholstery fabrics prove to processed with heavy metals.

So, do you ditch the sofa and revert to floor cushions or no sofa until you can save to buy a truly least toxic one such as EKLA HOME’s or Ecobalanza’s? Quite possibly. With floor cushions becoming so popular with teens and younger adults due to their versatility , I decided to commission the making of French mattress tufted floor cushions that have carry handles and are filled with Oeko-tex 10o certified wool and covered in untreated, undyed linen.

They are pretty darn comfortable! I sat my older body on them every day for four months while I worked until I had a simple solid hardwood desk in a no-VOC stain made for me. I line three of them up as mattress cushions when Hannah comes home from college with a guest. I can stack them up under the bed as needed.