Question from Stacey
I am trying to find affordable, safe, comfortable dining chairs for my family. I see one company makes a slipcovered chair but the slipcover is made of polyester. The foam in the chair is polyurethane and polyester-wrapped. A customer service rep told me that this company does not add flame retardants to any furniture (Pottery Barn). The slipcovers are washable, which I would wash a couple times before first use. Would you say these chairs are just too toxic and not safe, or would they be okay?
Lisa’s Answer
The foam in the chair is of greater concern than the polyester slipcover. A chair without flame retardant is safer than the same chair with flame retardant, but there are many other materials of concern. A sold wood chair with water-based adhesive and finishes is a more cost-efficient and safer bet than one with polyurethane foam. There are upholstered chairs that are filled with natural latex but they tend to me more expensive. Here is one I recommend. You need to chose the Organic Natural latex fill option.
