In the event that miniature ottomans might be the hottest item on every child’s Christmas list this year, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has some bad news for parents that are currently shopping for high end toddler furniture. Minnesota-based Trend Lab LLC has recalled approximately 16,850 children’s upholstered toddler chairs over concerns that the staples used in the seams of the fabric could come loose and cause lacerations and even choking.
Manufactured in China, the chairs are available in a variety of fabrics and colors, but the affected models of the chairs carry the date codes TL1007C through TL0812C, which are available on the bottom sides of the chairs. While the chairs involved in this recall were manufactured between October of 2007 and August of this year, any new models with the identifier “Remedy 2012” on the bottom side are not affected. Consumers are urged to contact Trend Lab at (866) 814-7978 if they believe that they own one of these chair/ottoman sets in order to receive the repair kit, free of charge.
Lead Paint Standard Violation in Clothing
New York-based Children’s Apparel Network, Ltd. recently announced the recall of approximately 6,200 fleece hoodies and t-shirt sets because the surface coating contains too much lead. The popular hoodies and shirts, sold exclusively at Target stores and through Target’s website last year, come in three styles that feature popular Disney characters, including Mickey Mouse and Snow White. Parents can return the clothing items to any Target stores for immediate refunds.
Passed in 2008, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act created the national government’s strictest guidelines on lead in children’s products to date. According to this law, children’s products can feature no more than 90 milligrams of lead per kilogram of paint. Anything beyond that is a violation, as we’re witnessing in this Children’s Apparel recall. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 250,000 children in the U.S. have blood levels that feature more than 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter, which is the point at which the CDC urges parents to have their children tested.
Low Point for Highchairs
Only a week after Graco Children’s Products announced the recall of more than 89,000 child highchairs over fall hazards, New Jersey’s Dream On Me, Inc. is recalling 90 Bistro highchairs due to a manufacturing defect that can cause a small child’s or baby’s body to slip through the side and become caught at the neck, creating a strangulation hazard.
Another Bad Dream
Dream OnMe’s highchair recall is not the only problem that the company is facing this week. Also announced is the recall of approximately 560 Happy Swing II infant swings over similar concerns that a child’s small body can slip through the side and end up in a position that can cause choking or suffocation. While no incidents of injury have been reported yet in either of Dream OnMe’s recalls, the company will still replace either recalled item upon contact at (877) 201-4317.