Needless to say, our country is the only in the developed world that doesn’t regulate formaldehyde in clothing. Even for infants. Look. This is my shocked face.

But I am frequently asked how much of the stuff is allowed in clothes from Europe – so I thought that I’d post this for you: GLOBAL FORMALDEHYDE LIMITS

Quick aside: I once had a mother tell me not to worry about formaldehyde in clothing as I could just put the outfit in the wash. True story. (You can wash away the smell and “finishing”, but not remove the compound from the fibers.)

Formaldehyde, as you may know, is what we use to embalm people with.

Here is more from the Center for Disease Control (CDC):

• Formaldehyde is a colorless, highly toxic, and flammable gas at room temperature that is slightly heavier than air. It has a pungent, highly irritating odor that is detectable at low concentrations, but may not provide adequate warning of hazardous concentrations for sensitized persons.
• It is used most often in an aqueous solution stabilized with methanol (formalin).
• Most formaldehyde exposures occur by inhalation or by skin or eye contact. Formaldehyde is absorbed well by the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and, to a lesser extent, skin.

Skin/Eye Contact

Ocular exposure to formaldehyde vapors produces irritation and lacrimation. Depending on the concentration, formaldehyde solutions may cause transient discomfort and irritation or more severe effects, including corneal opacification and loss of vision. Formaldehyde is absorbed through intact skin and may cause irritation or allergic dermatitis; rapid metabolism makes systemic effects unlikely following dermal exposure.

Children are more vulnerable to toxicants absorbed through the skin because of their relatively larger surface area:body weight ratio.

Ingestion

Ingestion of as little as 30 mL (1 oz.) of a solution containing 37% formaldehyde has been reported to cause death in an adult. Ingestion may cause corrosive injury to the gastrointestinal mucosa, with nausea, vomiting, pain, bleeding, and perforation. Corrosive injuries are usually most pronounced in the pharyngeal mucosa, epiglottis and esophagus. Systemic effects include metabolic acidosis, CNS depression and coma, respiratory distress, and renal failure.

Basically – this is smelly bad stuff that you don’t want anywhere NEAR your infant (which is why all infant clothes should be organic).

I am now even slightly concerned that the legal infant exposure limits in most EU countries – 20ppm – is too high for a newborn after I read this on the CDC site:

Human data: It has been reported that exposure to 10 to 20 ppm produces almost immediate eye irritation and a sharp burning sensation of the nose and throat which may be associated with sneezing, difficulty in taking a deep breath, and coughing; recovery is prompt from these transient effects [Kodak 1936-1960]. It has been estimated that exposure for 5 to 10 minutes to 50 to 100 ppm might cause serious injury to the lower respiratory passages [Kodak 1936-1960]. The following exposure-effect data has also been reported: most subjects experience irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat at 1 to 3 ppm; many subjects cannot tolerate prolonged exposures to 4 to 5 ppm; and difficulty in breathing was experienced at 10 to 20 ppm [IARC 1982]. In a summary of health effects data, upper airway irritation and increased nasal airway resistance were reported at 0.1 to 25 ppm and lower airway and chronic pulmonary obstruction at 5 to 30 ppm [NRC 1981].

Which means that the French cashmere layette I had picked out is now a no go. (Sometimes I wish that I had never been taught to read.)

Basically. Organic is best, European is better than American – and American is rubbish. Unless Organic.

NOTE: Zia & Tia makes beautiful organic layettes, which is what the top foto is of.

If you are a green mama in the midwest – you need boots. Several, if not many pair. But most boots and shoes are made with a toxic soup of glues and dyes that we green mamas try to stay clear of in our own, as well in our babies closets. Luckily, every season we have more options.

Green Bees make beautiful boots and shoes are made with formaldehyde free dyes and, often, recycled tread.

Classic and suitable for pushing your Oeko-Tex Standard 100 stroller, Green Bees shoes are perfect for the mama who doesn’t think a pair of shoes are worth the pollution that is required to make conventional footwear.

And what a great example to your wee one!

Happy walking!

As I have written about before, most furniture, from companies like Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, The Land of Nod, etc., have toxins in their pressed woods, glues and finishes that I did not want to have in my nursery.  That these KNOWN carcinogens and neurotoxins are in the furniture is all legal - so these companies do meet or exceed all Federal regulations – but it is still dangerous – and does contribute to the poor air quality described by the EPA that contributes to allergies, asthma and, it is believed, SIDS.

As just an example of what is in most “traditional”, even expensive nursery furniture, this test by the State of California is illuminating:

” What did Environment California do? It took baby furniture purchased from major retailers such as Target and put the furniture in an enclosed environmental chamber. An independent laboratory measured the formaldehyde emissions from each piece of furniture. Then, the emission rate from the furniture was extrapolated to determine how much the products contributed to the indoor air concentrations of formaldehyde in a typical house.

The results? Of the products tested, the highest emitter, the Child-Craft Oak Crib (purchased at Target), would result in an indoor air concentration of formaldehyde at 20 ppb if it was the only source in the house. Since an elevated risk of asthma has been found in children exposed to indoor air concentrations of formaldehyde at 50 ppb, this is significant. Most homes have many formaldehyde sources, from cabinets to other furniture. Other high formaldehyde emitters were the Bridget 4 in 1 Crib by Delta (Wal Mart), Kayla II Changing Table by Storkcraft (Babies R Us), Berkely Changing Table by Jardine Enterprises (Babies R Us), Country Style Changing Table by South Shore Furniture (Target) and Rochester Cognac Crib by Storkcraft (Target).”   SOURCE

Right.

So, I had found a non-toxic crib and changing table – but what to do about books and toys? What would I store them in?  All the furniture at The Land of Nod, (except for their Ecotots collection) and the other companies had these chemicals in them that I just couldn’t bear in my wee mans playroom. And the non-toxic furniture that I did find, was far too modern for my taste.

Now what?

My best friend to the rescue . My bestie is from Michigan, and went to college with a girl who’s father (are you following all of this?), has a woodworking business. Whew.  All I had to do, she assured me, was email her friend with all of my specs – and voila!  I would have whatever I wanted, as pure as as a tree whittled by magic elves.

So. I sent Stacy, at the Tannery Creek, the measurements for a cubby storage system that I lifted from a catalogue that you most likely have on your coffee table, with instructions to use non-toxic glues, Natura paint, and pure, untreated hardwood.  The beautiful result – that was actually CHEAPER than a certain system from a certain Barn, is above, and below.

Needless to say, I am THRILLED with the result, knowing that, once again, and by what feels to be the skin of my teeth, I have avoided polluting my baby’s air and body with just a tiny bit of effort and planning.

What else do they make at Tannery Creek in Michigan?  Why, just everything!  Basically, you can just send them your images and measurements for anything you have seen somewhere else – and they can make it for you. Without toxins.  Needless to say, I will be using Tannery Creek in the future to make more furniture for my son as he grows.

Just look at these stunning cribs that they make, which can be painted in any no VOC paint, without harmful glues or finishes:

And could this heirloom rocking horse BE anymore adorable?

If you are here, in the Midwest, I hope that you will consider Tannery Creek for your non-toxic nursery, and if you aren’t – ask around!  There is sure to be a woodworking shop near enough that your child can have beautiful and SAFE furniture to grow up with.

And, aren’t they worth it?

As you buy toys for your wee ones, or others, I just wanted to give you a brilliant resource: www.HealthyToys.com. 

“HealthyToys.org includes test results for more than 2,200 toys and children’s products. This site is a first step in providing consumers with the information they need to make better choices when purchasing toys and other children’s products.”

Not only can you search their database when home in your bamboo slippers, but you can text them for safety ratings while you are in the toy store!

Why is this important? Well, aside from weekly toy recalls, 1 in 3 toys that HealthyToys.org tested last Christmas season had significant levels of toxic chemicals including lead, flame retardants, and arsenic.  Yes, that arsenic. The one Miss Marple seems to always discover was in the Vicars tea.

Bookmark the site on your Blackberry. You’ll be glad that you did.

Duck and Cover

So you found an adorable little something at Target, Babystyle, Gymboree or Disney…just the cutest thing EVER…and at such a great price too! Is it Made in China?  Brilliant, chances are that that it contains up to 500 TIMES the  formaldehyde level determined safe by the World Health Organization.  I wouldn’t dare exaggerate: http://www.stuff.co.nz//25315 and, testimony to Congress by Dr. Ruth Etzel, MD, PhD, FAAP, this past April, who was representing the American Academy of Pediatrics (Warning: Stephen King is less frightening than this): http://commerce.senate.gov/public/_files/EtzelFormaldehydeTestimony.pdf

What is in your child’s clothes? Read letters from the above mentioned companies as well as others that conspicuously chose not to answer: http://www.safbaby.com/formaldehyde-free-baby-and-childrens-clothing-companies

Bafflingly (I think that’s a word), despite the American Academy of Pediatrics, and other child health organizations pleadings to Congress to introduce or vote for legislation that limits toxic chemicals in children’s products (as the entire European Union has done, as has much of Asia), thousands of known carcinogens (cancer causing agents) and neurotoxins are UNREGULATED and totally LEGAL to put in your baby’s clothes, crib sheets, mattresses, etc. . Buyer Beware? No. Buyer be Terrified.

Lesson #3: Do not buy anything Made in China.

Lesson #3.5: Write or call the manufacturers of your childs clothing and ASK what chemicals they use – or save yourself the stress and buy organic.