What is CertiPUR-US Certified Foam?
Q: What does it mean when I see the CertiPUR-US® seal on a product?
A: It means the foam in the bedding or upholstered furniture has been tested to meet CertiPUR-US® rigorous standards for emissions, content, performance, and durability. Specifically, the foam is:
- Made without ozone depleters
- Made without PBDEs, TDCPP or TCEP (“Tris”) flame retardants
- Made without mercury, lead and heavy metals
- Made without formaldehyde
- Made without phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission
- Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions for indoor air quality (less than 0.5 parts per million)
Q: If the foam is certified, does that mean it was made without flame retardants?
A: Certified foams are made without certain flame retardants (FRs), but only the manufacturer of the flexible polyurethane product can inform you whether the product is FR-free, since the CertiPUR-US® program prohibits only the FRs that have been identified by the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) as substances that may cause cancer, may cause genetic defects, or may damage fertility or the unborn child (1A, 1B). Currently we prohibit the use of the following FRs, but the list may change as science and research dictate:
- Antimony
- Pentabromodiphenyl ether
- Octabromodiphenyl ether
- Decabromodiphenyl ether
- Chlorinated phenols (PCP, TeCP)
- Dimethyl Methylphosphonate (DMMP)
- Nitrites
- Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB)
- Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB)
- Polychlorinated Terphenyls (PCT)
- Tri-(2,3-dibromo-propyl)-phosphate (TRIS)
- Tris-(aziridinyl)-phosphinoxide (TEPA)
- Tris-(2-chloroethyl)-phosphate (TCEP)
- Tris-(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)-phosphate (TDCPP)
Q: I am allergic to latex and am having a reaction to a product which contains certified foam. Can it have latex in it?
A: The CertiPUR-US® program only certifies flexible polyurethane foam for bedding products and upholstered furniture. Latex foam is outside the scope of our certification. It is possible for a manufacturer to include a layer of latex in a mattress that contains certified polyurethane foam. In this case, as long as the flexible polyurethane foam is certified, the manufacturer would be allowed to use the CertiPUR-US® seal. You should contact the manufacturer to ask if your model contains latex.
What is CertiPUR Foam?