Is Ashley Furniture Non Toxic?

If you’re shopping around for new furniture you’ve probably heard of Ashley Furniture.

Like Article Furniture (which we also do a deep dive into), they are one of the largest home furniture manufacturers and retailers in the world.

But Is Ashley Furniture non toxic?

We went and did A LOT of digging on this one. Here is what we found..

TL;DR

Ashley Furniture is not a non toxic brand. This is due to their heavy use of synthetic materials like polyester and polyfoam, the use of engineered woods containing formaldehyde, and the lack of third-party certifications.

What Is Non Toxic Furniture?

Non-toxic furniture is made without the use of harmful chemicals, pollutants, or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can off-gas and cause poor indoor air quality.

Made from natural, organic, or sustainably sourced materials, non-toxic furniture is safer than most conventional furniture.

These products avoid synthetic materials, unsafe finishes, glues containing formaldehyde, and flame retardants, all of which are linked to health risks, from skin irritation to, in some cases, cancer.

Lastly, non toxic furniture brands hold Third-Party Certifications to prove they are safe.

A few Third-Party Certifications are…

• FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)
• GREENGUARD/GREENGUARD Gold
• CertiPUR-US
• Oeko-Tex Standard 100
• TCO Certified
• Cradle to Cradle
• GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard)
• GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)

Is Ashley Furniture Non-Toxic?

No, Ashley Furniture is not non toxic as they use a heavy amount of synthetic materials like polyester, unsafe chemical wood finishes and glues, and polyfoam. They also lack third-party certifications to prove they are a truly safe brand.👎🏽

“What’s so wrong with these materials?”

These materials off-gas in your home and have been linked to health risks and challenges ranging from asthma and allergic reactions to respiratory problems, developmental challenges, and even cancer.

They may have all the styles, but they certainly aren’t a brand worried about safety when it comes to the chemicals you bring into your home.

Let’s discuss these materials a little more.

Materials They Use

The main problem with their furniture is the heavy use of synthetic materials.

Let’s break them down.

Engineered Wood

This includes particleboard and MDF. These materials contain adhesives that off-gas VOCs like formaldehyde that are linked to respiratory problems and cancer.

This type of wood also isn’t as durable or lasts as long as solid wood.

Not to mention, a large majority of their Furniture products don’t have the Greenguard Certification that regulates chemical emissions levels… 👎🏽

Synthetic Fabrics

From leather to polyester, they sell a good amount of upholstery. However, they’re synthetic and treated with unsafe chemicals that can also off-gas into your home.

The worst part is that synthetic fabrics, such as polyester and nylon, release microplastic fibers and harmful chemicals into the air, which may be inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

These plastic microfibers are everywhere! Any plastic item you have in your home releases these microplastic fibers into the air.

Polyfoam

Otherwise known as polyurethane foam, polyfoam is used in a lot of furniture to give it soft cushiony support and bounciness.

Unfortunately, it’s unsustainable and made with chemicals like VOCs that can pollute the air inside your home and harm your health.

Often times it contains flame retardants like Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) that are harmful and don’t break down easily in the environment.

Metal

Now this is actually a good thing. Many of their modern pieces incorporate metal, which doesn’t off-gas.

Wood

A majority of their furniture is made from engineered wood which is bound together with toxic formaldehyde-filled glues. While some of their pieces do contain solid wood.. they are then treated with chemical wood finishes. 😒

Of course, none of these hold third-party certifications…🙄

The main certification you want to find in sustainably sourced wood is the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification.

But we just didn’t find any…leading us to believe Ashley Furniture doesn’t source their wood sustainably or it contains unsafe treatments or both…

But don’t just take my word for it, let’s dig into materials used in two examples of their best-selling products.

Examples on Their Site

First up, The Mahoney Sofa

This sofa is made from toxic materials like synthetic fabrics(polyester) and polyfill(polyfoam) as well as a chemical faux wood finish.

Looking at another example we chose one of their top-selling mattresses, the Sleep Essential.

So you can see again, more synthetic fabrics…

Honestly, there’s not much information as far as what other specific materials are used to make their furniture, but based on the heavy use of synthetic fabrics, chemical wood treatments, and lack of third-party certifications, we can assume there aren’t many natural or even sustainable materials involved in the process. 👎🏽

What About Formaldehyde?

Formaldehyde is a common concern when it comes to furniture, especially those made of particleboard or MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard).

It’s found in adhesives to bind wood particles together. Over time, pieces made with these materials can release formaldehyde gas, a process known as off-gassing.

They have made commitments to reduce formaldehyde in their products, but this is an ongoing process, meaning many of their items still contain this chemical.

Their engineered wood furniture does meet the standards set by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), ensuring minimal off-gassing.

However, most of their Furniture’s products don’t meet the GREENGUARD GOLD standards that limit chemical emissions to regulate indoor air quality. Only their crib mattresses meet Greenguard Gold standards.

So yes, although they have made progress in lowering their formaldehyde levels, there is still formaldehyde in their products, especially ones made from engineered woods.

Final Thoughts

Ashley Furniture, like many large manufacturers, has made strides to make sure their products are becoming safer.

But they’re just not there yet and can’t be considered a non toxic furniture brand.

The good news is that you live in an era where safe, eco-friendly furniture is becoming a standard and you no longer have to sacrifice safety for style!

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