Q Collection Junior Launches "People Safe, Planet Safe" Furnishings for Kids
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.31.07
When it comes to combining rigorous sustainability standards with high-end design, it doesn't get much better than Q Collection -- see our previous coverage of their excellent work here, here and here as one of TreeHugger's Best Sustainable Designers for more. If you're looking to combine top-notch design with top-to-bottom sustainability considerations, you can't go wrong with Q, so we're excited to see that they've extended their offerings to include Q Collection Junior, a cute line of mod furniture, bedding and accessories that combines beautiful design with very thoroughly considered and impressive sustainable materials and manufacturing.
The list of green practices and materials that go in to the collection are all what we look for in sustainable furnishings: FSC-certified and locally-sourced, responsibly-managed wood; formaldehyde-free, water-based, non-toxic adhesives; non-toxic, low-VOC finishes; low-impact, non-toxic, heavy metal-free fabric dyes; 100% organic cotton. And we aren't the only ones to give it a thumbs up: Q Collection Junior is the only children’s furniture and bedding line recommended by Healthy Child Healthy World, a leading non-profit organization helping parents find non-toxic and environmentally friendly products for their children. Q Collection Junior’s cribs are the first (and only, so far) in the world to be certified by the Greenguard Environmental Institute for low-VOC emissions.
Their green-above-all approach makes lots of sense for children's furniture, from both a planetary and human health perspective: youngsters spend tons of time in their cribs, on a changing table, and surrounded by stuff in their nurseries; exposure to VOCs and other harmful pollutants that are off-gassing from their surroundings can lead to both short and long-term health problems, especially if they're living with poor indoor air quality during their busiest developmental years. By focusing on the dual "People Safe. Planet Safe" goals, the furnishings can help cut back on some of the risks.
In addition to the killer line of furniture and accessories (that's the Luna changing table and Astronomer stool directly above, in addition to the Solare armoire, Stella stackable storage and Solare crib in the top image) Q Collection Junior wants to be a resource for greener, healthier parenting; they've got a great collection of resources and a glossary of terms that parents can use to make their homes healthier places to raise children.
Q Collection Junior is available for sale directly from their site, which has lots more information on their materials choices, manufacturing practices and other green aspects of the business; the collection is also coming to a select number of retailers soon. ::Q Collection Junior and ::Q Collection
It is great to see a collection like this out there for parents who want healthy products for their children. Thanks.