Most corded window treatment options are being phased out and cordless options will be the new normal. This is being done to increase child safety in your home.
On December 15, 2018 new safety standards went into effect on new window treatment products. The goal of the standards is to improve child safety in homes. The new standards state that almost all blinds and shades will be made cordless. There will still be a small amount that will still be able to have cords to serve some elderly customers or customers with disabilities where cordless versions will not work. There will be many warnings about strangulation of infants and children when these versions are sold.
The main window treatment association, Window Covering Manufacturers Association, Inc. worked with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission to come up with new rules to avoid accidents and injuries that have occurred in the past with young children. There is a new label that will help consumers identify window treatments that adhere to the newest rules. It is the Best for KidsTM program.
Because of how this is being implemented, the cost of corded window treatments will be higher than they have been in the past. This makes the cordless option an easier choice when focusing on price for new window treatments.
Everything that most blinds companies, including us, sell can be customized for a perfect fit. Before the new rules, manufacturers would make many corded options in bulk and ship to the US, then they would be cut and customized to the customers’ exact specifications. That process is no longer allowed according to the new rules. While there are no specific fees being added to avoid corded products, the process for custom cordless options are different and will lead to cordless versions being the cheapest option now that the new rules are in place.
The goal is to have safer products in the marketplace and to keep your children safe in your home. We are fans of keeping children safe, so hopefully, the goals of these new standards are realized. Check out the Best for KidsTM options that are available now if you will have kids in your home or business for all new blinds, shades, and shutters that have been made since December 15, 2018.
For more info on the new standards (ANSI A100.1-2018) please check the following links:
