Child Safety in Window Coverings!

Child safety! ( This conversation includes our “furry” and “four-legged“ children also!)

Nothing is more important to a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, babysitter, or any other person that has both the responsibility and privilege of watching and caring for young children. We all do whatever we can to help keep children that are in our care, safe from anything that could be dangerous.

The Window Coverings Industry feels the same way about protecting our children!

What exactly do we mean by Window Coverings?

Any product that covers the glass, the window frame, products that are mounted on the wall space above the window to control light or privacy. You get the idea!

Shades, blinds, draperies, Roman shades. You may have some or all of these in your home now.

In the past, the most popular method to operate window coverings was a cord that was visible on the face of the product. This made the product easy to operate because the cord was easy to find and easy to grasp to make the shade go up and down. Draperies may have had a cord to make the drapes run along a track to open and close them. This worked wonderfully for a long time and manufacturers continued to innovate new types of cords to make these products operate smoothly.

Who is the Window Coverings Industry ?

In a nutshell, any person or company that sells a window covering.

Manufacturers Both small, medium, and large companies that fabricate window coverings.

• Large companies that ship products all over the country and internationally.
• Small companies that may be local and sometimes home-based businesses that employ as few as 1 – 2 people.

Retailers/Sellers. Again, companies of all sizes.

• Big box stores, wholesale clubs, Interior Design showrooms, franchise window covering companies.
• Small dealers ( like myself) that provide shop at home experience.

What does Child Safety have to do with shades and blinds?

While cords remained the most available and cost-effective option for a long time, the industry was pushed to find alternatives due to fatalities involving young children becoming entangled in these operating cords.

After years of voluntary innovations by the window coverings industry to make operating cords safer, and developing new cordless methods to operate window coverings, in 2023, the Consumer Products Safety Commission issued mandatory requirements for operating systems that make all window treatments as safe as possible.

These requirements take effect for anyone selling a window treatment on June 1, 2024.

What does this mean for a consumer and homeowner?

Any window covering that you may consider purchasing after June 1, 2024 will be the safest product for the children in your home that has ever been available!

This includes new types of controls for cords, cordless lift and automated or motorized shades.

B Burton Custom Décor offers Child Safe ( and Pet safe too! ) products from a variety of manufacturers, to bring you the best and latest in safety and convenience! Contact us today so we can help with your window covering solutions!